How much does kit weigh

[Finless]

My "in water kit" weighed about 7 stone - twin 10s + 3 ltr and all attached bits ....... except me of course.

[chrisch]

Given our recent experience I would think about something that cannot be broken into!!!! We run a big estate but next time round I think it will have to be a van...

Chris

[calski]

Originally Posted by chrisch

We run a big estate but next time round I think it will have to be a van...

Chris

Presumably though, not one that has "Securitas" painted on the side

calski

[Scuby]

Originally Posted by kath2407

mines a citroen saxo 1.1 and my dad reckons I'm knackering the suspension with one lot of dive kit. Add to this that mum is paranoid about me driving 500 miles + on my own, mum wants me to get a "friend".

I think your mum's talked your dad into telling you your dive kit is breaking the car, to encourage you to get a "friend" faster! I tend to work on one set of dive kit ~= 1 person, so unless you've got a special edition 1 seater saxo i'm sure it'll be fine

David

[Scuttler]

I fail to see how one load of dive kit (even when wet) can weigh more than four people.

Yes you may be knackering the suspension if all the weight is on one side of the car and it lives in the car permanently but I somehow doubt that's the case.

I used to own a Rover 214 (the "rounded" version not the old old shoebox type) and that regularly had 3 divers and kit in, now that is overloading....and uncomfortable.

Anyway.....if Dad insists on buying you a new car then a twin cab pickup with a hardtop would be very nice

[Johnonthesevern]

I know it's not cool but I would recomend an estate car but make sure there isn't a lip around the boot. Reaching over and lifting anything heavy is a sure fire way of doing your back in.

[calski]

I have no problems getting all of my gear into the boot of my Focus (new shape) and it has a nice "lip" on the boot for me to sit / perch on whilst donning my gear...

mmmm... roomy!

lol

Good luck

calski

[Capone]

For space and carrying weight I'd definately go for the Landrover Defender option if they did airbags in them. I don't see why they don't, it's just stupid not to.
I want the SAS image, but with the safety of airbas !!!!

The Nissan Navara looks pretty useful too.

Mind you, a Toyota pickup is probably the toughest pickup to go for. It carries 20 men armed to the teeth with AK47s and rocket launchers through very inhospitable terrain and just keeps on going.......or so it looks like on all the news channels anyway !

My BMW coupe struggles with the amount of kit I (and my non-driving buddy) have. Power is not the problem but with 2 people's kit and an overnight bag we always end up with the dry-suit bags and overnight bags on the backseat, plus sleeping bags depending on what kind of overnight accomodation it's gunna be. Then if we hire (or eventually buy our own) twinsets it will get even worse. I never like leaving kit in view, even with an Estate with that much kit you would still end up leaving the kit in view.

I know it makes sense but I haven't quite lost enough pride or given up on enjoying life enough to go for an Estate yet, then there's the whole Diesel option to take into account to cut down the cost of lugging all that extra kit about which drops the MPG quite considerably.
A Diesel Estate......I'm just not in the right mindset for that yet !!

Anyway, I have been meaning to weigh my kit for a while now so that it is easy to work out which kit can go into which bags when travelling abroad with all of the different baggage allowances you can get to different places nowadays. I just need it to dry out from the soaking it's had the last 2 nights and then I'll weigh it.

[Odin]

Get a van, big enough to sleep in..
Takes all the kit, somewhere cheap to sleep, and if it is a white van you can blast down the outside lane at a ridiculous speed flashing your lights (I said LIGHTS girl!) if anyone is infront of you...

[Scuttler]

Originally Posted by Capone

My BMW coupe struggles with the amount of kit I (and my non-driving buddy) have. Power is not the problem but with 2 people's kit and an overnight bag we always end up with the dry-suit bags and overnight bags on the backseat, plus sleeping bags depending on what kind of overnight accomodation it's gunna be. Then if we hire (or eventually buy our own) twinsets it will get even worse.

I have the 3 series saloon and have never had any problems getting two lots of dive gear in it.
Admittedly the bags full of my buddies and my clothes are on the back seat but all the dive gear is in the boot out of view.