Gear Bags

[Natasha]

Hi Divers,
Maybe you can help.
Anyone have a gear bag they just love? I'm not real big on 'shleping' stuff around, and would love to have an easy bag that's compact but holds everything.
Fill me in!

 

[Dee]

A bag to hold your checked dive gear or a boat bag?

For dive trips, I have a Tilos bag with large wheels, the bottom is hard plastic, the top soft cordura. There is a zip-off regulator bag although I never take it off. The large section holds ALL my gear. The is a second zipper opening a second area, the same width and heighth of the large section, that hold all my clothes and dive wear. A small, wide pocket on the very bottom that holds my boat bag.

The boat bag is tightly woven mesh, very sturdy. Not one of those slinky mesh things. It holds everything I need on the boat, including tool box. It has shoulder straps which make it easy to carry over distance if needed.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Natasha,
To answer your question: The most convenient dive bags are the ones that have both wheels, with an extendable handle and back-pack style straps. When shopping, look very carefully at the construction of the bag, particularly at the joints/seams. That's where most bags fail.

Mario

 

[Natasha]

Dee,
The Tilos bag bag sounds great. Did you buy it at a dive shop? The boat bag is big enough for your BC and reg, wet suit, and tool kit? Sounds perfect.
Can I ask how much it cost?
As for the king that better be nice to his lady, I didn't know you two were married. I guess I'll see you both at the DEMA booth. I bet all that talk about the 'hottie' free diver hasn't helped either. Hope you bought her all new dive gear for Christmas King N.
Mario I agree with what you said, but which one is the best quality and value?

 

[King_Neptune]

Natasha,

Wait a minute now, all I said is I know how some of the guys were at DEMA last time ...
And don't be saying "poor ladydiver" either ... Believe me, she can hold her own! hehe

If you didn't notice ... I had to mop up the drool after Mario's post! hehe

=-)

 

[Rick Murchison]

*Everyone* who sees them wants a boat bag like the ones my bride and I have - they're 12-13 yrs old, and the only bags like 'em I've ever seen before or since. Heavy duty mesh, with two accessory pockets, fin pockets on the sides, and backpack style shoulder straps.. big enough to haul (what we call) cold water gear and a spare reg & mask and tool kit & camera. They were made by an outfit called "Caribbean Sports" - never been able to find 'em. Anybody else ever heard of 'em?
Rick

 

[Mario S Caner]

I've aquaired plenty of bags over the years, the ones I've had bad experiences with are the US Divers bags... I'll leave it at that. The bags are bad, but the customer service is exceptional. The quality bags I prefer are the Akona bags, they have alot of pockets and hiding spots like Rick likes... there are other's out there so I'm not going to say mine are the best... but I have tried alot of bags... LOL!

Mario

 

[Iguana Don]

Natasha,
After checking out all the websites for dive bags, I found one by accident at Dillards. It's a codura duffel with wheels and an extendable handle, bunches of pockets. One of the neat things is all the zippers can be ziptied together so the travel thieves can't get into them without firs cutting the zip ties. It's made by "Elagance" )what a name for a dive bag), but the tag is small. Plus it's not as wide as those "dive bags" but BC, fins, wetsuit or skin, and dive light all fit in nicely. Never pack my reg, it goes where I go. The point is you don't have to go to a dive shop to find a dive bag, like brother Mario said check out the construction & seams.

Maybe ya need to know this

Don

 

[Dee]

Natasha,

My Tilos bag is several years old and I haven't seen one in ages. Armor makes one almost identicle to it. I think I paid about $150 for it back then and that's about what the Armor's are going for.

That old bag's zippers are getting kinda worn, especially around the corners. This spring I found a regular suitcase, hard sides, wheels, really tall handle...at one of the outlet stores, $59! I think it's made by Atlantis...coinsidence only! It's worked out great on all the dive trips this year. Looks like regular old luggage so I really don't worry about it at all. If you haven't bought anything yet, think about using regular luggage bags. No sense advertising what's in your bag! And as you've probably noticed, lots of the 'dive gear' bags sold through the dive shops are almost useless in practicality. They look good but often can't hold all your stuff!

Like Rick (?) said, my regs, computer, mask and logbook don't get packed. They go with me in carry on.

Dee

 

[Natasha]

I'm sure old bags are the best. The saying," They don't make things like they used to", seems to apply here.
I've been using one of the new on wheels pieces of luggage to pack things and check them in, but I have a nylon Holland America bag for the boat that is, ok, but not the best.
It doesn't have wheels and I thought maybe there was something out there that someone loved enough to recommend.:1st:
I agree Dee, I also think regs, masks, and things you want to be sure to see again, need to be in the carry on.
I have a GI Joe Scuba Diver lunch box that I use for my "tool box" that always goes in my carry on.
So my search for the best on boat bag continues. Maybe Chammyz could make one?