I tend to be pretty anal and also a bit absent-minded, so I'll often make written packing lists before going on trips. Here's the packing list from my last dive trip, a week of cave-diving in the Yucatan. The only thing I forgot was a tube of lip balm (which wasn't on the list).
Dive Equipment
- Personal
- Mask
- Fins
- Snorkel
- Hood
- Gloves
- Booties and Boots
- Wetsuit (3 mm or 5 mm jumpsuit)
- Sidemount harness
- Regulators (sidemount, yoke only!)
- Dive computer
- 2 sidemount cam bands
- Primary light (w/ battery and charger)
- 2 backup lights
- Reels (large and small) with knotted line
- Survey pouch w/ notebook, compass, pencils
- Line arrows and clothes pins
- Yellow gear bag
- Sherpa harness
- Tanks in Mexico
- Team
- Regulator parts
- Backup backup lights
- Dive tool kit
- Batteries for backup lights
Vertical Equipment
- Personal
- Harness
- Ascenders (2 handled, 1 Croll)
- Rappel Rack
- 3 locking carabineers
- Helmet
- Rappelling gloves
- Team
- Rope
- Webbing
- Carabineers
- Pulleys
- Rope pad
Caving Equipment
- Headlamp and backup lamp on helmet
- Batteries for caving lamps
- Caving clothes (jeans, polypro, coveralls)
Photography
- Camera
- Spare memory
- Batteries and charger
- Car inverter
- Otter Box
- Soft case
- Tripod
Camp Stuff
- Hammock
- Sleeping bag
- Blanket
- Camp headlamp
Clothing
- Swimsuit (2)
- 5-6 days of shorts and t-shirts
- 1 pair jeans
- 1 nice outfit (wear on flight)
- Sandals
- Hiking boots
- Socks
- Fleece jacket
- Pajamas (shorts and long)
- Hat
Health
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray (100% DEET)
- Tick soap (veterinary)
- Decongestant (pseudophedrine)
- Anti-diarrheal (loperamide)
- Antihistamine night (chlortrimeton)
- Antihistamine day (loratadine)
- Painkillers (ibuprofen and acetaminophen)
- Epi pen
Food
- Purchase in Cancun
- Snack items
Miscellaneous
- Towel
- Soap
- Deodorant
- Toothbrush
- Razor and shaving cream
- Sunglasses, glasses and hard cases
- Water bottle (2)
- Backpack
- Power strip
- Cell phone
- Cell phone charger and car charger
- GPS, car power cable, laptop link cable
- Duct tape
- Zip-lock bags
- Knife
- Leatherman
- Machete
- Spanish-English Dictionary
- Maya Dictionary
Documents
- Passport
- Maps
- Flight info
- Phone numbers (home, team, airline, embassy)
- Notes
- Journal
- Money (cash, traveler's checks, credit cards)
- Car rental and insurance documentation
- DAN paperwork
Checked bags must remain under 2x50 lbs each!
Carry-ons are officially limited to 40 lbs
