Packing - cube vs flat pack

I am a staunch packing cube packer. An easy choice is the ebags.com 4 piece or 6 piece value pack of classic cubes in bright colors. Cubes are easy. Just roll or fold your clothes - stick in cube, zip-up and pack. You can then easily shift them around in your bag for the best use of packing space. You can even pack them vertically. Example, I slip the slimline cube vertically into the gap between my larger cubes and the suitcase outer wall.

I assume the flat packs are the ones where air is extruded somehow to compress the items. Seems like a hassle to me.

Nice thing here is it’s just packing cubes. You could try a set and see how you like them. If you need another packing solution - you can always try another method like Eagle Creek packing folders, etc.. Zip-mesh pouches from eagle creek or Amazon.com can supplement as well.

Remember with a compressed pack you are only saving space, weight remains the same. I've not used those, but I traveled with a friend who did
. It did seem like a lot of hassle but I did not observe her appearing wrinkly and disheveled.

I also like packing cubes, I have even used one to collect my dirty laundry and just rinsed the bag out by hand when I got home.

I'm not as focused as Sun Baked. I don't roll things, I stack shirts in one, undies in another, and slacks just sort of fliat in the bag.

I use the plastic bags you can squeeze all the air out of. They're clear so you can see what you've got inside. I use one for each day's outfit up to about four or five plus one for nightwear and sometimes one for a sweater or jacket. My clothes don't seem to wrinkle - maybe the lack of air has something to do with that? All the rolling involved with cubes seems like more work than sealing and squeezing.

Flat packs aren't that much different than compression packing cubes. The first compresses by removing all the air inside. The compression packing cubes just squish down when you zip it down. Regular packing cubes just organize what you want to pack. I think the trick to minimizing wrinkles with any of them is to first, only pack things that dont wrinkle easily. Second, know how to properly roll or fold your items. And third, to fill the pack or cube completely, so there is minimal movement possible. Pack folded clothing like pants, dress shirts, or dresses on the bottom of the suitcases, with the cubes or packs on top, then use the suitcase packing straps to securely snug everything down so there is no movement within the suitcase while the suitcase is being transported. I think most wrinkles happen when stuff is loose and can move around inside the bag.

Whether you roll or fold the clothes inside the packs or cubes is up to you.

Before I splurged on packing cubes, I used ziploc bags and rolled my clothes tight. It was hard to fit pants. Packing cubes are shaped better than ziplocs for my needs. The wrinkles seemed worse with certain fabrics. So I started taking with me those clothes most likely to pack well. Took some practice.

Also, it seemed the more I tried to stuff into a bag or packing cube, the more wrinkled they would be. So I stopped overstuffing.

I ended up getting one ultralight packing cube from Osprey(not cheap), which is wonderful. Well worth it, I use it on every trip. Fits my REI rain jacket, rain pants, small umbrella, Tilley hat, nylon ball cap, beanie hat and liner gloves and a packable down vest. This ultralight style works so well in a backpack, whether clamshell opening or top-loading. I like to tuck in a dryer sheet or small bag of lavender to help the clothes smell sweet.

I also have more structured, heavier packing cubes made by Magellan for when I use a rolling carry-on. The larger size cube is good for pants and skirts and sweaters, small ones for shirts. I sewed myself a silk bag for delicate items.

This year from Amazon, I bought Gonex Compression Packing Cubes(they have extra zippers), but I think they were not as good as my ultralight packing cubes(found two more at bargain price), different colors to help with sorting.

Compressing the cubes was time consuming, so I know I would tire of that feature on a tour when we are packing and unpacking so often. They can be used without compressing.

So true about the weight not changing even though you squish everything down.

Maybe it’s my imagination, but it seems like packing the clothes in plastic bags made them less fresh. Maybe the packing cubes allow them to breathe? Now I only use the ziplocs for dirty laundry. I also have one marked “clean” for those sink laundered clothes that didn’t dry in time to pack them. Those get unpacked asap in the new place and hung up to dry.

Tom Bihn and other companies make waterproof packing cubes, nice if you don’t mind the extra weight.

Rolling my clothes hasn’t caused them to wrinkle unless it’s a very humid day when I roll them, and they stay rolled for more than a few days. Though some clothes never wrinkle, depends on the fabric and style.

If you are using ultralight backpacks or unstructured tote bags, packing cubes of any kind will help give the bag structure.

There are so many packing cube styles these days, it makes my head spin! Different sizes, shapes, fabrics and colors. Ones that compress, but don't have to. Ones that don't compress. Ones that are like large envelopes and are called folders. Ones that expand, but don't have to. Yikes! I have some of each of these types except the expansion ones. The last thing I need is to have anything that can get bigger. 🥴

When I first saw your question I thought you meant this type of flat pack called a packing folder. I have 2 much older folders similar to this, in medium and large. Most people who use them love them and say they are great for keeping the wrinkles out. Not me. To pack them properly, you have to use the guide board that comes with them. That makes them heavier than I want and harder for me to pack. I have used them domestically when traveling in a car, but I have never used one on a European trip.

Then someone suggested that you meant a compression packing cube like this that can be compressed or not. I have 3 older sets similar to these in "can't leave behind" bright colors (red, blue, chartreuse). I don’t leave home on any trip without them. I find them easy to pack (I'm a folder, not a roller) and I can get all my trip clothes in them except what I'm wearing. I definitely pack light, i.e. for a week, do laundry along the way and my trips are typically 4-5 weeks.

Both my compression cubes and the flat pack folders came from Eagle Creek back when they were almost the only game in town. Now there are multiple brands and multiple vendors as well as multiple styles. I think Amazon, REI and ebags are all good sources to compare options. Googling packing cubes will also provide results that include "best" ones articles for 2023.

The third basic type of packing cube is one that doesn’t compress at all like these on Amazon. I have a few very old ones similar to the smaller sizes shown, but the ones I use more are slim ones like these on ebags.

And these are some of the expansion types from REI. I can't imagine that I will ever buy any of them in any pattern or color.

There's a definite theme here of older packing cubes and light weight ones. That's because I limit my carry-on to 20 pounds fully packed. I also use a variety of soft and smushy little bags that can be tucked into empty nooks and crannies of whatever carry-on 2-wheeled roller bag I use. Except for this one from Rick Steves, most of those are repurposed freebies that housed something else when they came to me. That's because I'm cheap. You'll figure out what works best for you.

We use a combination of packing cubes and packing folders. Packing cubes for undergarments, socks, and such. Packing folders for shirts, blouses, pants, sweaters and etc. We've had very few problems with things in the packing folders getting wrinkled. There is a system to folding the items in the packing folders, and they should come with instructions. And using non wrinkle fabrics also helps.

I’ve used these mesh packing cubes since our first RS tour back in 2003. They will keep your clothing in place in your suitcase, and the open mesh allows air into them. One year in Madrid, I was randomly selected to have my suitcase contents searched. While others’ suitcase contents were dumped on the table, mine were barely touched because they could see what was in the cubes.

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/packing-cubes

The set is on sale right now for $16.

I too use packing cubes. To hold all the zip lock bags I've squeezed the air out of.

I used a packing folder on a recent trip where I needed a dress shirt. Put a couple other nicer shirts in. It was great. Easy instructions on the folder slip sheet. Arrived in pretty good shape & didn't take up much room. I used it in combination with packing cubes. This was a checked bag trip so I'll try it on a carry on trip next

Wow - lots of great ideas and feedback - thanks everyone!

Ebags.com is having a great sale on packing cubes now. Get the classic 6 piece set in bright, easy to see, colors and just travel.

Above post by zoemurrell.lusso reported. Username and product name the same. ???