All About Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are the hot new thing in the travel world, and they’ve been gaining in popularity especially over the last few years. If you’ve never used them before, packing cubes seems like weird, unnecessary items that just complicate your packing list. But if you’re a packing cube user, then you probably LOVE them and tell all your friends about how awesome they are!

I’ve used packing cubes for the last year and a half of full-time travel, so I have personal experience to impart. This post is for people who have yet to make the jump to packing cubes, and are wondering just what the big deal is about them. You’ll learn what a packing cube is, what the two major types are, and whether you need a cube (or three). Plus I have recommendations for some brands to check out if you’re interested in getting a set for yourself.

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What is a packing cube, anyway?

Basically, a “packing cube” is a zippered square cloth container that you stuff clothes into so it turns into a “cube.” Some of them are more like pouches, or small bags, but the idea is the same. It’s a thing you put other things into, to keep them organized in your suitcase or large backpack.

If you’re a hiker, you might be familiar with stuff sacks. Packing cubes are the suitcase-travelers version of a stuff sack, basically

There’s also compression packing cubes, which have a second set of zippers that compress the whole cube into a smaller square. These have gotten majorly popular in the last few years, as people try to compress their luggage down into increasingly restrictive airline carriers’ carry-on size requirements.

While normal packing cubes don’t really save that much space (though they do help a bit), compression cubes can get quite a big more room in your bag. You’ll still have the same amount of weight, though, just be wary of that!

Do you NEED a packing cube?

The great debate! Are packing cubes necessary? Will you be missing out on something if you don’t have a packing cube?? All the cool travel influencers have packing cubes, but do you really need them?

Well, no, you aren’t doing anything wrong if you don’t have a packing cube. If you’re only going on short trips a few times a year, adding one more thing to your to-purchase list doesn’t make sense. Similarly, if you’re going on a long trip, but only going directly to an apartment or long-stay hotel without any short trips between, then you can get away with not having a packing cube.

Where packing cubes come in handy are: if you’re traveling for a long time, moving locations frequently, and/or are traveling with one bag and don’t want to pull everything out just to find a pair of socks.

Packing for a life on the road is very different than packing for a short beach holiday, and staying organized is key. Packing cubes are part of that organizational system that will make your life easier as a full-time nomad.

Packing cube pros

• Keeps your stuff organized! Less digging through your bags trying to find “that thing,” because you only have to dig through a smaller cube. You can also separate out dirty stuff from clean stuff, summer gear from winter gear, etc..
• Great for hotels and hostels. Make one cube your nighttime stuff cube and you only have to get that out after a long travel day to get ready for bed.
• Can use them for more than clothing! Packing cubes are great for keeping track of electronic cords, bathroom stuff, kitchen stuff, and more.
• Keeps your clothes clean! Use a packing cube to store your clothes in a hotel dresser rather than put your things directly into the drawer.

Packing cube cons

• One more thing to buy, pack, and take care of. Ugh. Technically adds some weight to your bag, too.
• The zippers can fail, especially if you constantly overstuff them.
• Compression cubes turn into bricks and it’s tough to pack them properly.

I only really started liking packing cubes when I traveled with just a daypack through Southeast Asia last year. It was extremely useful to be able to pack a cube with my clothes, a smaller one with my nighttime things, a third one with my dirty laundry– and just stuff it all into my backpack and get going.

Now I have a suitcase (and the same daypack) and I still find the packing cubes useful. I still have the one with my nighttime things, another for my winter gear (which I don’t need while in SEA, so it stays “cubed”), and a big one for my other clothes. I also keep one for my underthings, and one for my bathroom kit. Very handy!

What kind of packing cube should you get?

Should you get compression cubes, or regular cubes?

I’m gonna be controversial and say: get regular packing cubes, especially if you’re not used to them. In fact, get basic ones that don’t cost a lot so you can try them out. I like these Travelon ones, myself, because they’re soft and can be shoved into weird corners in my suitcase which makes packing easier.

After that, once you decide you like packing cubes and want to keep using them, upgrade to a higher-end brand, or try out compression cubes if you want.

Warning! Compression cubes become VERY solid, like bricks in your bag. This can be annoying to pack because you have to fit things around them rather than stuff them into gaps. I find they work best in suitcases that have a deep bottom, so you can stand them up like a file.

For suitcases that open with both sides evenly (like mine, unfortunately), they’re not great as they can’t squish into empty spaces to fit neatly. I also don’t find them comfortable in backpacks, either. If you’re backpacking, a stuff sack is a little better for that if you want compression.

How many packing cubes do you need?

If you’ve decided to go for it and get some packing cubes, the easiest thing is to just buy a set. Usually you get at least three packing cubes in different sizes. The Travelon set I recommend comes with three sizes: large, medium, and small. That’s a good amount to start with and you’ll quickly figure out if you need more (or less!).

Tip: I find it easier to stuff smaller packing cubes into spaces than the really big ones. I recommend using two medium or small cubes rather than one massive cube and seeing how it packs.

Use the large packing cube for the majority of your clothes, the medium one for your overnight stuff (and and extra shirt or two), and the small one for your underthings. If you check bags, take the overnight cube with you in your carry-on and then you’ll have some emergency outfits in case your bag gets lost.

Read more: Female Digital Nomad Packing List (Carry-On Only)

Recommended packing cube brands

I prefer softer packing cubes that can be squished a bit (if you don’t overstuff) and that have a mesh top so I can see inside a bit. This set from Travelon is my current favorite (as mentioned previously). Eagle Creek also does great packing cubes, some of which have a coating to make them water-resistant.

For compression cubes, it’s important to go with a decent brand because you need the zippers to be built really well so they’ll last through the rigors of packing/unpacking/packing again. I actually got my two compression cubes from Japan, but these Eagle Creek ones are similar.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Compression Packing Cubes for Travel Set S/M – 2 Lightweight, Water-Resistant Suitcase Organizer Bags with Compression Zip, Mossy Green

Osprey Daylite Packing Cube Set, Tan Concrete – Includes a Large, Medium & Small Cube

Travelon World Travel Essentials Set of 3 Soft Packing Cubes, Peacock Teal, One Size

Final thoughts on packing cubes

While they’re not a MUST HAVE, at least not for casual travelers, packing cubes do provide a lot of options for organization that’s very useful if you’re traveling a lot. Even if you’re just moving hotels every night, you might find a cube or two useful because you can organize your things in a way that makes it easy to pull out what you need and pack it back in again.

If you’ve never tried a packing cube, I recommend getting a cheap set and giving it a go. You might be surprised how much you like it!

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