Dive Travel: Bring or Rent?

[CNicoll]

Do you travel light or haul your gear all over the world?

I've perused the various threads and there seems to be a persistent favortism towards bringing your own gear on dive trips (requiring a flight). I like having control over my life control system (reg and computer), but see many divers renting full gear (and traveling very light!)

We've done two dive trips and on both brought what we had for gear. Each trip involved a significant portion of our luggage and carry-ons devoted to dive equipment. On the first trip my older son's rental BC autoinflator constantly jammed in the open position (not fun at 30 feet) on one dive so he took to orally inflating when he needed to. For the second trip we had bought him a BC and all we rented were tanks, neoprene and weights. However my youngest son (newly minted diver) rented all of his gear, which looked a bit like it came from the 1990's but really had no performance issues whatsoever

So what is the verdict? Bring or rent?

 

[Diver Kat]

We always bring our own ... even if it's just a few dives off a cruise (gasp!:shocked2 trip. Just like the comfort of knowing my own gear and not having to worry about rental stuff. It's also taught us to travel with less and less other stuff, as the gear gets #1 priority!

 

[ScubaSteve]

I too will almost always bring my own gear. If, for some reason I think I will not be diving....it is a cold day when I think that.....I will likely bring only by maske, / fins / boots regulator / computers. This has only happened once and hopefully never again .

My biggest problem is all of the camera equipment.....cameras, spare parts, housings, strobes etc.....and now it is just about to get exponentially tougher for me since I now shoot a Rebel XSi on the surface and a Nikon P5000 P&S underwater. PLUS I have a Canon Optura 40 DV for underwater and topside......I need a plane just for all the electronics. Me thinks I am out of control.

 

[Walter]

I can see absolutly no advantage to leaving my gear at home when I'm going diving.

 

[Unibrook]

Minimum, I take my mask, fins, dive computer, snorkel. Next in line is wetsuit. After that comes regulator and bc. If I am going to be in one place, then the choice is easy to take all my own stuff. But if I am travelling around a lot by bus etc and diving is only PART of the trip, then I carry the minimal, and rent the rest. Rental stuff is usually ok, but you do occasionally have stuck button etc. It is a trade off.

 

[DeputyDan]

Why own if it stays at home?

 

[blawler1]

Having used rental equipment a few of times, there's no question its a major advantage to use your own, especially if you get some decent stuff. Face it, diving is a lot more fun if you're comfortable and familar with your gear especially if you don't have to figure out different inflator buttons, and different straps etc or get a rental req that is like breathing through a straw (been there, done that). My wife and I have tried to get quality gear which is streamlined as much as possible to facilitate travel. Our BCs are stripped down Mares back inflate weight integrated which fold up nicely and go into one checked bag with fins, booties, mesh bags etc. As we use wrist watch computers, (we wear those) and BC integrated octos, and mini-spgs for our consoles, I can fit regs (including a back up unit), masks, lights and my wife's Nikonos V complete with strobe in a standard carry on. Granted this carry on weighs a ton (probably 50lbs or more), but no airline has complained and it keeps the dive check in under the 50 lb limit imposed by most air carriers and lets me take care of much of the more expense stuff.

 

[Wisnu]

We always bring our own gear set, except tank and weight; just not feel comfy using equipment that we're not familiar - even if better than ours.

 

[CNicoll]

I'm kind of a big fan of diving what I own, esp the dive computer which I know how to use well and the regulator which I know was just serviced, etc. The point about knowing your own gear is something I forgot about, and took for granted - I instinctively know where everything is on my BC: dive knife, D-rings, computer hook, pocket, etc without even looking. A lot of comfort knowing where everything is without having to search.

But it took a lot of work to get everything into 50lb suitcases and with more and more of the family now diving, its more stuff than ever. I'm beginning to think the most important piece of gear when traveling is a scale!

Thanks for everyone's comments. Now I can tell my wife, "but honey, EVERYONE brings their own gear!"

 

[robint]

I'm kind of a big fan of diving what I own, esp the dive computer which I know how to use well and the regulator which I know was just serviced, etc. The point about knowing your own gear is something I forgot about, and took for granted - I instinctively know where everything is on my BC: dive knife, D-rings, computer hook, pocket, etc without even looking. A lot of comfort knowing where everything is without having to search.

But it took a lot of work to get everything into 50lb suitcases and with more and more of the family now diving, its more stuff than ever. I'm beginning to think the most important piece of gear when traveling is a scale!

Thanks for everyone's comments. Now I can tell my wife, "but honey, EVERYONE brings their own gear!"

yes, just accept the fact that you are going to pay for 2 bags. We have 2 large 50# bags of dive gear, 1 large pelican case with camera housings, strobes, video housing, etc. Then we have a bag with clothing (the smallest bag). We also have our carryon bags with laptop, 2 regulators with computers, spare masks, dive logs...