We Tried It: Vacpack Vacuum-Sealed Carry-On Backpack
It's true that the bag that's gone viral could save you airline baggage fees if you pack it carefully and are willing to haul it on your back for extended periods. But there are drawbacks, as we found in our tests.
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It seems like everyone with a plane ticket and TikTok account is posting about the Vacpack, a backpack that features a vacuum compression compartment that’s supposed to allow you to pack up to five times more items than a regular backpack.
The videos show travelers loading countless articles of clothing into their Vacpack, using a pump to suck out air from the compartment, adding even more clothing and accessories on top of the compartment and in the Vacpack’s pockets, and sneaking past airline security workers with what looks to like the heaviest carry-on luggage ever known.
How the Vacpack Works
The Vacpack has three zippered compartments. The front one opens up entirely, making it easy to fill. It features a roomy pocket on the right side that’s perfect for shoes, two smaller pockets for accessories, and a smaller zippered compartment on the left. The compression action occurs in the center compartment, which opens up entirely.
The right side of the center compression compartment features a zippered compression bag with a valve. Pulling down the zipper takes a little strength, and you have to keep one hand on a hook above it while unzipping with your other hand. Once you fill this bag with the clothes you want to take, you zip it up and use the Vacpack pump to compress it via the valve (more about that in a minute). The bag should shrink down considerably so that you can place additional clothing on top. The left side of this center compartment has another roomy zippered pocket and two smaller, separated mesh pockets.
The first time we tested the Vacpack, we used a regular vacuum attachment because a vital piece didn't arrive until later. But when the "pocket vacuum" arrived, we found that it compressed clothing as promised.
In this video, I’m using a vacuum cleaner and not the Vacpack pump (which the company calls a “pocket vacuum”). That’s because when I purchased the backpack, the pocket vacuum was sold separately. (The price for just the pump at the time was $9.99.) We mistakenly didn’t buy it, so I emailed Vacpack to ask if I could purchase one. A representative directed me to the Vacpack website, where I could buy it. When I responded that there was no link to purchase the pump separately, I was instructed to add the “bundle” (Vacpack and pocket vacuum) to my cart, then go to the cart and click on the trash can icon next to the backpack to remove it, which would allow me to purchase just the pocket vacuum. Now there’s a direct link for purchasing the pocket vacuum, but it’s not listed on the Vacpack site; you have to search for “pocket vacuum.”
I received it 12 days later. My immediate reaction was that the pocket vacuum wasn’t small. It measures about 4 inches in length and width, and it’s bulky. It comes with various nozzle accessories and a USB charging cable, which you’ll have to pack with you. The pocket vacuum weighs only 11 ounces, and it’s about the size of a can of beans.
Photo: Lisa Fogarty/Consumer Reports Photo: Lisa Fogarty/Consumer Reports
You have to charge the pocket vacuum for 6 hours before using it, and then choose the suitable nozzle to connect it to the inflation port. Hold down a button for 2 seconds, and the vacuum pocket compresses the bag. Deflation also requires choosing a suitable nozzle, connecting it to the deflation port, and pressing a button. These steps weren’t difficult, and the pocket vacuum worked, but they all added an extra layer of preparation for a trip, and I wasn’t wild about the added bulk the pocket vacuum took up in the luggage. We didn’t test how long it can hold a charge, but I would also be concerned about packing to leave for my destination and finding out that the pocket vacuum wasn’t charged enough to work.
The pocket vacuum did a good job compressing our garments.
The third compartment at the back of the Vacpack also has a zipper, but it doesn’t go down all the way. It features a pocket for your laptop and three smaller pockets. Two side pockets can be expanded by pulling down on zippers and are ideal for water bottles, and a front zippered pocket looks like a good place to store snacks and your keys or phone. There’s even a tiny secret zippered pocket on the very back of it. In other words, you won’t be pressed for places to stash items.
The Vacpack has a TSA lock on one side and four buckles that snap into place to secure the compartments. A fifth buckle is attached to its padded handles to make it more secure on your back.
Where to Buy
Shop for the Vacpack and its accessories at Vacpack.com.
Vacpack Cons
I prefer to discuss a product’s pros first in a glass-half-full way, but airlines have become merciless with ancillary fees for things like oversized baggage, so this isn’t the time to be kind and gentle.
