Recommend a travel bag?

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scuba41girl

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Messages
551
Reaction score
2
Location
Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
# of dives
100 - 199
Can anyone recommend a lightweight travel bag (on wheels)? I looked at the Akona AKB188 but I have read some very negative reviews on it. I need to buy one quick so any advice would be greatly appreciated. :wink:
 
I love Akona products. Their support can be a pain, but the products are bulletproof. I use the AKB144 for long distance traveling and keep the AKB514 for local stuff and to use as a boat bag. I stuff the 514 in the 144 when I travel, that way I only have to lug the boat bag to the boat.
 
Thanks, I will look into them. I'm surprised to hear you say they are bulletproof. I have seen reviews of people complaining they fall apart.
 
The worst I've had happen was the zipper on the boat bag started to come apart. It probably would have lasted, but it was still under warranty, so I sent it back and got a new one. I really love the roller bag, it's taken lots of abuse and still held up.
 
I love Akona products. Their support can be a pain, but the products are bulletproof. I use the AKB144 for long distance traveling and keep the AKB514 for local stuff and to use as a boat bag. I stuff the 514 in the 144 when I travel, that way I only have to lug the boat bag to the boat.

Thanks, I will look into them. I'm surprised to hear you say they are bulletproof. I have seen reviews of people complaining they fall apart.


Both my wife and I use the AKB144 on a regular basis plus several airline trips as well. They are indeed built well and hold up to the tough local diving conditions as well.

If I needed another bag, I'd buy another AKB144 without hesitation.
 
For the money and quality, you can't go wrong with a L.L. Bean Rolling Aventure Duffle. The large size is big enough to hold all of your dive gear and then some. Plus, it looks like any other bag, so it doesn't say "Expensive dive gear, please steal me". My bag is bright yellow, so I usually see it getting loaded on the plane and it's easy to spot on the baggage claim belt. My wife and I have used it ten or so flights, have loaned it to friends and although it is isn't as bright as when we bought it, it has stood up to the abuse.
 
I've found Akona quality to be lacking, too.

I have their large rolling bag and the first time I used it, pretty much all of the zipper holders came off and two of the zippers cracked (although the bag still zipped shut just fine). Also, one of the large fin pockets ripped about one third off.

Now I only use the bag if I'm staying local because I don't trust it not to fall apart if I'm checking it on an airplane.

The other thing about most commerically made dive bags is, they are heavy. You only have a 50 pound checked baggage limit on a plane --do you really want to take up 15 or 20 pounds of that with your bag?

That's why I use the contico boxes --they only weigh a few pounds and they incredibly easy to load --and they are very sturdy as well as inexpensive.

Jeff
 
My husband and I use Eagle Creek rolling duffles. We've traveled all over the place with them and have been extremely pleased with everything about them.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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