Packing and traveling with Scuba gear

[reklawr]

Whats tips can you offer for packing and traveling with your gear especially when you have to fly?

When flying do you or can you carry-on your Reg? If not, how do you pack it?

Do you use a separate dive gear bag?

Do you check it in with your other luggage when flying?

Have you been charged extra by the airlines for having too much weight or too many bags?

 

Roy

[cmdchiefthom]

Roy,

 

First off, I always travel with my gear, and my wife's gear, including a digital video system. By gear I mean mask, fins, snorkel, regs and octopi, BCD's, weight belts w/o weight, some tools, video housing, batteries, lights, wet suits etc. I have the large Armor wheeled suitcase, with the double fin pockets and front pockets. I can put our two sets of gear and the video equipment, tools etc. with room to spare. Is it heavy? So, so, around 50 pounds. Have I ever been charged extra? Not for this luggage. My large Pelican case, was a differen't story. Paid over a hundred bucks one time from Lauderdale to South Bend! :mad:

 

As for the regulators, they're in a bag, wrapped in-between two BCD's. Masks are in separate bags, padded by the wetsuits. The video case is wrapped in 2 inch foam rubber. I also carry two large mesh dive-gear backpacks for use while diving day to day.

 

With this system, as well as two large, and one regular suitcase, and a carry-on, I've never been charged extra, even to and from San Juan. I have, however, been the receipient of Special Screening by TSA. They examined all our luggage two years ago. They unpacked everyting and checked for explosives and contraband. I thought they might do a strip-search as well, but lucked out. :eek:

 

Hope this helps, and you enjoy your cruise and diving.

[divadiverfl]

"Cmdchiefthom" you sound and pack just like my dh and me. We even put soft shoes, beach towels for cushion in our Akona roller duffel bag. We travel to the Caymans so much this is our third bag. We love em.

 

I do carry-on my underwater camera--I have a sealife digital w/ a soft case. I have a hard case but only use it on our boat at home.

 

Never have we had to pay extra--I would rather leave clothes at home than not have all my equiptment we need.:) ;) :eek:

[karen2cruz]

Cmdchiefthom and divadiverfl- ditto on the packing.

 

4 large checked bags and two carryons between DH and I. If it weren't for the formal nights maybe we could get it down to one checked each-lol.

 

Yes, we too have had special TSA screening. I am thinking of putting a picture of a diver with labeling of the equipment,so they can at least get an education while inspecting the equipement!

[Hilary]

Our dive bag is a large Akona bag with fin pockets on the side. We can pack 2 BC's, 2 sets of fins, 2 masks, 2 snorkels, 2 wetsuits, a flashlight, 2 unloaded underwater cameras, and an assortment of little stuff and still be under the 50# weight limit. Our regs/computers and digital camera, and 35mm film goes in our roller backpack as carry on. We wound up with 3 other bags to check, which has caused us to rethink the cruising and diving thing. ;)

[Woodsmaster]

I carry our 3 Regulators with us as carry on in a padded computer case or backpack.

 

There are three divers in our family and a snorkeler. We carry our masks, fins, BC's, booties, divebags, kits, wetsuits, etc. in a large softsided suitcase. Make sure that you weigh it as they will tag you for the extra weight. Given that there are four of us traveling, we can carry up to 8 suitcases and four carryons. We are slowly cutting the number of bags back.

 

You should be able to get all of your dive gear into a suitcase and it should be under 50 lbs. if there are just two of you. We have two with size 13 fins and we have repurchased fins to drop some weight.

[KATHY JEAN]

My husband and I are both divers. We take our own equpment with us except tanks and weights. Mask, Fins, wet suits, BCD'S are packed in a suit case and checked. Our Reg's and computers are taken as carry-on bags. We take fold up net bags to carry our stuf on the dive boat. Hope this helps

[KaC-Cruiser]

I can say 'Ditto' to KathyJean ..... we take everything with us (even lights) in regular suitcases that are checked, but put the regs & computers in our carry-ons if we have to fly.

