Compression Sacks/Bags?

I usually travel to Europe in the colder months and I always use them. They free up a lot of room. Regular zip-lock bags won't work because it is difficult to squeeze out the excess air without one-way valves. The down-side is that they cause wrinkles in thinner clothes.

For bulky winter clothing, compression bags are very useful. They will definitely free up room in your luggage, they do work and IMO are worth it. Some folks are gonna tell you to simply buy large "regular" zip lock type bags, because they are cheaper. But my experience is that the actual travel compression bags are worth the extra money. They have one-way valves in them that make them more effective than the zip-locks.

I haven't, but I have friends who go skiing and the like and swear by them. They certainly do compress more than regular ziplocks, though I try to include ziplocks in my pack just because they can come in handy in a variety of ways!

Since I need more organization rather than compression, I'm using packing cubes for my trip over the summer. But when I travel somewhere cold in the winter, I always carry the heavy coat and utilize the pockets ;) It can be a pain to squish it down once on the plane, though. I usually end up using it as a lap blanket.

compression bags work great but leave clothes wrinkled. So I wouldn't use them for shirts but do for sweaters, socks, underwear, etc.

For the past 5 consecutive years I have traveled in Nov/Dec. I wear long sleeved thermal shirts with a long sleeve top layer hoodie or sweater. For pants, I stick with jeans. Compression bags are a must for the clothes that I bring. Compression bags have saved me so much room for souvenirs. I tried to get my cousin to do compression bags for her travels to Vietnam and Thailand, but she wore shorts, skirts and swimsuits. She said they did not work well for her. For winter gear, compression bags are a must because you are bringing more clothes than usual, just to layer. I wear a North Face coat for winter runners. It is thin, lite and keeps the wind out.
Not only do I use compression bags, I then stuff them into eagle creek packing cubes too, for maximal bag organization. I would not have it any other way.

They're also great for shoving your dirty clothes into at the end of a trip. No problems if they're wrinkled, and you know which ones you have to wash vs. what's actually still clean.

Compression bags are great! I use them for sweaters, shirts and eventually laundry. You'll be surprised how much room they save. Money-wise: Don't forget that you can use them over and over again. They're even good for storing winter clothes in your home.

They are definitely worth it. One thing to remember is to make sure there is still room in your suitcase after you have packed everything, including the coats in compression bags. That way you have room for souvenirs and such.

We always use compression bags but you do have to be careful not to overpack and get over weight limits with them. To combat issues with wrinkled clothing, we take a 3 oz bottle of fabric softener and an empty spray bottle. Add about two teaspoons of fabric softener to a bottle of water and spray your clothes--the wrinkles will fall out, especially with cotton. It doesn't work as well on some synthetics.

I don't buy the "name brand" compression bags, I just use the extra large Ziploc brand bags. They are cheaper and they are very sturdy. Found them in the laundry section of my store- not by the smaller sandwich bags. Hefty brand also comes in huge sized and has a slide lock. I slide it 3/4 of the way, then lay on it on top of the bed to squish out the rest of the air. It's a real sight, but it works!

Thanks for all your great comments and suggestions! I'll probably end up with a combination of compression bags and ziploc bags. I can't wait to put my "packing light" skills to the test! :)