Hey, it's Rebecca from Pack Hacker here.
And in this video, we're going to be taking a look
at this Scrubba Wash Bag -
an innovative piece of travel gear that's
designed to give you clean clothes anywhere.
And who doesn't want that?
Here at Pack Hacker we do reviews on packs
and travel gear just like this all the time.
So, if you're new here, consider subscribing.
We've been testing this Scrubba Wash Bag
for just over a month now, and it's come with us
on various trips over the UK.
So let's jump into the review.
[upbeat music playing]
From first glance, you could be fooled into thinking
that this is an ordinary dry bag.
Which does make sense because it can
actually be used as one if need be.
But taking a closer look you'll find instructions
on how to wash your cloths on the outside.
Which is super helpful and should clear up exactly
what this thing is designed for.
Additionally there is a large Scrubba logo on the front
and a smaller logo on the roll-top tape.
When it comes to color choices, we went for the green.
Now this is a bold choice, but it does stand out very well
in your pack and to be honest, we really dig it.
Alternatively, there is a black version too,
for people who prefer to be a bit more inconspicuous.
And Scrubba also makes a Tactical Wash Bag
that was designed in consultation with a former
Australian SAS Team Leader -
which according to them is perfect for military,
outdoor adventurers, disaster relief,
zombie preppers and super heroes!
While we can't imagine Captain America or The Hulk
using the Scrubba Wash Bag,
we will certainly be keeping an eye out
in the upcoming Avengers films.
But this is ideal for the military with it's extra large
valve and the brown color.
Now getting into the materials -
the Scrubba Wash Bag is made from 40D Nylon
with a TPU Coating.
Now you've probably come across nylon before.
It's a commonly used fabric which is regarded
for it's durability whilst remaining thin and flexible.
And the 40D part refers to it's denier,
which is a unit of textile measurement.
In our testing we found 40D to provide a great balance
of strength and lightness, so all good here.
Finally, the TPU coating on this thing makes it waterproof.
Which is pretty important.
Increases strength and helps with abrasion resistance too.
We have found that these materials do give the
Scrubba Wash Bag a slightly crinkly and plasticky feel.
But it's clear to see that Scrubba thought long and hard
about these materials and everything
has come together really well.
The Scrubba Wash Bag is purpose built for travel,
where as we all know space and weight are at a premium.
Fortunately, this thing weighs in at a mere five ounces
and can be rolled up or folded easily to save space.
And adding to it's benefits for travel,
The Scrubba Wash Bag can also double up as dry bag.
And versatile products that have
multiple uses are always great.
Now washing your clothes in this thing is a straight-forward
process, but it is not foolproof as we found out
when we left the valve open during the scrubbing process.
You know when you spill a small glass of water
and then all of a sudden it's like
10 liters of water are everywhere?
It wasn't pretty! Luckily for you,
that's why we do the testing
so that you don't make the same mistakes.
So without further ado,
let's dive into the six steps that are
conveniently placed on the bag, should you ever forget.
Step One - fill with clothes, water and soap.
How well, quick and efficient the Scrubba Wash Bag
washes your clothes will depend on how many items you put in.
We found that two t-shirts, two pairs of underwear
and two pairs of socks to be the perfect combination.
Anything more and you increase the chance of overfilling
this thing, which does mean that your
clothes may not be as clean as what you'd like them to be.
And the Scrubba Wash Bag can also be used for those
thicker and heavier items
but it may take a few washes to get them clean.
Now the water.
When you are putting the water in,
it needs to be warm and not too hot.
Now the rule of thumb to follow is -
if it's too hot for your hands, it's too hot for Scrubba.
If you're out in the wilderness
or perhaps staying in a dodgy hostel
and don't have any access to warm water,
then you can use cold water,
but we do recommend that you do
an extra minute of scrubbing.
The amount of water necessary depends on how many
clothes you have inside.
Thankfully there's a useful guide on the front
of the Wash Bag that can be used in
conjunction with this see-through panel.
Now it's time to put your soap in -
a specific clothes-washing liquid will work best here.
Solid detergents can also be used,
but it may take a little bit longer
to make your water nice and soapy.
