Just came upon this thread as I've been looking for a carry-on sized 22" soft-sided roller for domestic (and limited international) flights. With the increase in baggage fees (and weight restrictions), I've stopped using my trusty Pelican 1650 for my dive equipment (which has a nice patina of scratches and dings, but has never failed to protect what's inside) and have been looking for a suitable soft sided roller. Basically I wand my BCD, 2 masks, Octo, wetsuit and a few accessories to fit and have some padding for a little protection, and functional wheels/handle for me to get around. I doubt my fins would fit inside, so I'm planning on strapping them to the outside of the bag and stuffing them in the overhead. A water resistant/proof liner would be a plus so I could use it in between beach dives and hotel and keep my rental seats dry.
I searched high and low. Luggage stores, online retailers, reviews, etc...I've purchased at least 20 different bags I thought might be close, to come home and try to fit my gear in or examine closer only to return them.
In the end, I narrowed it down to the North Face small rolling thunder and OGIO 22" Ascender. the Victorinox models came close, but I eventually eliminated them due to the price. At $500+ they're pricey and the handles seemed a little bit too fragile.
TNF has a nicer/beefier handle and water resistant/proof material. There are a ton of online complaints about the material wearing out around the edges and seams, so this worried me about gate checking for small island flights. I bought one regardless but will be holding off on using/testing it since it's my second choice. My gear fits inside and the outside webbing has hooks to attach a strap and hold my fins. Looses points since it doesn't expand. $250 and lifetime warranty (although it excludes "normal wear" which is where most of the complaints are).
The OGIO seemed to be a better all around bag. I've been a huge fan of their backpacks and duffel bags for years, and I know most of the pro action athletes use their 9800 line of bags for traveling and gear and they all rave about it. Handle seems to be sturdier than most brands on the market, but then again TNF handle is probably way overkill. Removable rollerblade wheels are a huge plus (replace with new wheels at any sporting goods store in the world while traveling), zippers are heavy duty, some internal compartment separation for organization. The bag zips in half with mesh trim over the upper half so it'll be easy to open to get to my gear, and store wetsuit/towel in the upper half. It is a little taller than I'd like, but has external duffel bag like handles when it's laying down (big plus for carrying fins or for picking it up to put in my trunk.). Also bonus points for the expansion zipper in case I need to bring home something extra. I bought it and will be traveling with it next week to test it out for the first time. My gear all fits with room to spare, my only complaint is the material isn't going to offer the same level of waterproof as TNF model. Paid less than $200 at ebags.com and it comes with a lifetime warranty.
Will post a follow-up next month when I get back from my trip.
