Vacuum pack bags for storage.

jac

jac

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 Sep 2001
Messages
9,241
Location
Home Berkshire, Boat Hamble
Visit site
Going to try some this year for the bedding / clothing that stays on the boat. Not so much from the perspective of space saving although that is a nice benefit, but really from ensuring that they stay dry / fresh even if left for several weeks.

Does anyone else use them and any thoughts?
 
Have used them a bit for clothes on longer trips. Keeps space needed down, and moisture out.

Useful to have some means of vacuuming them on board as well - chances are you need one item out the bag and the rest can get re-sealed. I have a pipe from dinghy foot pump, but found this suction only just strong enough for some valves. However, it does work well enough on these, so just need to find more of this type.

Worth using several smaller bags rather than one or two bigger (except for bedding - which I have not tried).
 
I've used them for spare bedding. They are good at keeping stuff fresh and dry. You can 'suck' the air out by rolling them. They do eventually 'inflate' but only to fill the space they are in. I pack them in lockers and they keep for over a year without problems.
 
We've used these for a few years now as the boat is left ashore in foreign parts each winter. My wife bought quite a few so that we'd have spares. A couple didn't seal well, if any leak within a day or so then air is removed again and it is packed in a second vacuum bag.

It worked well for a couple of winters in Galicia where it gets pretty wet. We've also used them in the med. but obviously much drier there. Still useful as everything packs down to take up a lot less space and allows lockers to be emptied and left open. There's a slight smell when bags are opened in spring but it disappears after a couple of hours. Everything is fine otherwise.

Our small vacuum cleaner (~900W) works well and we don't need anything more powerful. Trying to roll out air wouldn't really be much use to us as it would be impossible to get duvets, pillows etc. virtually brick hard and taking up a fraction of their normal space. Roll type may be OK for smaller quantities of pretty soft items.

I looked for a receipt and think that she bought about 10 Wilko Storage Vacuum Bags Jumbo (100cmx80cmx32cm). They came in packs of 2 and seem to have lasted pretty well. No idea if they still sell the same make and size.
 
Last edited:
Mistroma said:
We've used these for a few years now as the boat is left ashore in foreign parts each winter. My wife bought quite a few so that we'd have spares. A couple didn't seal well, if any leak within a day or so then air is removed again and it is packed in a second vacuum bag.

It worked well for a couple of winters in Galicia where it gets pretty wet. We've also used them in the med. but obviously much drier there. Still useful as everything packs down to take up a lot less space and allows lockers to be emptied and left open. There's a slight smell when bags are opened in spring but it disappears after a couple of hours. Everything is fine otherwise.

Our small vacuum cleaner (~900W) works well and we don't need anything more powerful. Trying to roll out air wouldn't really be much use to us as it would be impossible to get duvets, pillows etc. virtually brick hard and taking up a fraction of their normal space. Roll type may be OK for smaller quantities of pretty soft items.
.
Click to expand...

This is our first winter in Galicia and almost word for word as above, we have done same.

News of the dangers of dehumidifiers has reached Galicia and few marinas or yards there allow them on board.

S.
 
Mud said:
I use the roll up variety too, with mixed results.

You can buy them cheap off eBay.

They don't seem to last, when opened & sealed a few times.
Click to expand...

Results do seem mixed - looking at the reviews on Amazon. We went for some from Pack Mate that hve 5 year guarantee and had good reviews. time will tell!!!

We keep that sort of gear off the boat during the winter anyway - take it home and wasj everything and replace when we relaunch
 
We use dry bags for storage on board. Combination of different makes and sizes, bought as we needed them but we've found the best ones to be the 10 - 15 litre ones made by Exped out of waterproof nylon. They fit in to most places, keep everything dry and you can squeeze the air out of them to pack things in.
We tried a variety of the vacuum pack bags but found all of the either too fragile to survive more than a couple of uses or the valve didn't work properly, hence the dry bags.
 
I've packed a few with a full change of clothes, small towel, a small pack of body wipes (4 packs from poundland but a little too fragrant) & a bin liner.

I keep one pack in my car, a pack at work & a couple in my boat. They've come in very handy on occasions when I've become soaked, muddy, or just needed to freshen up when I've extended a stay on my boat. :)

I am a bit of a 'prepper' though.
 
Neil said:
I've had several varieties and they never hold their vacuum for long in my hands
Click to expand...

That's my experience, too. I'd be interested in recommendations for a brand that holds its vacuum over time. I've used dry bags a lot in kayaking and they won't keep damp out over a period of weeks, they're not intended to.
 
Last edited:
I haven't heard of the roll-up ones ... I very nearly bought some vacuum ones for packing holiday clothes to make more room in suitcases ... just in time I figured out that it might be tricky trying to bring it all back again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top