Ekster TravelPack Vacuum Kit Review

We’ve all been there—trying to squeeze one last T-shirt into a backpack or packing cube so we don’t have to choose between our favorites for a trip. We’re big proponents of packing a travel capsule wardrobe, but sometimes it’s just too hard to choose.

What if we told you that you didn’t have to leave anything behind? The Ekster TravelPack Vacuum Kit can help you do just that, shrinking your clothing to a more manageable size in durable nylon pouches with a handheld vacuum pump or a vacuum cleaner. That sounds too good to be true, so is it everything we hoped it would be? Let’s dive in and find out.

External Components

At its heart, the Ekster TravelPack Vacuum Kit is a really big, durable packing cube. This one doesn’t prioritize lightweight materials, though. It’s made with waterproof, anti-rip nylon that’s extremely thick. The material is more like what you’d expect from a dry bag than a packing cube.

It has hardware to match, too: the zipper running down the center of the cube has a waterproof coating, though it’s not from a brand we recognize. It clicks into a dock lock at the end and has a T-shaped plastic pull to open it. If you think that sounds like overkill, let us tell you, it’s not. You can’t open the zipper without effort, and the T shape gives you a better grasp on the pull.

There are also plastic D-rings at either end of the zipper track to give you something to hold as you pull it closed or try to open it.

There’s a bit of branding in the bottom left corner of the front. It states that you can carry 10 kg of gear in here, which is a lot more than our clothing weighs, and that it’s IPX7 water-resistant.

In the top right corner, you’ll find a circular cap. Pull it to find the hole you use with a vacuum to remove all the air from the pouch after you’ve packed and zipped it shut. You can use the cubes with any vacuum, but there’s no need to, as it comes with a portable air pump that recharges via USB-C. A cable is included in the kit as well, though you get a lot of use out of a single charge. Ekster says 15-20 uses per charge. We’ve packed and unpacked these cubes a lot and haven’t run out of power, so you probably don’t need to bring the cable unless you’re traveling for a long time and will need to unpack and repack often, or are using it for multiple cubes for your entire travel party.

You can get it in a 1-, 2-, or 4-pack, and in Standard or Plus sizes. We’re testing the Standard and fit so much into one cube that we didn’t see the need for a second. We couldn’t imagine needing four unless you’re moving overseas or want one for each family member, but you do you. The Plus isn’t likely to fit into a carry on, so it’s better suited for when you’re traveling for longer and/or checking a bag.

Inside The Packing Cube

Inside the packing cube is, frankly, the same as the outside, so let’s talk about functionality, shall we?

First, a word about the zipper: it is quite beefy—it has to be to take the force it’s under—but it’s also easy to catch on your clothing as you close it without your knowing. The first time we used this cube, we didn’t know we had caught the bottom of a T-shirt in it. You don’t feel anything catching in the zipper since it already takes so much force to close, but when we opened it, we discovered the problem—and three holes in the hem. We recommend trying your hardest to keep the zipper away from your clothing and to pack more delicate items under sturdier pieces to avoid making the same mistake.

As for the pump, it’s only 2 x 2.5 in (4.5 x 6.5 cm), so it doesn’t take up much space in your travel backpack. It’s super easy to use because the nozzle fits perfectly into the hole on the front of the cube. Open the cap, lock it in place, and press the button at the bottom of the pump to remove all the extra air from your cube. It makes a very high-pitched sound, so do your travel companion a favor and don’t use it while they’re sleeping. It only takes a moment to work.

So, how much space does it save you? That depends on what you have inside, but it definitely reduces the cube’s height. We packed the standard cube pretty full, with five tees, a long-sleeve shirt, two pairs of shorts, a swimsuit, two pairs of jeans, a sweatshirt, and five pairs of socks. It was nearly 5 inches tall before compression, and lost nearly half that height after we vacuumed it.

That’s great, right? It is, with a caveat: you don’t lose much, if any, of the length and width of the cube, even when you have less inside. So, you’re still going to have to fit a nearly 12 x 19-inch (30 x 48 cm) rectangle into your travel backpack. We find it much easier to use inside of rolling carry on luggage, though you can fit it into a large duffle or 35-40L travel backpack.

Keep in mind, though, that while you’re saving space, you are not saving weight. It’s really easy to overpack when you can fit another layer of gear, or even a second vacuum cube, into a bag that shouldn’t hold that much. You’ll want to weigh your bag if you’re flying an airline that requires your carry on to meet a certain weight, or if you have to carry your backpack far to your destination. On the other hand, if you don’t add more gear, this may just allow you to fit what you want to bring into a smaller bag, or to pack inside an expandable carry-on without engaging the expansion zipper (which often throws it over the allowable airline dimensions).