vacuum bags vs packing cubes
 

Has anyone compared these? Which is better for organizing and compressing stuff to go into a suitcase?

I used large zip lock bags, rolled all the air out and zipped them up. They worked fine and were cheap. Take a couple of extras incase they spring a leak.

I tried those original space bags and have since gravitated to the 2 gallon zip lock bags available at for instance Walmart and also the plastic sort of sweater or cube bags and all are wonderful, would never have anything loose in a suitcase anymore. However be careful using the ziplock bags as compressed, it may allow you to put pack more, however look out for the weight? But for packing and unpacking, the convenience of the bags is wonderful, you will never go without them again, the ziplock that is, whether you do or don;t compress the air out. Halfpint.

I use the space bag/pack mate type bags - but I take them <u>empty</u>. If you cram your suitcase full 1) it will be heavy, and 2) there won't be any extra space for things you buy on your trip.

So I take a space bag empty and use it on the way home for either dirty clothes or just to make space for my new treasures.

I have two of the vacuum bags with the one-way valves to press out the air and they work well for me. I will be going to Italy in 10 days and will take one complressed and one empty for the return. I also bring an extra flat lightweight bag in case I have some things to bring home.

Also carry smaller zip lock for other items. Have never used packing cubes.

Why is this an either/or question?

I use both: the packing cubes for socks and underwear; the vacuum bags for t-shirts. Also, I use one of those Eagle Creek folders for button-up shirts and pants.

If you need a vacuum to suck the air out of the packages, what do you do when you are packing to come home and don't have one? I always wondered about that part.

Myself, I prefer to simply fold my clothes and lay them in the suitcase, no bags, cubes, or ziplocks.

The vacuum part is the vacuum of air not a vacuum cleaner. Although I have see the bags in the past that do need a reversed vacuum cleaner to suck out the air. Am I making sense?

I take the vacuum bags empty too in order to bring back purchases. I keep two on the bottom of my bag.

You don't need an actual vacuum. &quot;Vacuum&quot; simply refers to an air evacuation system, which in the vacuum bags is a one way valve that releases air from a bag when compressed.

In Longs Drugs I saw extra big zip lock bags (much bigger than a gallon), just for storing clothes, etc.

Yes, exactly. Have never used a &quot;vacuum cleaner.&quot; Vacuum in the sense that one presses out all the air and creates a vacuum. These work great! I use them all the time now; I generally travel with carry-on only and no, have not had a problem with excess weight.

I use the kind you roll to get the air out.

It's not a vacuum bag in the sense that you need a vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of it. It a vacuum bag in the sense that when you get the air out of it, except for the clothes, it's a near vacuum inside. (remember science class? :P )

I use these things more as a way to organize my stuff and keep it neat, though they're great space savers on the way home.

What generally happens when your suitcase is only half full outbound (even with those internal straps many suitcases have) is that your clothes and toiletries tend to shift around and make a mess of your nice packing efforts. With the cubes and bags and folders, even if they shift, everything stays nicely folded and organized. Also, when I'm in a hurry in the morning I don't have to dig around searching for stuff, everything is in it's container.

The space bags for travel have a one-way valve so that once &quot;zipped&quot; you can push the remaining air out of the bag, thus compressing the contents.

Maybe the confusion is because Space Bag also makes bags requiring vacuum cleaners. but those are large storage bags for things like out-of-season clothing, comforters, etc.

Travel vacuum bags only require you to roll them to squeeze the air out. Then you flatten them out and a down jacket will be less than 3/4 inch high.

I think some of this might depend on the size of the suitcase you want to use. If you are a carry-on fanatic, as I am, using those cubes is essential. It keeps me from taking too much. If it can't fit in the cubes, it can't come! But that is because I mostly travel in the summer, when you can fit five or six tank tops or tees, rolled, into the small size. This also is more useful for moving frequently and living out of your suitcase and staying organized. For colder weather this would be tough to do without the compression bags. (I do also keep one or two of the vacuum bags, flat, in the bottom for when I start to accumulate laundry and as that gets smooshed I can fit in purchases.) A drawback is that I think they make clothes very wrinkled.
Be careful to read the label- the ones at Target require an actual vacuum hose to suck the air out- you want to make sure to get the kind that shows someone rolling them up on the label, as the others have described.

I like the packing cubes the best. A further advantage to using them is that the Customs agents can just lift them and put them back down without disturbing your packing.

Just went to CA and had 2 packing cubes in my carry on size (21) inch suitcase. It was unbelievable what fit into each cube--the eagle creek ones---like 6-7 blouses/silk and/or linen jackets in one, rolled, and 5-7 slacks, rolled, in the other one. I ended up taking way more clothes than I needed w/one carry on suitcase as my total luggage!!

A question to the packing cube users--it sounds like you mostly use them for organization, rather than for taking up less space, is that correct?

Hi everyone,

I have another question. Do the clothes get creased when in these vacuum bags. They sound great for saving space but I wouldn't like it if everything I put on was wrinkly.

P

yes the clothes can get wrinkled in the vacuum packs, so I use them for my silk robe and underwear, socks, tights, etc. Then I use them for dirty clothes so they are separate and don't take up much room so I have more room for purchases.

The regular gallon and two gallon sizes leak some air back in so they are just used for organizing.