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- Verified Buyer
The bag is larger than I expected. I'm able to fit my mask, fins, regs, boots and towel inside without having to force it and still close the top. You could probably stuff your BCD into this bag but you'd be better off wearing your BCD and carrying the rest of your gear in the bag. The outside pocket is great for storing money, phone and keys so I'm not having to look through the bottom of the bag for these items and they're kept dry from all the wet gear. The bag is not one for air travel but its perfect for getting the necessities to the water for a day trip.Read a lot of complaints about this thing with the number one complaint being that "when you pull the drawstring and then want to get into the bag from the side zip, the drawstring doesn't hold well. Lotta passion around a drawstring apparently... I did have the same problem with the friction lock solution started by buying better friction locks ($3 bucks I think). Interestingly, that didn't solve it so I went high tech. Since I wanted the top closed and planned to go in through the side zip mostly, I then closed the friction lock and tied a bow knot in front of it and voila!!! No slips. And the few times I wanted to open at that end, I untied the bow knot. High tech at its best! The result was I paid about $35 bucks (plus $3 more for the extra friction lock) for a bag that similar products cost double in most cases. No complaints here!That said, one constructive comment to Mares: The side handle which allows you to carry it like a duffel when you don't want it on your back could be placed a little better. As it is, it has a tendency to get between my back and the pack when I have the shoulder straps on and then I feel a lump in my back. Easy enough to fix, just re-position it and all is good. But if it were better planned out to begin with it would stop happening is all. Just a suggestion, no lost stars for such a small miss.PS: Not sure how all of these reviewers are getting free product in return for their ratings, but apparently I don't rate a free bag (or anything else...). This is my rating and I paid full price for this bag darn it...Bought this for a recent scuba/snorkeling trip, along with another Mares Cruise Duffle (which I am returning as we didn't use it). This was far superior to the duffle. The mesh is the rubbery mesh which tends to be more durable than the fabric only mesh. Additionally, it holds a TON! We could easily put the following in the bag:Inside the big mesh section, which has a nice long zipper so you can load either from the side or from the top:-2 sets of fins-2 sets of boots (both with harder bottoms, so they're a little bigger)-2 BDCs-2 regulators-PLENTY of space for additional stuff, like towels, clothes, etc.Inside the inner zipper pocket (zips at the top and is really long (the entire length of the bag):-2 snorkels (I liked this pocket so the snorkels stayed somewhat protected from all the other big gearInside the outer pouch:-2 pairs of goggles in their plastic casesAfter previously carrying one set of gear in a duffle and carrying 2 sets in this, the backpack style is SO MUCH more comfortable to carry! You don't even really notice it's on your back. I love this bag! It would be great for the beach or any other activity that you want the ability for the contents to air out. There are drain holes on the bottom of the main compartment as well as on the bottom of the outside pouch. It also rolls up to a fairly compact size. My only wish is that there were an additional smaller pocket to put keys or a wallet. If the goggles weren't in the boxes, I wouldn't want to put my keys in the same pouch to avoid scratching the goggles, so it would be nice to have a place to put a few other small things, but this is definitely not a deal breaker for me.I dive just about weekly. Cold water. This holds all of my gear except for my BC. Good bag. My only concern is the durability. I haven’t had it too long and it already is showing signs of fraying. I like the bag though and have recommended to a friend.I bought this bag for a SCUBA trip to Cozumel Mexico. The bag is voluminous. It can (easily) hold a large wetsuit, fins, 2 sets of masks (in their plastic cases), snorkel, boots, extra equipment (O-Rings, latches, fasteners, etc.), dive log, and more. At one point I almost suggested to my dive buddy that we consolidate our dive bags because this one is so large. I'm sure it would hold a BCD and regulator on top of the items mentioned above, however I rented those items so I never had to pack them. It is designed as a backpack, so it is easy to carry, but it has a side zipper and side handle as well so if you want to use it like a duffle you can do that too. It's made out of a sturdy mesh and built in a way that makes it very durable. My dive buddy and I have planned a series of dives together so I was very careful when I researched this dive bag. It is one of the best made bags out there for a very reasonable price. I would highly recommend it.10/22/2018 Update: Several dives and several years later this product still holds strong. I have had 0 problems with this bag. I have also managed to get a full set of gear including BCD and regulators which pack comfortably into the bag with no problems. I doubt you would be able to pack 2 full sets of gear from fins to BCDs but you can certainly pack 1 full set and extras like an extra set of gloves, boots, and an extra mask with a case (and more). The zippers still work, the pull string still works, there are no tears or rips. It is probably one of the most study pieces of dive equipment I own.A fantastic duffle bag / suitcase. It's very well made, sturdy and capable of carrying all your dive gear! Highly recommended!Really big so it fits all my gear but then it doesn't really stay close to my back, it's always hanging so I look like a hunchback. A bit uncomfortable but still practicalSuperb bit of kit bag, will be an integral part of every dive we do.Bought two, one for my husband and one for myself. Just used them on a 10 day dive trip/cruise. It is a little on the heavier side for air travel, but that is just the trade-off for the bag being made of very durable material. We saw many other divers on the dive boats with the exact same bag, and not the lighter "Elite" version, so I guess this is the preferred one. It's big and fits everything you need for a dive trip - bcd, regs, wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, dry bag with change of clothes, sunblock, body wash/shampoo, etc. Being a backpack, it was really convenient too - we just filled it up, put it on our backs, walked on or off the cruise ship/tender boat, towards the dive shop, and on or off the dive boat. Better than a regular duffle bag or roller bag for portability. Really, it is a great bag.Holds my complete set of gear, plate, wing, long hose regs, 2x lights, 5mm wetsuit, gloves, hood, boots, fins, SMB & spool, and mask. Also has semi-dry area that held my cash and c-cards.Decent padded backpack straps, but MAN it can become heavy! Quality construction, zipper on side as well as drawstring, front pocket as well on outside for a water bottle or something (easy access). Wouldn’t use it on an airplane or anything but much nicer to take out on a dive boat then a suitcase one. I had to carry it out over my head in pretty tough surf to get on a local dive boat, this worked good. Doesn’t pack small but does pack flat in the bottom of my dive gear suitcase.
