Best Compression Packing Cubes for 2023

After five years and over thirty trips, it was time to replace my trusty eBags packing cubes with a compressible version. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the eBags classic packing cubes! I have used them on almost every trip since I bought them, but I need an upgrade and am looking to save some space in my travel bags with compressible packing cubes. 

Compression packing cubes are a packing cube that you can compress (by forcing out air) to save space in your luggage. Most of these packing cubes use a dual zipper system, which allows one zipper to close the packing cube and the other zipper to compress the cube to reduce space. These are useful for almost any traveler as they enable you to pack more travel items. 

In a few conversations with my traveler friends, no one had tried compressible packing cubes before. I took this as an excellent opportunity to purchase a few options and put them to the test to determine if compression packing cubes are worth the cost.

Searching For The Best Compression Packing Cube Options

To find the best compression packing cube options, I did a few Google searches to see what was available. But before starting the search and determining which options to purchase, I thought long and hard about what I was looking for in compression packing cubes. I outlined some essential criteria that would make the purchase worthwhile. 

My criteria

• The cubes need to be compressible by at least half their original size
• Made from water-resistant material 
• Have sturdy zippers
• Come in various size options
• Highly rated by other users (4 or more stars out of 5)
• Good value for money spent

A variety of color options wasn’t a top priority to me, but if the cubes came in several colors or prints, that was a bonus. After sifting through hundreds of reviews for over twenty different compressible packing cube options, I found these four options to fit most of my criteria and my budget:

• Calpak Packing Cubes
• Gonex Packing Cubes
• Well Traveled Packing Cubes
• Monos Packing Cubes

Let’s move on and review the testing process I used for each set. 

The Testing Process

To test each compressible packing cube option, I used two packing methods. I first rolled the clothes into the packing cube, as this has been my preferred method for getting as many clothes in my suitcase as possible. I then packed the same amount of clothes by folding them. The goal was to determine if the packing method matters when using compressible packing cubes. 

I also packed the compressible packing cubes to the max, adding as many clothes as possible to fill any gaps to see how well each cube could be compressed. This also allowed me to determine if the zippers were strong enough to withstand that amount of weight. In the past, I have had packing cubes rip at the seams from being slightly overpacked, so my end goal was to see how well the zippers held up for each option. 

Additionally, I wanted to ensure the packing cubes could be used for trips year-round. I packed the cubes with some jeans and sweaters for winter travel, but also with some lightweight summer clothes as well. To be honest, I wasn’t concerned about the compression feature for the summer clothing as much as I was for my fall and winter items.

After packing the cubes with both methods, I measured each cube’s height twice. The first measurement was for the fully packed cube without compression, and the second was after using the compression system. This helped me determine how much space I would save by ensuring the compression system reduced the cube size by at least half. 

Lastly, I pulled one carry-on and one checked bag out of my storage room to determine if the packing cubes fit effortlessly in both types of luggage. I wanted to see how the packing cubes fit in my carry-on, as that is when I would often use them.

Calpak Packing Cubes

The Calpak compression packing cubes come in a set of two, and both are the same size (13 x 9 x 4.5 inches expanded). Calpak offers these cubes in five colors - three solid colors and two prints. These cubes are relatively lightweight, weighing only 0.3 pounds each. I placed my order for these packing cubes in pink sand, and Calpak offered 10% off my first purchase. Once the packing cubes arrived (8 business days after placing my order), I was excited to open the package and test them out. I picked out various clothes, including thicker sweaters, to see how these cubes held up when trying to compress fall and winter clothes.

My first test was rolling my clothes into the cubes. I rolled two pairs of jeans, two t-shirts, two thick sweaters, a pair of pants, and a pair of leggings. The packing cube closed easily with these items packed, but I did have some trouble when attempting to zip the compression zipper. I wasn’t able to zip it more than halfway before struggling. I ultimately gave up on the struggle and determined that rolling my clothes wouldn’t work for these cubes. 

