The Stahlsac is soft-sided and easy to manage, yet holds a huge amount and is wheeled for easy transport. We had an old Stahlsac dive bag on board that we started using. If the luggage ends up sitting out in the rain, the box could break and the contents be lost or damaged. These usually are the last to come out, so we end up delayed at the airport.Īnd finally, cardboard boxes aren’t very durable when wet. Instead, we have to pick them up in a separate place with the special luggage. We typically have to sign a waiver indicating they are not liable for any damage, and cardboard boxes often don’t come out on the carousel with the rest of the luggage. The boxes have all been resealed with TSA inspection tape.Īnother issue is that airlines really don’t like cardboard boxes shipped as luggage. One of our three boxes was delayed into Fiji until the next day, likely due to the TSA inspection. On our very first return trip to the US, from Fiji, one of our boxes was delayed until the next day, we suspect due to the inspection. (We often wouldn’t have even noticed were it not for tag they leave to indicate they’d inspected the contents, and the special TSA-labelled tape used to reseal a box.) But the potential for loss or damage increases with every touch of the contents, and the inspection can delay the luggage. The inspection is always done very carefully, and we’ve never had anything lost or damaged as a result. The first is that a cardboard box always attracts a TSA security inspection, where the box is unpacked to inspect the contents, and repacked. On our first couple of trips, we brought most of the parts back in cardboard boxes. Unpacking shipments for consolidation at our Seattle UPS store on a return trip from New Zealand. The service has always been remarkably good. The UPS store has been more than just a mailbox to us, they have been like our representative in Seattle. Then we unpack and repack everything to minimize the volume in preparation for the return trip home.
We had most parts shipped to our local UPS store at 815 1 st Ave in Seattle, where we’ve maintained a mailbox since we first moved aboard on our previous boat. And many other items simply could not be obtained locally, or were prohibitively expensive. We sourced items locally when we could, but anything 110V or 60Hz, such as a kettle, must come from North America. The gear usually weighed at least 200 lbs (90kg) in aggregate, and sometimes as high as 300 lbs (136 kg). And on every one of those trips (when international), we brought back a lot of boat parts and spares in checked luggage. Gear in the rolling bag: Drysuit (plus underwear) or wetsuit, Sartek cave lighthead & battery canister, fins, 2 masks, Rockboots, 2 Scout lights, 2 foot square chunk of eggcrate foam to protect light & canister, 2 beach towels, hooded wetsuit vest, 2 sets of wings, 1 BP & harness, batteries, mesh duffle bag, dry box, neoprene bootie inserts for the Rockboots, and a few other odds and ends.In the decade we spent travelling the world in Dirona, we typically returned to Seattle two-three times a year. The rolling adventure duffle holds all my gear and the next size small shoulder duffle holds all my clothes, etc with room to spare.Īnd for those of you wanting to know just how much gear fits.
I do think my $49 & $99 was well spent over 6 years ago. I am now the proud owner of TWO BRAND SPANKING NEW BAGS at no additional cost to me other than what I paid for them in 1998!! No questions asked, I just received the new bags via FEDEX. I sent both bags back to LLBean about 2 weeks ago with a request to assess repair costs and advise. On my last trip to Akumal, the baggage gorillas snapped the plastic runners off the bottom of the bag AND put holes in the top of my matching one size smaller LLBean Adventure duffle for clothes (This happened once before.they put a 3-corner tear in the cordura, LLBean repaired at no charge) Okay.I've used this bag several times since.British Columbia, Akumal x 3, & Cayman Brac to name a few. They put my initials on the bag and sent it to me with their blessing. The pressed board in the bottom was splintered and actually broken in half! I sent the duffle back to LLBean and they replaced it with a new flexible, yet firm plastic bottom in the color of solid black (my choice, they called me, didn't make orange anymore). The airport luggage gorillas broke the bag in half on my return flight. Orange & Black so I can find it quickly in baggage claim.
I purchased the LLBean Rolling Adventure Duffle (size XL) back in 1998 before I went to Costa Rica. Yes, this is blatant product endorsement.BUT, from a very happy satified customer!
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