I've started experimenting with vacuum sealing infrequently used gear I carry in my man-bag. For example, vacuum sealing turns my first kit, which mainly consists of tape and medications, into a surprisingly slim and durable package:
By cutting a small notch in the sealed edge of the bag, I hoped to make the kit easy to open:
In the past, I've avoided vacuum sealing kits because I was wary of how inconvenient it would be once the seal was broken.
This past weekend, I got to find out if my concerns were justified. We were coming back from a remote'ish hike and Shira needed some migraine meds out of the kit. I was able to tear open the pouch and get to them with ease. Score one for the pre-cut notch. But then I found myself with a new issue.
After tearing open the package, I ended up with a shallow bag filled with lots of fiddly bits. I had to be careful that they didn't spill out.
The solution, which astute readers will notice from the photo above, is that I now include a Ziploc bag in the vacuum sealed kit. The idea: once the kit has been torn open, I can put the contents in the baggie. The Ziploc weighs nothing and disappears in the vacuum sealed package. Yet, next time I deploy the kit, I'll be glad to know it's there.
It looks like vacuum sealing infrequently used gear is a definite win.
For those keeping track, this is an excellent example of the second P in my 3 P's of gear selection.
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