Your suitcase is valuable real estate and one of the ingenious ways to create additional space is by subtraction. The way you do this is by using something like the Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Sac which allows you to vacuum seal anything on-the-fly.
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Compression Sac Review
Eagle Creek’s Pack-It Compression Sac is one of the best ones in the market and I’ve used it on several big trips including my 3 months in Asia.
Easy to use
The key to why the compression sac is so useful is because you can vacuum seal literally anything in the bag without needing an actual vacuum.
Once you put in things like clothes into the sac, you seal it up the bag by using the slide zip-lock.
The magic is on the other end of the Pack-It Compression Sac with marked one-way air valves. All you need to do is start from the zippered side of the bag and roll outwards to push air out of the valve.
Once you’re done, your items become completely vacuumed sealed.
That’s it!
When you’d use the compression sac
Here are the best uses of the compression sac when travelling:
- Compressing bulky gear (i.e. winter jackets and sleeping bags)
- Using it as an organization tool in combination with other packing cubes
- When you need waterproofing – A nice side benefit as it keeps water out just as well as it keeps air out
- Reducing space that clothes takes, allowing you to pack more or open up room.
When you’re not travelling, compression sacs are also useful at home such as when you want to put your puffy down-filled jackets away in the summer.
How effective is the compression
The Eagle Creek compression sac is good enough to help you reclaim 80% of the space back.
This is space in your suitcase or backpack that you’ll be able to either use to bring more or help you free up room.
Of course, you can’t defy physics which is why the weight will stay the same.
Compact when not in use
You won’t be using the compression sac all the time and so since this is able to be folded and very flat, it’s easy to stuff it in any open spot of your suitcase or backpack.
Areas of improvement
The only issue I’ve had with them so far is that the plastic slider that opens and closes the compression sac comes off easily so you have to be careful with it and be careful not to lose it.
Where to buy
There are 3 different sizes of the Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Sac you can buy – small, medium, and large. You can buy them individually but also in bundles.
The easiest place to buy the Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Sac is on Amazon. They offer a bundle with all 3 sizes and another with medium and large.
The Eagle Creek store also has all of the compression sacs in their Compression section where they also carry a bundle with two medium-sized bags.
I’ve also seen it sold online on Moosejaw.
FAQ
How long do these compression sacs last?
These bags are completely reusable and actually quite durable. Expect these to last a very long time.
What is the warranty?
The Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Sac carries a lifetime warranty.
What are the dimensions for each size?
11.5 x 14.5 in (small), 15.5 x 24.5 in (medium), 17.5 x 28.5 in (large) or 29 x 37 cm (small), 39 x 62 cm (medium), 44 x 72 cm (large).
What is the capacity of each size?
165 cu in (small), 380 cu in (medium),800 cu in (large) or 2.5 L (small), 6 L (medium), 13 L (large).
Final verdict
This may not be something you need on every single trip but when you need to lug around bulky items like sleeping bags or you just have a ton of clothes, this is a great way to keep things organized and ultimately reclaim space.
For how useful it is, it’s something that should be part of anyone’s travel kit.
What you should read next
Travel Resources For Your Next Trip
If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.
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Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.
Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.
Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).
Tours and Activities: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.
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If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.
Mari bought me some in Japan…maybe at the 100yen store. I use them sometimes when I’m travelling in the winter. They work best when you are trying to compress fat sweaters!