We’ve all been there: sitting on the case to try to zip it closed when you are coming home from your two-week holiday. And some of us have experienced the slight feeling of dread upon spotting a familiar sock or shoe on the baggage carousel at the other end, the first hint that your underwear and holiday clothes are doing laps in front of your fellow travellers because the zip has finally given out.
Or maybe you haven’t, and you’re just an efficient packer. For the rest of us, there are solutions. Pacum is a portable multifunctional vacuum, which to be honest wouldn’t usually get my attention. But it is designed to be thrown in your suitcase and, along with a vacuum bag, can help you master the space in your luggage. No more sitting on the case to close it, and no more stray items falling off the belt at your final destination.
The handheld Pacum comes with its own storage bag and a couple of add-ons that ensure it will be compatible with a range of bags and items. Vacuum packing your clothes? Got it covered. Vacuum storage bags for food? Covered. The bonus? You can use it to inflate or deflate the various armbands, floating rings and giant inflatable unicorns you bring to the pool on holiday, with little or no effort from you. There are three buttons: one to inflate objects, an eco mode for vacuum packing your items, and a super mode that will automatically stop when the vacuuming is complete.
There is even an adapter that will make it work with a football or basketball, thus neatly covering all your requirements. Or mine, at least.
You do have to make sure that the adapters are tightly fitted, or else you will end up sitting there for a long time with very little pay off.
One caveat: there is no rechargeable battery so it needs to be plugged in to a 5v/2A power source, which can be a wall socket or mobile charger. It also uses a USB C cable, which most phones are moving to these days.
What it won’t do is help with the weight allowances. Also, we can’t be responsible for airport security’s reaction to your vacuum-packed clothes.
