And at 10 liters, the Cubos carries a little less than the medium Reveal (14.5 liters) but a little more than that sets small (7 liters), which it maintains at its discretion: We will determine the best path forward, whether thats a functional repair, replacement, or store credit due to a depleted inventory. Weve used the warranty several times with various Cotopaxi products and have had excellent results; weve also not heard of anyone having problems, Unlike our other picks, this cube is sold individually, not as a set, and in only one size; it also costs more per cube. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. This review comes to you from an avid traveler, Miya Tsudome, who went years not knowing that packing cubes existed and is adamant about how much they have improved her life since. Weve tested and traveled with multiple sets of packing cubes over the last five years, paying close attention to construction, material quality, ease of use, and value to determine what you need from these while youre on a trip. The Cubos Travel Cubes mix of mesh and nylon paneling allows you to see inside the cube without opening it up, similar to Eagle Creeks Pack-It Reveal. However, if youre dedicated to a specific brand or design, you may prefer to have cubes that are sized to fit perfectly within the relevant brands bags. These will have an extra zipper on their sides to cinch the cubes down and suck out extra air, effectively making the cubes smaller. Having structure can also make a cube easier to pack in the first place, as these will stand up on their own. We wrote you a short product review about the Osprey packing cubes. Yes, recommended! However, for the price and build quality, we found that these didnt compare as well as our top pick. This issue exists across every compression cube we tested; however, theyre pretty easy to figure out with some trial and error. We're here to help make packing the easiest part, and our travel experts have reviewed the best products to help improve your organization and efficiency while on the road. Exclusions Apply. Get this if: You want a high-quality packing cube and also want to support a B-corp with its related social and sustainable missions. However, if youre dedicated to a specific brand or design, you may prefer to have cubes that are sized to fit perfectly within the relevant brands bags. How can we improve GearLab? These three cubes hold the most of any set we tested in the smallest amount of space. Need something to carry to the beach when you arrive? When you travel a lot with a backpack or duffel bag, you must know how messy your luggage can get after only a day! When you pack these cubes, be careful to avoid overstuffing them too much. Enough cubes for a very long trip or for two people to use. The packing set from Eagle Creek is simple and high-quality. We havent had any issues with the original version of these cubes after several years of use. Opening the middle zipper expands the walls of the cube. Into each of these medium cubes we packed things that anyone might bring on a typical weekend away: a rain jacket, two T-shirts, two pairs each of socks and underwear, two polo shirts, a thin fleece pullover, and a small travel towel. Travelpro Essentials Packing Cube Set: These cubes are made of lightweight polyester, with a small strip of mesh paneling, so you can glimpse whats inside. Eagle Creek makes many other sizes, shapes, and styles of cubes, and someone who needs more than three cubes can mix and match with their other exceptional products. Flaws but not dealbreakers: Unlike our other picks, this cube is sold individually, not as a set, and in only one size; it also costs more per cube. The clear plastic toiletry bags were especially helpful while going through airport security. Wirecutter editor Tracy Vence reported, Ive used the Eagle Creek packing cubes at least once a month for the last seven years. July offers a five-year warranty and 100-day trial period. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Website disclaimer | Privacy statement & Cookies policy Being able to pack your cubes efficiently and without hassle is a valuable metric we made sure to test thoroughly. All of Cotopaxis travel cubes are made using leftover materials from their (and other companies) backpacks and other products. By claiming the electric lime colour in our household, I know these specific cubes contain my stuff. Their windows use the tightest mesh link of any cubes we testedbetter for resisting snagsyet its easy to see whats inside the cube without opening it. Because of their mesh front, the Gonex cubes will not compress down as much as the Tripped cubes, only compressing by a little more than half an inch. Miya values organization and products that help simplify her way of life. Dont Travel With a Rolling Bag: The True Cost of Bulky Luggage. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Flaws but not dealbreakers: The zippers that compress the cubes can sometimes be finicky to close. For those who seek a lightweight and straightforward set of packing cubes made by a company with an exceptional reputation, the Osprey cubes are top-notch. And to stack the cube easily in a duffel bag. The EasyFun has extra large packing cubes that can fit many items. My name is Petronella and I am the founder of Outdoor Loon. Clamshell-style cubes, ones that zip open all the way around, can be difficult to pack if they don't have enough structure to stand up on their own. These cubes are also some of the largest we tested, with three of them easily packing enough clothes for two weeks. