How to find the best packing cube and use it to outsmart an airline

One of Wes Wakefield’s favorite travel hacks is a packing cube. These small, inexpensive accessories can help you fit more clothes into your luggage than you probably thought possible.

And when it comes to selecting the right packing cube, it’s all about the zipper.

“A zipper that gets stuck is a deal-breaker,” says Wakefield, who runs a beverage supply company in Manor, Texas. 

Sure, there are other factors, like design, durability and, of course, user reviews. But if it doesn’t have the right double zipper he won’t touch it.

As airlines start to tighten the screws on passengers carrying their luggage on board, these little accessories can make a big difference. 

But there are packing cubes and there are packing cubes. You want to end up with the right ones.

What makes a quality packing cube?

“Think beyond just the shape,” advises Phyllis Albert, Travelpro’s senior quality manager. “A well-made packing cube helps you find what you need faster, fit more into your bag, and keep things separated and organized.”

That’s easy for her to say because Travelpro has some of the most highly rated packing cubes on the market (I even use them).

But to understand quality, it helps to know what quality isn’t. A recent experience comes to mind.

A friend gave me a packing cube set as a present recently, knowing that I’m on the road almost 365 days a year. The cube looked enticing: lightweight, it had an extra pocket for laundry and a latch on the back so I could attach it to my rollaboard. 

I loved it. 

Then I tried to use it. I packed it full of clothes, zipped it closed, and walked down the street to a laundromat (yes, that’s where travel writers do their laundry; we do not use the expensive laundry service in the hotel).

About halfway there, the zipper came undone. I could see the problem. It was a flimsy zipper, not at all suited to the rigors of travel. These packing cubes looked good, but they didn’t work.

The elements of the perfect packing cube

Let’s unpack this problem. As airlines squeeze carry-on allowances – Delta now weighs bags at the gate, United enforces stricter size limits – packing cubes aren’t just organizers. They’re your first line of defense against onerous luggage fees.

But as my laundry-strewn sidewalk proved, choosing wrong means gambling with your gear. Here are a few pro tips:

• Find a rugged design. Go for something sturdy and avoid anything too lightweight (that’s just code for “fragile”). A quality packing cube does what it says and says what it does — it packs lots of things in your luggage efficiently.
  
• Zip it. Small, plastic zippers are out. Double YKK-style zippers with wide teeth and wrapped stitching will ensure your luggage cube can take all the punishment you can give, and then some. “Test the zipper strength by checking the pulls,” advises frequent traveler Dean Rotchin, the CEO of a jet charter company. “They should feel strong and move smoothly. They shouldn’t catch or need too much force.”
  
• Get a fabric fortress. When it comes to a packing cube, 600D ripstop nylon or Cordura (500D to 1000D) outlasts flimsy polyester. Joseph Lopez, who runs a medical supply company, presses a spoon into the corners of the cube. “If it dents, it’s dead weight,” he says. 
  
• Test the structure. Look for compression panels and folded seams that hold shape when stuffed.  “I don’t trust mesh on top,” says frequent traveler Vishnu Potini. “It looks nice but gives out fast. I prefer solid panels with a little stretch.”

How to protect your stuff in a luggage cube

A quality packing cube doesn’t just help you organize your belongings; it can also protect them.

Compression = fewer luggage fees

For example, Travelpro’s compression zippers squeeze out air, creating denser packs that resist shifting. No more oversize luggage fees.

Laundry lockdown

Go for cubes with segregated compartments. That way, you can keep your dirty clothes separate when you travel. (Mixing them is a terrible idea.)

Consider a tech cube

Regular packing cubes aren’t suited for your technology. Instead, try a padded, water-resistant cube or ziplock bag for your wires and gadgets.

Once you’ve placed your valuables in the right packing cube, is there a way to further ensure they won’t get damaged? Turns out, there is.

Luggage cubes work best when you have a well-developed folding method (I like to roll my pants and shirts, for example). If you have something fragile that you want to pack into the cube, like a souvenir, make sure you place it in the center and don’t fully compress the cube. Otherwise, you could damage the item.

If you’re packing liquids in a cube, go for a waterproof cube and put the items in a Ziploc bag (I know, I know. Again with the zippers!), and never mix dry items with liquids, even when you’ve double-bagged them. Luggage handlers can get rough. Yes, that rough. 

The future of packing cubes

What if your bag came pre-organized? That’s where we’re heading. I asked Travelpro about the next big thing, and Albert pointed out that its new softside collections, like VersaPack+, integrate packing cube features directly into the luggage. They have built-in compartments and wet/dry pockets, shoe bags, and compression panels. It’s all designed to reduce the need for add-ons and help you stay organized without overthinking. Instead of a separate system, the bag becomes the system. 

As airlines turn into luggage tax collectors, a $40 cube that fits is just survival.

So, to recap: Choose double-zippered, denier-dense packing cubes. And when you zip shut that overstuffed cube without a single snag? That’s the sound of victory. Just promise me one thing: Skip the dollar-store “bargains.” Your dignity – and your delicates – shouldn’t end up scattered across the terminal floor.