These are the best packing cubes in 2020. We should know as we’re very frequent flyers who traveled to two dozen countries in the last year. Living on the road means we pack and unpack our bags a lot. Packing can be a total drag, but with the investment in some of the best packing cubes for travel, it saves a lot of time.
We were skeptical when we first bought something to organize our bags and hesitant to spend the money on good packing cubes. I want to share our favorite packing cubes from EBags, REI, Eagle Creek, Shacke Pak, Topo Designs, and more. Hopefully, these make your packing, travels, and backpacking adventures easier like they have for us!
Why Packing Cubes?
Packing cubes to me are very similar to having drawers in a dresser or hangers in a closet. If you like to have your bag with an organized system packing cubes are a must. Otherwise, they eventually end up like a mess of jumbled clothing, especially if you’re traveling for a magnitude of time.
Almost all backpacks, suitcases, and duffel bags have a large main compartment intended for your clothing and valuable. With all of this space and no organization, it’s easy to end up a mess. This is where packing cubes come in handy for the organization of the contents within your bag. They also help with things like separation of dirty and clean clothes. When combined with special packing cubes that aid in compression it allows for you to save space and pack more in a carry-on, backpack, or medium-sized piece of luggage.
Packing cubes also make unpacking once you reach your destination a breeze. Open your suitcase place your cubes in the dresser and put your suitcase out of the way. We always travel with packing cubes and they make a world of difference. Plus there are plenty of affordable options on Amazon with free two days shipping, so you don’t really have an excuse.
The Best Packing Cubes
eagle creek Pack-it Specter Cubes
Eagle Creek specializes in packable backpacks, packing cubes, luggage, and travel organization, so they’re no strangers to packing cubes. The Pack-it specter cubes are easily the best packing cubes on the market in terms of weight, durability, breathability, and compression. Each bag weighs only a couple of ounces, so it saves weight in your luggage.
They are built in ripstop nylon, allowing for good durability in a very lightweight package. They don’t come in many colors, but they have three size options that should suit most packing cube needs. The compression is a great facet, and a handle makes pulling the cubes out of your luggage or backpack much easier.
Since they’re compression sacks, they’re exceptional for outdoor and hiking purposes. On multi-day hikes, it’s a great way to carry a change of socks and underwear. They’re not limited to outdoor scenarios and we’ve used them extensively throughout our travels.
eagle creek Specter Pros:
- Quality Zippers
- Lightweight
- Compression
- Lifetime Warranty
- Water-Resistant
eagle creek Specter Cons:
- Outdoor Style
- Do Not Stack Well
Shacke Pak Packing Cubes
These packing cubes are nylon and water-resistant. They are pretty durable and good for getting tossed around while traveling. The basic pack comes with four packing cubes, which should be more than enough for any travel bag. They’ve racked up a lot of glowing reviews, and our first set bought four years ago looks as good as new.
So you can expect great value with these packing cubes since they’ll last a long time. I like the nylon that comes over the top of the packing cube and the nice depth they offer for good packing space.
Shacke Pak prides itself on the quality of its zippers, which seem like a small feature but can obviously make or break your packing cube experience, especially if you like to overpack. There is one thing to note the mesh on one bag has a rip, but it’s still fully functional, and the color looks great after heavy use.
Shacke Pak Pros:
- Decent Zippers
- Mesh Front
- Stacks Well
- Color Choices
- Lightweight
- Warranty
Shacke Pak Cons:
- Weak Seams?
- Mesh Weak
- Cheap Bags
Topo Designs Pack Bags
Topo Designs Pack Bags are some of the highest quality packing cubes on this list. Their robust design uses heavy-duty YYK zippers and 1000D Cordura fabric, ensuring strong, water-repellent qualities. Zippers and seams do not make it fully waterproof, but highly water resistant. If something explodes in your bag, anything in these cubes will be safe and sound. They also feel great and are super sturdy, which bodes well for how long they’ll last, unlike many of their cheap counterparts. I also enjoy their classic look with a nice top handle and large zippers.
