Dive caddy - airline carry on solution

[mstevens]

We just got our 3 Gen2 DiveCaddys. For our warm-water gear including Zeagle BCD's and full-foot fins, they hold everything with plenty of room to spare. My full-foot Cressi Pro Star fins just barely fit in the Travel Pack due to their length, but the Fin Caddy handles them just fine. The new version has more compression straps for the BCD section than the videos show for the Gen1 version.

The "Destination Bag" is huge and holds the entire, loaded system with additional room. In case one wanted to check it through, it has no logos or other indication that scuba gear might be inside. We also envision using it to stuff dirty clothing in for the trip home. Besides, our main suitcases seem to fill up with treasures bought at our destination.

One difference between generations that may be important is that the Gen2 systems use D-rings for the Spider Pack rather than side-release buckles. There must be some reason for the change, but to me it seems as if getting the Spider Pack off to unroll the system for TSA inspection would be quicker with the side-release buckles.

Another difference is that the new systems lack the bungee in the bottom of the Spider Pack that can be laced through the buckles to hold a towel or whatnot. This doesn't seem like a loss at all.

 

[bbdm120]

The New Gen2 DiveCaddy is truly Smarter, Stronger and More Versatile ..

For More Details
Don't Wait – Be the first to have a DiveCaddy on your next Dive Adventure.​

Safe Diving,
Brad 845-590-9721

 

[Dirty-Dog]

One difference between generations that may be important is that the Gen2 systems use D-rings for the Spider Pack rather than side-release buckles. There must be some reason for the change, but to me it seems as if getting the Spider Pack off to unroll the system for TSA inspection would be quicker with the side-release buckles.
QUOTE]

We just got two of the Gen2, and I wondered about this too. Definately seems that it will slow down the TSA shuffle. I wonder if someone who works for DiveCaddy will comment on the reasoning behind this change?
Other than this one thing, all the changes in the Gen2 make perfect sense, and improve the product. I only wish I didn't have such a long wait till our next trip...

 

[bbdm120]

We just got our 3 Gen2 DiveCaddys. For our warm-water gear including Zeagle BCD's and full-foot fins, they hold everything with plenty of room to spare. My full-foot Cressi Pro Star fins just barely fit in the Travel Pack due to their length, but the Fin Caddy handles them just fine. The new version has more compression straps for the BCD section than the videos show for the Gen1 version.

The "Destination Bag" is huge and holds the entire, loaded system with additional room. In case one wanted to check it through, it has no logos or other indication that scuba gear might be inside. We also envision using it to stuff dirty clothing in for the trip home. Besides, our main suitcases seem to fill up with treasures bought at our destination.

One difference between generations that may be important is that the Gen2 systems use D-rings for the Spider Pack rather than side-release buckles. There must be some reason for the change, but to me it seems as if getting the Spider Pack off to unroll the system for TSA inspection would be quicker with the side-release buckles.

Another difference is that the new systems lack the bungee in the bottom of the Spider Pack that can be laced through the buckles to hold a towel or whatnot. This doesn't seem like a loss at all.

[

One difference between generations that may be important is that the Gen2 systems use D-rings for the Spider Pack rather than side-release buckles. There must be some reason for the change, but to me it seems as if getting the Spider Pack off to unroll the system for TSA inspection would be quicker with the side-release buckles.
QUOTE]

We just got two of the Gen2, and I wondered about this too. Definately seems that it will slow down the TSA shuffle. I wonder if someone who works for DiveCaddy will comment on the reasoning behind this change?
Other than this one thing, all the changes in the Gen2 make perfect sense, and improve the product. I only wish I didn't have such a long wait till our next trip...

So I wrote to the Manufacture and got the following back regarding the new D-rings.

3 reasons for the change:

1) There were many situations where the SpiderBag was over packed, then when the buckles were forced together, the female side would strip out and be rendered useless.

2) Many customers were confused by the multitude of buckles on the bag. The double-d's greatly reduced the learning curve to using the system proficiently.

3) Lastly, the double d's allow for a much more durable contact point allowing for a more positive and secure connection of the SpiderBag. This stronger contact point allows for additional compression of the SB.

While I completely understand the concerns of the d-rings being a little slower, the long term added durability of this time tested attaching method is hard to beat. Buckles can be stripped, stepped on/broken and can wear out.

This change was made to provide a better overall value for the customer and to take another step toward providing an high quality, durable tool for traveling divers.

Let me know if I can answer any further questions!

Thanks Brad.
Best,
Chad​

Safe Diving,
Brad 845-590-9721

 

[UnderwaterCameraHouse]

Take whatever you need and don't take the extra things with you, it will only increase your luggage and you will be facing problem.

 

[Jaeger45]

I own the Gen 1. Got a chance to check out the Gen 2 at Our World Underwater in Chicago this past weekend. Looks great!

So far (knock on wood) I haven't had a problem with the buckles on the Gen 1, and really like the way they function. BUT I have broken buckles like this on other bags in the past, and its a PIA.

