5 Reasons Why all Divers Should have a Mesh Bag
First Employee Oct 20, 2017
“Are mesh bags really necessary?”
“Do I really need to buy one?”
“Can’t I just use a bag that I have at home?”
These are very common questions asked by open water students and new divers. There is a lot of equipment involved in diving and many are trying to lighten their load as much as possible. But is a mesh bag something to pass on? I personally think that a mesh bag is absolutely necessary and here are a few reasons why.
1. It Carries All Your Gear
The first and most obvious reason why you need a mesh bag is to carry all your equipment. Think about the amount gear that you need for any given dive. You need your mask, fins, snorkel, booties, regulator, BC, computer, wetsuit and weights. And that’s just for starters. Thrown in a few accessories like a surface marker buoy, reel, save a dive kit, dry bag and slate and that’s certainly a handful. Who would want to make three or four trips to the car just to get all their stuff? All this gear will pack nice and neat in your mesh bag.
2. Dive Operators Expect You to Have One
No matter where you travel in this world, your dive operator will expect all their divers have their equipment packed neatly in a mesh back for safe handling. There are a few reasons for this. First, space is commodity on a boat. No matter how large or small the dive operator’s boat is, if there an empty space you can be sure that it will be filled. Mesh bags take up relatively little space which leave ample room for others. Imagine if every diver brought on a large Rubbermaid container with all their equipment. There would be no room to sit! Second, it’s much easier to sling a mesh bag over your shoulder and proceed to board or depart the vessel than to carry each item on individually which saves time. Dive operators are typically on a tight schedule and the faster the boat is loaded, the sooner you’ll be diving. Also, if a crew member needs to move some equipment out of the way to make more room or to access part of the vessel, they will find it much easier to maneuver one bag verses separate pieces of gear. Third, it keeps clutter at bay. Boats are naturally rocky vessels and in rougher seas untethered items can move about causing a tripping hazard. As helpful as the crew may be, I’m sure they will not be looking forward to practicing their first aid skills due to a diver falling because of a stray fin or a mask that has been sliding around the deck.
3. Avoid Losing Your Valuable Gear
Scuba diving a very equipment intensive sport. We would never be able to experience the beauty and splendor the ocean provides without it and one thing we really don’t want to do is lose our equipment. Go on any dive boat and you’re bound to hear some familiar phrases such as “Where’s my snorkel?”, “Has anyone see a black and blue mask anywhere?”, “I put my dive computer right here and now it just disappeared.” Very rarely will a dive operator have individual storage space for each diver but the mesh bag is just that! Your own personal storage space. What do you do with a mask box when it’s not being used? Put it in the mesh bag. What about your small dry bag that holds your keys and cell phone? Put it in the mesh bag. Save a dive kit? Put it in the mesh bag.
4. They Last Forever
The beautiful thing about the mesh bags, aside from the different colors, is that they last forever. As of the writing of this article, I still have my original mesh bag from when I was an open water student almost 12 years ago. I have taken it on every single dive trip I’ve been on and it still keeps my gear safe and sound. The reason why they last so long is because they are specifically built for diving. For example, there are very few zippers on a mesh bag. They typically open via a drawstring closure which prevents any jams that a corroded zipper may have. What zippers they do have are made from materials that are resistant to the salt water. They are also typically made of a durable polyester mesh and reinforced PVC nylon which means they are built to last. Another benefit is that once you are done diving, you can pack all your equipment up in the mesh bag and submerge the entire bag into the wash tank on the dock or resort. You can rinse all your gear at once and then let it dry! Let’s see you do that with a bag that you found in the back of your closet.
5. Finally, You Look Like a Diver!
We’ve all been there before. We sign up to do something awesome that we’ve never done before and when we show up, everyone can tell that we’re the newbie. Sometimes it’s intimidating showing up to an activity where it’s obvious how much experience you have. Well fear not! Something as seemingly unimportant as the mesh bag is there to help. The simple reason is that it makes you look like a diver. No matter if you’re an open water student or a dive professional, looking the part and having the proper equipment is half the battle. With a mesh bag, other divers won’t wonder about your dive experience. From their perspective, you’re part of the in-crowd. You know what a diver needs and your setup is neat, clean and well organized which is very much appreciated on the boat.
