The ZipVac Portable Food Storage System is marketed to outdoorsmen and women but the potential uses reach far beyond hunting and fishing boundaries. The system is composed of a handheld, portable rechargeable electric vacuum pump that plugs into any 110-volt outlet, a handheld manual pump and reusable bags that can be frozen, microwaved and even boiled.
The system works to take moisture and air away from meats, vegetables or anything else you wish to put in the bags. Beyond the obvious use of storing excess meat from a hunting or fishing trip in the freezer, the system can be utilized to store dry goods away from moisture and even to protect valuables while in the woods or on the water.
Traditional food vacuum sealers are expensive, bulky machines that utilize heat to seal open-ended bags. The biggest downside to using these traditional appliances is the fact that once you start them in the sealing process, you can’t stop them. Another downside is the bags are good for only one use.
The beauty of the ZipVac system is its simplicity: put the contents into a bag and seal it, open the valve on the bag, attach either of the pumps, suck out as much air as you want and then close the valve. The best part is if you don’t like the results, you simply open up the bag and start over. Because the system is so portable, it also is perfect for taking along to a hunting and fishing camp or on other excursions such as backcountry camping.
ZipVac starter kits, which include the pumps, two one gallon-size bags and three one quart-size bags, are available online, in stores and in catalogs. Additional bags, including jumbo bags and fillet bags, also are available at the same retailers. The suggested retail price for the starter kit is $39.99 but it currently is available online for $29.99.
Ziploc also has gotten into the vacuum bag game, offering a variety of sizes at your local grocery store, including H-E-Bs across Texas and at Walmart. Those bags also work with the ZipVac pumps.