[kathalinamarie]

I looked at all the special luggage at the dive shop and for the life of me could not see anything special about the soft sided bags. We bought some American Tourister bags and used the large one for our dive stuff. 2 BC's, dive skin, 3mm shorty, 2 pairs boots, masks, snorkels, mesh bags. There was not room for the fins so we had to add those to different bags. The regs and computers we each had in our individual carryons. Which by the way were searched at the airport. Apparently some yahoos have been trying to smuggle stuff in through their first and second stages. The TSA guy was testing me about my dive knowledge to make sure I wasn't a terrorist I guess. Or perhaps he was just interested in diving. Who is to tell these days, huh?

 

In any case, what have folks found to be useful features in dive luggage?

[SwimnwFishes]

I don' know if it makes any difference or not, but I make a special point of telling ticket agents that I have a bag full of dive gear, and I make a BIG point of it when I'm going through security with it.

 

I've never had my dive bag gone through, and the TSA agents at security seem to appreciate the fact that I tell them what all the metal and hoses are before they have to spend time trying to figure it out.

[w&k]

As Floridians, we usually drive to the ship, but on our last trip we used two bags.

 

I won a wonderful XSscuba rolling bag at a dive social, and packed full sets of gear in it. In addition, I had a small cheap (Wal-Mart special) rolling bag that I used for the regulators and camera.

 

The rolling bags sure beat toting our regular dive bags!

 

We will be flying down to San Juan next spring for an 11-day cruise/diving extravaganza, and will send the big bag through luggage, and take the regs/camera as a carry-on.

 

Great diving to everyone!

 

Wendy

[bruce-r]

For me, the camera and housing, along with the reg and computer go in carry-on with the other things you are supposed to carry on. The rest of the dive gear goes into a good sized rolling duffle that has a handle and no markings on the outside that says "Scuba Gear, Please steal me". This is how I travel when I have to fly to dive.

 

If I get to drive, all the gear, except the weights, goes into a big tub. This keeps the car dry after the dive when the gear is wet. It is also used as a big rinse tub.

 

Where can someone in Oregon drive to for diving? British Columbia :)

 

 

British Columbia underwater Photo Gallery

[ZydeDiverDC]

Hello,

well we seem to be very diff dive packers... Ha! My fiance and I are both divers. Between us we use 4 hard Samsonite suitcases and 4 carryons. One ea hard case carries all dive gear. One ea carries clothing and formals/shoes and "stuff". Carry on is dive computers/cameras and video. and laptop. Change of clothing . and one bag is FOOD hehehe! I always keep all four bags to below 50. Pack everything in Zippies and have a print out in color with serials ~ pix includ of what is inside ea zip.. ex: regulator.. regulates air supply. serial number blah blah. ScubaPro model number blah blah.. and so on. all clothes are clean pressed tissue paper inserted inside and packed in Zippie.. labeled. never need to be ironed. never lost or messed up and the packing material is then used to pack "souveniers for family" and shipped UPS back home. nothing is added to luggage. and extra zippies and Tin foil helped in having Midnight snacks on ship board.. >little frig was great on Carnival. Lots of strawberries made my midnight moonlight gazing wonderful! oh and I never pack a t shirt. cuz I always buy one either on board or in port. i bring 8 plastic clothes pins and shampoo is great to keep small things clean so I do not pack alot there either. Hope this helps you all and a very Merry dive to all!

ps: Cmdchiefthom could you share your experience on the NCL Sun with me. This is my first NCL Sun cruise and I know so little about the ship ... the excursions all 24 pages of them.. and the lay out of the ship. When I was on the Carnival Conquest.. we got lost more times than not.. waste of time always trying to get from point a to b! Thank you!

[jmb1027]

:confused: In reading all the good material about how to pack I noticed nobody mentioned if there was anything to NOT pack. My DH wants to take his dive knife but is worried it would be confiscated at customs. We are leaving out New Orleans on the 16th and are not flying this trip.

 

Does anyone know if there are rules for the cruise ships or laws for the ports of call regarding taking dive knives as part of your gear?

