How & What Do You Pack For A Flying Dive Trip? -Tips Ple

[Tom Nic]

OK, time to tap into the skill and experience of so many of you on this board.

How and What do you pack for a Flying Dive Trip?

I know the answer would vary WIDELY between doing a shore diving excursion to BC or a week in Bonaire, and so I'm thinking of primarily packing for someplace that you are going to FLY to.

(Shorediving in BC I cram the Dive Chariot with every piece of equipment I can and go for it.)

So, how DO you all pack for flying!

[Sounder]

There's an article in this month's "Alert Diver (DAN)" magazine covering that exact subject!!!

Here's on piece of advice someone told me... plan to pay the "my bag's too heavy" fee.

[Pinkpadigal]

If you are going to fly...

Leave all your weight at home.
If you take your pony, drain it and take the valve off.
Make sure all your gear is dry.
Many people carry on their regulator rather than packing it. It all depends on your regs. I take my computer off (it is a quick disconnect) and carry that, and pack my regulator. I put my BCD around my Reg bag. I take my snorkel off my mask and I carry on my mask. I can dive in anything but a crappy rental mask would totally suck and buying and "seasoning" a new mask on vacation isn't what I want to do.
Get soft, well padded luggage. I discourage luggage that says "scuba" on it because it advertises what is inside. However, a good regulator bag is recommended. Bring a dive tool and O-rings. I normally take a small drybox with stuff as my save-a-dive kit.
Make sure that you have a easy to carry bag for your gear once reaching your destination. Most charters will not let you bring your luggage on the boat. Bring a dry bag with you as well for towels, dry clothes, wallets and keys.

Buy travel insurance. If your bag is lost or stolen, the airlines will only re-imbuse you up to $1200.

I have never gone over weight requirements, except 1 time. I had a Pelican hard bag for all my gear. It is sitting in my garage...never to be used again for travel. A few years ago, while traveling I forgot to bring O-Rings and I lost an O-ring to my DIN. It is a weird size and after 3 dives shops, I found one to fit: cost $8.

Hope this helps!

[Tangfish]

I carry on:
reg
computer
camera & housing
log book

I check in:
bcd
fins
exposure suit
booties, gloves, hood
mask, snorkel
lights, batteries
tools & accessories

[Zen Diver]

Exposure suits make great packing material, wrapped around regs, lights etc. I also stuff my small lights into my booties (protection). I pack as Amy suggested, regs inside BCD, fins on top for protection of the stuff below. Small box with SADK stuff, minimalist tho (fin strap, mouthpiece, few O rings, some tie wraps and an extra clip). One primary light and one small secondary.

Carry on as above: mask (esp if it's Rx), computers, log book with C cards, any meds you use (whether Rx or OTC). Make sure you can carry your bags yourself because you will have to at some point during the journey.

I've never been had overweight bags either, but I pack judiously, and weigh everything as I go so there are no surprises.

-Valerie

[diver-dad]

I carry on:
reg
computer
camera & housing
log book

I check in:
bcd
fins
exposure suit
booties, gloves, hood
mask, snorkel
lights, batteries
tools & accessories

I do pretty much the same as Calvin, but:
- add my mask to carry-on (esp if prescription)
- add dive light (Light Cannon) w batteries to carry-on (saves weight in the checked bag)
- check (naturally) my knife
- check the mesh equip bag inside the suitcase
- check "safe-a-dive" kit


Weigh your bag as you pack. I usually get very close to the weight limit, and have just enough room in the bag I have to get it all in.

(Kind of "geeky") Its like a jigsaw puzzle: I take pix of each "layer" as I pack and print out paper copies to carry with me - so at the end of the vacation, I know how things go in when I am packing to go back home.

Place two sheets of paper with your name & home info inside your suitcase (under the first layer & on top).

I have two medium-sized bags - one for equip, one for clothes, and use the Skycaps at the airports when possible (tip them!) to speed check in and eliminate that airline check-in line "one-step shuffle." ](*,)

Use a book bag or a backpack for the carry on - your hands will be plenty filled and you don't need to be juggling a 3rd bag in them.

While I have had my carry-on checked from time-to-time, I have never had a problem getting through security for domestic flights.

Note: If you are going to more exotic islands, the weight limit on bags can be 1/2 that of airline flights (like 25#).

I would avoid bags that scream "SCUBA gear" with dive equip logos etc. I use regular suitcases.

Use electrical "zip-ties" to keep zippers shut and pack some extras for the trip home.

[Tangfish]

You *should* be fine if you're going from, to or through anywhere in N. America, since our baggage restrictions are much higher than anywhere else in the world (2 bags of 70lbs, instead of 50lbs total). Some countries even weigh your carry on bag and deduct that from your alloted check in weight! (I stuffed my reg and batteries into my pockets!).

diver-dad is right, if you have a fragile light cannon you should carry it on, but I check my LED lights (a great benefit of the technology). Val is right about using the wetsuit to your advantage as far as cushioning your fragile stuff. I also pack higher with the crush-able stuff leaving a void for the more fragile stuff to be protected, wrapped lightly in t-shirts, etc. when your suitcase is thrown into the bottom of a huge pile.

You should also get some markings on your suitcase to differentiate it so you either notice it being stolen or others don't accidentally take it, especially if you have a costco suitcase which there are many of out there. I avoid dive-branded luggage because it's just screaming money to a would-be thief, there are plenty of people who use them though with no problem and look a lot cooler than I do in the airport.

[diver-dad]

... I stuffed my reg and batteries into my pockets! ...

What the heck kind of pockets do you have that can fit a reg????

