For years, I’ve been reading how much other travelers love packing cubes – many swear by them. If you’ve ever shopped the luggage section in REI, Target or the like, you’ve no doubt seen them before.
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To be honest, as a minimalist traveler, I always thought them to be another “wannabe-essential” travel gadget that I just didn’t need. So when eBags offered to send us two sets of their highly rated ‘Bags by eBags‘ (their own brand) Packing Cubes – one standard and one slim – to review, I figured it was a great opportunity to (dis)prove my theory. As of this review, 98% of nearly 7600 buyers recommend them on the eBags website, so perhaps I’d been missing something after all?
“Bags by eBags” Packing Cubes (yellow)
The Skinny
As you might imagine, these packing cubes are pretty straightforward. Each set includes 1-small, 1-medium, and 1-large packing cube (all in a single color of your choice).
Product features for both styles include:
- Corded double zipper pulls make opening/closing simple and fast
- Mesh top panel for easy identification of contents, and ventilation
- Interior seams fully finished for durability
- Soft mesh won’t damage delicate fabrics
- Webbing handle for convenience when carried by itself
In Detail
Straight out of the box, the cubes feel sturdy and well made, which is somewhat surprising considering that they’re also extremely lightweight. Part of the reason that packing cubes in general never appealed to me is that they tend to be made with heavy duty – and just plain heavy – nylon. Not so with these. In fact the entire set weight (meaning all three cubes) is just 12 ounces for the standard size and 8 ounces for the slim (they feel almost weightless when empty).
Bags by eBags Slim Packing Cubes
In practical terms, the standard size cubes are excellent for packing a typical suitcase. The entire set is perfect in fact for a maximum sized carry-on. For my purposes, I really dig the Slim Packing Cubes which are ideal for organizing the space and “stuff” in my backpack.
Of course, what you choose to pack in each cube is entirely dependent on your mode of travel. They’re great for clothes (socks and underwear in one, shirts in another, etc.). For flashpackers, they’re awesome for keeping travel gadgets, accessories and cords all neatly in order. Photographers can store lenses, cables, memory cards, collapsible tripods, etc.
Bottom Line
After packing for my latest holiday trip to Montreal, I’ve realized just how much better organized my backpack is when using these cubes. Given that a set of the Slim Packing Cubes is just $19.99, consider me a convert.
Pricing & Availability
The Bags by eBags Packing Cubes (standard size) are available now in ten colors (including newly released Peony, Eggplant, Canary, Aquamarine and Tangerine) directly from eBags.com for $23.99 USD.
Sets of three Slim Packing Cubes are available in the same ten colors for $19.99.
You can also order a Value Set (with one set of each) for just $39.58 USD.
For discounts and the latest news on the ‘Bags by eBags’ brand, check them out on Twitter (@bags_by_eBags) and Facebook.