There’s two schools of thought when it comes to packing: rolling and flat. A third option – packing cubes – adds a whole new level of organization. We recently took a few Eagle Creek Pack-it Cubes out on the road to see what we could fit and if they truly made life easier.
The California-based company’s been cranking out useful gear for travellers for decades and offers three cube variations including the Pack-it Original, which is what we were sent for this feature (the two others being Pack-It Specter and Pack-It Sport).
Each of the three are designed using different fabrics to meet their intended purpose and are sold both in sets and individually. There are so many to choose from!
We selected three sizes in two colours – Half Cube, Quarter Cube and Half Tube Cube – to see what each would hold.
The washable cubes are made of 300D Poly Micro-Weave and include a dual zipper with a mesh center that I hope TSA agents are less motivated to open during those time-consuming random searches.
The top has a handy carry handle too. I broke each size down into dimensions, capacity, weight, US/Canadian pricing and what I packed into them.
HALF CUBE
Dimensions: 25.4 x 18 x 8 cm (10” x 7” x 3”)
Capacity: 5 L (300 cu in)
Weight: 77 g (2.5 oz)
USD $10.95/CAD $13
What I packed in it: 12 pairs of undies that stayed folded in place during travel
QUARTER CUBE
Dimensions: 19 x 11 x 6 cm (7.5” x 4.5” x 2.5”)
Capacity: 1.2 L (75 cu in)
Weight: 45 g (1.5 oz)
USD $8.95/CAD $11
What I packed in it: a swimsuit
HALF TUBE CUBE
Dimensions: 25.4 x 10 x 5 cm (10” x 4” x 2”)
Capacity: 2 L (100 cu in)
Weight: 59 g (2 oz)
USD $10.95/CAD $12
What I packed in it: 6 pairs of socks
My favourite feature is knowing that socks and undies won’t get lost at the bottom of my suitcase after several days of moving and shifting between airports and hotel rooms.
The cube’s soft material can be squished somewhat to take advantage of extra room in the corners of your bag to maximize space.
I’ve seen other travel bloggers packing an entire suitcase with cubes of every size and shape. I hope to get my hands on larger cubes to put this to the test one day, but for now I will say this: most travellers will find a use for these.
Not only are the cubes compact but you can stow smaller ones into a larger one when not in use – brilliant! They’re available in Blue Sea, Red Fire, Fern Green and Black.
SANDMAN EYESHADE
The Sandman Eyeshade is super convenient for travel and comes with a small pocket for stowing earplugs! Once I’ve boarded, the first things I reach for (in no particular order) are a water bottle, earplugs and eye mask.
Eagle Creek’s is soft and with a washable fleece exterior and embossed micro fleece interior. An adjustable elastic helps ensure a comfortable fit.
The inside area above the nose and face contains a built-in soft black lining to keep light out. Weighing in at one ounce (28 g), this is a great accessory to throw into your backpack or purse, whether for planes, trains or automobiles. The Sandman retails for USD $15.95/CAD $16.95.
All Eagle Creek products come with a lifetime warranty. Pack-It Cubes and Sandman Eyeshades can be purchased online and in Vancouver at The Travel Bug on West Broadway.
