One Easy Way to Fit More Stuff in Your Suitcase

To put it mildly, my packing skills leave something to be desired. I pack for a trip by trying to shove most of the things I own into a suitcase. This strategy doesn’t get me too far.

Enter the Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Sac. I’ve wanted to try travel compression sacks, also known as Space Bags, for ages. They’re airtight, space-saving bags that compress your items by allowing most of the air inside the bag to be pushed or sucked out. Some bags, like most Space Bags, require a vacuum nozzle for air removal. Other brands, such as the Eagle Creek bags I purchased, don’t need a vacuum; these are more useful for travelers who won’t have access to vacuums in their destinations.

The list price for the Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Sacs is $20; I bought mine on Amazon.com. My set came with one small and one medium bag.

I’m traveling to Europe for 10 days, so I need a lot of clothes. In my to-pack pile are eight shirts, two jackets, one dress and one raincoat.

I folded everything in a sort-of neat fashion and slid the clothes into the large compression sack. According to the instructions on the package, you have to “roll to expel air and compress.” The bag is designed so that air gets pushed out when the bag is rolled. As I twisted and rolled, I could hear the air shooting out of the far end of the bag. Toward the end of the rolling process, things got a little difficult, and I had to use my knees (and a coworker’s knees) to push out the remaining air.

I’m impressed with the results. My clothes are condensed into a tight bundle, and now I have tons of space left in my suitcase.

There are, however, two things you should keep in mind when using compression bags. First, I get the feeling that my clothes are going to be as wrinkled as raisins by the time I arrive at my hotel. Second, this bundle of clothes is like a brick — it’s very heavy. Watch out for airline weight limits when packing with compression sacks.

Have you packed with a compression sack? Would you try it?