Good/bad vacuum storage bags

[Fi&Pete]

Hi
I see in the forum that it is ok to use vacuum bags to save space both in luggage and in freight and I was wondering if anybody had any recommendations. I've had a look at the various ones on the internet and the reviews are mixed on all of them.
So, have any been a complete disaster? Are there any that are so good you are still using them?
I've got a load of sorting/throwing out and possible vacuum packing in the summer holidays and I would really appreciate some help in finding a reliable bag.
Thanks,
Fi

[Ana&Steve]

I have the "Space Bag" brand and they work pretty well. I've had a few fail, always at the top seal. Otherwise, they work just as advertised.

[Georgebulldog]

I got some from E Bay really cheap & they work just fine, I suppose it depends on how often you plan on re-sealing them
Just remember that the clothes weigh the same even when squashed down, well that's what someone told me, or am I bit dumb thinking that they may have weighed less when vacumed down?
Anyway we are now using them for seasonal duvets out here & have been great, suppose I should check them after a few months though to make sure they are still vacume packed

[Duncan74]

Argos ones for us. Seemed pretty good, only one ripped.

[PonyGirl]

I give them 2 thumbs up! We used the Space Bags brand as well, which we purchased in the US. Weight is key to remember when packing suitcases for flights because the airlines will be quick to sting you for overages, but if you're prepared to pay, then the bags will free up some space. I did this with one of my bags when we made the trip down to NZ. We also used heaps of them packing our boxes to ship down here and saved tons of space that way, I think we fit an extra 1/3 or so per box by using the bags. We did have the odd one that had a bad seal on top, but everything was all good when it arrived!

[April]

We used about 24 Space Bags and left them filled and sealed in the spare room for about 2 weeks prior to the shippers arriving, just to test them out. On moving day they were all still sealed. Fingers crossed at the other end.

Ps. I did use about 4 other cheaper brands at the same time, which all failed within a few days.

[KatieBen]

We got the cheapest we could find on eBay (only planning on using them the once) and they were fine. Clothes don't weigh less when vacuum packed but you can fit more of them into one case (we had our luggage allowance pretty much up to the .5kg for each case and in some cases a few hundred grams over - we got away with it!).

Everything arrived as vacuum sealed as when we packed it - have no idea where the bags are now though so don't know if they're good for more than one trip.

[mooncalf]

Make sure you get the ones that have the one way valves...so when you suck the air out it doenst go back in...we got a couple of different types some had the valves and the others didnt. the ones that did we still using

[Fi&Pete]

Thanks for all your input. I've ordered them now, I went for space bags in the end. Now to start chucking stuff out without my daughter noticing!