Transporting your set-up from hotel to harbour - how?

[Will_Clark 0]

Other than just carrying it by the housing's handles, do any Wetpixelists have a system for transporting your gear from the hotel to the harbour when on holiday?

 

Dodging hung-over tourists as you manoeuvre through the hotel with bleary eyes, squeezing onto the minibus and into your seat, getting out and dodging more tourists before embarking allows for a lot of possible minor knocks and scrapes - or worse.

 

At home I use a plastic crate with old towels in it, but I can't fit it in my luggage

[aussie 0]

I've got, and seen other people using as well, a soft esky. It fits into a suitcase more of less once squashed down, and provides a bit of padding as well as a sholder strap to easily carry it.

 

Ryan.

Edited July 3, 2008 by aussie

[Will_Clark 0]

I guess you could squeeze a few coldies in the esky if you take a day off diving too, eh Ryan ?

[aussie 0]

Exactly!

 

I normally take mine on the boat too, people often assume it's full of booze. Especially overseas, we seem to have a bit of a reputation...

[DavidScubadiver 0]

I used a big victoria's secret vinyl bag. Hot Pink. But I like the soft eky idea better. I love my camera but she doesn't need Victoria's Secret accessories.

[Will_Clark 0]

Inspired by Ryan, I had a poke around my junk piles and look what I found - perfect: low weight, padded, and as noted above, multi-functional...

 

 

[AndyT 0]

That's exactly what I use - very useful if diving off a RIB. I also throw in a couple of ice bricks if it's warm topside and I know the water is going to be cold - helps prevent fogging.

[eskasi 1]

I use a soft Esky too. But a much bigger one. My entire rig can sit in it nicely and when on the boat, it is large enough to even double as a rinse tank if needed.... It came in very handy when I was diving from a cruise ship last month ....getting off the ship and to the meeting point for my dives..

[diverjohn 0]

Good idea what size are the bags

[garyyoss 6]

Other than just carrying it by the housing's handles, do any Wetpixelists have a system for transporting your gear from the hotel to the harbour when on holiday?

 

Dodging hung-over tourists as you manoeuvre through the hotel with bleary eyes, squeezing onto the minibus and into your seat, getting out and dodging more tourists before embarking allows for a lot of possible minor knocks and scrapes - or worse.

 

At home I use a plastic crate with old towels in it, but I can't fit it in my luggage

 

 

I have seen these cooler bags sold at some Dive Photo stores.

 

http://www.polarbearcoolers.com/

[Steve Williams 0]

Hey Will,

Here is another thread from a few months ago where I got some great input on sort of the same question. The upshot was a recommendation for coolers from aocoolers.com if you have to carry the rig a ways. They make coolers for boaters, and off road vehicles. The 48 can version looks just right for a big DSLR. Some have a pocket for keeping all that stuff we carry around dry. There are lots of sizes to choose from. There are also a couple of ideas in the thread for carrying handles too.

Steve

[diverjohn 0]

Bought a 48 can one today, just the job

[waterloodiver 1]

soft esky--cooler bag, it's really good idea, I will definitely try this during Dec Cozumel trip, thanks everyone

[Tjsnapper 0]

Diverjohn, where did you get yours from as i have had trouble getting one here in the UK as most people think I am mad as the picnic season is over here

 

Thanks

 

Tristan

[oski 0]

OK I also felt in love with these soft sided AOCoolers, especially the fishing series (I neeed it!).

 

But, european wetpixelists: Is there something equivalent available in this side of the ocean? A waterproof cooler able to deal with rude treatment and dirty water that usually flow everywhere in a roocking and bumping RIB? Shiping cost from the Americas is expensive, even equals the prize of the cooler itself!

 

As I did a lot of unsuccessful google searching about this topic, I'll be very grateful if somenone is kind enough to post some link probably I missed.

 

Thanks a lot.

[aussie 0]

One word of warning, don't trust the shoulder strap on your eski too much. Mine broke while carrying it full of beer (luckily not the camera rig!!!). The plastic 'hooks' just weren't strong enough. So they've been replaced with ali ones, and backed up with zip ties.

 

Apart from the zipper no longer working, mine's still going strong though!

[WanderingBob 2]

Inspired by Ryan, I had a poke around my junk piles and look what I found - perfect: low weight, padded, and as noted above, multi-functional...

 

Where's your port/dome? Will it fit safely in that space?

[jcclink 8]

Just as another reference point, my Nexus D300 with 170 dome port & 2 S&S strobes will fit in a 24 pack soft cooler from American Outdoors. Works great for short distance transport.

Edited September 4, 2009 by jcclink

[Photofantasea 0]

I've used a system for about three years that carries the camera and protects it as well on smaller boats with no other facilities. It is compact for travel, weighs virtually nothing and is inexpensive. The "bag"was obtained at Wallmart (diaperbag, canvas with a metal supprort), kids swimming aids, and a shoulder strap from a lap top bag. It fits easily in my dive bag (less than 1") weighs less than a lb and provides an air cushion around the housing once "assembled". The images attached show the set up without a camera but the bag holds a D-200 Ike housing set up with two strobes.

[davephdv 0]

Ditto for the 48 can wheeled cooler.

 

And mine might have also carried a cold one or two on occasion.

 

I also have a soft cooler I have used on occasion.