jimoates2002
New
I'm traveling to South Africa next month to video the Sardine Run.
I always hand-carry my cameras and computer.
My camera housing and lights has its own Pelican case and I can put clothes and a few other items in that. That is always a checked bag of course.
After looking at all the youtube videos of the Dive Caddy I liked the approach the designer took and thought it could be useful. If it really could carry most of the equipment they claim and stay within the airlines' carry-on limit, then it could be the center piece of my luggage. So I bought the G3.
My final verdict after working with it for a number of hours and watching the videos a few more times, is that it is useful for some dive traveling, but it will not work for what I need and I'm very doubtful of it making the carry-on limits of most airlines. To do so I believe you have to forget carrying fins of almost any size with it...and you likely will only be able to use small BCDs. I find some of the claims of BP/W plus all the other equipment making it as carry-on bag, a bit hard to believe. South Africa Airlines Carry-on dimensions are: 20.5" H x 15.75" W x 9.0" D.
There is no way to pack my fins (23" TUSA split fins) even using the new fin-bending feature, that would keep me within the 20.5" H limit.
The other equipment that I wanted to carry with the G3 is:OMS BCD, 5mm wetsuit, booties, Dive Mask, snorkel, mini-hood, SMB, Mirror.
(I need to be able to carry a small toolset, but couldn't really fit it in the G3 with everything else...so another diving item for checked baggage)
Once it is closed and all straps are cinched down, it looks like a very tight efficient way to pack one complete set of dive gear (sans fins)...and you can backpack it...sometimes this is preferable to rollers. But it still will not make the carry-on limits of the airlines. The best dimensions I've been able to make are: 23" x 17" x 12" with the equip listed above. The only way to make the airline limit is to change out my BCD....which I really don't want to do.
There are a number of other dive equipment items I want to take on trips like this. I always carry backups of dive computer, extra LP and HP hoses, extra dive light, extra knife, extra mask with diopters as a backup to my prescription mask.
Since I dive solo most of the time I also carry PLB, VHF radio, laser flare, Pony bottle with reg and pressure gauge. This has to go into checked baggage.
I think the Dive Caddy works well if you need to hike into a dive site, or for traveling for short dive trips and you can rent equipment at your destination (e.g. fins) and are sure of being able to obtain spare parts and tools at your destination (note some live-aboards do not carry any spare parts like HP or LP hoses e.g.SOLMAR V).
But if you want any of the other equipment that I typically take, you would have to put all of that in checked baggage.
I'll be returning the G3 but only because it will not work for me. I do think it can be useful for others.
If you can find it in a local shop, then first prove it is able to carry all of your equipment.
And confirm spare equipment availability, tools and service at your dive destination. If a single item failure can stop your diving for the rest of your trip, you are not planning well enough. If you don't carry some basic tools and allen key set, you should.
I always hand-carry my cameras and computer.
My camera housing and lights has its own Pelican case and I can put clothes and a few other items in that. That is always a checked bag of course.
After looking at all the youtube videos of the Dive Caddy I liked the approach the designer took and thought it could be useful. If it really could carry most of the equipment they claim and stay within the airlines' carry-on limit, then it could be the center piece of my luggage. So I bought the G3.
My final verdict after working with it for a number of hours and watching the videos a few more times, is that it is useful for some dive traveling, but it will not work for what I need and I'm very doubtful of it making the carry-on limits of most airlines. To do so I believe you have to forget carrying fins of almost any size with it...and you likely will only be able to use small BCDs. I find some of the claims of BP/W plus all the other equipment making it as carry-on bag, a bit hard to believe. South Africa Airlines Carry-on dimensions are: 20.5" H x 15.75" W x 9.0" D.
There is no way to pack my fins (23" TUSA split fins) even using the new fin-bending feature, that would keep me within the 20.5" H limit.
The other equipment that I wanted to carry with the G3 is:OMS BCD, 5mm wetsuit, booties, Dive Mask, snorkel, mini-hood, SMB, Mirror.
(I need to be able to carry a small toolset, but couldn't really fit it in the G3 with everything else...so another diving item for checked baggage)
Once it is closed and all straps are cinched down, it looks like a very tight efficient way to pack one complete set of dive gear (sans fins)...and you can backpack it...sometimes this is preferable to rollers. But it still will not make the carry-on limits of the airlines. The best dimensions I've been able to make are: 23" x 17" x 12" with the equip listed above. The only way to make the airline limit is to change out my BCD....which I really don't want to do.
There are a number of other dive equipment items I want to take on trips like this. I always carry backups of dive computer, extra LP and HP hoses, extra dive light, extra knife, extra mask with diopters as a backup to my prescription mask.
Since I dive solo most of the time I also carry PLB, VHF radio, laser flare, Pony bottle with reg and pressure gauge. This has to go into checked baggage.
I think the Dive Caddy works well if you need to hike into a dive site, or for traveling for short dive trips and you can rent equipment at your destination (e.g. fins) and are sure of being able to obtain spare parts and tools at your destination (note some live-aboards do not carry any spare parts like HP or LP hoses e.g.SOLMAR V).
But if you want any of the other equipment that I typically take, you would have to put all of that in checked baggage.
I'll be returning the G3 but only because it will not work for me. I do think it can be useful for others.
If you can find it in a local shop, then first prove it is able to carry all of your equipment.
And confirm spare equipment availability, tools and service at your dive destination. If a single item failure can stop your diving for the rest of your trip, you are not planning well enough. If you don't carry some basic tools and allen key set, you should.