 

thanks,:)

Janese

[ZydeDiverDC]

Dear JmB .. not to pack: tshirts you will buy them. I did not bring my dive knife but I do not wreck dive. I have not been tangled up and do not touch the flora and fauna. The blunt ended scissors aforementioned are great for just about anything dive or otherwise needed.

 

I used to be a flight attendant and at 911 they went crazy on what could and could not be brought on a flight. I think if you are reasonable in your needs.. and the safety of others.. packing only what is necessary and what can be id'd as such.

 

Label as much as you can. have in clear pouches or net bags. this is just a 7 day event that really doesn't entail a vast amount of diving. Now if you were going to Anthonys Keys for a week .. diff story. I am presently researching this very question as it seems to be very important to alot of divers. And should I ever be in a position while diving I surely do want to know I have the appro tools to fend for myself.

 

Consider that pr of blunt scissors.. label as such .. I get dive catalogs and tear out the pages to include with some equip as ID.. > b4 I had color printer. Hope this helps.

[Wennfred]

You can pretty much pack it all, Keep the Dive Knife in your Luggage, so its stored under the plane, if it goes with your Carry on, forget it, its gone.

 

Back in 85 when I used to Dive in Hawaii, I used to take my Mask/Fin/Snorkle and Dive Knife with me on the Plane, no problem, now Post 911 its another story.

[Wennfred]

This comes from the Horses Mouth, The TSA.

 

Transporting Scuba Equipment

 

Some scuba gear can be transported on-board the aircraft. Please refer to the guidelines below:

 

• Regulators, Buoyancy Compensators and mask, snorkel and fins are all acceptable as checked or carry-on baggage.
  
• A compressed gas cylinder is allowed in carry-on or checked baggage ONLY if the regulator valve is completely disconnected from the cylinder and the cylinder is no longer sealed
  
• Knives and tools are prohibited from carry-on luggage. These items should be packed in checked luggage. Any sharp objects packed in checked luggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and security screeners.
  
• Spear guns are prohibited from carry-on luggage. These items should be packed in checked luggage.
  

[jmb1027]

Thank you for all the good information. Janese

[Gonedownlately?]

I know a guy who stuffs all his gear -- including a well-padded reg -- into a huge Thermos-brand plactic cooler; the kind you might take to a tail-gate party or a picnic. It gets cehcked like regular luggage. It easily accomodates all the gear he and his family need. It is made of hard plastic so it offers great protection. And it has wheels so it is easily transportable. Best of all, when you get to your destination and remove the gear, you've got a place to store your beer!

[bcurran2003]

rci will not allow dive knives thru their security so dont bother bringing it

[ZydeDiverDC]

Does anyone know of NCL's policy on letting divers bring a dive knife with equipment? Oh and thank you for that info from TSA. good advise.

[DiverDaveII]

Leave the Dive knife at home. It will not be allowed on the ship even in luggage

[ZydeDiverDC]

Thank you DiverDavell ! I think that is good advise. I have the blunt scissors aforementioned..and that's enough for me! Think I'll spend the money on a new dive skin.. less weight for packing!!

 

 

 

 

Nina's Pics - "Paint Splash"

 

 

Cayman, 2004 Photography by Peggy H.

 

I love this pic and the products are fab.. so NO Dive KNIFE for me.. its off to DiveGoddess for a Skin!!

[impcinder]

We had our dive knives in our checked luggage on the Spirit. Bag was not delivered to our cabin because of the knife. However, we were able to check on and off the dive knives through security.

If you do this option, allow yourself a few extra minutes until they retrieve the knives from "lock up".

[ZydeDiverDC]

We had our dive knives in our checked luggage on the Spirit. Bag was not delivered to our cabin because of the knife. However, we were able to check on and off the dive knives through security.

If you do this option, allow yourself a few extra minutes until they retrieve the knives from "lock up".

 

Good Advise to allow for extra time no matter what. Less fuss and running around. Its a Vacation... ! Relax.. enjoy ! right?:cool: