(very little traffic in the Thailand forum, so perhaps I'll re-try this post here...)
How do you do it?
I'm traveling to Thailand in 3 weeks, and bringing some gear for some diving.
Thai airlines has a weigh restriction of 44 lbs for checked luggage.
I just bought a handy little luggage scale.
I figured I would bring the minimum gear possible (it seems to me) to dive in a meaningful way: mask, fins, bcd, regs, computer, 10w can light and camera gear (P&S, housing, strobe).
So, thats:
1) prescription mask,
2) OMS slipstream fins (lighter than Jets!)
3) Long hose singles regs
4) Computer and backup (negligible weight)
5) Fully-rigged bp/w (aluminum plate)
6) Pocket weight belt (empty, fairly negligible weight)
7) A mesh bag to put it all in
I weighed my full bp/w rig: Halcyon SS plate (I have an aluminum plate coming, so I know I can knock off 3#) with unweighted STA (old style, very light), cam bands and MC pack, small Titanium knife, Photon Torpedo backup light, and OxyCheq Mach V 30# wing. (I tend to leave everything rigged up ready to rock.) The full rig weighed 14 lbs, although that will drop down to 11 once I get the Aluminum plate. Still, 11 lbs!
My long hose regs (currently set up for doubles, so drop a good pound once the second 1st stage comes off for singles config) plus my dive computer and compass came in at 10lbs (again, which will go to 9 once I lose the extra 1st stage). Still, 9 lbs!
My fins are 6 lbs; I haven't weighed my booties.
Add in an Akona mesh bag (3lbs), a pair of booties, a pocket weight belt, my mask, and weigh all of the above together: 36 lbs, actually (take out the 4 pounds for the stuff mentioned above that will be removed), 32 lbs!
THIRTY-TWO POUNDS?!?!? If I pick up an ultra light 8 lb suitcase, that puts me right at 40 lbs, 4 lbs shy of the limit and dangerously close to the point where you need to leave at least a couple of pounds for little differences in scales, damp gear, etc! And I haven't even added my camera gear (<8lbs) and 10w canister light (<5lbs)!
Now, it's not quite as bad as it seems, since I'll actually be carrying on my regs, computer, mask (prescription), and possibly the can light and photo gear. That takes a lot out right there. I may be able to swap in a cheaper, lighter mesh bag and save what, a pound? Perhaps I could be persuaded to leave behind my backup light (perhaps!), and save another pound? Or less if I switch to my mini Q40 eLED instead of the PT?
Which is good, because I haven't added in clothing, toiletries, suntan lotion... or anything else I may need.
I'm flying Thai Airlines. Domestic flights (for instance, Bangkok to Phuket) have different luggage allowances than international flights, say, LAX to Bangkok. Therein lies the problem. I'm allowed a decent amount, something like 70 lbs, for the flight from here to Bangkok. The problem is we're jumping around the country a bit on smaller domestic flights, Bangkok to Chiang Mei and to Phuket. There, the domestic (smaller plane) allowances kick in, and unless I'm leaving luggage on the street behind in Bangkok, I'm stuck with the smaller domestic allowance. At least we'll be able to buy some souvenirs in Bangkok for the flight home, though.
I am allowed one 15.4 lb carry-on (I intend to violate this in every way possible by seriously loading some monster size pockets!):
A friend suggested checking two half-empty bags, but the issue with that (obviously we're only talking about the international flights at this point) is that most real full-size luggage, I'm discovering, weighs about 10 lbs or more, so unless I want nearly half of my luggage allowance to be used for the luggage itself, I need to stick to one. I'm probably going to buy either Victorinox or Eagle Creek bags, as their bags are pretty much lightest in class, for the size. Since there's no way I can fill it full and stay under 44 lbs, I should have plenty of extra room for fun stuff on the return (as long as I buy it in Bangkok on the last day *sigh*).
NOW. I'm not traveling alone, thank god. It's still going to be tough to cram all our respective needs, and all of my dive gear, into the two bags. Thank goodness she doesn't dive! I'll have to decide later or not if we have the weight space to bring her mask and fins for snorkeling, however. (I got her pretty lightweight Mares Quattros, so not too bad there)
So how do people do this? Seems to me I've done nearly everything I could to reduce weight, but it's still pretty horrifying heavy when put together in even this fairly minimal configuration.
How do you do it?