[Diver_C]

Get a scale to use at home. I originally packed all my dive gear, except HID light and computers, into one suitcase. Even though it made a nice, tidy one diving only suitcase, it was obviously too heavy (didn't want have to pay at all). Took out my fins, chargers, cords, single tank adapter, and diving tool kit for my other suitcase. And despite some things still a tad damp, my dive suitcase was 50 pounds on the nose. At the airport, had to put the six pound single tank adapter and tool kit from the second suitcase into my carry-on, to make it 50 pounds. My regulator stuff and other potential fragile items were protected by wetsuit, and how things were packed in the suitcase. The only dive things I did not bring were my doubles wing, my drysuit stuff (including argon cylinder), weights, and scuba cylinders. Everything else, including carry bag, went with. My carry ons were a pillow, my dive camera bag, computer, and backpack. The only thing I would do differently is bring my doubles wing, just in case. Good luck!

Rich

[WylerBear]

Just FYI, a new airline regulation requires all batteries to be removed from everything. Apparently, flashlights are causing fires.

[WylerBear]

And as others have indicated DO take your logbook in your carry-on. On our recent trip to Roatan one of the divers there had put hers into her checked bag. TSA went thru her luggage and they failed to put it back into her suitcase. She spent a lot of time and energy getting her certification verified so she could dive and who knows if she got her logbook back. She used her logbook as kind of a "dive journal" so its loss would be kind of a bummer.

[bnboly]

Just back from a flying dive trip - my first, but definately not my last! Calvin and DD pretty much nailed the way I packed - I did NOT go overweight. Also - I didn't think of taking pictures of the suitcase jigsaw puzzle as it was being done! Would have made it much easier for the return filght!

[Tom Nic]

Thanks to everyone for great tips! Definitely useful information from all you experienced dive travelers!

I have the advantage of having traveled LOTS, but not as a diver, so your comments were doubly useful.

Trip to Sitka was great! I pulled one carry on that had my computer, regs, dive log, camera and case, and some clothes for protection. Everything else went in a larger wheeled suitcase and a dive bag. I took my dive bag (softsided) mainly for transporting gear onto the boat. I was a bit worried about the gorilla baggage handlers on Alaska Airlines, so I cut up some cardboard boxes to provide extra cushion for my BC and drysuit. Lights, chargers, and my emptied pony fit nicely in a larger suitcase with extra undergarments, etc. All in all went well... hit exactly 50 lbs on one suitcase and a bit less on the other.

Any particular bags that you have found work well? I'm thinking of a wheeled duffel of some kind with semi hard sides that would somewhat protect it's contents (don't need a pelican case, anything that fragile is going with me or in clothes inside a semi hard suitcase) AND easily carry onto a dive boat.

Thanks again for the time and tips!

-Tom Nic

[Tom Nic]

Just FYI, a new airline regulation requires all batteries to be removed from everything. Apparently, flashlights are causing fires.

My light canon and 3 miniQ40's with their batteries in place got through unscathed, thank goodness!

[diver-dad]

Thanks to everyone for great tips! Definitely useful information from all you experienced dive travelers!

.... I cut up some cardboard boxes to provide extra cushion for my BC and drysuit. ....

Tom - Glad to share the info.

BTW - good idea on the cardboard. ... I have had some soft-sided bags damaged in different occasions by something that poked a hole in and/or partially tore the case (small tear, not a pilferage attempt & not carrying dive gear at the time) - it'd be a real shame to have a hole poked in a BC bladder or a DS. The cardboard gives added protection - I gotta remember that one.

Take care!

[.]

OK, time to tap into the skill and experience of so many of you on this board.

How and What do you pack for a Flying Dive Trip?

Clean undergarments.

[diver-dad]

Clean undergarments.

There was a guy I know who once told me he got 4 days out of a set of underwear: "forwards, backwards, inside, and out!"

[Tom Nic]

BTW - good idea on the cardboard. ... I have had some soft-sided bags damaged in different occasions by something that poked a hole in and/or partially tore the case (small tear, not a pilferage attempt & not carrying dive gear at the time) - it'd be a real shame to have a hole poked in a BC bladder or a DS. The cardboard gives added protection - I gotta remember that one.

Yeah, the idea of barely an 8th of an inch of material between my expensive dry suit and whatever else was pretty scary. As you said, it wouldn't have to be malicious, just a sharp end or a corner poked in that could bust a valve or tear a seal.

That being said, I'd still like to find a bag that has more protection on the sides, and wheels, that could double as a travel bag and a bag that I could carry my gear on board a boat with.

[Jstockn]

If I am diving in warm water. I use a pelican case and a mesh bag packed inside of it. You can't go wroung with a hard case when flying. DAN also has some good equipment insurance.

[Tom Nic]

DAN also has some good equipment insurance.

Yeah, I've been thinking about that. I know a couple of folks who carry it.

[thelawgoddess]

it seems to be pretty expensive if you don't have a lot of expensive equipment to cover. you might be better off getting a homeowner's/renter's policy that will cover it for everything except flooding. ???

[Jstockn]

it seems to be pretty expensive if you don't have a lot of expensive equipment to cover. you might be better off getting a homeowner's/renter's policy that will cover it for everything except flooding. ???

Very true always check out all your options.

[Zen Diver]

it seems to be pretty expensive if you don't have a lot of expensive equipment to cover. you might be better off getting a homeowner's/renter's policy that will cover it for everything except flooding. ???

Unfortunately, I found out my renter's insurance did not cover anything out of the country, so if diving in tropical destinations I was SOL. That's why I went with DAN gear insurance.

-Valerie