There are two downsides; the first is the bag’s price at $30 per cube. The second is that waterproof fabrics trap moisture inside the cube and prevent you from seeing inside the bag. That being said, they come in four colors that could make organization by color possible. I really love these packing cubes when combined through one of Topo Designs Travel Bag kits which comes with one of my favorite travel backpacks.
Topo Designs Pros:
- Heavy Duty Zippers
- Stacks Well
- Color Choices
- Waterproofing
- Warranty
- Made in USA
Topo Designs Cons:
- Breathability
- Price
- Heavy
Away Travel Insider Packing Cubes
Away travel makes some of our favorite pieces of hard side luggage and have some wonderful packing cubes to compliment them. The Away Travel Insider Packing Cubes come in a set of six sizes to complement an entire wardrobe. I love that these packing cubes are structured, adding more protection and stackability and helping your clothes resist wrinkles.
They have a waterproof nylon bottom. This is useful if you set the bag on a wet bathroom counter when getting ready. If you’re a business traveler, these are a great option to protect and organize your professional dress clothes. Above all, they are attractive and well-constructed bags that make the cheap options seem silly if you’re a frequent flyer.
Away Travel Pros:
- Style
- Mesh Top
- Various Sizes
- Good Value Set
- Stack Well
- Mix and Match
- Structured Sides
- Price
Away Travel Cons:
- Mesh Top
- Small Zippers
Peak Design Packing Cubes
I really love these thoughtful packing cubes, as with other Peak Design products. They really think everything through. Instead of looking to copy competitors, they’ve come up with an original design that borrows the good and implements some new ideas. In particular, stand-out features with the Peak Design packing cubes are the quick pull to open tabs, compression zip, and separate dirty clothes section.
They also look attractive with a 70D nylon/poly blend on the exterior that feels nice to the touch. It also allows for weatherproofing with a silicon-lined interior to prevent water or spills from touching your clothes. The big thing to note is one large packing cube costs $40.
Peak Design Pros:
- Quality Zippers
- Stacks Well
- Waterproofing
- Dirty Clothes Compartment
- Compression
- Warranty
Peak Design Cons:
- Price
eBags Classic Packing Cubes
The eBags make affordable pieces of quality luggage and luggage accessories. We love all the fun colors eBags have, making it great for organizing a family or his or her bags.
The packing cubes are sold as a set and come in three sizes. eBags use a tough tech lite diamond nylon that provides the bags some rigidity, which holds your clothes or items well. That ability also makes stacking them for organizing your luggage much simpler.
The eBags are some of the most popular and recognizable on Amazon. They’re basic but well-known heavy-duty products and some of the best packing cubes for backpacking.
eBags Packing Cubes Pros:
- It comes in Three Different Sizes
- Quality Zippers
- Stacks Well
- Mesh
- Lightweight and Durable
- Open Mesh front and handle on each cube
eBags Packing Cubes Cons:
- Small Bags
- Style
Amazonbasics Packing Cubes
We’ve featured Amazonbasics products a few times on this site because they offer decent products at the cheapest prices. Don’t expect top-quality craftsmanship as they’re more or less just undercutting the plethora of drop-shippers selling cheap knock-off products on Amazon these days. With the reliability of Amazon (refunds and returns) and a slight step up in product quality, they are great packing cubes for the price.
They come in various colors, two shapes, and three sizes. For a budget option, they’re made with nylon, better material than polyester common in many cheap packing cubes. This allows them to be machine washed and gives them water resistance. That being said, they implement a lot of mesh in the front, which saves on production cost, but creates a weak point prone to tears on the front.
At the current price point, the argument could be made they’re a bad value when a more reliable brand name can be purchased for only ten dollars more. But a penny saved is a penny earned!
