There are many travel accessories that can make life easier or save time; however, if I had to pinpoint one that had the most impact on how I pack, it would be the Peak Design Packing Cubes.

A packing cube is nothing more than a zipped container that holds your clothes, and while I tried many different brands, I found the PD ones to be the best. In this blog, I will review these great cubes after 3 years of using them while travelling full time.

Size & Capacity

You get two sizes - medium and small. The medium is twice the size of the small but can hold more items compared to two small cubes together. However, the medium is one large flat square, while two small cubes can be vertically stacked for more versatility.

I generally find that one small cube is enough for a weekend away in a warm climate and can easily fit a couple of shirts, spare shorts, and some underwear. For longer trips, the medium can easily cover unlimited travel so long as you can get some washing done every few days.

If you plan to travel in cold environments, then one medium and one small will have you covered. A medium can typically hold a few shirts, a pair of trousers, a pair of shorts, a jumper, and some underwear.

The overall size of these cubes means they are very easy to fit into most bags.

Materials, Wear & Tear

The recycled ripstop feels nice and lightweight. The zips are high quality, and the overall fit and finish feels premium. Although I own a few of these, I ended up using only one of them for nearly all of my travels for the last 3 years, and it shows. There are some rips developing around stitches, zips, and the handle. Nothing that will cause the cube to fall apart but something to note. With that said, I always overpack these to the point where I need to almost sit on the cube to close it, and I am not surprised this happened.

Compression & Access

This is the best bit of the PD cube. Once you’ve packed it and closed the lid, you have one more zip that compresses the cube into a smaller space. How much space you save depends on how much you have inside; however, for me, it was the difference between it fitting and not fitting into my bag.

To open the cube, simply pull the two tabs apart. You can also leave it uncompressed if you need to carry even more clothes than what I have mentioned earlier in the blog.

Dirty Clothes Pocket

On one side, you will find a zipped compartment that can be used to store dirty clothes. The compartment does have some space, meaning it won’t eat into the main compartment, but it’s limited. With the cube fully packed, you can fit a couple of pairs of underwear and socks without much hassle and keep them separate from clean clothes.

Value For Money

These are not cheap, and you can find much cheaper alternatives. Depending on where and when you buy these, it’s not unreasonable to pay between £30 and £40, depending on the model. Is this good value? I think so. I paid £70 for one small and one medium cube, and both lasted 3 years of travelling full time. I’d much rather pay a large price once than keep buying cheap options. Last but not least, they come with a lifetime guarantee, which says a lot.