Gear Bag

How Does a Gear Bag Improve My Diving Trip?

A scuba diving gear bag provides sturdy carriage and comfort when transporting your gear. The difference between a scuba gear bag and a regular bag is that a scuba gear bag is specifically designed to carry your mask, snorkel, flippers and other accessories without undue stress on your back and shoulders. These supplies can be bulky and often too large to fit comfortably in a bag designed for general use. You may have heard gear bags referred to as dive bags, equipment bags or kit bags.

Scuba Gear Bags Versus Cargo Bags

Both scuba gear bags and cargo bags are designed to carry large bulky items, but scuba gear bags provide divers with many benefits that cargo bags don't offer. Scuba gear bags have corrosion-resistant zippers to ensure that you can access your gear without struggling to open the compartment. A scuba gear bag's straps bear the load of your equipment whether you use the handle straps or shoulder straps, helping to prevent joint pain while diving. If you plan to dive at multiple destinations, consider buying a bag with carriage wheels so that between-dive travel doesn't cut in to your experience. Many scuba gear bags include drainage holes that allow water to run out when wet items are stored in the compartments.

What Do I Put in My Scuba Gear Bag?

While sensitive instruments such as photography equipment and diving tanks require special accommodations, your diving accessories and personal effects have plenty of room in a gear bag. These items may not weigh a lot individually, but when stored in the various compartments of a gear bag, they tend to become heavy. To ensure that your bag's straps and seams never tear, a gear bag uses heavy-duty stitching designed for carriage on plane flights, car trips and boat rides. The storage compartments provide ideal sizes and locations for accessing frequently used items, such as timepieces or GPS devices, or items you only need to access once or twice a day.

How Should I Pack My Gear?

Since your gear bag is designed to carry diving accessories as well as personal items, pack your bag according to your method of travel. If you fly to your destination before boarding a boat, pack your heaviest items in the largest compartments before adding lighter accessories, such as notebooks, sunglasses or your diving whistle. If you pack your gear bag immediately before arriving at the dive site, make your most important gear easily accessible so that all you have to do is strap on your fins, mask and snorkel and dive in the water.

What Are Some Common Gear Bag Options?

Specialty gear bag options include detachable pockets for keeping certain gear separate, retractable handles for towing your gear, and extra straps that provide choices for how you carry your gear. Choosing a gear bag is a personal decision, and only you and your diving partners know what your needs are. Making the right choice can ensure years of enjoyment and great diving.