Syxtidy 3 Pack 90585 Foam Sleeve VF2001 Foam Replacements Filters For Wet Dry Vacuum Cleaner, Fits Most Shop-Vac, Vacmaster & Genie Shop Vacuum Cleaner, Replace Parts # 9058500

Why I picked up these foam sleeves

My wet/dry vacs do a lot of heavy lifting—garage cleanups, jobsite slurry, the occasional flooded basement corner. That means I go through foam sleeves faster than I’d like, and I prefer to keep a few on hand so I’m not drying a filthy filter mid-project. I picked up the Syxtidy foam sleeves (the VF2001/Type R pattern) as a 3-pack to see if they could stand in for OEM parts on my Vacmaster 12-gallon and an older Shop-Vac unit I keep in the shed.

What you get and how they’re built

This is a three-pack of foam sleeves intended for the common Type R/VF2001 filter cage used on many 5–16 gallon wet/dry vacuums from Shop-Vac, Vacmaster, and Genie. Each sleeve is an open-cell foam “sock” that stretches over the plastic filter cage inside the drum. These are washable and reusable; there’s no rigid core, no clamps, and no tools required.

A small but important design note: the sleeves are open at both ends. Some OEM foam sleeves are closed (cup style) on one end. If your vacuum shipped with a closed-end sleeve, this open-ended design still works on the filter cage in most cases, provided the fit is snug around the intake side. On my Vacmaster, the foam seated tightly enough to seal around the intake. On the older Shop-Vac, I had to pay a bit more attention to how it sat on the cage, but it sealed fine.

The foam density is in the expected middle ground: porous enough to maintain airflow for wet pickup, thick enough to keep splash and debris from hitting the motor intake. Stitching and seam bonding are clean, with no stray glue globs or thin spots in the samples I received.

Installation and fit

Installation is straightforward:
- Remove the drum lid and pop off the old sleeve.
- Slide the new sleeve over the filter cage, working from one end and rolling it down evenly.
- Align the seam so it sits flat and doesn’t wrinkle over the intake opening.
- Tug the ends to make sure they sit flush and aren’t bunched.

On the Vacmaster 12-gallon, the fit was snug but not overly tight—exactly what I want to keep the sleeve from shifting during use. On the Shop-Vac, which has a slightly different cage geometry, it took an extra moment to seat the sleeve so the foam covered the intake evenly. Once in place, it held without additional bands or clips.

If your vacuum is on the smaller end or uses a nonstandard cage, double-check dimensions. The sleeves are designed for the common Type R/VF2001 size; compact or proprietary cages may be too small or too large to get the right tension.

Wet pickup performance

The sleeves do the job you buy them for: protect the motor during wet pickup without choking airflow. I used them to suck up a few gallons of dirty water mixed with fine silt from a tile saw, then a bucket of wash water after a drywall compound cleanup. Suction stayed consistent across the canister fill. The foam blocked splashback and kept the motor intake clean, with no burping or bypass.

Compared to OEM foam sleeves I’ve used, airflow felt effectively identical. The foam neither tore nor stretched out of shape when saturated. After dumping the drum, the sleeves wrung out with a gentle squeeze and didn’t leave grit embedded deep in the pores, which helps with longevity.

A reminder for anyone new to foam sleeves: these are for wet use and for capturing coarse debris. They’re not fine filters. For dry pickup—especially fine dust, ash, or drywall powder—pair your vacuum with a cartridge filter and a collection bag. Using foam alone for dry fine dust will choke the foam and pass too much particulate.

Cleaning and reusability

Rinsing out the sleeves was fuss-free. I flushed each one under a utility sink sprayer until the water ran clear, then left them to air dry overnight. The foam kept its shape and elasticity after multiple cleanings. I didn’t see splitting at the seam or crumbling at the edges.

A couple of care tips that helped:
- Don’t wring or twist aggressively; squeeze-push water out along the length.
- Let them air dry completely before storing or reinstalling. Damp foam can mildew inside a closed drum.
- If you need a fast turnaround, keep one sleeve drying while another is in the vac—this is where the 3-pack shines.

After four rinse cycles on one sleeve, I noticed minor surface pilling but no performance impact. At this price point, that’s acceptable wear.

Durability and build quality

Foam density and seam quality are the two make-or-break details with sleeves like these. The Syxtidy sleeves feel solid for the category: the foam isn’t overly brittle, and the seam bonding didn’t lift after stretching on and off different cages. I pulled one sleeve off wet (not ideal) to simulate a rushed jobsite swap; it didn’t tear or permanently elongate.

There’s no retention band or plastic clip included, but the fit was snug enough not to need one on the cages I tried. If your cage is slightly undersized, you might want to use the OEM retention ring if your model includes it.

Compatibility caveats

While these are marketed as compatible with most 5–16 gallon Shop-Vac, Vacmaster, and Genie units that use the Type R/VF2001 cage, there are a few practical considerations from my testing and measuring:
- If your original sleeve was the closed cup style, this open-ended design can still work, but placement matters. Make sure the intake side is fully covered and that the foam isn’t bunched.
- Some compact or older models use smaller-diameter cages. If the sleeve is too tight, it may be difficult to seat flat; too loose, and it could shift during use.
- These won’t replace cartridge filters for dry work. Think of them as a wet-use essential and a coarse pre-filter, not a universal solution.

If you’re unsure, measure your cage diameter and height and compare to a standard Type R/VF2001 sleeve spec. A quick check can save you a return.

Value

The value proposition is straightforward: three reusable sleeves for less than the price of two OEMs, with performance that meets the use case. For anyone who does routine wet pickup or wants to rotate sleeves while one dries, having a 3-pack on the shelf is genuinely useful. The wash-and-reuse cycle held up in my tests, which makes the per-use cost very low.

What I liked

• Solid airflow and splash protection during wet pickup
• Snug, tool-free installation on standard Type R/VF2001 cages
• Washable and reusable; dries back to shape without deforming
• Three-pack makes rotation practical and reduces downtime
• Price is compelling versus OEM

What could be better

• Open-ended design may feel less “OEM” if your vacuum shipped with a closed cup sleeve
• Fit can be fussy on nonstandard or smaller cages
• No retention ring included for models that expect one
• Packaging lacks clear dimension guidance; a sizing chart would help

Practical tips for best results

• Confirm your cage type (Type R/VF2001) and measure if you have an older or compact model.
• For wet jobs, run foam sleeves alone; for dry jobs, switch to a cartridge filter and bag.
• Rinse after messy pickups and let the foam air dry completely before reinstalling.
• Keep a spare sleeve drying to avoid downtime mid-project.

Final take

The Syxtidy foam sleeves did exactly what I needed them to do: protect the motor during wet pickup, maintain suction, and clean up easily so they’re ready for the next round. Build quality is on par with the category, and the three-pack format is genuinely convenient for anyone who uses a wet/dry vac regularly.

I recommend these sleeves for owners of Shop-Vac, Vacmaster, and Genie units that use the Type R/VF2001 cage, especially if you’re primarily tackling wet jobs and want a reliable, economical stash of replacements. If your vacuum requires a closed-end “cup” sleeve or uses a notably smaller or proprietary filter cage, confirm dimensions first. For the broad slice of standard 5–16 gallon units, these are a practical, cost-effective choice that deliver the performance I expect without the OEM price tag.