You can’t help but notice that more divers are using hard cases to protect and transport their dive gear. While a hard case has many advantages, mainly maximum protection for your gear, it has disadvantages as well, namely being the heavy weight. Is there a way to gain the advantage of a hard case without the weight? Is there a way to gain at least some of the advantages of a soft bag such as multiple pockets? The Armor Ballistic Pullcart #1 bag does just this.
The Armor Ballistic Pullcart #1 bag is a hybrid of a hard case and soft bag. Foundation of this bag is a hard main compartment protecting the bottom of the bag in either the upright or horizontal position. The hard bottom semi-tub also makes the wheeled bag more stable. The handle is firmly implanted in the hard plastic for greater durability and steadiness. Although I am not sure it was designed for this, the semi-tub, when laid horizontal, doubles as a shallow rinse tub.
The pull out handle is quite sturdy and durable—something I very much appreciate after having the handle on another dive bag break in the middle of a dive trip. All the hardware is made for maximum durability and the abuse a diver would deliver. Metal parts are stainless steel. Wheels are large rubber, not plastic.
From the outside, this bag appears deceptively on the small side. Do not be deceived. This bag can carry a full set of California dive gear—7mm wetsuit, BC, fins—the works. The main compartment is within the plastic semi-tub and is very roomy, good for your BC, fins, regulator, etc. The next pocket out is also roomy and a nice compartment for a full wetsuit. This middle compartment is collapsible by the tightening of external straps (which tells me that the designer had this compartment in mind for wetsuits—smaller for tropical suits, thicker for cold water suits). I’m not sure if it was designed this way, but the outer compartment stays quite dry and is a good place to keep spare clothes, towels, etc.
Outside accoutrements include excellent rubber padding for the handles, colored bright red for baggage handlers to know where to pull. A buckled strap on the top allows you to attach additional baggage to this rolling cart for even easier moving about with your luggage.
This is a top rate dive bag that hybrids a hard case and soft bag into one tough and lightweight package. I have used this bag in a variety of situations during travel now for several months with great satisfaction.
For more information, go on-line to Armor’s web site at www.armorbags.com.
