Should I Be … Vacuum Sealing the Clothes in My Carry-On?

I’m generally dismissive of viral “packing hacks.” When TikTok influencers started stuffing extra outfits into pillowcases and smugly strolling onto the plane, I decided the risk of being humiliated by a suspicious flight attendant was too high. As for the trend of wearing fishermen’s vests with pockets full of toiletries and socks, I’ve never really been able to pull off sleeveless outerwear, and economy class is uncomfortable enough without getting poked in the ribs with a toothbrush.

Then I started getting nonstop targeted ads for the Airback, a carry-on travel backpack that can be vacuum sealed to remove air pockets. The brand claims that this compression system increases the bag’s capacity by 50 percent, to the equivalent of 48 liters. This seemed more efficient than lugging around a pillowcase full of jeans, so I placed an order.

The Airback looks surprisingly normal. Similar to a Patagonia Mini MLC (and about the same size — you could slide it over the handle of a suitcase), it unzips around the sides to reveal a deep compartment that clothes can be neatly folded into. Once packed, this compartment seals up with an industrial-strength zipper, and you suck air out from a one-way valve that resembles what you’d find on an air mattress. The brand sells its own USB-C-rechargeable mini vacuum device for $123, but a household vacuum cleaner works, too.

Watching my bubble of clothes condense into a hard lumpy brick was immensely satisfying, and only took around 20 seconds. It absolutely enabled me to fit much more into the bag than I would have otherwise: an extra pair of shoes, larger toiletry bag, fourth pair of jeans, and bulkier sweater. The mini-vacuum was simple to use, and crucially small enough to take on the road.

My lump of clothes.

Even without using the vacuum-seal feature, the Airback rivals many of the high-end travel backpacks that I’ve reviewed in the past. The fabric is sturdy and waterproof, there’s a laptop sleeve and water-bottle holder, and a big useful front pocket that can fit a pair of over-ear headphones as well as keys and a wallet. It’s comfortable enough to wear, although I wouldn’t take it hiking.

When traveling, the question is often not whether you can pack more clothes but whether you should. The Airback fits a lot of extra stuff given the chance, but the result is a far heavier bag than normal. (An integrated scale on the handle does at least reveal how much you’ve surpassed the carry-on weight limit before an airline employee does.) If you were always going to overpack anyway, though, this is a clever way to do it.

I should mention that in the midst of this testing process, during which I considered the concept of sucking air out of your T-shirts to be kind of extreme and insane, Strategist senior editor Crystal Martin casually revealed that she regularly vacuum seals her carry-on for regional trips to the Hamptons and Martha’s Vineyard. “I can probably double the amount of things I can take,” she told me. “Clothes only, though — shoes still pose a significant issue.”

Rather than an Airback, Martin uses standard vacuum-storage bags and places them in her usual carry-on suitcase. She estimates it makes her luggage about a third heavier, and the clothing also comes out “tremendously wrinkled” on the other side. Neither issue is a deal-breaker: “I’m going to iron those clothes anyway.”

When I asked travel agents Travel Fly Sexy co-hosts Jasmine Anderson and Natasha Wilson for their packing tips, they suggested using small space-saver bags that don’t require a vacuum and are “like Ziplocs for clothes.” As Wilson explains, “Several of them can fit inside packing cubes — so you can organize your outfits but keep them all in one cube.”

Compression packing cubes like these ones will also free up a lot of space. Bagsmart’s ones have mesh panels and an ID tag to help you keep track of where you’ve packed what. I also like that they have handles that can be slung over a carry-on, or be used to pull the bag easily from your luggage.

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