AquaLung Explorer II Roller - Honest Review & Test 2024

First Impression

The AquaLung Explorer II Roller Bag is big and tough enough to become your primary travel dive bag that features comfortable wheels and a lot of space.

Aqualung Dive Bags

Aqualung is one of the biggest and most popular scuba gear brands and very popular, especially among European divers.

As such, their equipment is usually well made and quality control is decent. Of course, this can also come at a price.

The Explorer series is their main line of dive bags and aimed at recreational divers.

The Explorer II roller bag is the largest of them and their most premium offer.

It is also the biggest dive bag Aqualung sells right now and is aimed at serving as your main dive equipment bag.

As a matter of fact, it is one of my own dive bags and I use it all the time when I dive. In 2021, they added a new all-blue version that looks spectacular and that will make those happy who prefer to stick out a little more.

Specs & Features

The build

When you first pick up the AquaLung Explorer II Roller, you notice its relatively high weight due to its size, the telescoping handle, and the wheels.

All parts are very sturdy and even after using it for more than four years, mine does not show any signs of giving up.

I like that it has extremely durable wheels which don’t often get stuck even in sand or gravel and they do their job flawlessly.

We all know that zippers are usually the first thing that breaks on any and every bag, however, I am super happy that the ones on the AquaLung Explorer II Roller are super tough.

I never had any of them break and believe me…I’ve packed my bag until I had to stand on it to close it. The Explorer bag is a lot like my stomach when I eat chocolate in this regard…never full enough. 😉

The dive bag is clearly made for extended long-distance travel or those divers, who dive in harsh environments.

The material is also thick enough that your camera and other expensive stuff are always protected.

Unfortunately, this does come at the price of a lot more weight.

Variations & Color Options

The dive bag currently comes in three different colors and each of them looks valuable and will make your bag stand out at any dive spot.

I use the black one, but the blue version is really nice.

Other than that, there are no variations to pick from.

How much does the AquaLung Explorer II Roller fit?

I use the Explorer II roller bag myself and it is big enough to hold all my scuba gear plus some small spare parts.

While it won’t fit a drysuit in addition to all the other things I put in it, it will be more than enough for most divers.

Be careful with larger fins though, as the side pockets are a little narrow in my opinion. My ScubaPro Go Sport fins fit easily, however, my Apeks RK3 in XXL don’t.

If you are a freediver, make sure the dive bag is long enough for your fins, as well.

For traveling, the AquaLung Explorer II Roller will serve you well and hold more than just your scuba gear.

I’ve used it as my only travel bag before when diving in warm water, as 3mm wetsuits are thin enough to be packed with shirts and other stuff.

It’s pretty much completely waterproof which is nice when diving locally and loading up gear into the trunk afterward.

Video review of the AquaLung Explorer II Roller

Check out the video below for a short overview and look at the AquaLung Explorer II Roller.

What is missing?

Like many roller bags, the AquaLung Explorer II Roller suffers from “fall over”-itis when left unattended with a lot of gear in it.

I don’t know why these dive bags are always designed this way, but they all behave the same in this regard.

I also find the wheels, despite being sturdy and well-made, are just a little too small.

The bag is already quite large, and with a little bigger wheels it would be even easier to carry around.

Conclusion

The AquaLung Explorer II roller bag is a super nice option for a dive bag that has everything you need to carry around a full set of scuba gear.

It’s very sturdy and in my case has lasted four years and counting without big signs of wear.

If you are looking for a heavy-duty travel bag and don’t mind the slightly higher weight, I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

Alternatives

The main alternatives to the AquaLung Explorer II Roller are the Cressi Moby 5 and the Stahlsac Caicos Cargo Pack.

Both fall under the same category of large travel dive bags and were rated highly by us.

Check them out if you are still unsure.