The Best Packing Cubes For Backpacking

Packing for a backpacking trip through Europe can sometimes be a little bit stressful. When it comes to actually packing though, it can be wise to invest in packing cubes so you can keep all your items organised!

Packing cubes are the single greatest product to help backpackers (or any travellers for that matter) keep their things small, contained, clean, and organised. They have been incredibly beneficial for us and we can’t imagine packing and unpacking without them!

Want a quick answer? My choice for the best packing cubes is the Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Cubes.

Packing Cubes Comparison

Are Packing Cubes Worth It?

There are numerous benefits of packing cubes, especially for backpackers who are keen to maximize their space and organisation.

When you’re travelling with a backpack, there is usually only one main pocket for you to pack your things. This is true of most packs, and especially with our travel backpack of choice — the Osprey Farpoint 55.

This can make keeping your things organised and secure a bit difficult sometimes. However, this hasn’t ever really come as a drawback for us as we use packing cubes. They are incredibly convenient when it comes to organising your clothing and keeping it clean.

Another benefit of packing cubes is that they can be great space savers. When you’re backpacking through Europe, you don’t want to be travelling with a large bag so it’s in your best interest to find something that will help you maximise your limited space. If you pack smartly, you can cram a lot of stuff into a small packing cube and it will only take up a fraction of space in your bag.

Aside from the fact that they can help you save space and keep your backpack organised, packing cubes can also keep your things clean and wrinkle-free. While many people use plastic bags for this purpose, packing cubes are a lot more durable and certainly less wasteful.

Also, if you’re planning on staying in hostel dorms, they will help you keep some friends while you rummage through your backpack while others are sleeping because they don’t make that horrific crinkling noise that plastic bags make!

What to Look For

At first thought, you might assume that there isn’t much difference between the variations of zippered cloth bags, however, there are definitely some packing cubes that are far superior to others.

The first and most important thing that you should look for is durability. Are the zippers sturdy? Is the stitching solid? Is the fabric strong?

If these answers are “yes,” then you likely have found a good set of packing cubes because, of course, there is nothing more infuriating than a broken zipper or torn stitching on something that you invested your hard-earned travel money on, especially if you’re on the road.

Another good feature to look for in packing cubes would be that they’re waterproof. This is especially helpful if your luggage itself isn’t waterproof and you are caught in a rainstorm.

It can be incredibly inconvenient if all of your clothes end up soaking wet because you got caught out in the rain while walking to your accommodation. If you don’t have a rain cover for your backpack or luggage, a great failsafe is to make sure that your clothes are packed into waterproof cubes.

I would also recommend looking at the price point. Generally speaking, the better cubes are going to be more expensive than the cheaply made cubes.

Though it might seem tempting to purchase the cheapest packing cubes available, I would suggest that you splurge a bit on better-made packing cubes.

These are likely to last you for many trips and many years to come without the zippers breaking or their fabric ripping. The same probably cannot be said for the cheap cubes.

Best Packing Cubes for Backpacking

With so many packing cubes on the market these days, it can be hard to know which ones are going to be worth your money, last a long time, and will just make your packing easier and more organised.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Compression Cubes

The Eagle Creek Pack-It Cubes (also available direct from Eagle Creek here) are incredibly lightweight and durable, but they also zip down and compress to half of their size so you can really maximise space in your backpack. This makes them the best compression packing cubes on this list!

They come in two sizes: the full-sized cube is 36cm x 25cm (14in x 10in) and has a 13.5-litre capacity when expanded and a 7-litre capacity when compressed. The half-cube is 25cm x 18cm (10in x 7in) and has a 6-litre capacity when expanded and a 3-litre capacity when compressed.

These are the packing cubes we currently travel with and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Because of their compression abilities, they are also the best packing cubes for carry-on travel.

I use one full-sized cube (for jeans and jumpers) and two half-cubes (one for socks/undies and another for tops) and I can always fit everything I need into them. Using compression cubes really allows you to bring far more than you would think you could while still sticking to a small backpack.