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. With four packing cubes, two clear plastic toiletry bags, and a shoe bag, the Yamiu set can easily cover all your bases for over a week-long trip. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Due to the nature of Cotopaxis upcycling, you cant pick a specific color when you order these cubes, Weve tested and traveled with multiple sets of packing cubes over the last five years, paying close attention to construction, material quality, ease of use, and value to determine what you need from these while youre on a trip. The small one can be used for underwear and socks, the medium one is perfect for pjs, tops and t-shirts and the large one is perfect to keep pants and long sleeves. No matter your packing style or destination, our comprehensive line of curated travel solutions has something for everyone. Our philosophy for travel is simple: Make it easier to organize and pack your gear when travelling so that you can spend more time enjoying your experience. We looked for sets or single bags that could handle enough clothes, towels, gadget cables, toiletries, and medical supplies for a long weekend. Ease of packing was measured by the structure of each cube set, how many zippers each cube had, and whether or not they unzipped all the way around for easy access. GearLab is reader-supported. A size comparison of the Gonex's largest cube (top), the Eagle Creek Specter's largest cube (right), and the Bagail's largest cube (bottom). If you prefer sturdier cubes that hold their shape as you pack, you're probably going to dislike any lightweight cube. Most packing cubes will compress your clothing items to an extent, but some models are designed to be compression-specific. The half-cube (small) and quarter-cube (extra small) are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics, such as stockings or sleepwear. I wondered how these things could seriously improve my travel life. Even with an additional zipper, a large REI cube (14 by 10 by 3 inches) weighs only about aquarterof anounce more than the nearly equivalently sized medium cube (10 by 14 by 3 inches) from Eagle Creeks Reveal set; it weighs almost 2 ounces more than the medium cube in our ultralight pick. However, this set is a great option for those who don't want to break the bank for simple luggage organizers. The EasyFun Organizer comes in two sets of three cubes. We havent used the July cubes for nearly as long as we have Eagle Creeks, though, so we arent quite ready to make them an official pick. Their large bags were extra-large compared to those of other brands, with those from Bagail measuring 17.5 x 13.7 x 4 inches and the EasyFun bags coming in at 17.5 x 12.5 x 4 inches. Into each of these medium cubes we packed things that anyone might bring on a typical weekend away: a rain jacket, two T-shirts, two pairs each of socks and underwear, two polo shirts, a thin fleece pullover, and a small travel towel. After considering and testing 27 packing cubes over the last five years, weve chosen four to suit different kinds of travelers: a set of packing cubes, Kit Dillon has covered luggage and travel gear for Wirecutter for more than six years. All in all, Im still very happy to have bought these extremely lightweight cubes. We havent used the July cubes for nearly as long as we have Eagle Creeks, though, so we arent quite ready to make them an official pick, which is well made from durable materials. Weve tested 47 bags over five years, and we are convinced that the 21-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite is the best carry-on suitcase for most travelers. The budget cubes from Bagail, EasyFun, Yamiu, and Shacke are all clamshell-style with double zippers. Patagonia also makes extensive efforts to create sustainable products: employing Fair Trade Certified practices, sourcing post-consumer recycled material, and monitoring its supply chain. Sometimes the luggage companies we recommend (including Away, Topo, Travelpro, GoRuck, and Peak Design) make their own packing cubes. The Pack-It Isolates fabrica semitranslucent, 50-denier ripstop polyesterlooks fragile, but its held up well over time in its previous Specter Tech incarnation. The smooth, sleek nylon with no mesh on the front to snag or rip makes this cube set durable as well as lightweight. Wirecutter editor Tracy Vence reported, Ive used the Eagle Creek packing cubes at least once a month for the last seven years. A step up in quality from the EasyFun Organizer set, these cubes are similarly sized and can easily fit a two-week trip's worth of clothes. Trakke Foulden Packing Cubes: If you arent worried about price and need a very strong and waterproof packing cube, these are a great option. In that time, hes crisscrossed the country and three, have any frills, but overall, every aspect of this set feels a bit nicer compared with the competition. Like the Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate cubes, these cubes are made of lightweight, tear-resistant ripstop nylon. Theyre about $20 more per set than the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveals, but you do get four cubes in the Away set instead of three. Kit Dillon is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. We've tested all sorts of luggage, from durable duffel bags to classic suitcases, and even camera bags both backpack and sling styles. This set comes with two slim cubes, two medium, and two large. After researching over 40 of the best packing cubes