Nite Ize Made a Toothless Zipper for its Vacuum-Sealed Travel Bags

You can make a bag as water-resistant as you like, but liquids can still get through a conventional metal or plastic zipper. That’s the problem outdoor supplier Nite Ize set to solve with its new RunOff bags.

Nite Ize had to engineer a completely new approach to zippers, tossing out a century or two of convention to make a seal with sides that grip each other at every millimeter. When the “TRU Zip” head docks into the depression at the far end, the soft bag is absolutely airtight: putting a solid hundred pounds of force on the top didn’t produce so much as a squeak.

The company is aiming to attract general travelers, as the bags are ideal for keeping liquids from leaking out of shaving kits and makeup bags. They’re also good for on-the-fly waterproof inserts, handy for keeping a damp bathing suit from coating the inside of your backpack with moisture. Outdoor and camping enthusiasts, or anyone who gets unpredictably soaked, could find some uses too.

The RunOff bags aren’t without trade-offs: they take significantly more force than a regular bag to close, enough that small children or those with arthritis might not be able to close them fully. But with bags from the size of a wallet up to around eighteen inches square, you should be able to find one for plenty of applications. Prices range from $25-55 based on size, and they’ll hit retail shelves immediately.