AKONA Bags

[tboxcar]

I recently purchased the Akona 144 and will travel with it next week to the Philippines. I really like the idea of the travel sleeve, for protection from 'wear and tear' if anything.
Although my LDS says they like to leave theirs off, because TSA has a tough time (or are just too lazy) getting to your zippered compartments. Has anyone else heard of this or had any negative experiences by using the sleeve. I think I'm going to use it and take my chances.

 

[tboxcar]

So far so good, traveled from San Francisco to Bangkok via Hong Kong, with my new Akona 144. I locked up the bag with TSA locks on the main compartment and the two side pouches for fins. Then put the cover on the entire bag.
After arriving in Bangkok, I noticed the TSA in SF opened the bag and put a notice inside saying that they did. No damage done or items missing, just one small rip in the cover bag which is very minor. Think I will keep the cover on in the future as it's alot easier to replace than damage to the bag, I suppose.
Should be interesting as the bag weighed 31 kg. out of SFO, which was allowable, will now see how PAL deals with this weight issue going from Bangkok to Manila.

 

[zboss]

Still lookng for that perfect dive gear travel bag, Akona's new duffel and backpack now come with a Travel security sleeve, has anyone used one of these? Have avoided Akona in the past because of the logo's. Can't find one in local LDS to check out if this is a practical product.

The "Travel Security Sleeve" is basically a thin laundry duffle you could pick up at walmart for about $1.00. It also falls apart like one. Keep in mind that while your dive bag is inside the sleeve, there are no handles for the baggage handlers to hold onto, so trust me when I say, it'll get torn apart on your first trip. Also, since the bag uses cinch draw-strings, they have a tendancy to get pulled into machinery...

 

[tboxcar]

You are right, it got a minor hole in it. My g/f who knows all thought I should not use it. I could see it really coming handy when it rains and you are out in the weather.

 

[Mandy3206]

Akona uhh......

I got 5 Akona bags:

2 regulator bags (similar to AKB604)
1 large regulator bag (similar to AKB615)
1 backpack (similar to AKB154) (big one for diving, not treking)
1 Dive bag w/o wheels (similar to AKB114)


The regulatorbags where used on every dive trip for more than 6 yrs and don't show wear at all, just a few stains and that's all

The large regulator bag is the size of a briefcase and is my main weekend travel bag, has gone all over the US as a carryon and looks brand new after 6 yrs of use. This bag has the option of being used as a back pack, can be carried as a briefcase and has a shoulder strap.

The Big back pack has been used a couple of times, not abused like the other bags, but the construction of the bag is similar to the other bags and has multiple handles all over it.

Tha dive bag has multiple handles around it, can be used as a back pack, it has carried 2 full scuba gear sets in many dive trips. This bag has been abused for the last 8yrs and has multiple stains from the diferent boat fluids. Now is starting to show some wear at the bottom of the bag, at this rate, the bag may tear at the bottom in the next 5 yrs or so. This bag is bullet proof and can handle anything that I throw at it, now with the new Pelican 1620 it will get some rest (I'm tired of lugging the gear around in my back, I'll now roll it and save my back)

In fact I'm a big Akona fan and it's the best bag manufacturer I've come across.

Not sure about the last and this yr models, the materials used now are diferent from the balistic nylons in all the models I own, but since these people have a good track record with me, I don't see why the newer materials should be of lesser quality, I may need to buy one of the newer bags just to try this new materials.

 

[dlndavid]

Big Akona fan here too. Even got an Akona 7 mil wet suit.

 

[jetfixer]

Does anyone realize how old this thread is? I bet the original poster bought one with the green logo! lol!

(edited to add) Incidentally, my Akona Deluxe roller bag completely fell apart after one year of mild usage. The seams were all coming apart. It started with the reg bag then the fin pouches. I'm not down on it, its a great bag and I recently returned it for a new one.

 

[dlndavid]

Does anyone realize how old this thread is? I bet the original poster bought one with the green logo! lol!

I am quite aware how old this thread was when I posted to it and
I didn't even resurect it.

The information is still valid, and I have green/purple logo and orange logo Akona bags. :dazzler1:

 

[Hoosier]

Does it matter as long as someone is intrested in?

 

[liamklenk]

hi there
you are worrying me a bit... or maybe i was just lucky so far and am a bit naive.
is theft of diving equipment at airports etc. really a big issue?
i wanted to get a bag that doesn't announce "diver" immediately, but also wanted something lightweight, so bought a lightweight mares bag a few years back. it's totally practical, and so far i've done traveling to the maldives a few times and to the mediterranean...
do some of you actually have experiences where you checked in your luggage, and then got it from the baggage claim after your flight and some of your equipment was vandalized or stolen?
really curious about this, and a bit mystified...
thanks for any info. better to be informed than to blindly stumble along, just being lucky =)
happy diving
liam