EXPLORER 45L

The Aqua Lung Explorer 45L is the cabin-sized bag in the Explorer range, at 55 x 26 x 28 cm and 980 g empty. Forty-five litres takes a regulator, a computer, a mask and a wetsuit, and the dimensions are set to airline carry-on limits rather than to a round number.

The outer is the same tough water-repellent PVC used on the wheeled Explorer bags, so it sheds a wet boat deck and keeps its appearance after a season of handling. A full-length zip opens the bag for access to everything at once, which counts for something at a security desk. Exterior pockets take the items wanted before the main compartment is opened, and a daisy chain down the side takes clips, a reel or a torch. Padded adjustable shoulder straps carry it as a backpack across an airport.

The result is that the expensive and hard-to-replace parts of a kit travel in the cabin, where an airline cannot mislay them, while the bulky items travel as checked baggage.

Supplied in navy and black. The Explorer 90L and 120L are the wheeled bags in the same range, and the Explorer II Duffel is the softer carry-on alternative. Carry-on allowances differ between airlines, so check the limit for the flight before relying on the dimensions.