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The 6 Very Best Packing Cubes

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I can remember the first time I traveled with packing cubes. Before packing cubes, my carry-on was chaotic, and I had to fully unpack just to find a clean pair of socks. Afterwards, both my luggage and my hotel room had some semblance of order. Now, after years of traveling with them (and testing a dozen cubes), I know exactly what makes a good packing cube great.

I prefer cubes with a mesh panel, as this lets your clothes breathe, and also means you can see what’s inside a cube without having to open it. Other nonnegotiables for me are sturdy zippers and a durable bag made from a water-resistant material. This will protect your luggage against uncertain weather and any potential toiletry explosions. I especially like compression cubes (which are cubes with an added zip, which squeeze the cubes into a smaller size and allow you to pack more in your suitcase). I’ve used these packing cubes to squish everything I’ll need for a weekend away into a duffel bag, and I’ve also sometimes used a single cube as my personal item onboard a plane.

To find the very best packing cubes, I spoke to travel experts and frequent fliers about their favorites and tested a bunch myself. If you want to hear about the other essentials I won’t travel without, you can read my guide to the best carry-ons, travel pillows, and weekenders.

What we’re looking for

Size

Most packing cubes come in sets that range in size. A variety of sizes makes it easier for you to set up a system — you’ll know to look for socks or underwear in your set’s smallest cube, for example. I’ve listed the dimensions of each packing cube, below, to help you figure out how much you’ll squeeze inside.

Compression vs. non-compression

As Simmons says, all packing cubes work as mini-compression packs — but some cubes are actually designed with specific compression capabilities. Compression cubes have an extra zipper that slims the cube down in size when you close it. Many travel experts prefer compression cubes for that reason: They let you fit more in a smaller bag, ideal if you’re trying to avoid checking a bag on a flight.

Water resistance

If you’re planning to hike or camp somewhere wet, or just want to avoid the gooey mess of a toiletry leak, you’ll want to look for a packing cube made with waterproof material. We’ve highlighted those, below — but note that some packing cubes are only water resistant, meaning they won’t keep your clothes entirely dry, but will repel small amounts of moisture.

Best packing cubes overall

Sizes: Envelope (13 x 10 x 1.5”); Small (12 x 8.8 x 3”); Medium (15 x 11 x 3”); Large (17 x 12 x 3”) | Non-compression | Water resistant: Yes

I won’t travel without these packing cubes from Calpak. They come in a set of five, which includes four cubes for my clothes and a waterproof pouch for my toiletries. The four cubes give me enough space to pack everything I’ll need for a weekend away (besides shoes and jackets, which I keep loose in my carry-on). Then, the waterproof envelope can store my skin care, makeup, shampoos and conditioners. There are thoughtful details, for example, each bag has a mesh front panel and a place to write a label, so I don’t need to unzip one to see what’s inside.

The bags themselves are also really durable. I don’t pack light, and even when I stuff the bags to the brim, I’ve never broken a zip as I force it to close. During a year of constant use, the cubes have been very forgiving and I haven’t noticed any loose or stretched threads. Summer Hull, director of travel content at the Points Guy, has also really tested the cubes’ durability: She launders her bags every time she travels after a bad experience with bedbugs on a vacation. “I’ve been through some that can’t take the (literal) heat and also that have zippers that quickly failed,” she says. “But they’ve survived the wear and tear of travel and several whirls around the tumble dryer.”

I appreciate that the cubes are actually nice-looking (I travel with the polka-dot, and they always get compliments). Although it’s $68 for a set, this works out at around $14 per cube, which is the price of most cubes featured in this story. As purchasing this set will give you all the cubes you’d feasibly need to pack for a week away, I’m calling them the best packing cubes overall.

Best less-expensive packing cubes

$22

For around a third of the price of the Calpak set, you can get this set of four cubes and a laundry bag from Shacke. They’re also made of a water-resistant fabric, and have a mesh panel allowing you to see what you’ve packed inside. While there’s no toiletry bag, there is a water-resistant laundry bag included, which helps you keep track of what you’ve worn so far on your trip. As for their durability, founder of Buoyant Briona Lamback tells me she’s used her set for six years. The bags are made with machine washable nylon, so they’re easy to wipe clean between uses. And while I prefer the look of the Calpaks, the Shacke cubes do come in a range of colors, including a lovely cream.

