nibblette

The Hefty 2.5 gal bags work great for ski clothes too. Compressed the jacket so much that it fit into a carry-on with lots of other clothes (checked bag though). And jacket just fluffed right up after. And I reuse the bags. Usually last at least 4 RTs. Much cheaper than the cubes.
The large size ziploc (2x1.7 ft, about 5-6 gal) are actually a little too big for me. It is just easier for me to pack clothes according to what they are and their approximate size (pants with pants, etc). More organized. I also like to pack so that I can fit clothes in between the bars of the roller in the suitcase. Use 1 gal bags for those spots. Gotta use all available space!

suze

I can see why people would want compression for ski clothes, sweaters, other bulky items.

But for normal summer clothes, I'm of the fold neatly and pile it in a small suitcase school of thought.

Intrepid1

Perhaps it is a lot like sex...until you actually do it the "benefits" (for some people) remain mysterious and non-understandable.

eurogals

As a frequent traveler to Europe, I couldn't go without putting my clothes in individual mesh bags. I choose to go to the laundry section at Target/Walmart and purchase mesh laundry bags (much cheaper than the travel cubes (though I have them). They work better than the Ziploc bag since they let your items breath. Things start to smell in plastic when it is zipped up even on short jaunts.

The laundry bags are so much cheaper. They have zippers and come in various sizes. They are used to put fine linens etc. in the washing machine without them tossing around and snagging.

FainaAgain

Cubing or not, I always pack into ziplocks. Heard too many stories of leaking "souvenirs".

I remember on a trip somebody's olive oil leaked through his suitcase into somebody else's. That was no fun.

Also TSA employees don't open the clear ziplocks when they search the suitcase.

Peggy_D

If I'm going to be on the move, I love packing cubes--it is so much easier to get things in and out of the suitcase without disturbing (and wrinkling) everything else. Definitely worth the money, and the few extra ounces.

nanirolls

I don't know about but I've found that the easiest way to deal with packing is to just keep it low-maintenance and to bring clothes that travel well. I have no qualms about wearing the same pair of jeans or two for a week or two. I buy this anti-microbial underwear that will dry in your bag, even if its still damp (buy two pairs--one to wear and one to wash). I have a black skirt that doesn't wrinkle and stuffs into my bag really easily. I use the same bag for every trip, some for a weekend, some for two weeks--an Eagle Creek that is about 3100 cubic inches.

SeaUrchin

anti-microbial underwear? What chemicals do they use? I have never heard of such a thing.

Intrepid1

TSA folks don't open pack-it-cubes, either, since you can see what is in them through the mesh.

BTilke

We bought a set, used them twice and decided they didn't make any difference. We still use one or two on occasion, but the rest are dozing with the dust bunnies under the bed. We use ziploc bags or large plastic Waitrose shopping bags.
However, we admit our packing style is WAY more "free form" than Intrepid's.

tuckerdc

BTilke beat me to it! Having seen the hype here and there for the relatively new idea of packing your stuff in plastic and removing the air...I took the concept and simply applied it to using various plastic shopping bags from the grocery store, etc. I was amazed at how much difference it made to squeeze the extra air out. And I didn't find it making any more of a wrinkle problem....We were gone for nearly three weeks, and some of our clothes weren't even brought out of the suitcase for the first week or so, and needed barely a touch-up, if that.
I'll never pack any other way again - tho I may 'upgrade' to some clear plastic Glad-type bags next time 'round, just for ease of visibility, etc.

nanirolls

The anti-microbial underwear is by exofficio. http://www.paragonsports.com/Paragon...omens_Clothing

I bought a couple of pairs for my road trip in Ecuador.

noe847

I am in the roll up the clothes school of packing. If anything, it means fewer wrinkles over folding, especially if the bag is very full. I do use zip plastic bags for anything that potentially leaks, and I absolutely refuse to bring any bottle that has a flip top - I pour everything into travel bottles that have screw tops. I have had unpleasant experiences with leaking. I also remove batteries from travel alarms and electric toothbrushes - I heard a story (maybe apocryphal) about a major hold up of a flight while security located a mysterious buzzing in a suitcase. Turns out the button on a battery operated toothbrush got bumped on.