Dive caddy - airline carry on solution

[Makai]

Hey, Gypsy, I'll be happy to sell you my Dive Caddy if you can't wait. I've never used it. I tried packing it once and didn't like it. Nothing wrong with it, just not right for me. I still have the original box packaging.

 

[Jasonmh]

Wow, I didn't realize that the turtle pack could hold so much. Has TSA stopped you to inspect your light? Do you have your light in a protective Pelican type container?


Do you think that a DSS long pattern stainless steel backplate with the bolt-on weight plates will a) fit in the dive caddy and b) pass TSA?

I don't put the light in another container inside the turtle pack, if that is what you mean. I put a drink cozy on it and stick it on the bag. I have had them inspect the light, but usually it is really quick when I tell them it is for diving.

The long pattern plate should fit fine, but I don't know about the weight plates. They would make the bag extremely heavy.

 

[deeper thoughts]

We have and love the dive caddy. Makes it so much easier to put all our stuff in the overhead compartment. Has really made air travel so much more convenient

 

[johnnyscience]

My wife and I used Dive Caddy's this past July on our trip to Cozumel. We flew on crowded flights with Continental and had no problems to speak of. Loved being able to carry all our significant gear with us as carry on baggage.

However, we were not able to slide the bags into the overhead as you would a standard carry-on bag. We did find that our two bags set in length wise one on top of the other takes about the same amount of space as two carry-on rollers side by side. None of the flight attendants hassled us as we were quick to stow them.

Helpful tip with going through the boarding gate: have your Dive Caddy on your back and facing away from the attendant. They don't question what they don't see. Is it cheating? Maybe. But you should see the kind of crap other people get on board.

I plan on using Continental to fly to Cozumel as well, any tips on finding their "Sweet spot" during the year for a trip to Cozumel?

It sucks to hear that the Dive Caddy didnt fit in the top compartment

Perhaps if you removed the turtle pack you could have?

Are Continentals overheads smaller than others? Seems most people have been able to easily store this wing to wing with no issues with the turtle pack on...

The Divecaddy should be available before Christmas with the Destination bag included. The price will be a little higher but well worth it.

You can place your orders now with a deposit.

Safe Diving,
Brad

Any more info on this?

I'd like to see what the differences are in the new model. And can the new boat bag be considered your carry-on bag for the plane & be able to stow computers or cameras etc?

Any pics or pricing info?

This def seems like the way to go.

 

[Coral-Reefer]

It is almost a moot point now that the new bags are coming out but I bought a Dive Caddy to use exclusively on my 7 day trips to Cozumel. I use Scubapro Twin Jet split fins and Scubapro Glide Plus BC with integrated AIR2 and a MK25 regulator with no alternate 2nd. I also had to include thick soled boots. It doesn't work for me. When trying to pack it, which I did several times, it would compress and close but there is NO WAY it is going to fit into an overhead compartment. Plus, I had not added ANY clothes yet. My goal was to not have to check a bag at all and it didn't help. So, I sold mine on ebay.


HOWEVER, if I had thin soled boots or the like, just about any fins other than the Twin Jets and was going somewhere for 3-4 days, the Dive Caddy would be all I needed. Compression straps have been around a long time but the way they are applied to the Dive Caddy works REALLY WELL except for the bottom 2" strap that seemed to want to slip off of the bottom of the bag.

Like I said, it is a moot point since they aren't available any more and the new bags are coming out 2-3 weeks AFTER my Dec. 4th departure for Cozumel. On the other hand if, like me, folks start selling their DC1 bags to buy the new ones there will be a ton of used DC1 bags on ebay and knowing what I know now I would buy one for a 3-4 day trip in a heartbeat.

 

[johnnyscience]

I plan on using Continental to fly to Cozumel as well, any tips on finding their "Sweet spot" during the year for a trip to Cozumel?

