If you’ve read my travel tips piece “Things That Go Bite In The Night” – you know about my bed bug paranoia. After throwing out luggage and obsessively washing my clothes for fear of bringing bed bugs into my apartment, I knew somewhere there was an alternative. Enter BugZip. I first  came across the product by searching bed bugs on YouTube (I was intensely inspecting a bedroom invader with a microscope and was looking for detailed pictures for comparison – like I said, I’m neurotic about these little buggers).

BugZip is luggage encasement meant to easily “encase” your luggage to ward off any bugs (bed bugs or other) from snuggling in the cracks and crevices of your luggage.

BugZip comes in 4 sizes – large, medium, garment bag, and drawer liner. Each size comes nicely packaged so it doesn’t take up more room in your luggage than a folded button-down shirt.

The medium-size is 30 x 20 x 15 inches and generously fits a carryon case. Since there was so much room, I also zipped in my makeup bag, my purse, and my laptop case. I found the case easy to open and close.

The zipper grips tight, locking out spills (yes, I dumped water all over it). The BugZip does really smells like plastic and I found it a bit nauseating at first (I ended up spritzing body spray before opening and closing).

This isn’t a huge turn-off because the smell eventually wears off. Each encasement ranges in price from $14.99 to $24.99 and considering ridding your home of a bed bug invasion could cost thousandsthis cost seems worth it.

BugZip recommends using each case only once and I understand why – they aren’t easily folded back up and I could see were repeat used can decrease effectiveness.

But for the frequent traveler, the budget-minded traveler, or even the business traveler, the cost per bag for a single use could add up quickly.Sustainability is a hot topic and for good reason. I’d personally like to see BugZip come out with a multiple-use bug-resisting product. But, BugZip is recyclable and can be dropped off at any recycling plant that accepts #3 vinyl plastic. I also found other uses for the used BugZip - right now the large case is the new home to my winter sweaters and zipped-tight underneath my bed.

BugZip
Zip tight.Don’t bring the bed bugs home.
To order go to BugZip.com

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Shanna Quinn is a Galavanting contributing editor and based in Chicago, IL. She likes lattes, going barefoot, when public transit is on time (not that it happens…ever) and of course traveling! You can follow Shanna on twitter. 

Update on Friday, August 7, 2009 at 2:03PM by Shanna Quinn

BugZip contacted me to clarify why BugZip shouldn't be reused as is - because bed bugs and eggs could attach themselves to the outside of the bag and bringing the used encasement home could result in an infestation...exactly what you wanted to avoid.  BugZip recommends purchasing the PackTite Bed Bug Heater Unit which "kills the bed bugs and the eggs that may be hidden but is not hot enough to melt or ruin the BugZip."  You can find the PackTite Bed Bug Heater Unit here.