Ever wonder how astronauts wash their clothes? We hadn’t either, until we learned about this innovative new gym bag that uses the same technology.
So, how does it work? Your answer: Astronauts — and maybe you, if you throw down $239 — blast their clothes with activated oxygen, AKA 0₃, AKA ozone. The gas has disinfectant properties so effective that hospitals, dry cleaners, hotels, restaurants and professional sports teams use it to clean fabrics the same way as the bag, the Paqsule. The bag’s patent-pending technology also blasts its contents with UV LED lights, an additional layer of anti-bacterial protection.
Toss your dirty skivvies, workout gear, sports equipment, or travel clothes inside, press a button on the bag and it will do its thing — without the use of chemicals — for up to 72 hours on a single charge. Sized to meet airline carry-on dimensions, the Paqsule is a natural choice for short getaways, but its sleek look would make it right at home on any street corner or workday ensemble. Hell, you could probably take it to space and impress a few astronauts.
The bags come with a USB rechargable battery, and its cleaning capabilities are good for a whopping 17,000 cleanings total. And like any high-tech product, it’s smartphone enabled so you can activate the cleaning cycle via Paqsule’s app without even touching the bag. Keep in mind that truly offensively stinky pieces of gear like boxing gloves might take more than one cleaning cycle to de-funk, say the makers of the bag.
Offered in two different models, the Paqsule and the Paqsule Lite, available for $239 and $149, respectively, on the product Kickstarter, which has racked up more than $125,000 of its modest $25,000 goal, with three more days left in the campaign. Those prices will get you the bag at 35 percent off the eventual retail price, free shipping and a two-year warranty.
The Paqsule, available only in black, is loaded with 10 pockets, for your shoes, smartphone, laptop, keys, cards and the like, and a removable toiletry bag. The Lite version, a streamlined take on the original Paqsule with far fewer pockets, is available in camouflage, gray, and black. Both bags weight just under 4 pounds. Their dimensions are 22 inches wide, 10 inches high and 12 inches deep.
