Hey there, it’s Kim the Abundant Traveler and today I thought I’d share a few things about packing cubes.
As I travel more and more, I am discovering that I really like the idea of packing cubes. It keeps everything organized, in place where it needs to be.
I don’t make a mess out of my suitcase when I am traveling.
If you can see all around me, I ordered a ton of packing cubes on Amazon.
So the first ones I ordered were the Vallilon Design. These I’m not going to spend much time on. I personally felt they were the thinnest material with the least expensive zippers. I really wasn’t a fan. There is value in the quantity you receive. I actually received six, seven – like seven of them together, which is good value, but I just didn’t think that they were the highest quality, so these are going back to Amazon
I did really really like the Bago’s. They had the best packaging. The bags actually came in this nice plastic bag and I would think that you could use this plastic bag when you are traveling. You have here another Ziploc baggie full of other bags that you can pack more shoes in, more things in, which I thought was fantastic. These are plastic. They’re like big big Ziploc bags, which is really nice. I do like the zippers. I discovered there are several of them that have this extra piece on the zipper. I really like this. It’s easier to work this zipper. Also what I did discover as well, is I really, really like when the netting is a major portion of the top of the bag. That’s very helpful to see what’s in here. They have a large strap so you can put this in your suitcase and pull it from the top if you’d like. I really like their products. You received four bags – one, two, three – two larger sizes, two this size, and I think that they are the highest quality of everything that I ordered.
I can pack underwear in one, shirts in another, pants in another. Or I can pack by the day and I can put shirts, a pair of shorts, pair of shoes, underwear and everything I need in one pack. It depends on how I’m traveling, where I’m going, and how long I’m going to be gone. So that’s the Bago’s. Definitely worth giving them a try.
So these I really liked. They are the Gear4Free. I like the turquoise too. I’m a girl. Lots of colors for these. You can get blue, black, pink, yellow, green – all different colors. Again, as I mentioned with the Bago’s, I like this extra little tab. I found that these – the Gear4Free – the quality and material is quite strong. I like them a lot. And in this one, I received some large ones like this. Another pretty large one here. And then I received some small ones for – I don’t know – packing your underwear. Medium size if you just want to put a bunch of t-shirts in here. I really like this because whether you’re taking a big suitcase or just a carry on, there were plenty of sizes with the Gear4Free for everything that you needed. Again, I like a lot of netting here, so that the netting will allow me to see what’s actually in the bags. I’m actually going to keep the Gear4Free. These are gonna be added to my travel repertoire.
So the next ones that I have – I love these as well. These are probably the most efficient, well thought-out, well made ones that I ordered on Amazon. This is from Dot&Dot and you can see that there is an extra seam here. These are the most efficient for the engineering types out there who want to be really really efficient in their packing. I would suggest these for your carry-on. They’re not huge, but they do fit nicely and they’re squared off so they’re very easy to handle in your carry-on. The coolest part about it: every one of the other packing cubes came in one color only these came in four colors in one pack.
So the next ones that I had are the Travel Wise. I like these – again – because the netting is big enough I can find out what is in my bag. This material feels more like material, less like plastic. Most of the other ones feel like parachute material. This feels more it’s just a little bit thicker and it just has a different texture. It has just the single zipper without the little tab, but it’s a strong zipper. I feel that these will hold up really, really well. They have nice big handles, easy to carry and so with the Travel Wise that I ordered, I got one small one, two mediums, and two larges. So again, I would say this is quite a value to large ones here. I do like these, they were not my favorites though, so I’m going to send these back. I would love to hear somebody’s comments if they are using Travel Wise. If they did like these, that would be great to get your feedback in the comments below.
The last company that I ordered from – I actually ordered two sets. I ordered Gonex. They were the only ones besides Bago that sent me shoe bags. So they’ve got a nice little pull tab here – put my shoes, keep my shoes away from all of my other clothes. Also, if you don’t have a lot of dirty clothes you could use these for dirty clothes banks as well. So I really like this as an additional item for the Gonex here and then they sent a ton of options. They sent seven bags and the two shoe bags! So I would say for quality and value the Gonex – the regular size packet – would be your best value for money in quality and quantity. What I do not like about the Gonex is the fact that the netting is only on the side. So it’s gonna be harder to see what is inside of your packing cube. I think the zipper is a just fine industrial zipper – just like the other ones. The handle I found on these may be just a tad bit more cumbersome in picking them up out of your suitcase, but I do think for the money and the quantity, this is definitely a go. The Gonex I am going to keep are actually their small carry-on packing cubes. I feel that these are going to be perfect in my carry-on. They are just a little bit bigger than the Dot&Dot that I was mentioning that are the most efficient for the carry-on. They’re a little bit bigger – you can see in size – they’re just a smidge bigger. I packed them the other day and this one holds just a little bit more.
