I wasn't able to come up with a relevant thread by searching. Has there been a discussion of vacuum-sealing here?

Specifically I'm wondering if there are known good (/bad) machines or bags to use. Has anyone found a combo that allows them to just cut open a pack, add boiling water, and replace in a cozy? (Safely -- i.e. no toxic outgassing from the plastic...)

Any experiences would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
Brian

I'm also curious about products anyone has used, I used to climb with a guy who vacuum bagged a pair of gloves,socks, and a down sweater but never asked how he did it...

I have a Food saver vacuum packing machine.
I have actually had it about as long as I have been backpacking.

The bags are tough. I have prepared food a couple ways with them. one is to pour boiling water into the bag with noodles or dehydrated food, to rehydrate.
the other which I do rarely while backpacking, because it is for solid, non dehydrated, heavy food. but it works for car camping quite well, is to put the bag still closed into a pot of boiling water, this will cook steak, turkey, mashed potatoes, corn. So these bags can either cook, or rehydrate food.

Edited by ryanf on 06/14/2006 19:33:17 MDT.

Brian, read this thread:

http://forums.backpacker.com/thread.jspa?threadID=84880&tstart=25

What he found is really neat, and you can basically make your own bags at home, that reseal :-)

Sarah

I also meant to add that Food Vac bags are food grade, and are designed to hold boiling water, and to also be put in boiling water.
The above link I posted, the bags used in it are of food grade also.

Thanks so much Sarah; that's exactly what I was looking for. I can't wait to try one of these units out!

Brian

Note that Ryan Jordan is using vacuum packing for all his food (42 pounds of it) on the Arctic 1000.

He'd better not lose that pocket knife!

Edited by phageghost on 06/16/2006 12:39:54 MDT.