Travel Bag? I found a great one!
- Thread starter Doc
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Like a previous poster, I looked at Costco, and for $40 they had a 30" rolling duffel with hidden backpack straps. Nice in-line skate wheels and sturdy zippers. I do not know the specifics on denier but certainly not flimsy. I bought 2 in case my wife makes me pack dry land clothes on my next trip. My gear (including my mesh bag to get me to the boat) fit in one, with my regulator and computer going in my carry-on. Only one color available.
I looked at a 36" duffel at local luggage "outlet" and they seemed good too, but much more expensive and I felt it might get too heavy anyway.
I looked at a 36" duffel at local luggage "outlet" and they seemed good too, but much more expensive and I felt it might get too heavy anyway.
Catwomen
Definitly carry on if it is convienent. I always carry on my regulator, camera, strobe, etc on the way out. Yes it is a bit of a pain but a comfortable backpack holds it all. On the way home I am not so fussy, my log book, film, and dive computer, travel with me.
Using a hard case people cannot guess what is inside, so the contents should be safe.
Never carry batteries, the airlines hate them, even in checked bagage they can cause problems. Yes some airports do X ray all bags and batteries are one of the things they look for.
If you are going to check in a lot of electrical bits then it is a good idea to tell the checkin staff. It is better than having your bags remain behind of having the bag opened to check the contents.
Victor
Definitly carry on if it is convienent. I always carry on my regulator, camera, strobe, etc on the way out. Yes it is a bit of a pain but a comfortable backpack holds it all. On the way home I am not so fussy, my log book, film, and dive computer, travel with me.
Using a hard case people cannot guess what is inside, so the contents should be safe.
Never carry batteries, the airlines hate them, even in checked bagage they can cause problems. Yes some airports do X ray all bags and batteries are one of the things they look for.
If you are going to check in a lot of electrical bits then it is a good idea to tell the checkin staff. It is better than having your bags remain behind of having the bag opened to check the contents.
Victor
erichK
Contributor
victor:
Flying to New Zealand, Cuba, Dominica and Saba we've never had a problem with batteries, but have often been grateful that we took them. For one thing, batteries were much more expensive and hard to find in all but the first of these, for another, the more paranoid security checkers usually insisted that we demonstrate all electrical/electronic devices by turning them on and using them.
On another, in retrospect amusing note, we used the selfsame monster, wheeled and luggable bag on our trip to Dominica and Saba this past Christmas. Because of the Carribean heat and the severe weight limits for the Saba (Winair STOL) flight, we packed all our winter clothes and footwear in this bag and left is at our hotel In Sint Maarten (the take off and return point). We successfully retrieved the bag and checked it in for our flight to Antigua, where we had to catch a flight back to Canada.
Guess which bag ended up not making it onto the LIAT plane to Antigua, and from there to Toronto with the three of us, and only finally turned up four freezing days later. There are disadvantages to really big duffle and dive bags, especially if you have to travel on smaller planes. (Also, of course, never put all your eggs in a single basket!)
Hi All,
Got my High Sierra bag from Campmor today! WOW!!! It's huge!!! And seems very sturdy! We got the red one. I was impressed that shipping was only 5.95. I went back to the site today and it looks like the red one has now sold out...they only have the blue now. Hmmm....guess we need to plan another trip (like I need a reason)!!!
Thanks for the info on the bag! Great find!
Got my High Sierra bag from Campmor today! WOW!!! It's huge!!! And seems very sturdy! We got the red one. I was impressed that shipping was only 5.95. I went back to the site today and it looks like the red one has now sold out...they only have the blue now. Hmmm....guess we need to plan another trip (like I need a reason)!!!
Thanks for the info on the bag! Great find!
cra2
Contributor
How do you use the High Sierra for dive gear?
We packed one with my dive gear, and one with hers, and flew to Bonaire.
When we arrived, we found one of the bags had ripped open where the strap meets the bag. (see pics in my gallery)
It's obvious (now), that the velcro that holds the straps together isn't sufficient and whenever the luggage handlers grabbed the straps from one side or the other, the velcro ripped apart, causing the full weight of the gear to be supported by a single strap. Of course it ripped.
So, in order to get our gear home after the trip, we didn't rely on the velcro.
We used several large zip-ties to bind the straps together. That way, no matter which single strap you grabbed, the weight of the bag would be distributed amongst the four straps and where they connect to the bag.
Obviously, if the airline had decided to do a random search, we'd have been screwed, as they'd have simply cut the zip-ties off. But we got lucky this time.
