Packing for a trip can be a nightmare, whether you’re road-tripping across the country, flying around the world, or hitting the trail. Packing cubes are a great way to simplify your packing, but with all the options out there, it isn’t easy to find which packing cubes are the best.
Packing cubes are essentially just smaller zippered compartments that fit inside your main luggage or bag. They help you keep everything neat and organized and save space in your bag. Good packing cubes don’t have to be complicated. In fact, simplicity and ease of use are better than fancy features.
I’ve reviewed and researched dozens of the most popular packing cubes—from brands like Eagle Creek, Monos, and Peak Design—to find the best of the best.
How to Choose the Best Packing Cubes
There you have it, a full list of 15 awesome packing cubes to choose from. So how do you get the right ones for you?
There’s a lot of variety here, and there’s no one right answer. Everyone has different needs and will be satisfied with different products. You should have some idea of your use case and what you need. Will you be packing just a T-shirt and a few socks, or a full wardrobe? Do you like to be uber-organized? Do you want a packing cube that works as a laundry bag for dirty clothes? a shoe bag? a secret compartment for smuggling snacks?
Here are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind as you shop.
Size
Of course, size is going to be one of the most important factors when choosing packing cubes. You want ones that are big enough to carry what you need, but small enough to fit into your suitcase or backpack.
Most brands sell their products in a range of sizes, and I’ve found that medium packing cubes are ideal for most clothing items like shirts, pants, and jackets. They also can often double as shoe bags.
Small packing cubes are great for socks and underwear, or you could use one as a toiletry bag.
Large packing cubes are generally best for full outfits like dresses or button-ups with slacks. The best large packing cubes are wide and flat to keep things from getting wrinkled.
Materials and Durability
At TravelFreak, we always recommend investing in high-quality gear that won’t break after a few trips. Fortunately, packing cubes are so simple that you can usually get durable materials and construction without emptying out your wallet.
Some brands have well-earned reputations for durability, like Eagle Creek, Osprey, and Patagonia. Buying brand-name products gives you confidence that the company will stand behind their gear. Of course, brand-name stuff does typically cost a bit more.
You can also find high-quality cubes from less well-known brands, you just have to look harder and pay attention to the details.
Look for things like high-quality ripstop nylon or polyester, water-resistant fabrics, and YKK zippers for the best durability.
Design and Features
While it’s easy to assume that all packing cubes will be pretty much the same, there are a few key features that you may or may not want. Depending on your preferences, here are a few features you may want to watch for:
- Mesh panel so you can see inside
- Multiple pockets for more organization
- Compression zippers to squeeze your stuff smaller and maximize space
- Grab handles for easily grabbing the packing cube out of your bag
- Label holders so you can easily identify what’s inside
- Separator panels to keep clean and dirty clothes separate
Of course, more features don’t always make something better. Maybe you want something that’s simple, lightweight, and minimal. You won’t need fancy label holders or separating pockets. Packing cubes are made to make your life easier, so don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. It’s all about finding what works for you!
Sustainability
If you’re anything like me, you like to consider the impact your purchases have on the world around you. I always recommend doing your research and trying to buy from companies that use sustainable and responsible business practices.
In our list, many of the cubes are made with recycled materials and are made by companies dedicated to fair working conditions and reducing their carbon footprint.
How Many Packing Cubes Do You Need?
The number of packing cubes you use will mainly depend on the size of your suitcase or backpack. Packing in a massive piece of checked luggage? You’ll probably want more packing cubes. Using a small backpack? Just a few will do.
For example:
When I’m packing in a smaller travel backpack (under 30L), I like to use one medium packing cube for shirts, pants, etc. and one smaller cube for socks and underwear.
If I’m packing in a larger suitcase, I want multiple larger packing cubes to keep clothes, jackets, and more organized.
As a starting point, I recommend getting a set of three packing cubes in different sizes.
Why Trust TravelFreak?
Here at TravelFreak, we take our responsibility to give you quality recommendations and detailed information seriously. We’ve traveled a ton, we’re gear junkies at heart and we believe in investing in quality gear that will last a lifetime. We only recommend products that we actually like.
For this article, I researched dozens of packing cubes from the most popular brands to find the absolute best. I’ve tested products, packing them to the max to see what they’ll fit and to test whether I could bust the seams.
The products that made this list are the best in their specific niche. I’ve dug deep into what each one excels at to help you find the best for you.