I'm traveling to Thailand in 3 weeks, and bringing some gear for some diving.
Thai airlines has a weigh restriction of 44 lbs for checked luggage.
I just bought a handy little luggage scale.
I figured I would bring the minimum gear possible (it seems to me) to dive in a meaningful way: mask, fins, bcd, regs, computer, 10w can light and camera gear (P&S, housing, strobe).
So, thats:
1) prescription mask,
2) OMS slipstream fins (lighter than Jets!)
3) Long hose singles regs
4) Computer and backup (negligible weight)
5) Fully-rigged bp/w (aluminum plate)
6) Pocket weight belt (empty, fairly negligible weight)
7) A mesh bag to put it all in
I weighed my full bp/w rig: Halcyon SS plate (I have an aluminum plate coming, so I know I can knock off 3#) with unweighted STA (old style, very light), cam bands and MC pack, small Titanium knife, Photon Torpedo backup light, and OxyCheq Mach V 30# wing. (I tend to leave everything rigged up ready to rock.) The full rig weighed 14 lbs, although that will drop down to 11 once I get the Aluminum plate. Still, 11 lbs!
My long hose regs (currently set up for doubles, so drop a good pound once the second 1st stage comes off for singles config) plus my dive computer and compass came in at 10lbs (again, which will go to 9 once I lose the extra 1st stage). Still, 9 lbs!
My fins are 6 lbs; I haven't weighed my booties.
Add in an Akona mesh bag (3lbs), a pair of booties, a pocket weight belt, my mask, and weigh all of the above together: 36 lbs, actually (take out the 4 pounds for the stuff mentioned above that will be removed), 32 lbs!
THIRTY-TWO POUNDS?!?!? If I pick up an ultra light 8 lb suitcase, that puts me right at 40 lbs, 4 lbs shy of the limit and dangerously close to the point where you need to leave at least a couple of pounds for little differences in scales, damp gear, etc! And I haven't even added my camera gear (<8lbs) and 10w canister light (<5lbs)!
Now, it's not quite as bad as it seems, since I'll actually be carrying on my regs, computer, mask (prescription), and possibly the can light and photo gear. That takes a lot out right there. I may be able to swap in a cheaper, lighter mesh bag and save what, a pound? Perhaps I could be persuaded to leave behind my backup light (perhaps!), and save another pound? Or less if I switch to my mini Q40 eLED instead of the PT?
Which is good, because I haven't added in clothing, toiletries, suntan lotion... or anything else I may need.
I'm flying Thai Airlines. Domestic flights (for instance, Bangkok to Phuket) have different luggage allowances than international flights, say, LAX to Bangkok. Therein lies the problem. I'm allowed a decent amount, something like 70 lbs, for the flight from here to Bangkok. The problem is we're jumping around the country a bit on smaller domestic flights, Bangkok to Chiang Mei and to Phuket. There, the domestic (smaller plane) allowances kick in, and unless I'm leaving luggage on the street behind in Bangkok, I'm stuck with the smaller domestic allowance. At least we'll be able to buy some souvenirs in Bangkok for the flight home, though.
I am allowed one 15.4 lb carry-on (I intend to violate this in every way possible by seriously loading some monster size pockets!):
I am allowed 44 lbs of checked luggage (doesn't say how many bags, but presumably one will be plenty!):
A friend suggested checking two half-empty bags, but the issue with that (obviously we're only talking about the international flights at this point) is that most real full-size luggage, I'm discovering, weighs about 10 lbs or more, so unless I want nearly half of my luggage allowance to be used for the luggage itself, I need to stick to one. I'm probably going to buy either Victorinox or Eagle Creek bags, as their bags are pretty much lightest in class, for the size. Since there's no way I can fill it full and stay under 44 lbs, I should have plenty of extra room for fun stuff on the return (as long as I buy it in Bangkok on the last day *sigh*).
NOW. I'm not traveling alone, thank god. It's still going to be tough to cram all our respective needs, and all of my dive gear, into the two bags. Thank goodness she doesn't dive! I'll have to decide later or not if we have the weight space to bring her mask and fins for snorkeling, however. (I got her pretty lightweight Mares Quattros, so not too bad there)
So how do people do this? Seems to me I've done nearly everything I could to reduce weight, but it's still pretty horrifying heavy when put together in even this fairly minimal configuration.
