I was wondering if anyone has used a vacuum bag sealing machine for any type of food for backpacking, and what do they think of them?
LIDL stores will be selling them on Thursday for £10 each and 2p per bag, which sounds like something worth giving a go, for that price.
Who thinks it will be useful, or simply end up at the back of the cupboard alongside my Ronco Buttoneer and Rolf Harris Stylophone?

Well we just use ordinary zip and seal bags. They've never let me down.

Do you still play 'K-Tel's 20 dynamic hits'???

My mum's got one of those things...I'll have to borrow it and let you know...


But like Jeannie say's Zip-Lock bags RULE! They saved my Digital Camera from a drenching this last weekend!

ta for the tip off Tony
It's a gadget I've been thinking of for a while, I'll be off to my lidl on friday

My thoughts exactly Neil (thanks Tony!).

I've never used one because I've never seen one at such a reasonable price, but the Merkins love them, so check the food forum on www.backpacking.net or the food preserving groups (yes, really!) on Yahoo.

I too use ziploc bags, but what I am wondering about is whether or not vacuum packed food is worth doing for 5 (or more) day backpacks. It might just make it worthwhile to take 'real' food on my trips, as oppose to eating rehydrated sawdust.

Neil, I'd get there on 'bargain day' if I was you, and early, as these shops seem to sell out very quickly. Thursday is bargain day here oop northeast.

Jeannie, you're right, I do still play my K-TEL albums, all on 33rpm. Well I did up until my stereogram broke yesterday. Btw, I take delivery of my JML ironing board cover tomorrow. Can't wait.

Joan, I seem to recall that you have dabbled with the occult that is food dehydration. What are your opinions?

Cheers.

Tony, the advantages of vacuum sealing over ziplocs are that the food stays fresh longer (indefinitely if you manage to get absolutely all the air out) and you can boil in the bag. So if you don't mind the weight, those are real pluses for a longer trip.

Dehydrated food is of course lighter, but it takes more advance preparation, and a decent dehydrator isn't cheap. Fruit seems to work best, but anything with a high water content and a low fat content is a goer. Cooked pasta works, but rice and potatoes are not too nice, and quorn and vegetables are also acceptable. Food doesn't rehydrate immediately, so you either need to add your water to your dinner after lunch, then carry it round for the afternoon, or use loads of fuel boiling it up in the evening.

just got one of the machines.
looks quite sturdy but I'll have to wait till I get home to give it a go
Hopefully it'll go with my dehydrator that I'm getting next week, then I'll be set up

for home use it appears to do the job, the vacuum pump is a little slow (but for a tenner so what) and the sealer cutter works every time to produce a neat air tight seal.
You get a roll of 'special' 'plastic foil' that you're supposed to use in the machine, I've also used the polyethelene sandwich bags ( the 'cloudy' plastic) and they work perfectly as well.
A tenner well spent
My last post till I get back off hols see you in two weeks
Neil

I have used a bag sealer for a few years now and they work very well indeed. It will also pay you to keep an eye out for those rolls of paper as they periodicaly discount them! Zip lock bags are not air tight and so when planning a long walk you need the air pumped out as the food may be languishing in a YHA or post office for a week.