Any recommendationsre. a lightweight dive bag that can b eused as lugge to transport mygear & then b eused on boat as well. I hav eseen fellow divers with wheeledbags,pullout handle bags, back packs etc. I hav eproblems with my back & shoulders sometimes so I would love something easy/light weight to lug around airports & from hotel to dive shops yet sturdy & reliaible, yet not too bulky on a boat!
Dive bag luggage
- Thread starter Davidz
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I wouldn't do it.
I think any real luggage you would take on a plane would be too big on most dive boats, and nearly impossible on some. I have seen people coming onto small boats with their dive luggage, and they don't notice the looks on the faces of their fellow travellers who must share the space.
Next, when you are done diving, your gear will be wet. Do you want to put that stuff in your luggage to get it off the boat?
Get a mesh bag and pack it in your luggage--it takes almost no room, either inside the luggage or on the boat when it is empty.
I think any real luggage you would take on a plane would be too big on most dive boats, and nearly impossible on some. I have seen people coming onto small boats with their dive luggage, and they don't notice the looks on the faces of their fellow travellers who must share the space.
Next, when you are done diving, your gear will be wet. Do you want to put that stuff in your luggage to get it off the boat?
Get a mesh bag and pack it in your luggage--it takes almost no room, either inside the luggage or on the boat when it is empty.
Sideband
Guest
I agree. When you are there, transfer your gear from your luggage to the mesh bag. If you set your gear up before you board there will be minimal stuff left in the bag. Once all geared up to dive it will take up no room because it will be empty.
Joe
Joe
Damselfish
Contributor
No bag is going to be good at both of these, they're mutually exclusive. Fortunately a mesh bag that's good on a tropical boat is small to pack and not too expensive, and you can get them with backpack straps.
If you think you will do a liveaboard it's best not to have something hardsided either. I like rolling soft bags with hard bottoms or stiff bottom frame, and a decent built in cart. Makes a good compromise between weight, sturdiness, and ease of carting it around, and collapses enough to be easy to store on most liveaboards.
If you think you will do a liveaboard it's best not to have something hardsided either. I like rolling soft bags with hard bottoms or stiff bottom frame, and a decent built in cart. Makes a good compromise between weight, sturdiness, and ease of carting it around, and collapses enough to be easy to store on most liveaboards.
Charlie99
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What works for me is to have one hard-sided case, such as the Samsonite F'lite series. All my gear gets shoved into that and checked, including either a mesh bag or duffel bag that I use to carry gear to the boat.
If I exceed weight limit or run out of room, the mesh or duffel bag gets checked with indestructibles like wetsuits; fins; or on the way back, dirty clothes.
If the original poster isn't up to carrying a non-wheeled duffel bag, then I recommend any of the soft sided wheeled duffle bags available in any luggage store. While they don't fold up as compactly as a mesh bag, they should compact enough to stow away onboard.
If I exceed weight limit or run out of room, the mesh or duffel bag gets checked with indestructibles like wetsuits; fins; or on the way back, dirty clothes.
If the original poster isn't up to carrying a non-wheeled duffel bag, then I recommend any of the soft sided wheeled duffle bags available in any luggage store. While they don't fold up as compactly as a mesh bag, they should compact enough to stow away onboard.
For luggage that will be checked at the airport or bell-hopped around the hotel I would NOT get anything made by a dive gear company and/or anything that sports a dive company logo.
SAMSONITE = socks and undies
AQUA LUNG = regs and computers
Might at well replace the logo with one that says "STEAL THIS BAG."
SAMSONITE = socks and undies
AQUA LUNG = regs and computers
Might at well replace the logo with one that says "STEAL THIS BAG."
Bob3
Contributor
My buddy got a new camera setup & packed it all in a dandy Pelican case. It was almost stolen twice just on his way down to a dive trip. He tackled one of the thieves as he was walking out the door of the airport, the next leg someone ran off with it but he spotted it underneath a guy's pile of luggage as he was waiting for the GF outside a bathroom.
After that he stuck the thing inside a beat up duffel bag & never had any more problems with it walking off.
ScubaMax makes a nice line of inexpensive but sturdy bags.
rocketry
Contributor
Mesh bag inside rolling duffle. The best way to go. Lightweight draining bag for diveboat, sturdy bag for trip. Anything sturdy enough to handle plane travel is too big for dive boat, anything big enough for dive boat is not sturdy enough for plane travel. of course, you should be careful what you check. I NEVER check my regulator, SPG or computer. I usually check mask, snorkel, fins, goodies, etc diving stuff, and BC in a mesh bag, then put that thing into a rolling duffel. When i get to my destination, I stow the rolling duffle until the end of the trip, and whalla.
When I started diving, I went to Wal-mart and paid $30 for one of their rolling duffle bags (brand was Northwest Trails). It didn't have much in terms of side compartments, just a 30 inch long bag with wheels on one end. It didn't even have a pull-out handle for dragging it around, just the stiched fabric handle at one end.
I've used that duffle for my dive bag and my main travel luggage for 10 years. Whenever I went on a trip (China, various spots in the US, etc) I would pull out my scuba gear and throw in my clothes. I also really liked the bag because it would fit inside the 75-cent lockers here at Casino Point on Catalina Island.
I've also never had a problem with it on a dive boat. It's smaller than many (most?) dive bags out there, and it would fit all my gear (except tank) easily.
Anyway, it's been 10 years, and a couple months ago the zipper finally stopped working. The two sides of the zipper separated. It's about time to go spend another $30. I think I got my money's worth.
I've used that duffle for my dive bag and my main travel luggage for 10 years. Whenever I went on a trip (China, various spots in the US, etc) I would pull out my scuba gear and throw in my clothes. I also really liked the bag because it would fit inside the 75-cent lockers here at Casino Point on Catalina Island.
I've also never had a problem with it on a dive boat. It's smaller than many (most?) dive bags out there, and it would fit all my gear (except tank) easily.
Anyway, it's been 10 years, and a couple months ago the zipper finally stopped working. The two sides of the zipper separated. It's about time to go spend another $30. I think I got my money's worth.
Packing all my gear into a suitcase isn't that hard, I can do that. I'm going on a cruise however, and I'll have to carry it all to a diveboat...I could get a mesh bag for fins, mask and all, reg, etc. I currently use a milkcrate for all that and a weightbelt. However, what about wetsuit and BC? Should I just get a big enough mesh version of a duffle bag to hold everything? I don't know when/where I can rinse gear off: perfect scenario has me cleaning everything very well before I get back on the cruiseship. Otherwise, I'm cleaning in the bathroom and leaving it on the verandah/balcony area to dry.
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