Dive Caddy Experience

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cbrussell

Contributor
Messages
76
Reaction score
2
Location
Baltimore, MD. USA
# of dives
200 - 499
Perhaps adding my 2 cents worth will offer a little insight into traveling out side of the country with the Dive Caddy. I just returned from a 2 week trip to Roatan for which I used the Dive Caddy to carry "some" of my dive equipment. ( I know I packed way too much equipment, but that is a story for anther day) Packed into the Dive Caddy was a Aqua Lung i3 BCD, (XXL), a full regulator setup with computer, dive mask, snorkel, slate, SMB, polartec jump suit, a pair of board shorts, dive booties, a pair of shorts, a pair of undrware, thin socks, shirt and rain coat and some miscellaneous contact lense supplies and Ipod stuff in the turtle pack. I could not fit in a pair of fins and get teh pack to close. First the good; no problem getting through TSA, a bit of a problem stuffing it in into the over head bin, but traveling first class I was allowed to take up a bit more space. It was a bit heavy but carried well. The bad; I had to break it down twice at the Roatan airport, once for the airport inspectors and once for the airline inspection during the boarding process, (standard for everyone flying out of Roatan), the latter causing me to be one of the last passengers on board the plane while being the first to "board." My take on this bag is while the manufactuer states quite correctly that TSA seems to have little or no trouble with the bag, fitting it into an over head compartment in a crowded economy class might be problamatic at best. Flying back into the country from a foreign land most likeley will be a hassle. My conclusion; I will not use the pack again for any "out of the country trips" or for that matter as a piece of carry on luggage period and will pack far less so everything fits into two checked bags. If I must pay extra for the second checked bag, so be it! As far as any type of carry on baggage; I will limit myself to a very small pack containng contact lense stuff, Ipod and a rain jacket period! No more 20 minute inspections for me. I agree with others, the spider pack attachment method on the Gen 2 is not an improvement, but rather a big pain in the butt to break down and refasten during inspections. Just too much hassle for me; perhpas others may be OK with it. This is just one man's experinece and as the saying goes, others' milage may vary. Basically, minimal carry on luggage for me when I fly anywhere will be the rule!!!
 
I had no problem with overhead bins, on narrow and wide body aircraft at least, provided I removed the accessory bag on top. Smaller regional jets and their smaller overhead bins are a potential problem but with only 1-2 seats per side of the isle rather than 3, you can slide it in the long way, you just have to ensure you pack it "thinner" to fit in the limited height of the bin.

I agree the spider pack attachment is a bit of a PITA, but if you plan it right you only have to undo one side and it basically rolls out as a 4th panel. And it would be easy to mod with fastex buckles on the "release" side to speed inspections, I'd just use a different color than black as there are already a lot of those...
 
You can always use it sans spider bag. It makes it thin enough to fit even the smaller regional jet overhead bins.
 
I think that it is all in how much you pack and knowing the bag's limitations. I wouldn't consider it for a wreck diving trip. I use it for a basic tropical set (bcd, fins, regs, 3mm wetsuit, boots, and the basic accessories) and leave it at that. Since I a usually check a bag for clothes anyways, I don't attach the spider pack which makes unrolling it to go through security as quick as anybody else. I really like having my gear not being checked and I can have it on my back while I pull my checked bag.
 
Used mine for a trip to Fiji and had no problems at all with the international flight there or back. Smaller plane taking me to Kadavu was a problem and they made me check it (this pizzed me off majorly as there were only my wife and I and three other people on a plane that could seat a dozen or something like that. No reason at all that they couldnt have allowed me to take it on the plane and just strap it in one of the empty seats).
 
Used mine for a trip to Fiji and had no problems at all with the international flight there or back. Smaller plane taking me to Kadavu was a problem and they made me check it (this pizzed me off majorly as there were only my wife and I and three other people on a plane that could seat a dozen or something like that. No reason at all that they couldnt have allowed me to take it on the plane and just strap it in one of the empty seats).
When reason meets regulation, reason will lose every time...

---------- Post Merged at 09:44 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:41 AM ----------

I think that it is all in how much you pack and knowing the bag's limitations. I wouldn't consider it for a wreck diving trip.
I've done fine with it flying for cave diving in MX - lights, reels, computers, dual bladder Nomad, 3 regs (primary SM tanks plus a stage), etc, etc, etc, and a wet suit. See the post I made regarding that trip with the Dive Caddy Gen 2.

I'd draw the line on packing a dry suit in it though, even a Fusion.
 
This made me wonder how funny it would be to get your bag down mid-flight mid-ocean and start putting on your wetsuit, mask etc... Yeah I know and I am thinking about seeing a professional about it...
 
There have been posts in other threads about divers wearing gear onto their plane to avoid checking it.

But hey, in the event of a water landing all you haters will be jealous of my Dive Caddy as I'm gearing up.
 
This made me wonder how funny it would be to get your bag down mid-flight mid-ocean and start putting on your wetsuit, mask etc... Yeah I know and I am thinking about seeing a professional about it...

I ferried a jump plane to NE once for some work and flew commercial back. I flew that plane down with a parachute (like I always did as it was a jump plane) and naturally took it back with me on the airliner, that got some looks when I carried it on and put it in the overhead bin. I shoulda wore it...

Now being older and not really caring what others think, on an over water flight, I'd be tempted to don my drysuit, my flight helmet and a parachute just to see the reaction.... :D
 
I've used my dive caddy for a couple of trips now and loved it. I get all my warm water gear and enough clothes and toiletries for a 6 day trip in there (which is saying a lot since I'm a girl :) ). However, I didn't put my regs into it...felt that with the compression and no padding/protection for the regs, it might not be the best thing for them? Wondering what the other dive caddy users felt about that? And if you packed them in any particular way or just tossed 'em in :)
 

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