Traveling with Scuba Dive Gear and Equipment
by Clint Leung

With today's state of air travel and airport security, scuba
divers often have to decide how to travel with all their dive
gear. For those scuba divers who plan to rent all their equipment
at their destination, this isn't an issue. However, the trend in
diving has always been that as divers become more experienced
with more dives logged after initial open water certifications,
they tend to want to use their own equipment rather than rent.
This is especially true with masks, regulators, wetsuits and dive
computers. Avid scuba divers will often travel with their entire
gear including fins and buoyancy compensators. Of course because
of weight issues, scuba divers rarely travel with tanks or
weights.

I have an air integrated Oceanic scuba dive computer that I
wouldn't want lost or delayed in checked luggage during my dive
trips so I always carry it on with me on airplanes. I have never
had any problems going through airport security. Sure, they might
check my stuff because scuba dive gear looks pretty foreign to
most airport security staff but that's okay as my scuba dive
computer always got through. The only thing I have to be careful
of is how I pack it. On a few occasions, I had put the computer
in a soft bag that also contained my regulator, another piece of
my own scuba equipment that I would prefer to use rather than
deal with a rental. During travel, one of the buttons on the dive
computer must have gotten accidentally depressed which activated
the device. Because of the altitude and/or pressure changes
during a flight, the dive computer thought that it was going on
an actual dive. It started beeping because it didn't like the
statistics it was sensing which was a bit annoying on board.
After the flight, my dive computer actually locked out for 24
hours. It was a good thing that I didn't dive until the next day.
So from now on, I always pack my scuba dive computer in a box
which prevents accidental activation and then the box goes into
my carry on baggage. I also carry on my mask as well as my log
book and certification cards. I wouldn't want to be refused for
diving by a dive operator in case my checked baggage was lost so
it is highly recommended to carry your log book and certification
card with you. 

Everything else like my wetsuit, booties, fins, snorkel and
buoyancy compensator goes into my checked baggage. If my checked
baggage is lost, stolen or delayed, I can always rent the extra
equipment I need without losing any dives. Some folks believe
that one should not check in any large scuba dive bags with the
dive flag displayed as it may advertise luggage containing
expensive dive gear. In this case, one can always pack a flexible
scuba dive bag inside a larger regular suitcase. So a good rule
of thumb to use is to always carry on the scuba dive equipment
that you can't afford to lose or be without for your diving and
check the rest. 


About the Author:

Clint Leung is a NAUI certified Master and Rescue Scuba Diver. He
is also owner of Free Spirit Activewear
(http://www.FreeSpiritActivewear.com) , an online retailer and
designer specializing in premium quality activewear with
specialty sports themes including scuba diving, skiing,
snowboarding and martial arts. Free Spirit Activewear has
numerous information resource articles on selected specialty
sports as well as free eCards.