The Dive Caddy Gen 2

The Dive Caddy Gen 2
www.divecaddy.net
Retail: $300
eBay: $140

This backpack can surprisingly hold all the gear for a short SCUBA vacation. Once the other bags are packed, I can definitely see how 3 days of necessities can all be placed into one neat system. The trade off is that it takes very careful packing in order to not have big bulges in awkward places and to make sure none of the gear gets pinched or damaged. Having just returned from Curaçao where the airline attendants placed every carry-on bag in their measurement frame, I doubt that anything more than the backpack can be carried on as one piece.

The Main Backpack

1. Left compartment: 3 straps, a double zipper, and breathable mesh keeps this compartment secure. It is also the compartment that will rest on your back. I placed my 3mm XL Cressi shorty as the base of the bag from top to bottom. My water shoes were placed at the top, my Oceanic datamask in the middle, snorkel vertically along the inside wall, and a beach towel along the top of everything, folding it at the bottom for extra padding. Everything compresses nicely with the clips.
2. Middle compartment (the BCD compartment): 5 straps across and a 2in strap from top to bottom. I placed my XL Aeris EX200 without the integrated weight holders, empty pockets, and completely emptied of air. It compacted it very nicely and held it securely. The individual smaller clips do not seem sturdy on their own and sometime pop open when clenching the system down, but as a unit they are very effective.
3. Right compartment (the fin compartment): the fin caddy held my XL TUSA Xpert Full Foot Split Fins, Mares Rover 2 regulator, octopus, LP BCD hose, and Aeris wireless transmitter in an easy carrying system that can be deployed independently. The shoulder strap is a nice addition to the fin caddy and the mechanism to hold the fins is designed for all types of fins (split, full foot, strapped, etc). The compartment itself holds the loaded fin caddy vertically and is secured with a 2in strap that has an extension. The outer lower corner has a zipper that allow long fins to stick out.
4. Folding and compressing: the regulator is compressed between the fins and BCD. My concern is damage to the regulators or hoses. I wrapped my regulators in neoprene socks and when folding, made sure none of the hoses were being pinched. The left compartment is folded onto the fins providing more padding for the regulators. The three large outside straps and two small trim straps seem to hold everything nicely in place. The bag does not rest as a perfect rectangle, however, it is easy to carry and everything seems safe. The other attachment bags will hold everything else and this bag definitely allows for creativity when packing.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion it does do what it says it does with regards to gear and necessities for a three day trip. I highly question whether a fully assembled system can bypass the increasingly vigilant airline attendants but I believe that the backpack itself, with all your essential scuba equipment can work as a carry-on. I would love to know if anyone has recently been able to carry a fully assembled system onto a plane. The retail price point seems a little high but it is the only bag that I am aware of that can be compacted into such a small system. The online videos are very helpful for packing and avoiding bulges. A "quick pack" diagram would be nice. Definitely a consideration if compactness and efficiency are high on your list and the $300 price tag does not bother you.