STNKY Bag Solves Problem of Smelly Laundry in Your Luggage

Colleen shows off the STNKY wash bag. The bag is the perfect complement for active travelers who end up with a batch of wet and smelly clothes during their adventures.

As we headed into the home stretch of another year of traveling, we discovered another new product that we insist on slipping into our suitcases for travel.

And it landed on our radar at the perfect time. With a set of expedition sailings coming up, we were excited when the makers of the STNKY wash bag (yes, that's the correct spelling) asked us to try out this travel- and gym-bag essential.

So, we happily packed them into our luggage for voyages to the Caribbean on Crystal Cruises' luxury expedition vessel Crystal Endeavor and to Antarctica on World Navigator, an expedition ship from the new line Atlas Ocean Voyages.

Of course, we knew that both trips would generate plenty of exceptionally dirty laundry. What appealed to us about the STNKY product is that they are more than simply laundry bags: These little gems are designed to keep smelly and sweaty clothes sealed and separate from our clean (or cleaner) clothes, both in our cruise ship cabins and in our luggage for the return trip home.

Both of our voyages would put these bags to the test, as we would be enjoying active days hiking and kayaking in humid conditions in the British Virgin Islands and the Bahamas, then layering up and mingling with penguins in Antarctica (and those who know definitely know about the penguin smells!).

We took along the bags to give them a try on our end-of-year trips to the Caribbean and Antarctica.

The STNKY bags were created as a sanitary way to keep gym clothes separate from other items in your gym bag after a workout. The bags lock in sweat and germs, and they include a built-in wash net. So, you can toss the bag into the washing machine without having to touch the clothes until they are clean.

This makes them perfect for runners, gym-goers, travelers, boaters, swimmers and healthcare workers.

Colleen is a bit obsessed about keeping her dirty clothes sealed off from the rest when she travels; she usually grabs a plastic grocery bag or hotel laundry bag to do the trick. But the STNKY bag offered a more environmentally responsible option, as we continue to look for ways to reduce our use of plastic.

Additionally, these bags are much stronger than other options, and we liked that they come in multiple sizes. For our more tropical trip, the smaller size worked perfectly. But in Antarctica, where clothes are bulky and layers are a must, the large was in order.

STNKY bags feature a dual zipper system. Open the bag using the top zipper and throw in your nasty clothes. Seal it off, and the clothes are locked in so you won't smell a thing. To wash your clothes, you unzip the bottom zipper, and a mesh bag drops down. You throw the whole thing in the washer, so you don't have to touch your dirty clothes at all. 

These really did the trick for us. On our warm-weather Crystal cruise, we sweated from hiking and kayaking, spent time in the water snorkeling and generally were a bit damp the entire trip. Typically, this is a recipe for smelly luggage: Sweat and moisture breed odors. But after this cruise, we were pleasantly surprised that the bags locked in the smell -- and damp. When we opened our luggage at home, we didn't smell a thing. We tossed them in the laundry, no muss, no fuss.

In Antarctica, daily excursions ashore to wander among penguin colonies or on Zodiac boat tours in snowy conditions left us wet, sweaty and stripping off sometimes-smelly garments back in our cruise ship cabins at the end of our thrilling adventures.

The bag lets you drop down an interior mesh compartment so you can just toss it into the washing machine without touching your soiled items.

It was a relief to be able to easily shove our dirty items into the STNKY wash bag and stuff the bag into the closet and not have to worry about the smells invading our space.

You can get them in Standard (14 inches by 18 inches holding 13 liters) and XL (18 by 25 holding 26 liters) sizes. Colors available include black, forest green, gray and burgundy.

The bags are made of a quality durable material with a handy carrying handle attached. The bags held up well on our trips and we're excited that we will be able to continue to use them as part of our standard travel gear.

Thanks for reading,
JR