Maybe I should have named this article "The Successful 100lb Carry-On Traveler".

Most airlines have a two tier checked baggage allowance. I am not sure what the non-dive gear allowance is, because my two checked bags are ALWAYS "scuba gear". It is not like they open them anyway.

For scuba bags, they typically allow about 70lbs each for up to 2 bags. Between my rebreather setup with cylinders, 30lbs of sofnolime, and my huge HiDef video rig & lighting, and a small bailout bottle for the 'breather, I am, shall we say, about 3 lbs over the limit for each of the 2 checked bags.

BUT, my carry-on weighs about 35lbs, lol. I kid you not! Strangely I have never had that weighed by the airline counters, but the characters at the Ninoy Aquino airport seem to take personal delight in trying to nail anyone who tries to leave Manila. I don't know what irritates me more, them playing weight police or the monkeys at TSA at LAX who insist on placing my rebreather backs on it's front side so all the weight is on the abs fairing. Gee, I thought x-rays went through everything!

I have asked airlines if it costs extra if I weighed 350lbs, to which they said no. I asked them next if it was ok if I had 100lbs of equipment on my person other than a bag, they said they were fine with that too.

Ok, so now that I have found a chink in their armor, a soft side of their underbelly if you will, I have devised a two tier strategy to defeat the weight-police.

As of late I have taken to removing my DIN valves, and placing them in a nylon zipper pouch that is held like a notebook case. In there is my bailout reg, 3 DIN valves and 2 of the 4 large Li-Ion batteries (2 spares) for my dual HID video lights. Now my carry-on just had its weight reduced. I also carry a really light weight, el-cheapo cloth bag that looks like a lame shopping bag. It seems that if you have one carry-on on, a person hand carried tote seems to be fine with them, so it is a backup I stuff in my dive gear bag.

Now I just purchased a carry-on style 20" tall bag that is splittable into two pieces, and the whole thing is made to look more like a backpack. So I can disconnect the smaller pieces and get at least 20lbs in that, and use it as a backpack, and put the rest in the actual larger portion of that carry-on which has wheels.

Next I am considering buying those military style camo pants with the massive side thigh cargo pockets. They should be able to hold at least 4lbs each. They do make short pants versions of these although you lose the pockets near the sides of the knees.

Then there is the possibility of buying the photo vest with more zippers than a Michael Jackson outfit. All combined, I ought to be able to bring on 100lbs of stuff if ever in a bind, although sofnolime as a carry-on freaks them out too much considering they are ready to come unglued to begin with and I don't wish to set them off.

So in recapping, here are the various items with photos that are a must for the serious world dive traveler:

1. Backpack style carry-on splitable in two pieces as shown below

HSAT205_lg.jpgHSAT205_1L.jpg

2. Throw away style canvas cloth shopping bag with handles. Place sundry "prop" items at the top like souvenirs and t-shirts.

cotton-tote-bags.jpg

3. Military BDU cargo pants with side cargo pockets.

ACU BDU.jpg

4. Photo vest.

B&H Photovest.jpg

If you deploy all 4 strategies, you could theoretically get 100lbs of carry-on equipment on board, and as you pass by the insecurity agent who is looking at you for the really odd gait or limp you have as the weight is about to compress your spinal column and you into the "little people" category, just mutter to him as you pass; "old college football injury" which seems to work better and strangely enough draws less attention than: "Old repetitive motion adult shoot injury".