travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Which one is best or you? Packing cubes vs Compression Bags

TL;DR answer to packing cubes vs compression bags question: a combination of both and lo and behold the birth of the “Packing Compression Cube Bags“.  

When you have two amazing solutions for different types of travel and a product emerges that gives you the best of both worlds then it’s a no brainer IMO.  

Why do you even need any of them? Because, if you are a frequent traveler, and I honestly hope you are, then any solution we recommend here will simply blow your mind

There are several types of products, with different purposes and we recommend the best in their categories. 

Waterproof, anti-wrinkle, and other needs are all covered, just scroll down and take advantage of our research.

Our Top Pick

Pros
- Great for organizing
- Good compression to save space

Cons
- Less flexible than others

travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Gonex Compressing Cubes

This is the best of both worlds. On one hand, you have organizing cubes to neatly place inside your suitcase and on the other hand, you can use zip compression technique to make them more compact. Perfection!

Overall
4/5

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Check out our review of travel money belts to give you  some extra safety on the road.

Comparing the options for packing: air compression, cubes and plastic roles

travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Packing Cubes

Think of them as small suitcases, as boxed bags they fit like a puzzle inside your packing gear. (Note: not so good for backpacks, check the sacks instead.)

Positive

  • Super organizer (life changer point)
  • Not just for travel (you can use it at home)
  • Sturdy models keep clothes without wrinkles
  • Easier to access inside suitcase

 Negative

  • Don’t save much space, no compression

Good for

  • Suitcase travelers not concerned with volume (although our recommended model fits inside a carry-on)

Compression bags

There are two types of compression bags:

Nylon sacks

Positive

  • Super compression (life changer point)
  • Great for backpacks (this is what we still use)

 Negative

  • Perfect wrinkle maker

Good for

  • Backpackers
  • Items that don’t wrinkle easily

Plastic ziploc style bags

Positive

  • Super compression (life changer point)
  • Waterproof

 Negative

  • Perfect wrinkle maker
  • Durability

Good for

  • Water sensitive trips
  • Items that don’t wrinkle easily

Compression Packing Cubes

If you don’t have a backpack and water is not an issue, then this is what you are looking for. 

Imagine combining the positives of the packing cubes and compression bags with none of the negatives. 


travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Specific need’s products worth have a look

  • Packing folders: If you travel with shirts and suits then you should get some packing folders to keep them wrinkle free
  • Shoe bags: Designed for shoes, to protect clean clothes from dirty soles inside any travel bag, but you can also use to carry your technology
  • Zipper pouches: Versatile smaller pouches that you can use for your toiletries (remember airport x-rays) 
  • Dirty clothes: Double sided packs with an interior water sealed compartment. Perfect for separating dirty clothes from clean, a damp bathing suit or smelly gym clothes, or to simply provide even more organization

Guidelines for using packing cubes or bags

 Think as a minimalist 

Our idea of being able to pack better is not to stuff more things. It’s just to organize and be more practical and to confer water protection because you never know what can happen. 

In our opinion, we should pack for carry-on. It’s much better for your wallet and the environment. 

Pushing the boundaries

 

Yes, the cubes or packs sometimes look like they can do miracles with your clothes, but it’s best to avoid pushing the materials to the limit. Over-filling is a natural tendency that directly affects  durability,especialyzippers. 

Right product for the right thing

 
Like we showed above, there are specific packs for different types of products. Try no to mix too much, like placing technology inside packs designed to hold clothing, because this can damage them.

 

Choosing the right size

 

We did it when we bought ours, we got the bigger sizes afraid of the smaller ones not being enough. But we forget that if they are compressing bags then things WILL fit inside, that’s the whole idea. If you think you need a 13L, get an 8L instead. 

Remember that the idea is to pack better not to pack more. If you managed to stay under the carry-on limit, you save time and money, and of course our planet. 

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The 5 best packing solutions

1 Compression Cubes, 1 Structured Cubes, 1 Flexible Cubes, Compression Sacks and 1 Plastic compression bags

Our Top Pick

Pros
- Great for organizing
- Good compression to save space

Cons
- Less flexible than others

travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Gonex Compressing Cubes

This is the best of both worlds. On one hand, you have organizing cubes to neatly place inside your suitcase and on the other hand, you can use zip compression technique to make them more compact. Perfection!

Overall
4.5/5

#2 Best for Organization


Pros
- Organization perfection 
- Carry on perfect size

Cons
- Almost no compression
- Not for backpacks

travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Packing Cubes by Travel fashion Girl

They are not just amazing cubes, they are planned with all the details, colour and number coded, and they fit the exact size of a carry-on. Organisation wise, they are just perfect.

Overall
4/5

#3 Best for flexibility

Pros
- Flexible packing cubes 
- Ultra light, easy to carry

Cons
- Almost no compression
- More fragile

Eagle Creek Pack-it Specter Cube Set


More generic packing cubes with the great advantage of not being made of hard materials, which allows for portability.

Overall
4/5

#4 Best for backpacks

Pros
- Great compression 
- Perfect for backpacks
- Water resistant

Cons
- Wrinkle masters
- Not great for suitcases

Sea to summit dry sacks

These are the ones we still use and are still happy with.

Overall
4/5

#5 Best or waterproof

Pros
- Cheaper solution
- High compression
- Waterproof

Cons
- Less durable
- Not so great to organize

travel accessories packing cubes compression bags traveling clothing air pouch sack dry carry on suitcase

Lewis N. Clark Reusable Space Saver


These ziplock bags have a one-way valve that helps compress and squeeze the air out. They are multipurpose too.

Overall
4/5

Conclusion

We presented you with the best solutions for all kinds of traveling needs, hopefully you’ve found yours.

We recommend two things:

           – Pack light: use this product to organise but think like a minimalist when packing

           – Blend solutions: experiemnt with different options and mix.

We hope we’ve helped you make your travels less of a hassle and more fun. Happy Travels! 

 

Do you have problems sleeping when traveling? Is noise an issue? Not anymore with ear plugs. Check our review

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