Next, I attempted packing with the folding method. I could fold three pairs of jeans, two pairs of pants, two sweaters, two t-shirts, and a pair of leggings into one packing cube. The zipper on the compression feature was easy to glide closed, and to my surprise, I didn’t have to remove any clothing items to zip it fully! The Calpak website claimed that the packing cube could be reduced from a height of 4.5 inches to 2 inches. I was skeptical, so I pulled out my handy ruler to measure myself. While compressed and packed with the clothes mentioned above, the packing cube measured at a height of precisely two inches, so the website was accurate (and I was left very impressed). 

Travel Merak Score: 4.7/5

Pros:

Variety of colors/prints

Water-resistant polyester material

Sturdy and thick zippers

Fairly priced

Compressible by over half the original size

Cons:

No mesh insert

Only one size available

Can only purchase in packs of two

Overall, I was impressed with Calpak’s compression packing cubes. Despite my rolling method rendering the compression feature useless, they did compress very well when folding my clothes. The fabric felt very high quality in my hands, and the zippers were thick and sturdy (and didn’t catch on the material). While the price is higher for a pack of two ($48), I feel that the Calpak compression packing cubes are worth the cost and would even consider buying a second set in the future, especially if I end up purchasing a Calpak luggage.

Well Traveled Packing Cubes

The Well Traveled Compression Packing Cubes were a great Amazon find. They are extremely reasonably priced at $25.99 for a set of four (which ended up being even cheaper as Amazon was offering 10% off). Upon first inspection, when I received the cubes, the fabric seemed very durable, and the zippers didn’t feel flimsy or cheap. These cubes come with 50 luggage tags to label the contents of your packing cubes in a small mesh slot, a very nice touch that I have not seen offered with any other packing cubes I researched. In addition, they had excellent reviews on Amazon, with users giving these cubes 4.5/5 stars. 

Testing the Well Traveled compression packing cubes started with the largest cube and rolling my clothes into it. The capacity of this cube is awe-inspiring; I could fit almost seven days worth of clothes in the cube using the rolling method. To my surprise, it required virtually no effort when it came time to compress the cube using the compression zipper at the bottom! The cube compressed so easily that I even unzipped it and tried again. The height of the cube compressed from 6 inches down to 4 inches, so that is one drawback: it doesn’t compress to even half its original size. 

Folding clothes in the packing cube was even easier. Due to its capacity, the large cube quickly allowed me to pack over a week’s worth of various garments (dresses, pants, jeans, and shirts). The compression system worked like a breeze, as I expected it to after my success with compressing my rolled clothes. 

Travel Merak Score: 4.4/5

Pros:

Sturdy and lightweight twill fabric

Great price for four cubes

Includes 50 tags for labeling the contents of packing cubes

Very easy-to-use compression zippers, even when filled to the max

Cons:

Only three colors available

Bags don’t remain upright when empty

Doesn’t compress over 50% of the original size

Some reviewers noted they are not water-resistant

Overall, I like these cubes; they are a good option for those looking for something extraordinarily lightweight and budget-friendly. However, the fact that I couldn’t get these packing cubes to compress over 50% of their original size was a deal-breaker.

Gonex Packing Cubes

The Gonex Compression Packing Cubes were another great Amazon find. Several travelers have reviewed this brand, so I headed to Amazon to place an order. With 4.5/5 stars and over 7,000 reviews, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many customers raving about these cubes. The Gonex packing cubes are available in various colors to suit any style, and you can purchase a pack of three or four. For my review, I bought a pack of four in black for $29.99, which is a great price.

I unboxed the packing cubes and started testing the rolling method for my clothes. The largest of the packing cubes fit an impressive amount of clothes, but I was not a big fan of not being able to unzip the cube fully to see everything packed inside. Out of the cubes I tested, this one fit the most clothes. I could compress the cube easily until the zipper snagged on the fabric a tiny bit. With some effort, I got it loose and was able to compress the bag entirely. Unfortunately, even with the compression system, the middle of the bag stayed pretty full. I don’t know if this is just a feature of the bag or the way that I packed my clothes.

