PACKING CUBES vs. No Packing Cubes | Official side-by-side Comparison

The debate between using packing cubes vs. no packing cubes continues! Which is better? How do you like to pack for your travels?

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[BeccaIrene]

Hello all! This video was created my me :) This is my opinion and rightfully so. This isn’t a challenge to “change my mind.” These are also not compression cubes. Chill and maybe go get a massage lol.

[onyxfaith]

here’s the thing for me, I use the cubes to actually compress more in. Zipping the cube up partially, when you think it’s full, and adding more in... you can pack a whole lot more in a bag that way. The ability to “organize” is secondary.

[lblov]

I use packing cubes all the time. The trick is to fill them to overflowing and then zip to compress. Also, I still fill the wheel well with misc items items and have separate bags for the shoes. I don’t feel you represented the packing cubes well enough. Maybe your prejudice hampered you packing skills on this one. I’ve gone to Europe for a month and traveled from place to place, and find the cubes very valuable. I even had room to add some bulky purchases to my bag full of packing cubes on the return trip. Let’s hear it for packing cubes! 💕

[jengoler]

You need to buy better cubes. Smaller sizes that compress the clothes. Yours arent even shaped to fit in a suitcase. Eagle Creek's fit into a suitcase like tetris.

[KittyAndersonIS]

As someone who travels 6 months out of the year, often up to 6 to 8 weeks at a time, and never checks luggage, with correct use of packing cubes I can fit about 50% more in my carry on case.

Tips and tricks
Use smaller cubes. I use ebags slim only. They fit the width of my cabin bag perfectly.
Pants, blazers, jackets, large sweaters packed out of cubes. Sweaters I fold so they fill up the space between the ridges for the handle. Trousers rolled and testrised into the bottom of the bag, blazers folded and layed on top.
Actually fill up each cube so that they compress to some degree. I usually pack and close, press down on them and open to add more.
Packing them this way is like just throwing stuff into the suitcase. If your utilising all space in one method but far from it in the other, of course it's not really an equal comparison.
Packing cubes are not magic and there is a learning curve to using them effectively, they also need to be appropriate for you size of case.
The shoe bags are usually not worth it. I use shoe covers or shower caps.

Makes security checks smoother and faster if they need to search your bag, they can point to the cube they want to search.

[ka]

LOL, girl, you could have used so many fewer packing cubes. Pack more items in one cube. Trust me. I did a two week road trip and stayed in 4 cities/4 hotels. Those cubes were so convenient. I'm a new subbie. I love all of your other packing tips and ideas.

[Aida_aj]

I just traveled for the first time with cubes. What I really liked about them is that I could divide shirts, pants and underwear, which makes it so much easier when you look for something. I always get my suitcase super messy when I have everything loose in it. So for organized packing these cubes are top and I didn’t feel like they where taking away space.

[ItsMeBriLee]

It takes up more space because they are being used incorrectly. You're basically supposed to overfill the packing cube and then compress it down and zip. Therefore saving space. I'd also recommend getting smaller ones that fit the suitcase better! That should help make them work for you 😊

[isabeld]

I loved the way you wrapped the shoes with the plastic bags and were able to place things inside without them touching the shoe. Great idea!

[christinejones]

I can see what you were trying to show in this video - and my only guess is that you were attempting to use/show all of the pieces in the cube set that you purchased. However, part of the beauty of cubes is the compression! You didn’t fill a single cube up - 2 of them were less than half full. My love for cubes is born of my business travel. Most of my trips are 7-10 days long and I transfer locations/hotels up to 4 times per trip 🤦🏻‍♀️. Cubes allow me to pack what I need for each section of my trip allowing me to take out only what I need for that leg and leave the rest neat, organized and ready for the next stay. I get that cubes might not be everyone’s “thing” but to say that they take up more room? When used/packed properly, that is simply not accurate. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[tammydennison]

I use packing cubes all the time. The problem you had with the cubes taking up extra space is that you used too many cubes. You left a lot of air space in each cube (especially the largest two). If you had packed the cubes tightly like they're meant to be packed I believe you would have had extra space. It works for me every time.

[nyrrican]

You could have fit a lot more into those codes. Not an accurate representation

[fedoranahmens]

You didn't use the packing cubes correctly. But you're entitled to pack the way you like.

[chococat]

I appreciate that you gave your viewpoint in the video. It sparks good discussion😊 If you are up for it, maybe do another video comparing rolling clothes and using packing cubes except this time fill each packing cube to capacity instead of putting only 4-5 things in each and calling it full. That is not a true comparison of the 2 methods and I think that is why there have been so many comments regarding your opinion in this video.

I travel a lot for work and have gone with and without packing cubes and compression packing cubes. I have always rolled my clothes. I have found that I get more into my suitcase with the compression packing cubes with space to spare than rolling my clothes alone and traditional packing cubes. I fill the cubes up completely then zip them down. I have also used regular packing cubes like yours and they do take up more space because they do not compress down. When you use them like you did in this video, you are right, it did take up more space. But I agree with a few of the other commenters, if you had packed each cube to capacity, you would have used ~2 packing cubes and had a lot of room leftover in your suitcase. You are right, it is a preference. I know for me, compression packing cubes give me the most efficient use of space in my suitcase.

[nightlightstrike]

That's because you didn't use compression packing cubes and could have used less cubes if you had packed it to its full capacity.

[lisafantone]

First thing I said was that she wasn’t using the packing cubes properly. I think what she was trying to do was show she was packing the exact same items but she fell short by mirroring the packing; which for the packing cube side she could have combined the t shirts, IMHO.

[darcy]

I love how you stored your shoes with the plastic bags and then put socks inside. That’s brilliant! The shoe bags always take up too much room

[janirak.]

Whether my trip is long or short, I have found my packing cubes to be very useful! Also, I’ve learned how to fold in a way that really maximizes what I can hold on them which has also really helped. Don’t give up on them! Lol

[aman.]

i’ve been using packing cubes during my 9 months of travelling australia and i absolutely love them! if you use them right, you can fit soooo many things in a single packing cube & it’s a lifesaver to have everything in it’s dedicated place, especially if you’re moving hostels all the time and you tend to get messy after using your clothes. they just let you find things quicker. couldn’t recommend them more✨

[emeralddetective]

This made my packing cube heart hurt. You could have fit so much more stuff in those. I like the idea of the video though! :) Happy travels!