Do you struggle to stay organized when you travel? If so, this post is specifically for you! At home some might say I am an organized mess, meaning I know exactly where everything goes and is, even if it looks like a tornado swept through moments before. When I’m traveling I am pretty much the same. Super organized, but can lean towards sort of a mess.
In come packing cubes. I have been using packing cubes on and off since my first solo trip 16 years ago, however I have found they have achieved greater importance for me now that I travel with a child. I love packing cubes so much that I recommend them to every new traveler I meet. It really is a packing essential, particularly for families.
I already have several different brands of packing cubes that I rotate regularly between my trips using them for different purposes. However, when I was contacted by Pro Packing Cubes and asked if I was interested in their product I of course said YES! I love packing cubes and always love the opportunity to test out new gear to see just what I might be missing. I decided I would set all of my other cubes aside for my trip to Costa Rica and use only the Pro Packing Cubes to get a true test of how they function on the road.
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High Quality & Great Details
The first thing I noticed when I unpacked the ProPacking Cubes was how they looked and felt. I really liked how they were a bit thicker and more durable feeling than some other brands that often feel flimsy. Even though these cubes are stronger than some of my other packing cubes they continue to be light weight for keeping your overall luggage weight down.
I loved the netting across the front that allows my clothes to breath and provides a window of sorts so you can see exactly what is inside without having to open it up. This is wonderful for people on the go and hectic families as it reduces time finding your cubes.
Finally, one of the best little details that came in useful was the handle on the top of the bags. This made it super easy to carry them from our suitcase to the bathroom or dressing area. Its just a simple thing, which could be overlooked easily, but I did find it quite handy.
My son noticed right away that the ProPracking cubes all have YKK zippers. Every since we listened to a children’s podcast about zippers, he has been obsessed with checking out the different types. According to him, these are the best!
Because of the quality of the nylon material, I found I was able to stuff these little guys quite full without any fear of them breaking or bursting open. So far its a winning situation!
Flexibility in Sizes Offered
ProPacking Cubes sent me two different sets, the 5 piece set in black and the 6 piece set in pink. If you haven’t ever really packed with packing cubes you may not have any real preference for sizes, but having used so many through the years I found that I really loved the different sizes offered with Pro Packing Cubes.
I particularly like the small rectangle. I used one for my son’s socks/underwear and pajamas, one for cords and chargers and extra batteries and another for all of my GoPro and camera accessories (Which I am so sad to report was stolen out of my car upon our return! I loved the bag almost as much as what was in it!)
For this trip, I didn’t end up using the largest of the packing cubes as it was easier for me to use two medium sizes – one for myself and one for my son. I could have probably gotten everything in the larger one, but I wanted to keep our items separate so it would be easy for us to find our belongings quickly as we were moving around quite a bit during that trip.
For families, I would suggest the 6 piece set because it comes with two of the rectangle cubes that are great for socks and underwear or for gadgets that you don’t want to get lost in the bottom of the bag. The medium size bags are perfect for a week’s worth of kids clothes. The larger bag is great for people like me who often take one too many outfits just in case! I found the largest bag a bit too big for my carry-on suitcase, but would have been perfect for my checked bag had I taken it.
Packability
Apart from quality and sizing, the next most important factor to consider when purchasing packing cubes is the packability. These cubes say that they are compression cubes, but I wasn’t so sure. I have other cubes that require me to pack them, zip them and then zip a second zipper to really compress the items. The result is a tightly packed cube of clothes, however its so tightly packed the clothes come out quite wrinkled which means I rarely use them for myself these days.
So, I was interested to see how the compression on these cubes actually worked. I am happy to report that even though I was skeptical on their compression aspect, I found that I was able to fit much more into the cubes than I had thought. Every time I closed the cube, I would notice a little bit more space that I could use to add something else.
Like I mentioned above, the medium cube quite easily fit an entire week’s worth of shorts and t-shirts for my 6 year old. The small rectangle cube also fit all of his socks, underwear and pajamas for the week.
Why Families Need These
Obviously, not just families need these, but let me tell you that it will make a world of difference to your family packing procedures. If you can, get each kid their own color, so they (and you) will always know right away which bag is for which person. Luckily these bags are priced quite economically, so it is possible. I only wish you could purchase the individual bags rather than only entire sets.
During our trip, I took the pink and my son used the black. It made it so easy, even for him at 6 years old to quickly find his packing cube, get out his clothes and pack it all back up. When you move around a lot, pack in backpacks or duffle bags these are especially handy. Nothing gets lost in the bottom of the bag and it reduces the amount of repacking/re-organization that goes on with frequent hotel changes.
Conclusion
Overall, I have to say that the ProTravel Packing Cubes are great and provide a size of bag that you don’t always find with other brands. I am still so sad that TWO of my bags were stolen when my car was broken into a day back from our trip. I sure hope it’s new owner realize how great these guys are!
If you are looking for a way to stay organized when traveling without sacrificing precious cargo weight, ProPacking Cubes offer a high quality, perfectly sized cube for all your travel needs. Families.. these are perfect for you – get each kid their own color and never have to worry about them finding their clothes again!
Do you use packing cubes when you travel? What are the most important features you look for? Also, does it matter if you roll your clothes or fold them? I can’t help it.. I am a packing nerd I love this stuff!
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A great product, I should give it a try.
I’m getting ready for a trip to Europe. I hate how messy my suitcase quickly becomes when I’m on a trip. I’m going to check into Packing Cubes and give them a try. Thanks!