This Vacuum Bag Helps Me Fit 10 Pairs of Jeans in My Carry-on
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
From airline fees to lost luggage — and the long wait at the carousel — the list of reasons why I avoid checking a bag is long. To maximize mycarry-onandpersonal-item bagspace, I use traditional compressionpacking cubes, but even those have limits (I’ve broken a few zippers trying to close them). For the past year, I’ve been getting even more space with theSandmarc Compressing Packing Cube, a vacuum bag that makes traveling much less stressful.
If “vacuum bag” brings to mind an oversize Ziploc, Sandmarc’s nylon version is a step up. It’s more durable, is designed to fit three standard bag sizes you probably already have, and comes with a compact, portable vacuum.
While Sandmarc offers vacuum bags sized to fit inside smaller travel backpacks and larger checked bags, the one designed for carry-ons is what I use on most trips. It fits nicely in standard 45-liter carry-on bags allowed on domestic flights. Unlike traditional packing cubes that must be jigsawed into place, the Sandmarc takes up the area on one side of a carry-on, leaving space above it for additional clothing — rolled, folded, or stored in cubes. This shape is ideal for tall garments like pants, dresses, or long tops. Marketing claims for vacuum bags vary widely, typically ranging from 40 to 60 percent space savings. The main compartment of my standard two-wheeled carry-on is six inches deep. A stack of ten folded pairs rises well above the main zipper, but in the Sandmarc, the same load compresses to just over five inches and fits comfortably inside.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Like all vacuum bags, the Sandmarc features a one-way valve that only allows air to be drawn out — or even pushed out — once the zipper is sealed. Pulling the zipper closed not only binds the normal interlocking teeth but also presses together a rubbery seal, similar to a that on Ziploc bag.
What makes the Sandmarc unique is that it comes with a compact, rechargeable vacuum pump about the size of a tennis ball. The tool draws air in from one end and forces it out from the other, effectively working as either a pump or a vacuum depending on which side you use. It charges via USB-C and includes several adapters. You only need one of them to connect the pump to the bag; the others might have niche uses (for example, the funnel-shaped attachment can help blow debris out of the crevices in your keyboard), but I rarely use them. The Sandmarc valve is one inch wide, so you can also use a more powerful standard vacuum to compress the bag faster, which I’ve done at an Airbnb.
Filling the bag isn’t difficult, but being systematic rather than just tossing in a pile of balled-up clothing helps it shrink to a more even thickness. In theory, the plastic D rings on three sides of the bag could serve as hanging points, but in practice, the ones on the short ends are useful to tug on when opening or closing the bag. I also use them to yank the entire, dense slab of clothing out of the carry-on bag when I get to the hotel. The zipper pull is large enough to comfortably grip with two fingers, which you need because closing it takes a bit of effort.
The black bag isn’t fun to pack in poor lighting. And trying to fit loose, bulky items like jeans can be tricky unless they’re rolled up. You can work around both by using compression cubes with the Sandmarc, which helps keep everything organized, though the added fabric does rob some of the compression performance. I tend to stick the Sandmarc in my carry-on first, fill it, then vacuum it, which ensures I’m not fussing with the bag’s length or width after. It only takes about a minute or so to turn a pile of clothing into a brick.
If you’re not using a packing cube and have loose clothing in the bag, it lacks structure, so you press or roll it to remove air if the pump fails or goes missing. I usually press the bag while vacuuming to help it take shape as it shrinks. I wouldn’t make a habit of using body weight to force the air out quickly, as it puts stress on the bag’s weakest point, the seams. That said, the 900D ballistic nylon is durable, and Sandmarc backs the bags with a limited lifetime warranty.
Other packing gear we like
New! You can now save this product for later.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Our favorite compression cubes let you pack more into the same amount of space.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Waterproof and thoughtfully organized to bring order to all your cables and chargers.
More From The Strategist
- The Strategist Fall 100
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- The Strategist Summer 100
- I Replaced My Tretinoin With This $30 Retinal Cream
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
