Traveling with CCR and Video Kit

PacketSniffer

I know a couple of you dive with elaborate video hardware. When flying, I'm curious to know how you get it from point A to point B? I know this isn't easy with the current weight restrictions. What do you check and what do you carry on? What cases do you use? I'm not looking for a detailed proforma (lol) but rather a coarse description of what you shove in each case.

To kick things off, below is what I'm contemplating on doing.

Carry-on
1 roller backpack (Stahlsac) for Sony FX1, Bluefin HD, and Sunray Pro dual HID, Trimix analyzer, dive computer

1 shoulder bag for laptop, travel info, flight tickets, etc.


Checked
1 hard case (Storm iM2950) for CCR, handsets, breathing loop, counterlungs, stages w/hoses, and sometimes onboard cylinders

1 roller duffel (Stahlsac Cozumel Cruiser) for dive gear: dry suit, fins, rockboots, weight belt, mask, spools, SMB, save-a-dive kit, etc.

__________________


Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

silentscuba

I max out my carry on with weight first with the most heavy, expensive, delicate gear and check the rest. The airlines don't seem to weight carry-on yet here in the States, so I have gotten a way with very heavy carry-on.

Much harder traveling abroad. I usually end up with one extra bag.

Good Luck!!!!!

__________________
Curt McNamee
rEvo CCR Diver
KISS CCR Diver
www.silentscuba.com

Tom Rose

Frustrating isn't it. I travel with one or more rebreathers, scrubber, video camera, still camera, laptop, often a scooter, OC, and for a bonus.....a CPAP so I can breath at night. I am the TSA nighmare traveler.

Tool number one....get some electronic scales so you can optimize the load...especially if you know you will be over. On most airlines it is better to be over by 15 pounds on one box and have the other box just under.

Go to walmart and get some of those ~18.00 black boxes found in the area of the Auto and Sporting goods section. They are light weight and do a pretty good job of providing protection....8 trips so far...one busted latch on a box...no damage to equipment.

Inventory stuff into boxes....at the other end you will not have a set of scales.

Clothes, booties, wetsuits around housings....

cameras, gauges, computers, and second stages in carry on unless you need to move first stages to handle weight. Double bag scrubber so it packs around gear.

Be prepared to get hit for extra charges.....while a pain....take a few deep breaths and carry the extra cash to pay for the luggage.....

To paraphrase some one else on this list...

"Who ever said diving was cheap"


Tom

__________________
The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong the first time.

www.atlimp.com

nskdrs

http://www.zarges.de/products_lg.php...d=229&lang=int

...and no foam inlays but A LOT of air-cushion-foil to gain maximum flexibility.

IMHO, those "Peli-type" cases are way too heavy.
Packing tactics depending on airline.

More foil for backup and a rugged but lightweight Ortlieb-sac on standby for the "just-if's" at check-in

http://www.ortlieb.de/_list.php?lang...pname=dry+bags

best,
jan

seafox

Frustrating it is!
I just came back from teaching a rebreather course in Grenada, and took an extra week for fun diving.
I had one carry on with my Sony HD HVR-A1 stored inside the Amphibico housing, and another roller type carry on with the Rebreather head,
HH electronics, loop with BOV, CL's, HID light (no battery), B/0 rigging and reg. No problem bringing those on board.
The checked baggage, 2 23Kg bags, contained, the Rebreather, 2-13 cuft AL, and the diving gear required.
Needless to say, clothes were not a priority, and very few made it to Grenada.
In passing, Grenada has beautiful beaches, is home to an American Medical school, hosting numerous very good looking female students,
and I am sure male students, but I didn't notice them!. So clothes could have been somewhat a higher priority.
In any case, Grenada is a great place to dive, beautiful healthy reefs and great wrecks.
We dove with a new shop that supports technical divers called Scubatech.
They cater to and understand the requirements of tech divers both OC and CCR, and are very acccomodating and professional.
I highly recommend them,
I am use to driving to local dive site as well as Florida with all my gear including an ample and well stocked spare parts kit, and lots of optionnal gear.
Travelling abroad on airlines with Rebreather gear, photographic equipment, be it digital (I occasionally travel with my D200,
Aquatica D200 housing and DS125 strobes) and/or my HD video, is very challenging, frustrating and at times very expensive!

But well worth it!

Cornel

__________________
Protect the SHARKS!

Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, skillful execution and the vision to see obstacles as opportunities.


Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards!

PacketSniffer

Ok, so what do you carry on?

__________________


Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

silentscuba

I carry on all my batteries, my camera & housing, dive computers and anything else that is very expensive and small and weighs alot. All the lighter stuff, including my KISS goes checked. You usually can carry-on two bags, the one that goes in the overhead I have had up to 100lbs and the other one that goes under the seat up to about 60lbs which is usually a back-pack

__________________
Curt McNamee
rEvo CCR Diver
KISS CCR Diver
www.silentscuba.com

Tom Rose

Amen Jan,

I have several pelican cases in the basement that are now used for long term storage.....those cases weigh 20 pounds and were great when we were allowed 70 pounds each for two boxes. But they will not hold many types of rebreathers.

Those Walmart cases will hold more and weigh about 5 pounds.

Tom

__________________
The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong the first time.

www.atlimp.com

dan@scuba-training.net

Since my plane got wrecked in the hurricane I've been slumming it on the airlines and have racked up enough mileage to become a frequent flyer on Delta. I am now allowed 3 X 75 pound bags! (about 100 kilos)

Tom Rose

Yeah I know the good feeling...I am silver medallion for life on Delta....but often end up on connections where I have to shell it out.

Tom

__________________
The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime I have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability I'll get it wrong the first time.

www.atlimp.com