Best compression packing cubes

Sizes: Shoe bag: (21.5 x 12 x 5”); Small (13 x 5 x 5”); Medium (13 x 9 x 5”); Large (15 x 10.5 x 6”) (all bags have a width of 1.75” when compressed) | Compression | Water resistant: Waterproof

Compression cubes are great for travelers who don’t have much space in their luggage (like if you’re trying to avoid a carry-on fee) or for those with lots of luggage, like families. While we’ve written glowingly about the Eagle Creek compression cubes before, they cost almost $40 just for two cubes. I think this set of six cubes from Bagsmart — for the exact same price — offers much better value. Travel blogger Isabelle Lieblein first brought them to my attention last year: She used them when she had limited luggage space as she backpacked across Europe. The set includes a mixture of five compression packing cubes and a shoe bag to keep dirty shoes away from the rest of your luggage. Like the Calpaks, the bags have mesh panels and an ID tag to help you keep track of where you’ve packed what. I also like that they have handles that can be slung over a carry-on, or be used to pull the bag easily from your luggage. There’s plenty of color and style options, too.

Best monogrammable packing cubes

From $90

Sizes: Small (8.2 x 3.75 x 6.25”); Medium (12.75 x 3.75 x 10”); Large (18 x 3.75 x 12”) | Non-compression | Water resistant: No

If you’re traveling with a partner and want to keep track of whose luggage is whose, I recommend monogrammable packing cubes. Brooklyn-based writer Diana Tsui told me about this set she and her husband took on a snowboarding around Niseko, Japan; they helped her keep track of which snowboarding gear was hers as she and her husband shared one suitcase. As well as the embroidery, Paravel’s packing cubes have enough space for garments as large as jackets and can even store towels. They also have the easy-to-view windows that I love, so you can see what’s packed inside the cube without having to unzip it.

Best waterproof packing cubes

Size: 12.6 x 6.69 x 12.6” | Compression | Water resistant: Waterproof

When I hike or camp, I’m less concerned about aesthetics. I’m concerned about keeping my belongings dry. The Peak Designs packing cubes do just that: made from a rip-resistant, waterproof nylon, they’re really heavy-duty packing cubes designed for trips into the wild. They also have a compression zip, so you can pack more into your hiking backpack — and leave more room for other essentials. It is roughly the same price for one Peak Design cube as it is for a full pack of any others on this list, making them a more expensive option. Austin Tucker, a writer at Pack Hacker, told me they’re worth every penny, though, as they’re so truly waterproof (not just resistant to a little rain) and come with a lifetime warranty.

Best convertible backpack packing cube

Size: 21.5 x 13 x 9” | Compression | Water resistant: Waterproof rain cover

I’ve written a lot about how to avoid carry-on fees at the airport, and this convertible packing-cube backpack is a perfect solution. It has compression straps to squish everything down, a large mesh zipper, and smaller mesh compartments for underwear and electronic items. The pack itself isn’t entirely waterproof, but it comes with a rain cover, and you can switch between holding it with multiple handles while you’re on the move. I first heard about it from Aly Simmons, an operations partner at REI. She says that the “internal storage of the pack paired with the cubes is a perfect combo.”

Our Experts

Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, travel writer
Christina Guan, travel blogger for Happy to Wander
Summer Hull, director of travel content at The Points Guy
Foster Kamer, editor-in-chief of Futurism
Lauren Keiles, contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine
Emily Krause, travel writer and blogger
Briona Lamback, founder of Buoyant
Isabelle Lieblein, travel blogger
Jenna Milliner-Waddell, Strategist associate editor
Corky Pollan, cookbook author and frequent flier
• Aly Simmons, operations partner at REI
Diana Tsui, writer
Austin Tucker, a writer at Pack Hacker

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The 6 Very Best Packing Cubes