Bag to Carry On Regs, Lights, Camera

[caroln]

I have a nice wheeled duffel bag for carry on which I am happy with overall, but sometimes on a small plane, it has to be gate checked. I am looking to find a bag that I'll be able to keep with me even on the smaller planes that will hold a set of doubles regs, a single reg, a can light, 2 backup lights, and my computer/gauges. I guess something backpack sized or so ideally, but with some protection for all my goodies. I am looking at the stahlsac roatan regulator bag because it's very nicely padded, but I don't know if it's big enough. Does anyone have an idea for a bag that will fit this stuff, and protect it, but be small enough to put under the seat in front of you on a plane? Any opinion on the stahlsac?

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by caroln

... Does anyone have an idea for a bag that will fit this stuff, and protect it, but be small enough to put under the seat in front of you on a plane? Any opinion on the stahlsac?

Just get a normal backback and skip the padding. Much of your gear is very sturdy like the light's battery canister. Wrap up the other stuff that might break with a beach towel. t-shirt or whatever. A general rule when packing light is put items to multiple uses. For example neoprene gloves make greal computer cases. A large beach towel makes a good regulator case and so on. If you pack like this the overall "tonnage" that you have to haul is reduced.

My opinion: Pack the gear in a small wheeled cary-on size Pelican case and let them gate check it. If it is packed in one of those cases they can run over it with a truck and you wouldn't care. Just last weekend I gave a case of camera gear to this luggage hauling service and of course they load it on the bottom of an open truck and then toss in (yes toss) some other huge cases, scuba tanks, weights and what not. Then they can't close the gate on the truck so they smash the load down with their feet. But I didn't care I've seen those case take much worse abuse, like when two cases of video gear got dumpped into a white water river. bounced off some rocks but we swam it all to shore and used it just fine. So just get a case and stop worrying

[spatman]

Originally Posted by ChrisA

My opinion: Pack the gear in a small wheeled cary-on size Pelican case and let them gate check it.

those pelican cases are extremely expensive. also, i agree about carrying certain items (regs, perscrip mask, computer, etc) into the cabin with me. if my checked in bags get lost or damaged, there goes a good chunk of my dive vacation.

but you are right in that normal, everyday bags and such work just fine. get some bubble wrap if you want more padding.

[Sounder]

+1 for a backpack. It's easy to keep with you, you control how rough it's handled, and you can fit everything in it.

I've traveled on the small planes with all my gear and have not had a problem. What I do is check all my unimportant stuff like clothes, soap, etc.

Then I carry on a change of clothes, any important meds, and a few books or magazines for entertainment along with documents etc. in a back pack. In my carry-on, I can fit everything except wetsuit and fins and I just keep that with me. When it's time to gate check stuff for the puddle jumper, I just ask them to be careful - and I always slap a few "Fragile" stickers on it. It it's packed correctly, it shouldn't have an issue.

[CompuDude]

Yup. Much bigger than a backpack and they're going to make you check it anyway.

You may want to look at the backpacks they make for pro photographers, by companies like LowePro and Tamrac. Traditional backpack form plus some padding around the edges. You lose a little packing space, but... in life, sometimes there are tradeoffs.

[Geoff_T]

Stahlsac Roatan Regulator Bag, Dive Bags, Stahlsac, Stahlsac Roatan Regulator Bag

I have a scuba prow reg bag similar to the link above and love it. It looks like a laptop case accept that it zippers open like a butterfly so that you can lay it open on the ground. mine Has room for a small pony or spare air and a seperat front pocket for log books and the like. I put a sholder strap on it and think it is just about perfect for what it does. Though its always fun to watch the tsa agents faces when it goes through the x-ray.

If you are talking more than a point and shoot though check out B&H Photo Video | Digital Cameras, Camcorders which should provide you with somthing adiquate for a full camera set up.

[Daved]

I've been using a computer laptop case--hard cover. On the smaller commuter planes where they won't let you take any carry on it gives some protection

[Eurodiver]

I have EMT friends and I think this would work great
Pelican™*Products*1500EMS*Case
You can fit all kinds of stuff in it.

[aaronle06]

Originally Posted by Eurodiver

I have EMT friends and I think this would work great
Pelican™*Products*1500EMS*Case
You can fit all kinds of stuff in it.

yeah, pelican makes some really amazing stuff. on their website webcams, they threw one of their boxes off a water tower. The case held a long-stemmed wine glass which was remarkably untouched from the fall.

also i believe the carry-on size is 24x11x9 and about 25lbs or how much you can lift.

[Defman]

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