Charred
Contributor
I'm not trying to start any debate - just trying to share some info because I often hear that plates are too heavy to travel with. I'm leaving in 2 weeks for Cozumel so I was packing my bag. I thought I would weigh it when I was done.
FWIW - All my main gear goes in a Patagonia Black Hole 60L. It is a duffel bag right at TSA size limits that you can also wear as a backpack. I wear it as a backpack. I also carry a messenger bag for my travel stuff but I do carry a few items in it: my main mask, computer and all my batteries. In my checked bag are my fins, boots, my cutters and the rest of my clothes.
So in my Black Hole going in first:
-bathing suit, jammer, long sleeve and short sleeve rash guard.
-dive socks, bandanna and my beanie
-large DSS steel backplate, webbing, D rings and 2 large double enders.
-2 Cam bands and 2 weight pockets
-My regulators in a padded reg bag with brass spg, transmitter and 2 bolt snaps.
-Mask in a box
-snorkel
-2 DGX dive lights with bolt snaps
-3 foot dSMB and reel and double ender
-5.5 foot SMB and double ender
-4 extra boltsnaps/double enders on a d-ring. Some extra caveline and bungie.
-17 lbs wing folded (the wing is actually sitting on the reg bag)
-3 mm large wetsuit (Stuff going in last is against your back)
-2 boonie hats
26 lbs (rounded up). As a backpack, to me, this weight is a non issue. My 5'4" wife, who is a wimp
, carries similar with no issue. In fact, we are flying into Cancun and will "bag drag" this from Cancun to Playa de Carmen via bus or taxi, ride the ferry and then taxi to our hotel. Since we are carrying our gear on, we don't pay baggage fees and we don't have to worry about dive gear getting lost or damaged.
Switching to an aluminum plate would save 3 lbs dropping the bag to 23. Shrug...
Each to his own, just thought I would share my travel load out.
FWIW - All my main gear goes in a Patagonia Black Hole 60L. It is a duffel bag right at TSA size limits that you can also wear as a backpack. I wear it as a backpack. I also carry a messenger bag for my travel stuff but I do carry a few items in it: my main mask, computer and all my batteries. In my checked bag are my fins, boots, my cutters and the rest of my clothes.
So in my Black Hole going in first:
-bathing suit, jammer, long sleeve and short sleeve rash guard.
-dive socks, bandanna and my beanie
-large DSS steel backplate, webbing, D rings and 2 large double enders.
-2 Cam bands and 2 weight pockets
-My regulators in a padded reg bag with brass spg, transmitter and 2 bolt snaps.
-Mask in a box
-snorkel
-2 DGX dive lights with bolt snaps
-3 foot dSMB and reel and double ender
-5.5 foot SMB and double ender
-4 extra boltsnaps/double enders on a d-ring. Some extra caveline and bungie.
-17 lbs wing folded (the wing is actually sitting on the reg bag)
-3 mm large wetsuit (Stuff going in last is against your back)
-2 boonie hats
26 lbs (rounded up). As a backpack, to me, this weight is a non issue. My 5'4" wife, who is a wimp
, carries similar with no issue. In fact, we are flying into Cancun and will "bag drag" this from Cancun to Playa de Carmen via bus or taxi, ride the ferry and then taxi to our hotel. Since we are carrying our gear on, we don't pay baggage fees and we don't have to worry about dive gear getting lost or damaged. Switching to an aluminum plate would save 3 lbs dropping the bag to 23. Shrug...
Each to his own, just thought I would share my travel load out.
