I got the Peak Design Packing Cubes (the Small and the Medium) as my first set of high-quality packing cubes. I’ve traveled around the world with them, from Asia to Latin America, and from Europe to Africa, and after six years, they still look new.

In this review, find out why they’re my go-to (or as Becca calls them, my “favorite” packing cubes) and why I think they’re an essential for frequent travelers, or for anyone diving into elevating their “stay-organized” game during a trip.

Why I like the Peak Design Packing Cubes

It shouldn’t be a shock that I named the PD Packing Cubes some of the best packing cubes for travel. Here are my reasons why:

Highly expandable

I tend to pack these packing cubes until they’re near capacity, and they always survive, with the expansion zippers.

Fast-sliding zippers

Peak Design doesn’t mess around when it comes to zippers, and these have never snagged on my stuff, nor shown any wear.

Compression and packability

When they’re not full, these packing cubes take up virtually no extra space in my bags. They mold to the shape of what’s around them, rather than remaining boxy or structured like other cubes I own.

Sustainability

Peak Design takes carbon neutrality and eco-consciousness into account (I’ll get into this later), setting it apart from other travel brands.

Where I think they could improve

  • For anyone obsessed with zippers that close completely, I’d note to you that where the zippers meet at the closure, it’s not a 100% close, zipper-to-zipper, but the zippers do meet at the PD tab, like you can see in the photo below.
  • I think what the PD packing cube collection is missing is a packing cube that’s rectangular, in between the sizes of the Small and Medium offerings. I have this size (around 8”x6”) from other brands, and I think it’s useful.
  • No mesh see-through components: some people like the mesh feature that I’ve seen on a lot of Packing Cubes (Tortuga, Bluffworks, Bagsmart, to name a few). The PD cubes don’t have any see-through areas except for when you open the side expansion.

Packing Cubes: Summary of main features

You’re probably wondering why I pack these packing cubes first for every trip, so here are the main reasons, and the features that get me through every adventure.

All-around expansion and compression

When I got these packing cubes, I didn’t even know they had the compression and expansion capabilities, and I didn’t know if I would need that. Still to date, I don’t use the expansion all the time, but when it comes time to stuff in 15-odd T-shirts, along with some pairs of pants and shorts, all into the Medium cube, I use the expansion zippers and it works.

Likewise, for loading up my packing cubes and then zipping down to compress, I usually do this with the Small one. I always pack my boxers and socks into the Small packing cube, as the shape lends itself to that, and if we’re running out of space, some swim trunks and belts might go in, too.

I load up that packing cube in the expanded form, and then zip it down with the compression zippers into its compressed format. I think that’s the way to make the most of packing cubes like these.

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Photo of Becca Siegel and Dan Gold

Ability to mold into my packing

I mentioned above that I also have some packing cubes that come in a more structured shape, like rectangular cubes. The PD packing cubes, however, are the opposite. They’re squish-able, bendable and ultimately, rollable. If they’re not full, they squash right up against another shoe bag in my luggage, or against the side of my suitcase.

If they are full, they still allow for molding against other larger items in my backpack, for example. And when they’re empty, they roll up and fold down super small because of the thin nylon. I can crush them into corners of my backpack or duffel.

Hyper lightweight build

Peak Design’s packing cubes are really lightweight. The small one is barely 4 ounces and the medium cube is a dab over 5. They have never weighed down my bags. Among my other packing cubes (and I have quite a few), they feel the most weightless, yet strong.

Quality to last forever

I can’t count how many years I’ve had these packing cubes (since Peak Design launched them, I guess) and I expect them to last until I’m really, really old.

With Peak Design’s Lifetime Guarantee, I know I can reach out and get them replaced if any of their parts become non-functional. It’s also a reason I think they make some of the best gifts for travelers in my life—who doesn’t want great packing cubes that’ll make packing easier!

Sustainability

Specific to these Peak Design packing cubes, I noticed that they’re made of recycled materials and are 100% carbon neutral. I’m refreshing myself on PD’s environmental practices with reading the Sustainability page of the website.

Colors

Colors, you say? On par with most Peak Design products with which I’m familiar, you can expect a choice of 3 or so colors when you’re choosing the bag accessories that seem right for you. I got Charcoal for both of mine, but the other choices of “Raw” and “Sage” also seem really nice!

How these packing cubes have worked out for me

Like I said above, every time we get ready for a trip, we get out our pile of packing cubes and we each take picks on which ones we’re going to use, and which we’ll use for our daughter’s things.

Becca and I both know that my things immediately go into both our Peak Design packing cubes (Small and Medium), and that my second pair of travel shoes will go into my Peak Design Shoe Pouch.

One feature I ironically do not use is the dual compartments that can separate your clean and folded clothes from dirty ones. Embarrassingly, I didn’t know this feature was part of them when I bought them, and as it turns out, we just lump our dirty clothes all in one spot in our suitcases when they’ve been worn during travel. I should really try it out, though!

Helpful Tip

If you want to load up on Peak Design packing cubes for you and your partner, or for the whole family, consider that getting them in the Set of 3, Set of 6 or Set of 8 will be a great deal. Each set comes with either 1 or 2 Shoe Pouches included.

Conclusion: Peak Design travel organizer accessories

In this review, I’ve told you about my experiences using the Peak Design Packing Cubes.

I think what I like about them the best is that they feel as much a part of the Peak Design brand as my larger Peak Design investments like my PD Travel Backpack 45L and Everyday backpack 20L and 30L. Despite being “just accessories,” these bag accessory products have the same awesome weatherproofed zippers, high-quality structured nylon exterior, strong handles, smart features and durability.

Are they worth your consideration for packing products that last a lifetime? I’d say surely so. Now that I travel with a totally Peak Design packing accessory setup, I can tell you about additional PD products that help out. For those, head to my Peak Design Wash Pouch review and Peak Design Shoe Pouch review.

And of course, for all your photography accessories and tech gadgets that require smart storage, there’s the Peak Design Tech Pouch, which is one of the first things I grab when I pack for a trip. You can see more about it at my Peak Design Tech Pouch review.

I recommend getting all your Peak Design gear and Bag Accessories at the Peak Design online store, where you can also shop the PD Pre-Owned store for a bargain find.

Learn more about the Peak Design brand

I’ve been heavily into the Peak Design line of products ever since I caught onto photography and travel.

I bought Peak Design products just because I liked the look of them, and then as a bonus, I learned about the insanely good quality of all the bags, duffels and backpacks, and the top-notch features that get photographers through loads of outings from long-term travel and daily media gigs.

To see all I’ve learned about PD, head to my Peak Design brand review and articles where you can see lots of PD product detail, like my Peak Design Travel Backpack review.