Amazonbasics Pros:
- Quality Zippers
- Breathable
- Stacks Well
- Color Choices
- Lightweight
- Warranty
Amazonbasics Cons:
- Cheap Seams
- Amazon
- Won’t Last Long
- Style
Osprey Ultralight Packing Cubes
Osprey has long delivered some of our favorite travel backpacks and hiking backpacks. As a reputable brand with an “All Mighty Guarantee,” they make some quality lightweight packing cubes that offer compression. They’re a fantastic choice and very close in competition to the eagle creek Specter listed above.
They deliver wonderful quality and are made of 40D ripstop nylon with a siliconized coating. With the material, you receive the benefits of durability, waterproofing, and softness. The handle makes pulling the cubes out of your luggage or backpack much easier.
Osprey Ultralight Pros:
- Quality Zippers
- Lightweight
- All Might Guarantee
- Water Resistant
- Stacks Well
Osprey Ultralight Cons:
- Outdoor Style
REI Co-op Packing Cubes
REI Co-op makes some great travel and outdoor-related gear in-house. We love their packing cube sets that are high quality at an affordable price. They’re water resistant and can handle some moisture or fight stains.
The small mesh feature is a little awkward, but I appreciate a small mesh front as it is often where our packing cubes rip first or show signs of wear. I’ll file it down more as a plus because of the breathability the small mesh front provides.
REI Packing Cubes Pros:
- Quality Zippers
- Lightweight
- REI
- Water Resistant
- Stacks Well
REI Packing Cubes Cons:
- Weird Mesh Front
- More Suited For Outdoors
Dot&Dot Packing Cubes
Cameron has the Dot&Dot system, which has held up nicely for the past two years. He keeps all sorts of things in their jeans, toiletries, and shoes. The Dot&Dot Packing Cubes for Travel hold everything together well and have held up to his destructive habits for not being super sturdy. That’s impressive.
It could be that they are spacious and aren’t under much strain. I have to note that these packing cubes are larger than any of the others we’ve had. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s not necessary either.
Dot&Dot Packing Cube Pros:
- Affordable
- Mesh Front
- Handle
- Diamond Nylon Fabric
Dot&Dot Packing Cube Cons:
- Less durable feel
- Large Sets
Patagonia Black Hole Cube
These are the packing cubes built for adventure. Patagonia continues on the success of their great black hole bags and has these fantastic cubes. They’re super robust and perfect for a gear back with a mix of hard and soft items. If you’re into climbing, hiking, mountaineering, or skiing, you don’t have to worry about crampons or dirty boots ruining your clothes.
That tough nature translates well into organizing the hard goods too. I carry a couple of these for our snowboard and mountaineering bags and use them to organize various tools, gear, and clothes. They’re made with heavy-duty 450-denier polyester ripstop and highly weatherproof thermoplastic urethane laminate, then topped with a durable water repellent (DWR) finish. That’s a lot of tech and when you feel the material, you can immediately feel the benefits.
Patagonia Black Hole Cube Pros:
- Durable
- Divided Main Compartment
- Bluesign Certified
- Good For Duffel and Backpacks
Patagonia Black Hole Cube Cons:
- Odd Fit For Suitcases
- Outdoor Suited
- Price
TravelWise Packing Cubes
These travel cubes come in a variety of colors which is great for choosing what goes in where and distinguishing between all the bags. They come in large, medium, and small and are among some of the best packing cubes on Amazon. A basic set comes with one large, medium, and small. There is an option to get a five-piece set as well.
I only need three in my bag as it is not that big, but for those of you who love your clothes and have a bigger suitcase for packing cubes, I recommend the five-piece. The TravelWise packing cubes are one of the best travel packing cubes because of how lightweight they are.
TravelWise Packing Cube Pros:
- Durable packs and lightweight that pack up well
- Option Five Piece Starter Set (2 Large, 2 Medium, 1 Small)
- Open mesh so easy to find items
TravelWise Packing Cube Cons:
- Users note thinness of bags
Bagail Packing Cubes
These packing cubes are nylon and water-resistant. They are pretty durable and good for getting tossed around while traveling. The basic pack comes with four packing cubes, which should be more than enough for any travel bag. They’ve racked up a lot of glowing reviews. I like the nylon that comes over the top of the packing cube and the nice depth they offer for good packing space.
