The main characteristic of this backpack with wheels is that it’s foldable. In less than a minute the 128 liter (3.5 cu ft) capacity bag can be folded and transformed into a little business bag. Includes two fin pockets and two front pockets, the upper one is completely removable.
Your big, bulky dive bag is perfect for carting gear, but what do you do with it when you're not using it? Mares has a nifty solution. Its new full-sized Cruise Roller Bag fits plenty of dive gear, but when you don't need it, it folds to a size not much larger than a briefcase.
The Cruise Roller Bag measures 32"x16"x10" for a total linear length of 58 inches, well within airline checked bag size requirements. It weighs only 8 pounds empty, so you can pack plenty of gear into its roomy main compartment, two fin pockets and two lid compartments without tipping the baggage scales. Because the bag folds for storage, it doesn't have any side stiffeners to help maintain its shape when packing (although it has a rigid base). The best way to load the Cruise Roller is to first slip the fins in the side pockets so that the main compartment maintains its shape. The lid hinges at the bottom of the bag rather than the side, so you can fold it completely out of the way. The main compartment easily holds an entire complement of dive gear, leaving the extra-large lower lid compartment for clothes and the smaller upper lid compartment, which is removable, for items you want to keep with you once the big bag is checked.
The wide wheelbase provides a stable rolling platform. A rigid lift handle on the base doubles as a foot stand to help the bag stand solidly upright when loaded. An over-molded rubber lift handle on top doubles as a tow handle. Note: due to the lack of a rigid, retractable tow handle, we found that the more fully the bag is packed, the easier it is to control when skirting around corners and tight spaces. When rolling isn't practical, the bag comes with a pair of backpack straps that stow in a padded sleeve.
When not being used, the Cruise Roller folds in to the size of the lower lid compartment (19"x16"x6") and zips up in to a neat package for storing.
- Review courtesy of Scuba Diving Magazine, November 2008