on the market, our reviewers purchased 9 of the top sets to test side-by-side to determine which ones could truly help make packing easier. They all have similar problems: Their zippers tend to snag, they come with no trustworthy warranty, the fabric feels chintzy in your hands, and the panel stitching seems rushed and uneven. Most compression-style cubes will compress down by more or less 1", providing undeniable space-saving benefits. The material is both tear and water resistant, and weve used the older version of these cubes, the Specter Techs, for four years now with no issues. So far, though, the Pack-It Reveal cubes show no obvious flaws, and nothing in the redesign makes us think the quality has decreased. The higher the denier number, the stronger the fabric; 300 denier indicates a sturdy fabric made to resist tears.) Accept Read More, Mountain stations, mountain cabins, skerhetsrum and shelters along the Kungsleden trail in October, Choosing a bird guide and great birding apps, Tracing the song: how to start birding for beginners, Taking it off-grid: wild camping in Europe. We also like the cubes clamshell design, which opens fully on three sides and lets you easily access everything inside without having to unpack the entire thing. Used alone, the entire set of six cubes is a great option for long-term travel. The Bagail 6-Set is another large capacity, low-cost option. Its also expensive. With six cubes of various useful sizes, the Gonex set is a great deal. When overstuffing to test seams and zippers, we added at least a lightweight down jacket or a pair of jeans until we stressed capacity. Also included is a laundry bag that could double as a shoe bag. Osprey has siliconized the fabric of these packing cubes with which they created kind of a slick surface. (A single large Yeti cube costs $35, compared to $45 for the entire REI Co-op Expandable Packing Cube Set.). This fabric is stretchier than polyester but less durable than nylon. There are much better sets available. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. The higher the denier number, the stronger the fabric; 300 denier indicates a sturdy fabric made to resist tears.) This process squeezes the cube down to half its size, but it takes some practice for it to go smoothly. Though weve tested all the sizes included in each set while traveling, most of our controlled tests were performed using the medium size (roughly 10 by 14 by 3 inches). With stiff, high-quality nylon, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Cube Set had the best structure of all the cubes tested. Im not sure how this is with the grey version, but the electric lime colour is slightly transparent so you can see whats inside. The set is both light and breathable, constructed of ripstop nylon fabric and mesh. For $40 you get a set of three, and they fit well, However, for the price and build quality, we found that these didnt compare as well as our, cube made of upcycled materials for waste-conscious travelers, Best for most: Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set, For those who travel light: Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set, For overpackers: REI Co-op Expandable Packing Cube Set, Best upcycled option: Cotopaxi Cubos 10L Travel Cube. Each product we tested came in a wide variety of holding capacities. Handles are convenient for carrying and hanging, and are included on all the designs we tested. If youre Yeti curious: Youll probably like Yetis well-made Crossroads Packing Cubes, which are surprisingly inexpensive for a famously premium company. While not entirely compression specific, the Shacke cubes were reinforced with a nylon "x" a clever design intended to stop the cubes from bulging outward too much when stuffed, making them a good, affordable pick for those looking to save a little space. The ability of a cubes sides to stand up on their owngenerally because the fabric is thick enough to support itselfadds some convenience while packing, Some cubes, usually the models made with polyester or nylon, include a mesh window on the top panel. The AmazonBasics cubes also have good structure for easy stuffing. Thats why I fell for the Osprey ultralight packing cube set with which you can pack your bag in categories. He has written for Popular Science, The Awl, and the New York Observer, among others. The largest Pack-It Isolate cube weighs 1.3 ounces; the same-size Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal cube weighs just over 3 ounces. The Yamiu cube set only had one extra-large bag per set, but with the addition of a shoe bag, two toiletry bags, and three more packing cubes, it also stands out as a complete set. Like the Reveal, the Isolate bags zip open on three sides and hinge along the fourth. The best designs expose just enough of the interior for ventilation and visibility without sacrificing the strength of overall construction. More of a shirt roller? This set boasts a high capacity and is affordable, but is not a top choice for durability. (Its more like an athletic jersey than a bag material.) Because of this feature, you can easily stuff each cube full, earning high points for packability. The side walls lack of rigidity also means the Cubos doesnt stand up as easily as the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal. This was less of an issue with the smaller bags. Plus, unlike the Cotopaxi Cubos, the Patagonia cube is water resistant. Most sets included at least one 12-liter cube (considered medium)which fit about a weeks worth of T-shirtsand two or