Bagail Packing Cubes prides itself on the quality of its zippers, which seem like a small feature but can obviously make or break your packing cube experience, especially if you like to overpack.
Bagail Packing Cubes Pros:
- Decent Zippers
- Mesh Front
- Stacks Well
- Color Choices
- Lightweight
- Warranty
Bagail Packing Cubes Cons:
- Weak Seams
- Mesh Weak
- Cheap Bags
Travelon Packing Cubes
Travelon makes some great packing cubes similar to the Away Travel Insider Cube above. They come in several sizes to complement an entire wardrobe. I love that these packing cubes are structured, adding more protection and stackability and helping your clothes resist wrinkles.
They have a waterproof nylon bottom. It will be useful to set a bag on a wet bathroom counter when getting ready. If you’re a business traveler, these are a great option to protect and organize your professional dress clothes. They come in various prints and colors to suit your style needs.
Travelon Pros:
- Style
- Mesh Top
- Various Sizes
- Good Value Set
- Stack Well
- Mix and Match
- Structured Sides
- Price
Travelon Cons:
- Mesh Top
- Small Zippers
Peak Design Camera Cube
This product doesn’t belong at the bottom of the list, but not everyone needs a packing cube designed for camera equipment. We need one, and it’s one of our favorite packing products as it allows us to fly carry-on only without needing a camera-specific backpack. On top of that, built as a full kit with their travel backpack, it allows for more versatility in our travels as we can quickly change the bag’s interior.
Why Should You Use Packing Cubes?
Organization
This is clearly one of the main arguments for packing cubes. You can organize all of your clothes, toiletries, accessories, and random items into neat, tidy bags. With these luggage organizers, you don’t have to worry as much about little things getting lost in your luggage because they’re always in the corresponding cube.
Compression
Many packing cubes (or if you jam pack like me) do a good job at compressing your clothes. This frees up space in your suitcase allowing room for other things.
Efficiency
When my bags are packed with packing cubes, and I open my suitcase, I can easily move the packing cubes – not all the clothes – from point A to point B. I don’t lose things like I used to. I can get in and out of my luggage with ease.
Protection
Packing cubes really do a great job of protecting my clothes. I don’t have to wrap things in plastic bags in case of a spill in my bag, and I don’t have to watch out for snagging my clothes on zippers anymore.
Eco Friendly
I know you probably think you can just put your clothes in plastic bags, but think about all that unnecessary plastic waste. Plastic bags will not last long until you have to throw them in the trash. At $20 a set, it’s hard to justify using plastic bags over a packing cube. We all want to strive to be more eco-friendly!
How Many Packing Cubes Do You Need?
The amount of packing cubes you’ll need depends on the size of your luggage. Are you traveling carry-on only or do you have a large duffle bag?
Most packing cube sets come with four packing cubes in various sizes, which is great for a long trip. If you are only going on a weekend getaway, I would say two packing cubes should do the job.
Plan For Your Trip
- Protect Your Trip: We don’t travel without travel insurance, nor should you. You never know what can happen while traveling, so it’s best to be prepared. HeyMondo provides excellent short-term and long-term travel insurance plans.
- Find Cheap Flights: Sign up for Going (formerly Scotts Cheap Flights) to get notified when prices get low.
- Book a Rental Car: We use Discover Car to book all our rental cars! You can also read our top tips for renting a car abroad here.
- Travel Adapter: Make sure you find a good adapter to keep your personal electronics charged. Otherwise, you may be paying for a cheap one once you land. Purchase one here.
- Travel Backpack: We like the Nomatic Travel Backpack for our travels. Check the price here.
- Our Favorite Travel Shoes: Our answer to this question is always ALLBIRDS! Check them out on their site!
- Get a Travel Credit Card: We travel worldwide for free because we have leveraged our spending into points. See why you should get a travel credit card and how you can do the same with our favorite travel credit cards.