However, I'm dissapointed that we weren't even able to use these "discount" bags for a single trip without them ripping. We got them online through campmor.com and they say they offer a 1-yr warranty against defects and such. Hopefully, they'll honor this, in this case. Their customer service hasn't answered any email regarding the matter yet. Hrmmmm....
Though, even if we got a replacement bag, I'm not sure I'd trust it on a flight again.
We'd probably only use it for camping trips where WE handled it.
So how do you guys use these things? What'd we do wrong?
And if we switch to another bag, how's it going to be any different?
Seems that if you pick ANY bag up by a single strap and throw it on/off an airplane, it's GOING to rip, sooner or later. The only way to prevent this is by picking it up by holding both straps at once. But you can't count on a luggage-handler to do that.
Any help appreciated,
cra2
We packed one with my dive gear, and one with hers, and flew to Bonaire.
When we arrived, we found one of the bags had ripped open where the strap meets the bag. (see pics in my gallery)
It's obvious (now), that the velcro that holds the straps together isn't sufficient and whenever the luggage handlers grabbed the straps from one side or the other, the velcro ripped apart, causing the full weight of the gear to be supported by a single strap. Of course it ripped.
So, in order to get our gear home after the trip, we didn't rely on the velcro.
We used several large zip-ties to bind the straps together. That way, no matter which single strap you grabbed, the weight of the bag would be distributed amongst the four straps and where they connect to the bag.
Obviously, if the airline had decided to do a random search, we'd have been screwed, as they'd have simply cut the zip-ties off. But we got lucky this time.
However, I'm dissapointed that we weren't even able to use these "discount" bags for a single trip without them ripping. We got them online through campmor.com and they say they offer a 1-yr warranty against defects and such. Hopefully, they'll honor this, in this case. Their customer service hasn't answered any email regarding the matter yet. Hrmmmm....
Though, even if we got a replacement bag, I'm not sure I'd trust it on a flight again.
We'd probably only use it for camping trips where WE handled it.
So how do you guys use these things? What'd we do wrong?
And if we switch to another bag, how's it going to be any different?
Seems that if you pick ANY bag up by a single strap and throw it on/off an airplane, it's GOING to rip, sooner or later. The only way to prevent this is by picking it up by holding both straps at once. But you can't count on a luggage-handler to do that.
Any help appreciated,
cra2
yakivet
Contributor
Cra2-
Sorry your bag failed. Get ahold of High Sierra and they will probably replace it. The bag you are using looks like its very different that the High Sierra 36" rolling duffle that this post was promoting. The AT202 (http://www.shoebuy.com/sb/s.jsp/st_...2-0.82906-56.28/bn_C_Accessories/sbstl_123117) is a much heavier bag. Ken :42:
Sorry your bag failed. Get ahold of High Sierra and they will probably replace it. The bag you are using looks like its very different that the High Sierra 36" rolling duffle that this post was promoting. The AT202 (http://www.shoebuy.com/sb/s.jsp/st_...2-0.82906-56.28/bn_C_Accessories/sbstl_123117) is a much heavier bag. Ken :42:
Hoosier
Contributor
- Messages
- 5,974
- Reaction score
- 9
I have been very disappointed the customer service at the High Sierra. The bag has been torn after using once, so I have contacted the customer service, but I didn't get any responses from them... It is still covered by their 2 year warranty though...
cra2
Contributor
yakivet:
Hrmm... (confused).
The original post by Roatan man includes this link:
http://www.hssc.com/index.php4?page=shop/flypage&product_id=9&category_id=9
The bag pictured has the same description as mine and is shown in blue or red.
And he described it as being available for under $60, like mine was.
Your link shows a bag only available in green or black, and is listed at over $100.
Other than the color (and price), I don't really see the difference at first glance.
But, either way, I think the original post is about the blue/red bag, not the one you're describing.
Not that yours isn't better. I dunno. Never seen it.
And not that this thread didn't change topics over time.
I'm only referring to Roatan's original post. I haven't read all 6 pages of posts.
I don't know if they switched gears and started talking about the AT202 instead.
But what I notice about the picture of the AT202 is that it looks like it has the same failure point. If the velcro isn't sturdy enough to prevent the straps from separating, then the handler is going to be tossing it around by one set of straps on one side - if you're lucky. If you're not lucky, he may actually be tossing it around by a single point on one of the straps.
So, it all boils down to this - does anyone have a bag, that when fully loaded, can be picked up and tossed around by ANY single strap/handle/carry point, as a busy luggage handler is apt to do?
If High Sierra replaces this bag, I'm not going to trust it to airline care ever again.
So I'm now looking for a new bag.
Similar threads