Next, I folded the same clothes and packed them into the cube. Again, I could compress the bag (no zipper snagging this time). The packing cube did compress more evenly this time, so I am sure my packing method had something to do with my uneven compression in the first test. 

Travel Merak Score: 4.5/5

Pros:

Top handle for easy grabbing from luggage

Available in 12 colors

Plenty of storage space

Durable zippers and quality fabric

Cons:

Compress only 40% of original size

Unable to unzip fully to see contents

Zipper snagged while attempting to compress

The Gonex compression packing cubes are a good budget option, and the top handle makes these easy to grab quickly from your suitcase or backpack. However, the compression on these cubes was minimal. Despite the durable fabric and plenty of storage space, I needed something that provided more compression for my clothes.

Monos Packing Cubes

Monos is a brand I am familiar with, so it was no surprise that my search for the best compression packing cubes led me to them. With a five-star rating on Monos’ website, I didn’t hesitate to order the pack of four cubes in gray. These cubes are also available in a pack of six, but at the $90 price point for four, ordering more wasn’t in my budget, nor did I need that many cubes. 

In the largest packing cube, I could roll two pairs of jeans, two pairs of pants, three bulky sweaters, one pair of leggings, and three t-shirts. The clothes fit easily into the packing cube using this method, but the struggle was real when it came time to zip the cube to compress it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t zip more than a quarter of the zipper for the compression feature without fear of ripping it. I applied slightly more pressure than I usually would, and it still wouldn’t budge. The rolling method is excellent for summer clothes but did not work very well with my winter apparel in the Monos cube.

Using the folding method, I had to remove one pair of jeans and two sweaters to zip up the cube. When it came time to compress the packing cube with the zipper, I was able to get more than halfway before struggling. Again, I was unable to completely zip the compression feature. 

Frustrated by not seeing the packing cube zipped fully, I decided to try it with some summer clothes instead. I packed five dresses, five bikinis, two cover-ups, a jean skirt, and two thin long-sleeve shirts. Using thinner clothes, I was able to zip the compression feature (finally). The packing cube did compress well, and I could even stack two packing cubes on top of each other in my suitcase. 

Travel Merak Score: 4.5/5

Pros:

Mesh insert to see what’s inside

Tear-resistant and water-resistant nylon twill fabric

Bags remain upright when empty (for easy packing)

Compressible up to 60% of expanded size

Variety of sizes

Cons:

Compression feature doesn’t work when using thicker clothing

Expensive

Few color options

I really wanted to love the Monos packing cubes, but given my struggles with the compression zippers and the high price, there are better options. While the mesh insert and sturdiness of the cubes were nice, I don’t think they provided me with what I was looking for. However, the classic style and coordination to Monos luggage is very nice, especially if you own or are thinking of purchasing a Monos suitcase. You even get a 15% discount on packing cubes if you buy them simultaneously as luggage.

Best Compression Packing Cube Overall

After reviewing four different types of packing cubes, all with varying sizes, materials, and price points, my choice for the best compression packing cube overall is the Calpak compression packing cubes. They were not the cheapest option at $48 for a set of two, but these cubes did deliver on quality and usefulness. The fabric of the cubes was thick enough to feel durable yet lightweight to not add too much weight to my luggage. The zippers for closing and compressing the cube felt very high quality and did not snag once. I was most impressed with the amount of compression the Calpak packing cubes offered, making them my top choice.

Best Compression Packing Cubes Review Conclusion

Compression packing cubes are one of the most helpful travel accessories you can purchase. Not only do they keep you organized in your travels, but the ability to compress and save precious luggage space is worth the cost. 

The method in which you pack your clothes does seem to matter regarding compressible packing cubes, as we’ve seen through my review of all four options. While rolling clothes is excellent for regular packing cubes or simply packing clothes directly into your suitcase, folding them is the best method for compression packing cubes. 

Compression packing cubes are the way to go, no matter which option you choose, especially for those who like to travel with a carry-on only. They are worth the cost and can help you pack even more in whatever travel bag you use! 

And although I have replaced my old packing cubes with compression packing cubes now, I still highly recommend the eBags classic packing cubes for those in search of a non-compressible option.