Packing cubes

What packing cubes are

A packing cube organizes and separates what you carry inside your luggage. Most are soft-sided rectangles of nylon or polyester, sold singly or in sets of graded sizes.

• Sorting, not just storing: Each cube holds one group of things, such as tops, underwear or socks, so you can lift out what you need without unpacking the rest.
• Compression cubes: Eagle Creek puts it simply: every compression cube is a packing cube, but only compression cubes add a zipper to press out air.
• A window on the contents: Many have a mesh or see-through panel; Eagle Creek’s Isolate fabric is translucent, and Thule’s is semitransparent.
• Graded sizes: Eagle Creek’s Isolate set runs from a 1 L extra-small cube to a 7 L medium; Peak Design’s large cube expands to 30 L.
• Who makes them: Travel brands such as Eagle Creek, Thule, Peak Design, Away and Monos, often sized to fit their own luggage.

How they work

You fold or roll clothes into the cube and zip it shut. The cube holds them in a tidy block that stacks with the others in your bag.

• A second zipper: A compression cube closes with one zipper; a second zipper around its middle then pulls the walls together.
• How much flatter: Thule’s medium cube goes from 5.9 in deep to 1.25 in when compressed; Monos says its cubes lose up to 60% of their height.
• Depth, mostly: The same Thule cube measures 14 × 10 in expanded and 13.4 × 9.1 in compressed, so the depth changes most.
• One zipper, two ways: On Away’s and Peak Design’s cubes, the same zipper opens for extra room or closes to compress.
• Angled openings: Eagle Creek’s Isolate cubes open on an angled zipper that forms a tub, so stacked or rolled clothes stay put as you pack.
• Clean and dirty sides: Peak Design’s cube has an internal divider; each side grows or shrinks with what you put in it.
• Vacuum cubes: Ekster’s kit seals with an airtight zipper, and a small rechargeable pump draws the air out to leave a flat pack.

Types

• Standard cubes: No compression; light and simple, like Eagle Creek’s Isolate set, whose 7 L medium cube weighs 1.5 oz (43 g).
• Compression cubes: A second zipper squeezes the load; Thule, Peak Design, Monos and Away all make them.
• Ultralight pods: Pack Hacker’s ultralight pick, Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s pods, are made of water-resistant Dyneema fabric.
• Clean/dirty cubes: Two compartments; Thule’s uses a wipe-clean TPU divider to keep odor and damp on one side.
• Vacuum cubes: Ekster’s standard cube holds 19.5 L; Pack Hacker says its pump lasts 15–20 uses per charge.
• Structured cubes: Stiffer cubes keep their shape; Dagne Dover’s wire-edged mesh cubes brought WIRED’s clothes in wrinkle-free.

What to look for

• Compression or not: Compression cubes save space; Business Insider notes cubes without it are often cheaper.
• Light fabric: Thin ripstop keeps a set light: Thule’s two cubes weigh 0.5 lb, Away’s four weigh 1.16 lbs.
• Water resistance: Look for water-repellent or water-resistant fabric, such as Thule’s bluesign-approved 100D ripstop nylon.
• Zippers and handles: Pack Hacker weighs zipper quality, zipper count and handles; Thule uses YKK zippers and a webbing handle.
• See what’s inside: Packing expert Anne McAlpin, speaking to NBC Select, favors a translucent top so you can track what each cube holds.
• Sizes for your bag: Thule sizes its set for most carry-ons; Monos sizes its set of four for carry-ons and its set of six for checked bags.
• Warranty: Peak Design and Eagle Creek cover their cubes for life; Monos gives two years and Away one.

On the plane and on the trip

• Carry-on size: Delta caps carry-ons at 22 × 14 × 9 in (56 × 35 × 23 cm), handles and wheels included.
• Carry-on weight: Singapore Airlines and Emirates limit an economy cabin bag to 7 kg; WIRED says cubes usually add less than a pound.
• Checked-bag weight: American Airlines sets 50 lb (23 kg) for a standard checked bag; WIRED notes a cube is easy to pull out of an overweight bag.
• Liquids stay apart: TSA’s rule still applies: containers of 3.4 oz (100 mL) or less, in one quart-size bag, set apart from your carry-on for screening.
• Bag searches: TSA screens every bag and may open one; Eagle Creek says its Reveal cubes’ mesh windows let you and TSA officers see inside.
• Pack from empty: TSA advises starting with an empty bag and checking every pocket and compartment for prohibited items.
• Vacuum pumps: TSA allows devices with lithium batteries of 100 Wh or less in carry-on bags, and in checked bags under special instructions.
• At the hotel: WIRED puts cubes straight into hotel drawers; a clean/dirty side keeps worn clothes apart for the trip home.

Limits and care

• No space miracle: Business Insider found compression helps you use the space you have but does not dramatically raise how much you can pack.
• Wrinkles: Away says tight compression can crease linen and cotton; it suggests rolling, and compressing sturdier jeans, sweaters and T-shirts.
• Hard to close: Pack Hacker found Eagle Creek’s compression cubes hard to zip when packed tightly.
• Bulk when expanded: Condé Nast Traveler’s editor found Monos cubes bulky when expanded and suggests them for checked bags.
• Mesh tops: Business Insider notes mesh offers little privacy and suits damp or sweaty clothes poorly.
• Cleaning: Eagle Creek advises a sponge, warm water and powdered non-detergent soap, no machine unless the label allows; Away’s cubes take a cold wash.
• Dry before storing: Eagle Creek says to dry gear completely to prevent mildew and to keep zippers free of sand and grit.

A short history

Before cubes, many travelers sorted clothes in zip-top plastic bags; packing expert Anne McAlpin told NBC Select she used Ziploc bags for years. Eagle Creek traces its Pack-It line to 1996.

• 1975: Steve and Nona Barker found Eagle Creek in California’s San Jacinto Mountains, starting with custom mountain packs.
• 1996: Eagle Creek introduces its Pack-It line of packing organizers.
• January 2007: VF Corporation’s outdoor unit completes its purchase of Eagle Creek.
• January 2021: Eagle Creek relaunches Pack-It as the Reveal, Isolate and Gear lines, using recycled and bluesign-approved fabrics.
• June 2021: VF announces it will retire the Eagle Creek brand by the end of the year.
• September 2021: Former VF executive Travis Campbell acquires Eagle Creek, and the brand carries on.