Expandable bags are nothing new — with the unzip of a zipper, you get a few more inches of packing space. Now comes Kiva’s Compressible Packing Cubes, nylon cloth bags with breathable mesh top panels that keep the contents from getting that dank and stale smell you often encounter with the self-zipping compressible plastic packing bags on the market. Just stack your stuff in the bag, zip it up, then zip up the compressing secondary zipper while pressing down on the contents. Obviously, shirts will compress more than shoes, but you will get a substantially slimmer bag that can then be packed into a carry-on or check-through piece. The compressible cubes are sold in sets of three bags: one 15- by-11.5- by-5-inch deep bag, and two bags measuring 11.5 inches by 7.75 inches, by 5 inches deep.
Set of 3 Compression Packing Cubes (item 90570), $25, or 800-770-3387.
Judi Dash, Gear & Gadgets Syndicate