And if you're in a pinch - body wash, shampoo, hand wash -
they can also be used, but it won't give as deep of cleanse.
Step Two - roll down and clip.
Now this is an important step that you
want to make sure that you're doing properly.
Otherwise, you'll have water everywhere.
Make sure you roll the top down nice and tight
and clip the buckle in.
We recommend giving the buckle a quick pull too,
just to double check.
Step Three - deflate using the valve.
The valve on the front works by twisting,
and it's easy to tell when it's opened or closed.
Left to open and right to close.
For this step you'll want to open it slightly
and push down on the bag to release some air.
Make sure to close the valve after doing this
because water WILL come out when
you start scrubbing if you don't.
Step Four - rub for one to three minutes.
Push down on the top of your bag and
simply rub your clothes up and down.
The see-through panel helps with seeing exactly
what's going on.
For a few socks or t-shirts a one-minute scrub is plenty.
But we recommend for those larger items - such as pants
or sweaters - to scrub for two to three minutes.
Step Five - rinse with clean water.
Empty your dirty water out and
then fill up with a small amout of clean water.
After a little shake, you can then empty that water too.
Step Six - dry your clothes and your Scrubba.
Simply pull your clothes out of the bag
and hang them up to dry.
To speed up this process, you can press them inside a towel
quickly to soak up additional water.
And finally, turn the Scrubba Wash Bag inside out
and hang it up using the clip buckle at the top.
There we have it, nice and simple.
Now, other than being able to wash your clothes anywhere,
we found that the Scrubba Wash Bag
also has additional benefits to other washing methods too.
Using this thing is gentle on your hands when compared
to hand washing in a sink or in a bucket.
This is because your hands stay dry the entire time
and they won't get sore either because
the internal wash board does all of the hard work for you.
The Scrubba Wash Bag even has benefits
over a washing machine.
It uses far less water and no energy -
well apart from a little of your own!
It's also a lot faster when doing smaller loads
which is a huge bonus.
At the time of this review we've been testing
the Scrubba Wash Bag for just over a month now,
and it's seen plenty of use on our travels
all around the UK.
Initially we did hold some doubts over its durability,
but this thing has proven us wrong.
The craftsmanship is impressive and the materials
have proven themselves.
In testing, we did find that it takes a little bit of time
to master the washing process - but it is straight forward
and eventually everyone will get the hang of it.
While we thoroughly enjoyed putting this thing to the test,
we did find that after washing
it leaves your clothes soaking wet.
This is understandable - especially
compared to a washing machine with a spin cycle.
But it did mean that we had to wring out our clothes
before we were able to hang them up to dry.
So hopefully Scrubba's next product
will be a portable laundry dryer.
Now how beneficial this is to you
depends heavily on your travel style.
If you're staying in luxury hotels or Airbnb's
with a washing machine,
then you may not need the Scrubba
and you can opt to save space in your pack.
However if you're staying in hostels
or adventuring in remote locations,
the Scrubba Wash Bag can be a game changer.
Moving onto the Pros and Cons.
This thing can clean your clothes anywhere,
as long as you have access to water.
It uses minimal water and is kind on your hands too.
And it's light-weight and compressible,
so it won't take up much room inside your pack.
Now on to the Cons.
You can only wash small loads at a time.
You have to wash bulkier items -
like sweaters - twice for a good clean.
And it will leave your clothes pretty wet after washing.
So you will need to wring them out
or dry them with a towel.
While this is a pain that the Scrubba can only wash
a certain amount of clothes at one time,
and it's not perfect for bulkier items,
we've been impressed with it's packability,
durability and benefits over alternative washing methods.
If you struggle to find a launderette on the road
or tired of washing your clothes in the sink,
the Scrubba Wash Bag is a simple
and impressively practical solution.
Thanks for taking a look at our review
of the Scrubba Wash Bag.
We'd love you to leave us a comment below
and let us know what you think of this thing.
And as ever, head over to packhacker.com/newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and never miss an update.
Thanks for checking this one out.
We'll see you in the next one.
Commonly...la la la. Common...
It's a commona....
let's dri-- Drive?
You've probably come across Nylon before...
- [Camera Man] Brilliant.
(laughing)
The End.