What's the minimum equipment you'll bring along for a dive?

Most dive shops will happily supply all the equipment you need but in the past I've brought everything except a BC (and tank & weights...) since I've driven to the port.

In February we're flying to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise on which I'll do a dive excursion. I plan to take my regulator & computer since I'm familiar with both and like having the dive recorded in the comp. We have the luggage allowance on the fights that I could bring my normal "cruise dive bag" but I'm not convinced that it will be worth the additional hassle.

What do you bring on a cruise where you'll do a bit of diving?

We always take our own masks and reg setup with computers. We usually take our boots and fins also, but might not next time along with our BCs....they just take up so much room, basically one extra checked bag.

We aren't diving on our Feb cruise, but will be in May. We'll see what gets in the bag and what doesn't.

robin

I've done it every which way, packed all of it, packed none, and packed some. I have come to the conclusion that - even if there's only one dive day on a trip - I bring it all. I've gotten pretty good at packing, and can get mask, fins, boots, BCs and miscellaneous other stuff for the two of us in a medium sized duffel bag. The weight gets up to about 45 pounds. Regulators go in the suitcase surrounded by clothes.

Our BCs have ScubaPro Air2s, so the regulator by itself won't work with a standard BC power inflator. That alone makes it nearly an "all or nothing proposition.

The last time we used rental gear, we were in Cabo San Lucas on a cruise where that was our only diving port. We did the cruise ship excursion to dive, and Celebrity ended up refunding us the price of the excursion because the equipment was so poor that it was unsafe. Lesson learned: Bring your own life-support equipment.

Harris

Denver, CO

I always bring everything we need for our dive, except for weights and tanks. And we have 3 divers. I went on a dive once with rented gear and what we got was a little scary. I know that is definitely not the norm. But, after adding up the price to rent and the price to take the extra luggage it was worth it to me to take it. It's a hassle, but still worth it to me.

We bring everything, including my two 1-pound trim weights. I also have a very large camera rig that I bring.

Two divers here and we bring everything except tanks and weights. We can get everything in one suitcase, under 50 lbs with room to spare for sunscreens and other liquids. We do carry regs and masks in our carry-on case.

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I bring everything except weights and tanks. Two things to consider: 1) you are much safer diving with your own equipment. You know how buoyant it is, you know where all of the controls are, and you (hopefully) know its maintenance history. 2) I find that showing up with my own equipment affords me a certain credibility with dive operators- people who own their own equipment generally have more experience than people who don't. I feel like I am less likely to be babysat when the divemasters have a visual indicator that I didn't just do my certification dives last week (or worse, haven't dove SINCE my certification dive in 1985).

Something else to consider: We have beautiful reefs and wrecks in Broward county. And most two tank trips are $60-$70 per diver. Come a day or two early and get in some additional, inexpensive dives.

I bring everything but tanks and weights. I don't generally take all the tools and redundant gear that I take on land vacations.

. . . and I certainly bring my own Nitrox analyzer if if I plan on using enriched air.

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Agree, we bring everything but tank and weights. It is worth the cost of an extra piece of luggage

for a long time I took everything cept t&w

now I typically bring only my mask - which I know fits well/no leaks.

I only dive this way with operators I know .... and these have only quality gear in good condition ... never had a problem .... no worries.

That doesn't apply to my Feb cruise - ship's excursion dive at a new-to-me port.

Well be flying on Southwest and the only formal wear I'll need is a blue blazer (& tie) so the only real issue will be hauling an extra (rolling) bag between modes of transportation.

I'll give some thought to a dive in Ft L either before or after the cruise. Not a lot of time but maybe one morning before the cruise...

I bring all my own gear except for tanks and weights. I have a set of gear that is used primarily for travel diving. I can pack everything, BC, regs, computer, small camera, mask, beanie, and 3mil shorty, but my fins in one carry on. I was on a boat from a major dive operator on one of the Caribbean islands that had multiple problems with their rental gear so I bring my own since it doesn’t require another checked bag.

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I have tried a few different ways. However, if I am diving, I bring everything except tanks and weights.

I have dove with some very nice shops and some that supposedly were top notch. However, on one southern Caribbean trip [Aruba] we did not bring our BC's. Contrary to their representations in numerous Emails to set up the dives, they did not have BC's that were set up for 50" chest. The one that they did have did not have the air release valves properly working which cost me a dive. After the first dive, we were close enough to the dive shop that I made them go back and get a working BC that I could use.

Thus, I now carry my own BC whether it is my Zeagle Ranger or my ScubaPro.

I always bring a 3mm or 1 mm wetsuit and a diveskin since I know that they will fit me along with mask and fins