And if you’re not so concerned with being super neat, the little less structure and this one allows you to pack just a little bit more in your carry-on.
All of these packing cubes from Amazon range from $16 to $25 so as far as the cost, it’s actually irrelevant. It is the quality, the sizes that you want, the things that you are looking for, whether you want to be able to see more of your clothes, whether you want very efficient, well structured bags, if you want more variety in size (like these with the Travel Wise), the shoe holders like we had with the Gonex. Or you want the most beautiful, which was that Bago.
Personally, I am going to keep the Gonex that are the travel size for the carry-on and I have decided that I am going to keep the Gear4Free.
There were several options here, several sizes, and I’ll be able to pack my large suitcase as well as add a few to my carry-on.
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Packing Cube FAQs
I get a lot of questions from my friends and fans about exactly what packing cubes are and how they work. Below, I have tried to answer some of the most common questions related to packing cubes.
What are packing cubes?
Packing Cubes are simply zippered cases in varying sizes that fit neatly inside your travel bag. Think of them as drawers in your dresser. Never again do you have to arrive at a hotel, open your suitcase, and be faced with a squashed pile of clothes that needs to be sorted. The best quality packing cubes allow you to keep your suitcase tidy and organized. Your clothes stay separate and wrinkle-free. Your vacation wardrobe is neatly grouped with tops in one large packing cube, bottoms in another, and your underwear in a separate one. When you arrive at your destination, you simply take the lightweight packing cubes out of your suitcase and place them in the wardrobe. You can get straight to having fun without wasting precious time unpacking or looking for things.
Are packing cubes worth it?
Packing Cubes or suitcase organizer cubes are travel essentials for women and you won’t regret investing in them. This travel gear allows you to tame your vacation wardrobe and they’re huge time savers too.
Where can you buy packing cubes?
They’re available online and you’ll be spoiled for choice, from cheap packing cubes to top-of-the-line ones for women who love luxury experiential travel and want nothing but the best. That being said, I most often purchase my packing cubes on Amazon.com.
How to use packing cubes?
It’s best to buy packing cubes in different sizes and place similar items together, such as socks and underwear in one and shirts and t-shirts in another. Rolling your clothes is recommended as it makes it easy to see everything that’s inside (your entire wardrobe is visible through the mesh top). If you’re traveling with a partner, by using packing cubes you can save space and pack everything in one bag (a great way to avoid airline baggage fees), yet still have your separate cubes.
There are A LOT of travel and packing cube brands available on Amazon, so it can easily be overwhelming once you start scrolling through options.
I’ve put together my curated list of some of my favorite travel and packing cube brands on Amazon. Check them out below!
This packing cubes set contains 6 pieces, 2 each of large, medium, and small, sized to fit perfectly in a 24-inch suitcase. The nylon and wool materials are washable. The set has a breathable mesh design that makes it easy to see what’s inside. Each piece has a handle for convenient carrying. However, I found the material to be quite thin and the zippers of poor quality. No doubt the set offers value-for-money in terms of quantity, but it’s not the highest quality. Go for the Vallilon Design only if you’re on a very tight budget, for example, if you’re going to use the packing cubes backpacking. This set may also be suitable for the first time traveler who’s testing the waters and is unsure if or when they’ll use the organizers again.
BUY NOW: This packing cubes
The Bago Packing Cubes set containing 4 pieces (2 large and 2 medium) of travel packing organizers, this set includes 3 reusable plastic zip bags for sealed storage of liquids. Bago’s durable nylon packing cubes are ideal for women who travel around the world and will use them for years to come. You can pack by destination, weather, or events. For example, if you’re going on a business trip, organize your clothes by the day based on your schedule with one each of top, bottom, undergarments, and shoes. If you’re headed from cold weather to a sunny beach, sort your vacation wardrobe accordingly. The different colors, quality zippers, and see-through mesh-top make organizing easy. You’ll save both time and hassle, avoid clutter in your hotel closet, and keep your clothes safe from spills and stains. This set gets my vote for the best lightweight packing cubes. The ultralight material means you don’t have to worry about airline baggage charges!
