Compression bags.

**Ramblinrev** · 05-22-2008, 15:35

I have seen the storage bags that one fills up and then sucks the air out with a vacuum. Has anyone tried these on the trail? Obviously the vacuum is not a feasible Idea but could you squeeze enuf air out by hand to make it feasible? I've never tried them so I have no experience with them at all. But I have some things that really need compression bags and I don't have the scratch to put them together.

**JayS** · 05-22-2008, 15:57

There are also bags that you squeeze the air from by rolling them to one end. The air escapes through a one way valve, then you unroll. Seems like they worked okay but did not hold the air out for several days. Maybe they are made better now or maybe I didn't get the ziplock seal closed well enough. They are a little heavy but at least they're waterproof.
Try this site to see them:
Coleman® Space Savers (Large) Roll-Up Storage Bags by Space Bag®

**TiredFeet** · 05-22-2008, 16:31

Originally Posted by JayS

There are also bags that you squeeze the air from by rolling them to one end. The air escapes through a one way valve, then you unroll. Seems like they worked okay but did not hold the air out for several days. Maybe they are made better now or maybe I didn't get the ziplock seal closed well enough. They are a little heavy but at least they're waterproof.
Try this site to see them:
Coleman® Space Savers (Large) Roll-Up Storage Bags by Space Bag®

Cabelas used to sell those - another brand. I bought them over a year back, put some brand new extra T-shirts, shorts and socks in one, quite a few really, about 3/4 full. Rolled and squeezed it down. Got it pretty flat without too much effort.

Put it on the shelf about a year ago. I check it every few months. It's still as flat as when I sealed it and flattened it. It's been sitting on the shelf and not getting any rough handling in a pack or anything, but after a year it hasn't leaked any that I can see.

The ones that Cabelas sold work pretty well. I found them by accident. Just searched and couldn't find them, but then I don't know what search words they put them under. It's a zip lock opening, but 'zip lock' doesn't yield anything useful. They have "Pack-Mate" printed on the outside and were made in Japan if that helps.