Packing a dive bag can be an art form, but with over 25 years of experience with travelling with a scuba bag, Mark Evans has it down to a tee.
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How To Pack A Dive Bag For Your Next Scuba Diving Vacation
#ScubaDiving #Scuba #DiveTravel
***** THANK YOU FOR WATCHING *****
Hi what’s the name of the trolley bag again tks
All good man and thanks for the video BUT do you ever rinse your gear?
If you have an extra hockey bag sitting around like most of us Canadians have, use an old hockey bag that’s under 62” long
Thanks, great advice.. appreciate it 👍
I’m leaning towards going with a Pelican case. Thoughts? Cheers from Canada.
Great video, thank you. What tech shorts are those?
Apeks Tech Shorts.
Thank you.
I’ve had my StahlSac backpack (no wheels, the original “Ballistic” bag (1000 Denier) made in early 90’s) for over 25+ years. I prefer the backpack w/o wheels design because the wheels add weight and bulk. It has external fin pockets on the sides so I can potentially carry two pairs (always have backups) if needed. and has an external mask box/save-a-dive tool box bag with a large regulator bag/pocket below on the front of it. The bag is deep enough that if I have to put everything inside of it I can. And I always pack my bag to dress out of and into again (fins come out last and go in first).
Good demo and advice on how to protect your gear for travel.
Looking forward to try my scubapro bag
My question is if someone needs a tutorial on how to pack their scuba gear for travel…should they be diving at all 🤔
No one teaches you how to pack your dive kit so it is safe and secure on a dive course, and while there is trial and error, isn’t it better to give newbies some pointers? I have seen people arrive at a dive destination with damaged equipment because they’d just piled it on together. Now you’d think common sense would apply for padding your expensive gear, but not always. It is one question I get asked a lot when I am on assignment.
@Scuba Diver Magazine I repeat…if they’re that stupid…should they even be diving 🤔
@Jonnie Bangkok At the end of the day it is our mutually shared duty as scuba divers to help others, mistakes are easily made and people generally tend to be insecure about asking certain things, so when someone asks for advice, help, etc, it is within your best interest and theirs to simply answer the question to the best of your ability/knowledge.
Else you get people who keep the question to themselves and end up getting hurt or hurting others.
I find these videos fun and entertaining to watch and I draw inspiration from them, I never thought about putting my shoes inside off my fins or stuffing my gloves, etc, into my regulator bag.
Does that mean I should not be scuba diving? No, course not. Why would it?
A bunch of inventions today are only there because someone happened to think off it, take the cheese cutter as a prime example.
Am I in the wrong for not thinking off it first? No, course not.
As long as you do the training and get certified, stay within your limits, and are willing to learn, improve, and be open to feedback and help others, your a good scuba diver and should call yourself exactly that with pride.
@Kitzy OwO Packing a dive bag isn’t a critical skill any diver needs to learn; a completely silly video IMO.
@Jonnie Bangkok It does not matter if it’s a critical skill or not, it matters what kind of dive community we create and are as a whole.
I rather be in one where people are helpful and not afraid to ask questions, no matter which ones they are.
Imo a diver with 10 dives whom is willing to help others and answer questions is a better diver then someone with 3000 dives but refusing to help others or those who ask questions.
Got mine from decathlon. Large 90L roller which fits both scuba and freedive gear. Ample space for snacks :)) Kept my camera equipment minimal. Don’t forget to keep those batteries in the hand luggage. 👍🏼
Thanks for another great video Mark! I’m very much looking forward to the follow-up video concerning hand luggage! So far (two plane-trips into this sport), I’ve managed to get ALL dive gear split between my personal item and overhead luggage – so no checked bags yet – but I’m always looking for new ideas from other divers on how they manage this as well. Thanks again!
Don’t pack your weights! I’ve seen too many ppl lugging 20 lbs of lead in their bags! 🤣🤣🤣
Ha, you are indeed right – the number of people I have seen putting integrated weight pockets still with weight in them when they are packing up at the end of a trip!
I also use a Stahlsac bag, although slightly larger than yours. Expensive, but as you, mine has done many flights & still like new- as with all dive gear, worth paying extra for quality (buy cheap, buy twice). Personally, & especially for liveaboard, I pack as follows- put all clothes in first as a padded base then regs in the middle (yes I put regs in my main bag protected), Aqualung Outlaw (fantastic bit of kit well underrated) in next with various accessories too. Put wet suit, boots, hood in next ensuring the sides of the bag are protected by those. I pack this way so when you get on the boat you can unpack your dive gear straight away on the dive deck, then carry all your clothing straight to the cabin. See so many people taking everything to the cabin only to have to bring all the dive gear back again, or unpacking clothes on the dive deck to get to the dive gear! I put my fins, mask, computer, & torch in my Forth Element back pack as a carry on never had a problem.
Excellent advice. That is one reason I like the Stahlsac bag, as once on-site, I can just unzip the lower section, flip open the part with my clothes inside, get all my dive kit out and into my mesh bag ready to go to the dive centre/boat, etc, and can then cart off my bag to the room with all my clothes in. I agree the Outlaw is a nice piece of kit when you want a lightweight, no-frills BCD. I have got the Rogue, which is still light but just has a few more features – Dexter is currently wearing it in the studio! :)
Thanks Mark, really useful video. I tend to pack all my dive gear in a heavier more robust pack for the hold, and cram all of my clothes/camera in to my hand luggage. The Peak Design travel backpack is the perfect carry on size and easily fits 3 weeks worth of clothes. What’s your opinion on taking regs in your carry on? Seen plenty of people do it, but always been nervous of getting an arsey security guard and it being an issue.
My hand luggage is full of my housing, camera, strobes, dive comps and laptop, so no room for regs or anything else, so I always end up checking my dive kit in the hold. I have never had an issue with my regs being in the hold, and as you say, avoids any border guard issues!
£256 for a carryon bag not everyone is as rich as you pal LOL
Aloha Mark. Thanks for the great video. I am planning my first liveaboard experience on the Big Island later this year. Look forward to you carry on video. I have a Hydros Pro and I am debating whether to use the included backpack for the whole kit or go for a checked roller bag option.
I really don’t take many clothes with me on a liveaboard – few T-shirts and shorts, maybe a hoodie for evenings – so you might get away with using that backpack. My hand luggage is full of my camera, laptop, dive comps, housing, so I have to check a bag every time.
@Scuba Diver Magazine Thanks Mark. Again, appreciate the great content.
What was the name of that luggage brand? Style Sack? Cant find it on the web, do you have a link?
stahlsac
@B S Thank you – beat me too it!
Thanks both!
Thanks for helping us that are new to the sport please keep them coming
Glad it was helpful