If you pack the cubes really full, it can be difficult to compress them but with a little adjusting, you should be able to zip them down without a problem.

With one full-sized cube and the two half-cubes fully packed and compressed, I still have ample room left for my toiletry bag and other miscellaneous items.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Clean/Dirty Cube

If you can’t tell, I like Eagle Creek products. I think they’re well-made and durable and the packing cubes are especially lightweight.

This clean/dirty cube (also available direct from Eagle Creek here) can be an appealing option for packing cubes as there are two separate zipped compartments on either side, one for clean clothes and one for dirty clothes.

It is made of the same material as the Eagle Creek compression cubes listed above, but it doesn’t have the compression zipper function. They also only come in a large size (36cm x 25cm) and are a bit bulkier than the compression cubes.

Personally, I don’t feel the need to have a separate compartment in my packing cubes for my dirty clothes — I just put them in the mesh pocket on the upper flap of my backpack and that does the job for me. However, if this is a function that you think would be useful, then this cube would be a good purchase.

Osprey Packs UL Cubes

The Osprey Pack UL Cubes made by one of our favourite backpack brands, Osprey, are one of the best ultralight packing cube sets available.

The set of three comes with one small cube, one medium cube, and one large cube holding 2.5, 4.5, and 5 litres respectively.

They are incredibly light meaning they won’t add any extra weight to your luggage and, despite their small volume, they have the ability to hold a lot of contents. They are durably made with strong fabric and good zippers and also come equipped with Osprey’s lifetime warranty.

They also have a convenient grab handle on top so you can easily grasp the cube you want even when it’s in the bottom of your backpack. They also come in a couple of colours to suit any personality.

Bagail 6 Set Cubes

Another great packing cube option (and one of the highest-rated on the market) is the Bagail 6 Set Packing Cubes.

As the name suggests, these packing cubes come in a set of six with three different sizes, meaning that there are ample cubes available for all of your different sorts of items.

The packing cubes are made from a sturdy nylon material and are equipped with mesh panels, meaning that you can easily see what is inside them without having to open every cube up to find your coveted pair of jeans.

They also have a convenient double zipper, making it easy to close and open, and a handle on the top so you can grab them out of your bag easily.

They come in a range of colours so you can find a style that suits any personality or that matches your luggage!

Amazon Basics Set

If you’re looking for a more thrifty set of packing cubes rather than the fancy “name brand” packing cubes listed above, then the Amazon Basics Set are a really good option for you.

These packing cubes come in a set of four cubes of two different sizes: two medium and two large. The medium-sized cube is 14 x 10 x 3 inches and the large cube is 17 x 13 x 3 inches and they’re made from a lightweight and durable material in a mixture of nylon and mesh. They also come in a range of colours.

These packing cubes are a great choice if you’re on the fence about whether you need packing cubes at all and want to workshop how they’ll fit into your travel style without making the big investment of the brands listed above.

There are some downsides to these cubes, however. The main downside to them is that they are just too large to fit in a compact backpack, meaning that they’re not ideal for travel backpacks like the Osprey Farpoint 40 or 55.

Another downside is that they are not quite as durable as any of the models listed above and you may have to replace them sooner than if you went with another brand.

Shacke Pak Set

Another great choice if you want to test the water for packing cubes is the Shacke Pak Set. Again a more budget-friendly set compared to the first three listed in this article, these packing cubes come in a 4-piece set in different sizes.

They are made from a combination of waterproof nylon and black mesh so you can see what is inside, the material is also fairly lightweight and durable so you won’t need to replace them after using them on just one trip. They also come in a range of colours to suit any personality.

They do, however, have the same drawback as the Amazon Basics packing cubes in the fact that the largest cube, at 17.5 x 12.75 x 4 inches, is far too large for most travellers.

However, if you do decide to purchase this set, you can opt to leave the largest one at home and use the smaller three cubes included instead. They should have more than enough room for your backpacking needs.

There are many benefits of packing cubes and they will certainly help you stay organised and save space in your backpack!

Do you use packing cubes? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments!