I love traveling any time of the year and to any part of the world. There’s only one thing that has always made me so nervous before I start off my journey…the preparation part where I have to pack bags. These issues made me look for a smarter way to move around.
Enter, packing cubes.
Since I discovered these little options of fitting more luggage while still being able to keep them separate and therefore neatly, my travel-life experience changed.
Here is an illustration. I have always struggled to pack everything for the whole family in one bag. Sometimes, I have had to leave some luggage, especially when we are limited by carry-on and check-in restrictions. So, you can see how packing cubes been a dream come true. The cubes even press on clothes tightly so that they are not bulky anymore.
If you don’t know how to use packing cubes or have no idea what they are, this article is for you. We have also reviewed the best packing cubes for traveling this year.
Best Packing Cubes for Travel – Comparison Table
If you already know what packing cubes are and how they are used, jump to the comparison table. This table will help you quickly compare prices of good quality cubes to find one that will be ideal for you. The packing cubes review below will also help you know more about each particular cube.
| Packing Cube | Number of Bags | Size | Material | Our Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | S/M/L | Nylon | |||
| 5 | S/M | Nylon | |||
| 3 | S/L | Polyester | |||
| 1 | S-L | Yarn | |||
| 5 | S/M/L | Nylon | |||
| 4 | S/M/L/XL | Nylon | |||
| 3 | S/M/L | Nylon | |||
| 4 | S/M/L/XL | Nylon |
Eagle Creek Pack-It Cube Set
PRO Packing Cubes
Kiva RSK-05201 Packing Cube Set
Sea to Summit TravellingLight Garment Mesh Bag
TravelWise Packing Cube System
Shacke Pak 4 Set Packing Cubes
eBags Packing Cubes
Bagail 4 Set Packing CubesTop Rated Packing Cubes Guide
What’s a Packing Cube?
A packing cube is a zippered bag that you can use to organize your luggage especially when traveling. You can organize almost all your essentials into a packing cube. For example, you can roll up clothes into a large packing cube before putting it in a bag to maximize space.
The best packing cubes are made of lightweight material such as nylon. Some also have a mesh screen that shows what’s inside the bag.
Traveling packing cubes come in different sizes and colors. This is important as you can use different colored cubes to separate your items. The prices of packing cubes also vary. Avoid buying cheap packing cubes as they may be weak and are not durable enough for traveling.
Benefits of a Packing Cube
There are various benefits of owning travel cubes. These include:
i) They make it easy for you to share one suitcase
One way of saving both space and money is by sharing one suitcase with your companion. Although you’ll be sharing a suitcase, your items won’t get mixed up. Moreover, you’ll save money should you need to buy additional luggage on a budget airline.
ii) Keep your belongings organized using packing cubes
Using a packing cube can help you keep your items separately and in so doing, organized. This means reduced stress and time when looking through your suitcase to get something. When traveling with your family, this can be invaluable.
iii) You can pack more things with packing cubes
While most packing cubes are not necessarily compression style, it is still easier to fit more things with them than when using a bag. The best traveling packing cubes will stuff up things fuller than a bag. Moreover, they maintain the neatness of the items. You will save a lot of space when you fold things into small spaces.
iv) Maintain neatness of your clothes
With packing cubes, you stuff things and still keep your clothes wrinkle-free. There are even cubes that have a level of compression. This can help you save even more space.
v) They are reusable
Some travelers prefer using ziplock bags to packing cubes. I’m not really hating on ziplock bags but these are different things altogether. While you can use packing bags again and again with bulky items, it’s not possible to do this with ziplock bags as they are simply not designed for repeated use. Packing cubes are stronger and more durable.
vi) Easy to clean
Most packing cubes are machine-washable. Therefore, they are easy to maintain.
vii) You can convert them into a traveling pillow
You can convert your neatly packed traveling cube and use it as a pillow. All you need is to throw in a clean and fresh smelling sweater and voilà!
How to Use Packing Cubes for Travel
Some people use packing cubes to keep things neat in the bedroom. You can also use the cubes for travel. Simply separate your items according to how you want them organized, neatly fold them into the zippered bags and close the bags.
For example, if you are organizing clothes, simply separate them. Place dirty clothes in one cube, clean ones in another, and accessories in a different one, zip up all the cubes and organize them in your suitcase.
A good way of packing clothes is to roll them up. Fold the clothes into two and then roll them as tight as you can. Rolling maximizes space.
Packing for a journey using traveling cubes can be pretty addictive. After you realize how easy the cubes make everything, you won’t ever want to go back to packing in a bag with wheels, which also funnily look like the best cooler with wheels.
Best Size Packing Cubes for Traveling
What is the ideal size of a packing cube or what sizes do they come in?
Packing cubes are available as single or double packing cubes, and as small, medium or large. They travel cubes are mostly purchased in sets; a minimum of three in most cases.
The ideal size of the packing cube will depend on what you intend to use the cube for. Backpacking cubes are often smaller than those used for suitcase packing. A medium-sized cube is the best for backpacking.
The best packing cubes are sold in sets of the same or different sizes. On the other hand, cheap packing cubes come in a single size. A carry-on packing cube should be a simple, small size one.
The number of packing cubes you will need will depend on your luggage. I mostly use one cube of each size for short trips. However, there is no universal size chart guide for the cubes. For example, a large packing cube may be considered medium by another brand or extra-large by another.
You should understand these differences in sizes as it will also restrict you to the size of backpack or suitcase.
So, is it worth investing in packing cubes? Yes, packing cubes are an invaluable way of organizing your journeys.
Top 5 Best Traveling Packing Cubes
#1. TravelWise Packing Cube System
The TravelWise packing cube system is a favorite with many travelers and it’s easy to see why. The set is a total of five; 2 large, 2 medium, and 1 small cube. The cubes come in different colors.
All five cubes feature a mesh screen that show the items packed and are made of a durable material. However, the material is not as strong as that from other competitors. You may want to be a little cautious when filling things in them to prevent them from busting.
The variety and cube sizes is makes TravelWise one of the best packing cubes in the market. This is especially considering their prices. A smaller toiletries’ cube would have been perfect. However, even without it, the TravelWise cubes still make a perfect option for long stays. The quality of the material is not really a huge deal breaker.
TravelWise cubes offer more value as an organization system than for space saving since you don’t really want to stuff too many things in them.
Check Amazon Customer Reviews & Product Price
#2. PRO Packing Cubes 5 Piece Travel Cube Value Set Review
The PRO Packing cubes reviews at Amazon are mostly positive. This brand is famous for crafting quality and trendy cubes and has won the hearts of many travelers.
PRO packing cubes come in a variety of colors and sizes. In this review, I’ll mainly focus on the medium bags. The cubes are made of heavy duty nylon material and have a mesh screen.
The PRO cube set comes in 4 medium-sized cubes and one extra small cube that is perfect for toiletries. The cubes don’t come in different sizes and this may be their only shortcoming. However, the medium size is the more popular size as it’s perfect for most suitcases and carry-on luggage.
When it comes to compression, it is easier to achieve it with these cubes than other standard packing cubes. Although PRO travel cubes are not specifically compression cubes, they are very good for saving space. These cubes are best for suitcases and carry-on luggage due to their versatility and quality.
Check Amazon Customer Reviews & Product Price
#3. Shacke Pak
Here is the 4-pak Shacke Pak packing cubes review.
As the name suggests, the cubes come in 4 different sizes and are of excellent quality. These are all-round use packing cubes. The cubes are made of a nylon material and have a mesh screen. This makes them partly water resistant and therefore best for backpacking.
All the bags are 4 inches deep and are made of strong and durable material. The largest of the cubes is size XL, which is more or less the same size as large sizes from other manufacturers. An extra laundry bag is also included. However, the material used to make it is not strong enough. Therefore, its use should just stick to laundry.
Shacke Pak is one of the best packing cubes for its sleek design and materials. The wire mesh design shows items that are in one bag. Therefore, you don’t have to open all the bags when looking for a particular item. Moreover, the extra laundry bag comes in handy.
Check Amazon Customer Reviews & Product Price
#4. eBags Packing Cubes
If you need a perfect long-term solution for an organized travel life and ease of moving, check the eBags packing cubes. Sold with a lifetime guarantee, these cubes are available in 10 different color options. They not only look good on your luggage but also help keep things separately yet neatly organized.
The bags come in 3 different sizes; from small to large and are made of machine-washable nylon. The nylon fabric is durable and sturdy. You can stuff as many things as possible without risking breaking the cubes.
The cube zippers are also of good quality. These strong zips reduce the risk of them catching on clothing.
From most eBags packing cubes reviews, most travelers are happy they can carry twice the amount of luggage they usually would carry with the cubes.
Check Amazon Customer Reviews & Product Price
#5. Eagle Creek Pack-It Cube Set
Closing our list of the best packing cubes is the Eagle Creek brand. This brand is famous for quality traveling products and their packing cubes are no exception.
The cubes come with a lifetime guarantee, are compact and strong. The cubes are available in a pack of three with sizes rated as a quarter, half and full. Compare to cubes from other brands, Eagle Creek cubes are somewhat smaller.
The biggest (full size) Eagle Creek cube is the size of a magazine. The large size is like the medium size of other brands.
When it comes to colors, no other brand beats the Eagle Creek Pack. You can choose from over 100 colored cubes. You won’t miss the color to put the spark in your luggage.
Eagle Creek packing cubes are ideal for long stay travelers who want to move with a lot of belongings. You can stuff up the cubes with things of all kinds of shapes as the quality can allow it.
From Eagle Creek packing cubes reviews, some travelers wish there was a larger cube across the board. But that withstanding, these are still the best cubes for regular long-stay journeys.
Check Amazon Customer Reviews & Product Price
Do you use packing cubes? Any tips?
