It’s been a crazy few weeks of product research and Amazon purchases as I begin to assemble my very own collection of choice travel gear for the adventures ahead. Pretty exciting times. Expensive, initially, but a lot of it will last me some time so the investment is well worth it.

As a PADI Divemaster in training, much of this has been related to scuba diving. Similarly, though, as a new travel blogger looking to explore more of the world from both above and below the waves, there has also been a lot of other necessary costs.

With my first ever trip to Egypt coming up – not to mention my first ever dive trip – I wanted to share with you what I am taking with me and how packing light is a practice that I plan to adopt early on in my travel blogging career.

GoPro Hero 4 Silver

The king of action cameras, GoPro is by far the leading brand when it comes to capturing the best moments of your trip. Rugged, durable and waterproof as standard to 40 meters, the most expensive bit of kit going in my bag is my new GoPro Hero 4 Silver. I figured that the Silver edition would be ideal for scuba diving due to the fact that it has an additional touch display which can be used to preview and frame shots independently. This should be extremely useful when filming the underwater world.

GoPro Accessories

For the first couple of days of the trip, I’m going to need to fully concentrate on what’s going on around me, especially when I’ve descended 20-30 meters. That’s not to say that I can’t still capture it on video! This Head Strap & Quick Clip will be perfect for those “hands-free” dives.

It’s not all about the first-person perspective though. What would a dive trip be without the odd scuba selfie or two? The GOPOLE Evo is not only completely waterproof but it’s extremely robust. Extendable from 14-24″ and suitable for all GoPro models, the Evo does not require a separate mounting system – just fit your GoPro directly onto the end of the GOPOLE and tighten the thumbscrew. It floats, too!

Scuba divers know; the deeper you go, the harder it gets to film footage that looks natural. The Polar Pro Switchblade 2.0 Filter – Red is the one when it comes to using my GoPro in tropical blue waters as it corrects some of the reds lost due to natural light escaping the depths. Also extremely durable, the Switchblade comes with a macro lens attached for more intimate shots of those vivid nudis.

I don’t want battery power to dictate my footage so I’ve got myself a Smatree Battery (2-Pack) and 3-Channel charger. Great for charging up to three GoPro batteries at once. No excuses!

The Smatree SmaCase G160 – Medium seemed like the best option when looking into GoPro and GoPro accessory travel storage. It fits all of the above GoPro-related gear perfectly. Naturally, I grabbed one for myself.

Kindle Paperwhite

I’ve hardly been able to put my Kindle Paperwhite down since it arrived. It’s certainly refreshing to have something that’s purely for reading and is so lightweight and easy to carry. I’ve already loaded it with books that I’ve longed to read for whenever I might get a spare half-hour aboard the Blue Melody. I actually cannot explain how much I’m looking forward to finding a spot on deck and getting lost in a book or two.

iPhone 6

I’m a self-proclaimed iPhoneographer and enjoy taking shots from above the surface with my trusty iPhone 6. It’s so simple and straightforward, not to mention easy to carry. With the countless amounts of photography apps available, it’s good fun (if nothing else) getting to grips with them to create your own “look” when taking photos of your travels.

Additional Dive Gear

• Tusa Solla SF22 Fins
• Tusa Visio Tri-Ex Mask
• Tusa Hyperdry Elite III Snorkel
• Oceanic Veo 1.0 Dive Computer
• Waterproof B1 Wet Boots
• Intova Tovatec Dive Torch

Clothing – Keep It Simple

Let’s face it… Egypt is still nice and warm in the winter months. It has been said that evenings can get a bit nippy though, especially on a boat. The fact that I’m likely to be diving up to five times a day for a whole week means that clothing options needn’t be over the top.

So, with that in mind, I’m saving as much space in my backpack as possible and simply taking the following:

• 4 t-shirts
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 2 pairs of swimming shorts
• 1 hoodie (for the evening chill)
• 1 pair of jeans and a nice top (for a planned evening meal)
• 2 pairs of shoes (1 pair of espadrilles for daily wear, 1 pair of lace up’s for the meal)
• Underwear also minimal – I’ll be in swim shorts 90% of the time!

Packing Light With Osprey Farpoint 70

Having searched high and low for a backpack that allows my fins to fit comfortably inside without bending them out of shape in transit – along with everything else listed above, plus my diving manuals – the Osprey Farpoint 70 goes above and beyond. It’s a truly solid backpack with a detachable day pack that will no doubt become my regular travel pack as I go further afield in the near future.

Yeah, It Could Be Lighter

I totally get that this may not be “packing light” compared to how some might travel but I think it’s pretty good for a dive trip. The additional scuba gear that’s required all fits into my Farpoint with most of my electronic equipment going into an extra small carry-on rucksack and I will be hiring some kit when I’m there.

When I break this list down into individual items, I think I’ve probably got more in the way of electronic and miscellaneous items than I have clothes anyway! By keeping things to a bare minimum, I’m more than prepared for my first dive trip with an entirely manageable load.

Are you heading off anywhere soon? How do you intend to stick to packing light?

Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know.

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