Ok everyone. I will provide an honest review of this system. I have an extensive history of traveling to dive destinations and have used multiple configurations over the past 20 years. While I've never lost a bag, I usually need 3 bags to reach my destination: 1 carry on, 1 personal item, and 1 checked.
I recently began planning a trip to Turks and Caicos Islands - a liveaboard. I had multiple flights and became concerned about the potential for being stuck on a liveaboard boat, away from any inhabited island, without my life-support system - the dive gear I like to dive with. I struggled for weeks with the consideration of the divecaddy system vs. using my traditional method of checking my BCD, Wetsuit, fins, etc. Yes, I could rent gear on the boat of my checked back was lost. But my reg system (which I always carry-on) has an Air2 low pressure inflator. If my bag with my BCD were lost en route, I could not use my regs because the Air2 hose does not connect to typical BCD LP inflators. So I would have to rent a complete dive setup - all of which I would be unfamiliar with.
So I took the plunge. Purchased the DiveCaddy.
Bottom Line: it works. Its actually pretty amazing how much crap you can get compressed into the thing. When I arrived, the boat crew was amazed. They wanted to watch me unpack and repack, just to prove that you can really get all that stuff into it. On this trip I traveled with a buddy and put my knife into his checked bag. I checked no other gear. I had everything I needed for a week on the liveaboard packed into the system. The spider bag and turtle bag provided enough space for everything. seriously. amazing.
TSA: piece of cake. Yes they wanted to check my bags. a few pops of the buckles and the thing rolled out before them. rolled it back up and I was off. My buddy spent more time digging through his carry on when inspected.
Heavy: Yes. I'm 5'10" and 200 lb. It was no problem carrying. Once on your back the weight is distributed well enough that its just fine. Totally worth the piece of mind that all my gear is with me.
Quality: extremely high quality and very very well made. Zippers are robust and all stitching seems superb.
Expensive: depends on what your life-support system is worth to you. I think its a good investment. I buy trip insurance, alcohol insurance (I bring a couple bottles of jack on the boat with me!), and now I bought "I will dive with my own SCUBA gear every time" insurance.
Geeky? A little. kinda like the guy who shows up to the basketball court with the headband, wristbands, and kneepads. A little too "scuba joe" for me. So I took a Sharpie and blacked out everything that distinguished the bag as a dive bag. The whole thing is black with no "DiveCaddy logos" and it just looks like an expedition bag. (Sorry DiveCaddy for the lost advertising).
Overall: great product and great idea.
here is what I fit in the system:
Scubapro Knighthawk, size large, with Air2
Scubapro regs, MK25 S600 with a computer transmitter attached to the 1st stage.
Scubapro Twin jet fins in the Fin Caddy
Henderson 3/2 wetsuit, booties, gloves,
Turtle pack: save-a-dive kit, travel documents, Oceanic Datamask plus a backup scubapro mask, extra straps for fins and masks, Canon SD650 in underwater housing, extra batteries, toiletries.
Spiderpack: enough clothes for a week on a liveaboard. seriously. I was just fine. 3 prs shorts, 5 pr underwear, 3 pr socks, jeans, windbreaker, 5 teeshirts, flip-flops.
Personal Item: DSLR backpack with my macbook. This fit tons of small electronics, cords, etc.
So I did this entire trip with no checked bag. (yes, my buddy took my dive knife, but I could do without that if I absolutely had to).
I don't work for DiveCaddy and don't sell the product.
I appreciate efficiency and quality products. This system works.