three additional cubes of varying sizes, though we also tested some cubes that were sold individually. Really, theyre just great. That said, Eagle Creek updated the design slightly, which means we cant rely on our past testing as strongly as before. Dimensions: 8 by 6 by 3 inches (small), 12 by 8 by 3 inches (medium), 14 by 10 by 3 inches (large) (Note: All three sizes expand in depth to 6 inches. Their windows use the tightest mesh link of any cubes we testedbetter for resisting snagsyet its easy to see whats inside the cube without opening it. In that time, hes crisscrossed the country and three continents, and has held, tested, and compared hundreds of different bags. However, the Cotopaxi cubes mesh liner is built into the sides of the bag rather than the lid, The Cubos also weighs more than a similarly sized medium Reveal cube: 4 ounces to the Reveals 3.2. The July cubes come in a set of four for $45, which is only a dollar more per cube than the Reveals. Enter the packing cube: a simple bag, usually made of fabric and mesh, that tidily zips away your clutter. Not only does this set come with six lightweight cubes that rival those of the better-known, more expensive cubes from Eagle Creek, but these cubes are also compressible making this set a great value. He was previously an app developer, oil derrick inspector, public-radio archivist, and sandwich shop owner. The Garment Folder will keep your shirts fresh and clean. Unlike a regular packing cube, which has a single zipper around the lid, the REI Co-op cubes have two sets of zippers: one around each lid and one around the middle of the cube itself. Our After researching more than 30 instant cameras we bought We spent over ten hours researching the best iPhone cases Are you in the market for a new laptop sleeve? The largest cube (labeled medium) is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. Zippers are also a key component: YKK has been the global standard of zipper quality for generations, but there are other reliable zips too. Wed prefer to see the mesh paneling on top of the bag (as opposed to the sides) for a better view of whats inside. Dimensions: 13 by 10 by 6 inchesCapacity: 10 litersWeight: 4 ounces. We also have picks for ultralight packers, heavy packers, and more. The set only comes with three bags, but in them, our testers could fit four pairs of pants, six shirts, five pairs of underwear, and two pairs of socks. If You Find a Lower Price, Well Match It. Flaws but not dealbreakers: The biggest flaw of any lightweight packing cube, including the Pack-It Isolate, is that the thin sides cant stand up on their own. Stuff Tote is your jam. Why its great: The Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set doesnt have any frills, but overall, every aspect of this set feels a bit nicer compared with the competition. Peak Design Packing Cube: This stylish choice has unusual tear away dual zippers, for one-handed opening (like peeling back the lid on a can of sardines), and compression zippers. ), 2 ounces (small), 2.8 ounces (medium), 3.5 ounces (large), B Corp status means the manufacturer has met high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency,, Weve reviewed and recommend plenty of Cotopaxi gear, and weve found that its built to a very high quality. The changes are largely cosmeticthe original Pack-It and the Reveal share the same materials and overall design, except the Reveal has a larger mesh windowand the cubes continue to be a durable choice for keeping up to a weeks worth of clothing organized and easy to move from suitcase to hotel dresser, The Reveal cubes are made of 300-denier polyester. Based on our testing so far, these cubes are nearly identical to their predecessor. Each cube has four separate YKK zippers, plus extra compression netting and a barrier between the two compartments, pushing the weight of the medium version to just over 5 ounces. Each one has one large viewing window, made of a fine weave mesh, and YKK zippers. A great set with four different sized packing cubes. This helps to avoid the mess that can quickly get out of hand if a suitcase as you dig through your neatly folded layers to find that one sweater you want to wear while waiting for your flight. They fit into Aways suitcases exceptionally wellbento like. Its also expensive. A set has 1 cube of each size in it. In contrast, others have a sturdier, boxy shape that can easily be moved from a suitcase to a hotel's dresser drawer, allowing you to stay organized. This way, your clothes stay organized and can easily be packed up again. Sizes of cubes make them easy to pack into any suitcase, Material is not as high quality as more expensive cubes. It's also enforced with ripstop technology a design that interweaves fabrics and makes them more resistant to ripping and tearing. Based on our testing so far, these cubes are nearly identical to their predecessor. This set comes with two medium-sized cubes, which we preferred to a large cube since we could easily pack them into different-sized suitcases, backpacks, and duffel bags. Away The Insider Packing Cubes: Having deeper walls than most packing cubes, these Away bags resemble very minimalist bricks. (A single large Yeti cube costs $35, compared to $45 for the entire, These cubes stand out most for their inexpensive price, but the amount you save isnt worth the drop in quality compared with our other picks. Theyve held up beautifullyno issues with the zippers, netting, etc. Sweaters are often too big to fit in, but they are easily found in a backpack anyways.