I'm liking the Destination Bag/Repair Kit--should be sold separately in a few months, and its on my to buy list.

 

[Kenr]

I don't know about this bag. Its oversized. I really need something i can carry on without any hassles. Not too mention its now $300 plus shipping

I'm going to buying the APS Mantaray fins for airline travel. My Atomics size L are 27 inchs from end to end and they end up filling up my checked bag.

I'm going to buy one of these for $72

eBags Mother Lode TLS Weekender Convertible - eBags.com


It's should be able to handle my regs, bcd, mask, fins, 3mm wetsuit and hopefully a few odds and ends.

I'll post later when i get it and the new fins

 

[mstevens]

I don't know about this bag. Its oversized. I really need something i can carry on without any hassles. Not too mention its now $300 plus shipping

We own 3 of the Gen2 systems. I can't agree with "oversized" at all. We had no difficulty fitting a fully-loaded* DiveCaddy into the airline's little test box for carry-on luggage or putting them in the overhead bin back-to-front.

*Zeagle BCD, large full-foot fins, regs, wetsuits, and several days of clothing and swimsuits. We did not use the "Spider Pack" and did have to take off the "Turtle Pack" from the top to make it fit in the size tester. We had masks, cameras, computers, analyzers, etc. in the Turtle Packs and just unclipped them and popped them under the seat when we put the DiveCaddy in the overhead bin.

The $300 was well worth it to us.

 

[Kenr]

maybe I don't understand the size of the divecaddy. Most airlines restrict their carry on to 22x14x9. My atomic fins are about 26 inch long and i read somewhere that they would fit in the divecaddy. I just don't have a clue how one can design a bag that is 22 inches long and hold a 26" or longer fin. Their website doesn't say what size the main bag is. I know it compresses but I'm assuming the length is fixed. The website goes through methods on how to get past the check-in agent. Why would they go through all of that discussion if they had a fully compliant carry on bag. Im sure you could get through a good deal of the time but I don't want the added stress. I am a frequent visitor to the Philippines. They charge about $1 a pound extra for excess weight on checked baggge. So if this bag is 27 inches long and i have to check it I get nailed for all of the weight and no carry on.

 

[mstevens]

I just don't have a clue how one can design a bag that is 22 inches long and hold a 26" or longer fin.

Look at it this way: I haven't been on a flight in about a year that didn't have someone carry on a guitar. A guitar is never compliant with carry-on size restrictions, but there is clearly some flexibility depending on what's being carried on.

The website does not list bag dimensions since there is literally no bag. The final dimensions depend upon what is packed, not on the packing system. With nothing in it, the entire system fits within the "Turtle Bag," about the size of a Dopp(tm) kit. The only way a DiveCaddy could conceivably be oversized is if the gear it contains is oversized. If you can't carry-on your gear in this, you can't carry it on in anything.

My fins do create a bit of a bulge at the top of the system. However, there IS length compression in the fin and BCD compartments and some room to fit fins in on the diagonal. My fins are about 2 in. longer than the system uncompressed and about 3/4 in. compressed. Fins are a bit bendy, so this really doesn't present a problem. In any event, there is no other solution for fins that are longer than allowable carry-on size.

Have you measured your fins from the front of the foot pocket to the center of the end of the blade? That's the applicable dimension. Fins lengths are often quoted by manufacturers including the foot pocket (which can be folded, reducing overall length) or the heel strap for open-heel fins (which obviously isn't an issue with your foot out of the fins). My own Atomic open-heel fins fit much more easily than the Cressi full-foot free-diving fins with which I traveled last week.

Weight is a non-issue. The system weighs a negligible amount. The pertinent number is the weight of your dive gear. This system, nor any other, will not be able to change that. If you want to check dive gear (which I don't), this would be the lightest way to do that.

The point at which you might be forced to "check" a carry-on bag is at the gate, if an agent decides your carry-on is too big or that you have too many. This is not the same as check-through baggage, though. "Gate-checked" luggage doesn't go in the same baggage hold. It goes in with the strollers and other stuff that is waiting for passengers as they disembark the plane, and is not weighed. It's also not subject to being misdirected to Detroit. I would prefer not to have to gate-check my DiveCaddy, but I'd greatly prefer that to checking it through.

As I said earlier, all 3 of our fully-packed systems DID fit within the international carry-on test boxes on each of our flights. They are smaller than they look, so we were asked to prove this on every flight.

There's no way a DiveCaddy is going to be compliant with international carry-on regs with the "Spider Pack" on the front or the "Turtle Pack" on the top, and certainly not with both. Is it expensive? Yep. I also think the return policy is probably costing them many sales. In my opinion, it is definitely the most compact way to carry a full set of dive gear onto a plane or the lightest way to put a full set of dive gear in checked baggage.

Feel free to ignore my experience. I will point out that it is first-hand experience actually traveling on actual airplanes packed with 3 different sets of actual dive gear under circumstances where this actually mattered. As far as I can tell, you're going by looking at pictures.