It sucks to hear that the Dive Caddy didnt fit in the top compartment

Perhaps if you removed the turtle pack you could have?

Are Continentals overheads smaller than others? Seems most people have been able to easily store this wing to wing with no issues with the turtle pack on...



Any more info on this?

I'd like to see what the differences are in the new model. And can the new boat bag be considered your carry-on bag for the plane & be able to stow computers or cameras etc?

Any pics or pricing info?

This def seems like the way to go.

On top of this, does anyone know how big fins you can carry in this? I was looking at either the Aqualung Slingshots or the Atomic Split Fins which are both 27"... (slingshots are a little over 5lbs, Atomics are around 7lbs)

 

[Dirty-Dog]

Just got back last night from 10 days on Curacao. I had no problem getting the Dive Caddy in the overheads, and was never hassled about it.

I found the fin caddy to be useless, but everything else worked great. I'm not a little guy. I'm 6'1" and 200lbs. I packed a SeaQuest Balance with Air2, ScubaPro Mk11/G250V, console with SPG, Aeris XR-1NX and compass, thick soled Henderson 5mm high top booties, TUSA Tri-EX fins, full length dive skin, 3/2mm full suit, and a large mesh duffle bag in the main compartment. The turtle bag held my mask, dive log, Sanyo Xacti, and a couple paperbacks. The spider pack held flip flops board shorts and a few t-shirts.

If I were in charge of the design, I'd look at the fin pocket. I found it best to put my fins in side by side, and this would be much easier if the fin pocket went across the bottom instead of being angled across one corner.

Overall, an excellent product.

 

[johnnyscience]

I plan on using Continental to fly to Cozumel as well, any tips on finding their "Sweet spot" during the year for a trip to Cozumel?

It sucks to hear that the Dive Caddy didnt fit in the top compartment

Perhaps if you removed the turtle pack you could have?

Are Continentals overheads smaller than others? Seems most people have been able to easily store this wing to wing with no issues with the turtle pack on...



Any more info on this?

I'd like to see what the differences are in the new model. And can the new boat bag be considered your carry-on bag for the plane & be able to stow computers or cameras etc?

Any pics or pricing info?

This def seems like the way to go.

On top of this, does anyone know how big fins you can carry in this? I was looking at either the Aqualung Slingshots or the Atomic Split Fins which are both 27"... (slingshots are a little over 5lbs, Atomics are around 7lbs)

Any updates on the new release? Specs or pics?

Anyone have any answers for my questions above?

Thanks.

 

[bbdm120]

Just made a trip from Newark to Houston, Houston to Cabo and back with no problems using my DiveCaddy in the overhead compartments. Continental flights all the way and back.

The new destination bag is a mesh bag and will not be suitable for carrying your laptop etc. It is designed to compress into a small area and then expanded to hold your dive equipment when you head to the boat.
As soon as I hear they are available I will post a message here.
Safe Diving,
Brad 845-590-9721

 

[johnnyscience]

Just made a trip from Newark to Houston, Houston to Cabo and back with no problems using my DiveCaddy in the overhead compartments. Continental flights all the way and back.

The new destination bag is a mesh bag and will not be suitable for carrying your laptop etc. It is designed to compress into a small area and then expanded to hold your dive equipment when you head to the boat.
As soon as I hear they are available I will post a message here.
Safe Diving,
Brad 845-590-9721

That's awesome to hear about continental. Did you have the spider pack on as well when you tried to put it in the over head compartment? Did you go wing to wing?

I'm looking at getting the Aqualung Slingshot fins or Atomic Split fins which are both around 27" and weigh 7lbs for slingshot and 5lbs for atomic splits I think. Doyou think these fins will fit in the fin caddy and in the dive caddy itself?

I dont really know if I want a gen 2 to get the bag now that I know it's mesh. I may just try to pick up a gen 1 to save some money.

Any idea if there's anything else different on gen 2 other than the addition of the mesh bag?