to check or carry on a plane

[likelite]

I dunno. I was supposed to dive this month with an outfit in Cayman I hooked up through a cruise company. I had been told I could use my reg and computer with their rental gear, but when I got there I was told they'd only make my computer compatible...and would expect me to use a rental reg with no secondary air source.

Um, no thanks.

I usually pack my Ikelite housing in a big aluminum case & put in my checked bag. My camera, however, doesn't leave my person. I usually carry my reg, too.

 

[pieohpah]

I carry my camera, reg and dive computer. The rest; I check in an hope for the best... it has worked like a charm so far

 

[Warren_L]

Jim, When was the last time you looked at the depp web site?????? I justed looked and it is a condo for rent in Brekenridge Co. Snow sking?/

A condo in Breckenridge if I lose my camera? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Actually, I've been insured with DEPP for a couple of years now and wouldn't leave home without it, especially with all my camera gear. I haven't had to use it yet, but it is a great comfort to know that it's all covered, even in the event of my own stupidity. Had an incident last month in Roatan (not my fault, honest!) but I managed to save the camera and lens, but it could very well not have worked out. Get it, it is worth every cent.

 

[ZzzKing]

I carry on anything that requires TLC. In my life these are:

My wife (actually, she carries herself on)
My daughter (still small enough to carry)
Scuba regulators and computers
Split cane flyrods
Vintage guitars

Anything else can easily be replaced.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Never check camera gear if you have a multi-element lens. One of the elements can get knocked out of whack and you would never know it until you looked at the photos...which would be slightly out of phase or focus. Not checking a computer should go without saying.

I used to check pretty much everything else, until coming back from an expedition in Mexico recently. Somehow, one of my reg's hoses got a puncture. It sure wasn't like that when I used it the day before I left. My LDS says they've seen that happen before in checked bags. I now carry on my reg.

I notice in Dominican Republic last week my mask seemed to be leaking, had to go to the backup...so I may start carrying my mask on.

Personally, I would carry everything if I could. But that is mostly because I almost always have to change planes and that is the biggest chance of a bag getting lost. Theft is really not much of an issue anymore and there is not much market for used SCUBA gear anyway.

A couple of tips, if you plan to carry-on a lot, try to get seated in the back of the plane so you board first, giving you more chance of finding open overhead bins. Remember, gate checking is probably worse than the regular checking process.

Also, airlines are now beginning to look at the weight of carry-on luggage. In Boston a couple of months ago, they had a scale at the gates. That bodes ill for the pack-mules who like to carry most everything.

Jeff