BUY NOW: Bago Packing Cubes
The Go4Free 6-piece travel organizer set contains 1 extra-large, 2 large, 2 medium, and 1 small packing cube. It comes in lots of colors, so if you’re looking for purple or pink packing cubes, look no further. The variety of sizes means you can fit them into a check-in suitcase as well as a carry-on. The cubes are made of high-quality, water-resistant, durable nylon material with a net for ventilation and visibility. This set ticked all the boxes for me. It’s easy to see why Gear4Free is a favorite with so many YouTube influencers!
BUY NOW: Go4Free Packing Cubes
The Dot & Dot Packing Cube set is lightweight and durable fabric, strong nylon handles, and double seams make this set of 6 mesh packing cubes ideal for everything from business trips to cruise holidays and camping adventures to luxury travel. The premium quality zippers will last for years and keep things securely in place. The sizes of the organizers are ideal to fit everything, even on longer trips. And best of all, the organizers come in four different colors to make color-coded packing easy. You can even use them to organize your closets at home. I found them to be the most intuitively designed and highest quality out of all the packing cubes Amazon sells. Since they’re not huge, I’d recommend the Dot & Dot for your carry-on luggage.
BUY NOW: Dot & Dot Packing Cubes
To more efficiently utilize your suitcase space, consider the Travel Wise Packing Cube set of 5 gray and black packing cubes that come in other colors too. Made from an extra-durable yet lightweight material that will stand the test of time, this set is designed for international luxury travel. It features a mesh design so you’ll never have to frantically search for things. The strong zippers are fast and reliable to keep items secure and prevent them from moving in transit. The nice big handles make the organizers easy to grab. I have to say the material of this packing cubes set feels thicker and of better quality packing cubes than any of the ones I ordered.
BUY NOW: Travel Wise Packing Cubes
The Gonex Packing Cube set that packs quite a punch with no less than 9 pieces. The set includes 1 extra-large, 2 large, and 2 medium packing cubes, along with 2 smaller ones and 2 shoe bags with pull tabs. That’s enough organizers to store all your clothing and keep dirty clothes separate from clean ones. I think this set is a great choice for women traveling together and looking to save some money on travel accessories. The honeycomb water-repellent fabric and high-quality zippers are made to last for years. What I didn’t like is the fact that the netting is limited to the sides of the cubes, making it harder to see what’s inside. Also, the handles felt a little clunky and cumbersome. If you are looking for the best packing cubes for value but don’t want to compromise on quality, Gonex is your best bet. Also available as small carry-on packing cubes in a set of 4. These have a slightly softer structure that will allow you to stuff a little bit more into your carry-on.
BUY NOW: Gonex Packing Cubes
One of my favorites, and the Packing Cube set I kept was the Gonex slim carry on packing cube set (this set is no longer available, but I also love the slim packing cubes from Dot & Dot!). I loved this 4 piece set because they are all the same size, and they fit perfectly in my carry on suitcase. They have a great zipper and a sturdy handle, and they have just enough mess to see everything I packed. These size luggage organizers are ideal for all of my girl’s weekend getaway. Buy Dot & Dot Slim Packing Cubes here.
Conclusion
Whether you love laid back luxury and experiential travel or you’re an intrepid adventurer who wants to explore every corner of the world, packing with packing cubes is something you’ll never regret. Every travel influencer swears by them. The cost of expandable packing cubes should not be a big consideration since they range in price from $16 to $30. Your decision should be based on the number of packing cubes you want, the variety in size, the colors that appeal to you, how much visibility you need, and of course, the quality of the material and zippers.
Which is the best packing Cube Set? Based on my evaluation and Amazon packing cubes reviews, I’m keeping the Gonex for my carry-on and the Gear4Free for my large check-in bag. I didn’t get a chance to try out the Eagle Creek Packing Cubes, but if you have used them, let me know what you think.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products that I personally know and use, and the income helps to keep this site updated and free for everyone.
