The 10 Best Mesh Dive Bags

Divers who haul a full kit to the boat every weekend tend to settle on the Stahlsac Bonaire, and dive magazines have long used it as the yardstick for mesh backpacks. It holds a cold-water kit, drysuit included. A tough coated base keeps wet gear off the sand, a side zipper opens the whole bag, and a small dry pocket guards keys. Stahlsac covers defects for life. Empty, it is floppy and awkward to stow.

Almost all net, the Mares Cruise Mesh Duffel lets air reach every corner, so a soaked wetsuit and booties keep drying even while packed. Adventure Junkies picked it for exactly that, and it swallows more than one set of gear. When the trip ends, it folds into a round pouch with its own handle and tucks inside a suitcase. The catch is simple: there are no pockets at all, so small things roam loose.

For the walk from the parking lot to a shore entry, the Cressi Roatan carries most comfortably. Padded shoulder straps and a chest strap spread the load, and a drain in the sturdy base lets seawater run out before you reach the car. A front pocket keeps a phone and keys semi-dry, and Cressi backs the bag for two years. It fits one warm-water kit well, but not a drysuit setup.

Pulling beats carrying once a full kit is packed, and the Scubapro Mesh 'N Roll lets you do either. Salt-resistant wheels roll it down the dock, and the duffel straps clip into backpack straps for stairs and boat ladders. Coated mesh sides let wet gear drain, a heavy-duty zipper opens a wide lid, and it folds flat between trips. The wheels and frame add real weight before you pack a thing, which counts at the airline scale.

Freedivers with long blades need length more than pockets, and the Cressi Gorgona is cut long enough for the longest freediving fins. The rest is simple: a big open-mesh tube with a zipper along the top and two carry handles. It is light, folds into a round pouch for travel, and Cressi's warranty runs two years. There is no padded shoulder strap, so a full load bites into your hand on a long walk.

The Aqua Lung Adventurer trades a little airflow for toughness: thick polyester bands wrap the mesh, so it shrugs off rough boat decks and baggage handlers. A removable padded shoulder strap and a top grab handle cover both ways of carrying, and the bag itself is light to sling over a shoulder. Those solid bands also slow drying a bit. It runs short for full-length freediving fins, so it suits scuba fins, masks and a wetsuit better.

Snorkelers and new divers watching their budget can start with the Kraken Aquatics XL, a long mesh duffel with more thought in it than its price suggests. Zippered pockets inside and out hold keys and sunscreen, a padded strap eases the walk, and the whole bag stuffs into its own pocket when empty. Kraken publishes little beyond the basics, so how the stitching and zippers hold up over seasons of salt is hard to judge.

Boat divers short on bench space should look at the Akona Azul, a slim, upright backpack that slides under a seat instead of sprawling across the deck. A zipper runs all the way around, so it opens like a suitcase, and padded straps make the walk to the boat comfortable. Most of the body is solid fabric with mesh panels, so it drains and dries more slowly, and it holds one warm-water kit at most.

Bulex isn't a dive brand, and the Bulex XXL was built as an all-sport bag, yet divers buy it in big numbers for its length and low price. It takes long fins, two zippered side pockets hold a phone and sunscreen, and a shoulder strap helps with the carry. Bulex says little about its materials and offers no clear warranty, so it's best kept for beach and boat days rather than checked luggage.

Made by Tusa, a longtime Japanese dive maker, the Tusa BA-0301 Roller pairs big rugged wheels with handles on the top and both sides, so you can grab it from any angle out of a trunk. A large outer pocket takes a towel or booties, an inner pocket keeps small items apart, and an adjustable shoulder strap helps on stairs. It is heavy for a mesh bag, which eats into an airline weight allowance.