Safely Transporting a Wing

[SF Diver MT]

I will soon be going on a trip via an airplane and need to transport my dive gear. What is a good way to transport my (26 Taurus) wing without damaging it?

I know that you can damage a wing if it sits between two hard objects. How does one pack it in a suitcase (or other) and ensure that it does not become damaged?

Additionally, I do not own a tank and like to transport my dive gear from my house (or elsewhere to the dive site in a mesh backpack. Prior to attaching a tank to my rig can I transport the wing with my BP and other gear or should I hold it separately?

Thanks.

 

[Tug]

I also dive a Torus 26 and have travel with it. When I'm flying I usually pack it towards the top of my bag. I don't really do anything special other than that when packing. When packing I put the heavy objects at the bottom of the bag so it usually ends up towards the top with my clothing etc.

When transporting my gear around site to site I either use a mesh duffel bag or rubbermaid tub, either way I transport it unattached to the plate and on top. After diving I take the wing off and toss it on top again. This is why I like my DSS system compared to other systems that require a STA, it's incredibly easy to disassemble for storage, cleaning and transporting.

 

[RICHinNC]

Not sure what you mean by "damage".

I fly with a DiverRite Transplate and Rec wing and I just put it in an old computer bag and carry on board. I wouldnt pack it in check in. Pony ...yes...check in....not wing.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

For air travel, I'll generally load my wing into the drop-bottom compartment of my roller duffel bag. The bag gets checked. I've done a number of trips and haven't had any issues at all. I'd like to think that the drop-bottom compartment provides a fair amount of protection (hard backing on one side, thick foam side panels, and soft clothing above).

I suppose that if you don't mind toting the BP/W in a carry-on, then that would be an option. However, I almost always have other things that require more babying (laptop, camera equipment, regs, etc.).

For transporting the BP/W onto a local dive boat, I use one of those large mesh boat bags. The BP/W system is disassembled. The BP is loaded into the bag first, and the wing is rolled up and placed on top of everything inside the bag.

 

[rongoodman]

I've been checking my wing, so far without issue. I usually just put together my doubles rig before a local trip and put it in the car. The mesh bag just has fins, drysuit, underwear, and other gear I might need.

 

[kanonfodr]

I pack my rig almost fully assembled into a Bug-Out Bag for general to/from dive site moving. Wing goes on the bottom, where less stuff can puncture it. Then on top of the plate, in between the harness straps, I place my X-Shorts, can light goes around them, then wetsuit, hood, and dive skin on top. I have a separate compartment for my reg(s).

For my one diving travel trip I put all my scuba stuff sans regs and computer into my checked bag, since it's big and has a cool zip-up compartment where everything gets strapped down and then I pack my clothes around it. My carryon carries the easily pilfered items along with stuff security may find questionable (computer, regs, camera, laptop) and my pillow.

Peace,
Greg

 

[kanonfodr]

I pack my rig almost fully assembled into a Bug-Out Bag for general to/from dive site moving. Wing goes on the bottom, where less stuff can puncture it. Then on top of the plate, in between the harness straps, I place my X-Shorts, can light goes around them, then wetsuit, hood, and dive skin on top. I have a separate compartment for my reg(s).

For my one diving travel trip I put all my scuba stuff sans regs and computer into my checked bag, since it's big and has a cool zip-up compartment where everything gets strapped down and then I pack my clothes around it. My carryon carries the easily pilfered items along with stuff security may find questionable (computer, regs, camera, laptop) and my pillow.

Peace,
Greg

 

[halocline]

I take the wing off the plate for travel, squeeze every bit of air out of it, then just roll or fold it up in checked baggage. They're not that fragile. If you have a DSS plate as well as the wing, separating the two takes less than 5 seconds.

 

[pickens_46929]

Pretty much pack it like the above posters do...

In my checked luggage it goes. Heavy stuff like fins, plate, etc. on the bottom. Generally throw in a layer of clothes or beach towel. Then the wing and finally I put my wet suit on stop.