Backplate travel system

[divezonescuba]

hello

I am looking for a way of lightening and streamlining my backplate and wing system while traveling. I currently pack some of it in a carryon and the rest in a personal item backpack.

My plan is to mount a bag or pack to the back of the plate. Inside the pack would fo the regsets, fins, wing, boots, mask, snorkel, computers, and wetsuit.

A lot of molle tactical packs have mounting points that could be used for this. Has anyone seen a dedicated system like this?

Thanks.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Some prior discussions that may be of interest:

Carry-On Backplate-Backpack?

Bp/w build your own backpack

Innovative Dive Bag

Innovative Dive Bag Redux

 

[2airishuman]

I made one last fall. Photos here:

Carry-On Backplate-Backpack?

It works OK although I have found it is necessary to wrap the whole thing tightly in cord to make it rigid. I put my fins on the outside except when on a flight, when they are in my checked bag, because I use larger fins that exceed the carry on size limits.

 

[divezonescuba]

Thanks for the thread references.

I decided to take a slightly different approach and mounted a duffle bag to the plate. It is mounted with four bolts. The duffle bag can still be dismounted and used independently at the other end, though I would not use it as a boat bag due to zipper corrosion issues.

It can carry all the gear for doubles, but probably would not pass the personal item test.

 

[divezonescuba]

Here is the finished product. Definitely in the carryon, not personal item category. The two knives would go in the check in. It is a bit heavy altogether, good for training up to carry doubles.

 

[jimbeeler]

Personally, I put my steel backplate, wing, STA, SMB, reel, mask, boots, socks, 2 wetsuits (shorty and full), lights, batteries, 2 dive computers and regs, all scuba stuff except fins (I'd pack them except they are too long for my carry-on) go in my generic carry-on bag that weights in at 35lbs. Fins and other non dive stuff goes in a larger checked bag that probably weighs 20 lbs. I also have a backpack that I carry-on that has Camera, computer, iPad and other stuff that I don't want to get damaged.

I ALWAYS get the scuba gear carry-on examined by the TSA but generally it's not that big a deal.

Jim

 

[divezonescuba]

Almost every trip I have been on since opening the shop several years ago, someone in our group has lost their luggage and gear. We say that in the trip briefings.

On the way out, the only thing I don't carry on board is some replaceable tools. My fins now fit easily in the duffle bag. Before they were a really tight fit in the garment section of my wheeled carryon. The harness and plate used to take up a lot of space.

I have never had trouble with tsa for any dive gear. When I used a bcd, I used to wear it thru tsa and then onboard. Sometimes they do not even hand inspect my gear bag.

However, cayman security almost did not let me carry my tank bands one time. Dominican Republic security tried to prevent me from carrying on my regulators once. Only after demanding to speak to a supervisor who spoke English did they apologize and let me keep the reg sets. I think they were just trying to shake me down as my flight was scheduled to leave in a few minutes.