Any bag recommendations

[Padowan]

I'm looking for a bag that'll take my fins and other freediving kit - there don't seem to be many available that'll take the length of my fins (Cressi Gara 3000 LDs) at 91cm (according to Cressi's size specs for my size) - even Cressi's own "Apnea Team" bag looks a little on the short side.

Any recommendations of something that'll be big enough to take my fins, suit, mask etc, but not one of those great big wheelie things.

Thanks

 

[TheDude]

I have this one made by martin stepanek:
Martin Štìpánek - gallery & fun

I use it with omer milleniums. Fits nicely. enough space for all the stuff. Only drawback is it is quite uncomfortable to carry on your back. Overall a very good bag.

Other option some which few friends here use is a backpack style bag, but I don't know the details, I think it is made by IQsub.

 

[jimqpublic]

I second the Martin Stepanek suggestion. I got one last month and was very impressed with it. Great materials and design, but still folds up to fit in a small locker while you're out diving. It easily holds my gear, 5 mm wetsuit, and a change of clothes. The only other dive bags that were long enough (36") are generally huge in the other dimensions.

I like the way he designed the carry straps to double as backpack straps. Other bags I've seen with dedicated backpack straps on the back mean that after use as a dive bag you put the put the wet dirty side against your body. In this bag the clean side goes against you. Also the mesh vents are all on the bottom so it will drain away from you. It's stealth too- the ferry boat from Catalina required all the obvious dive bags to be stowed outside where they would get soaked- my bag went inside.

I found it much more comfortable to wear my weight belt than put it in the bag for a 1.5 mile walk. I think the one problem with the backpack straps is that they want to slide off my shoulders. I may add a sternum strap to hold them together.

Unfortunately mine had a bad blind seam where the stitching was too close to the edge. Taped seams are generally a good feature but in this case there was no way to see the problem until the seam blew out. I sent Martin an email and he had a new bag in the mail the next morning.

My Riffe fins are very long and don't fit in the dedicated fin pocket. Instead I lay them on the bottom of the bag.

 

[h2schmo]

Try the Cressi Gorilla, I can get all my gear in there (except speargun) and some clothes too. It's waterproof, and has a bung for drainage on the bottom. Fits my gara 3000 just fine.

 

[samdive]

I've got an IKEA Laundry bag - it's huge and high enough to hold fins! I have seen a few of them around freedive competitions

Really though the best thing is to get a separate, padded fin bag. That way you can sometimes manage to take your fins on as hand luggage, which is always the preferred option. Omer do fin bags, so do lots of other people.

Sam