Shortlist · Travel · 4 models
Packing cubes for a cabin bag or a medium suitcase: four sets, compression or not, sized to the bag you actually own
Packing cubes are mostly the same idea in different fabric: a zipped rectangle that turns a heap of clothes into a brick. The differences that matter are whether the cube has a second zip that compresses the brick, whether you can see into it, and whether its largest size fits flat in a 40 × 30 × 20 cabin bag. Four sets compared on exactly those things.
Quick answer
- 4piecesThe most compression per gramGonex 4-piece — four rip-stop nylon cubes from 25 to 44 cm, double zips, 340 g for the set.
- 6piecesCompression you can see intoBagsmart 6-piece — five mesh-fronted compression cubes and a laundry bag, label pockets, 650 g.
- 8piecesA first set with every bag includedBagail 8-piece — three mesh-topped cubes plus laundry, shoe and small bags, 350 g, no compression.
- 3piecesOne of each kind, with a real warrantyEagle Creek Pack-It mixed set — an ultralight cube, a mesh cube and a rugged one, all medium, under Eagle Creek's No Matter What warranty.
The four at a glance
| Model | Cubes | Compression | Mesh panel | Set weight | Warranty | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonex compression cubes, set of 4for the most compression per gram | 4 pieces | Yes — second zip | No† | 340 g | Not stated† | View listing |
| Bagsmart compression cubes, 6-piece setfor compression you can see into | 6 pieces | Yes — outer zip | Yes | 650 g† | 30 days limited | View listing |
| Bagail packing cubes, 8-piece setfor a first set with every bag included | 8 pieces | No | Yes | 350 g† | Not stated† | View listing |
| Eagle Creek Pack-It mixed cube setfor one of each kind, with a real warranty | 3 pieces | No | Reveal cube only | Isolate 77 g, Gear 283 g, Reveal 113 g† | Eagle Creek No Matter What warranty | View listing |
Scroll sideways to see every column
† Figure from a retailer listing or otherwise awaiting confirmation from the manufacturer; other figures come from manufacturer manuals and leaflets.
Most cubes on Amazon are generic designs, and the makers’ pages reflect that: Gonex states sizes and weight but no litres or warranty; Bagsmart states sizes in inches and a 30-day warranty but no weight; Bagail’s own page describes a different edition of its set from the one on Amazon UK; Eagle Creek documents its Reveal cubes but not this exact mixed set, whose figures come from its Amazon bullets. Everything that is retailer-only is marked.
What is actually different between cubes
Take away the branding and there are four variables. Size, which decides whether the cube lies flat in your bag — see the second question at the end for the 40 × 30 × 20 arithmetic. Compression, a second zip that flattens the contents; it saves depth, not weight. Visibility, a mesh panel that shows contents and lets clothes breathe. Fabric, from a 45-gram ultralight nylon to 900-denier polyester with a coated base, which decides whether the cube survives being dragged over a hostel floor or is a glorified bag. Everything else — colours, label pockets, handles — is nice and secondary. Buy on the four.
Gonex 4-piece — for the most compression per gram
for the most compression per gram
Gonex compression cubes, set of 4
- Cubes
- 4 pieces
- Compression
- Yes — second zip
- Mesh panel
- No†
- Set weight
- 340 g
- Warranty
- Not stated†
Check price on Amazon.co.uk
Gonex’s set is the purest compression cube: four opaque rip-stop nylon rectangles — extra-large 44 × 33 × 9 cm, large 37 × 27 × 9, medium 30 × 22.5 × 9, small 25 × 19 × 8 — each with a double zip that squashes the contents, a grab handle, and a set weight of 340 g. The Amazon listing adds volumes of 1.9, 3.8 and 5.9 litres for the small, medium and large; Gonex itself does not state litres, denier or a warranty.
The extra-large is the reason to buy it and the reason to check your bag: 44 × 33 cm is jumper-and-jeans territory and fits a medium suitcase flat, but it does not lie flat in a 40 × 30 × 20 under-seat bag. The small and medium do, and the large just about. The cubes are opaque — you label or remember — and the nylon is soft rather than structured, so a half-empty cube slumps.
For a medium suitcase and a family that colour-codes by person (thirteen colours), or for one traveller who wants a week’s clothes as flat as they will go, this is the set. For a cabin bag alone, buy it for the three smaller cubes and leave the XL at home.
Strengths
- Four sizes up to 44 × 33 cm — the XL takes jumpers
- Compression zip on every cube; 340 g for the set
- Rip-stop nylon, thirteen colours
Limitations
- Opaque — no mesh to see contents
- Gonex states no litres, denier or warranty
- The XL is too big for a 40 × 30 × 20 cabin bag laid flat
Good for
- a medium suitcase
- bulky clothes
- colour-coding family packing
Look elsewhere if
- a 40 × 30 × 20 under-seat bag (use S and M only)
- seeing what is inside without opening
Bagsmart 6-piece — for compression you can see into
for compression you can see into
Bagsmart compression cubes, 6-piece set
- Pieces
- 6 pieces
- Compression
- Yes — outer zip
- Mesh panel
- Yes
- Set weight
- 650 g†
- Warranty
- 30 days limited
Check price on Amazon.co.uk
Bagsmart combines the two features most sets make you choose between: each cube has a mesh front and an outer compression zip. The set is one large (Bagsmart: 15 × 10.5 × 6 inches, roughly 38 × 27 cm, compressing from 15 cm to under 5 cm deep), two medium (33 × 23 cm) and two small (33 × 13 cm), plus a drawstring bag for shoes or laundry — six pieces, 650 g according to the listing, in polyester with a clear label pocket on each cube.
The label pocket is the family feature: a card with a name or a day in each cube ends the rummaging. The compression is real — Bagsmart’s own compressed depth is 1.8 inches — and the mesh means a damp swimsuit does not fester. The warranty is 30 days, the shortest of anything in this article, and Bagsmart does not state the weight.
One thing to know before buying: the Amazon listing family has a parent that defaults to a two-piece set. We link to the six-piece black variant; check the piece count in the title before you pay.
Strengths
- Compression and mesh together — flat and see-through
- Label pockets for family packing
- Five cubes plus a shoe or laundry bag
Limitations
- 30-day warranty
- Polyester rather than nylon; weight from the listing
- The parent listing defaults to a two-piece set — check the six-piece is selected
Good for
- a week in a cabin bag
- families
- anyone who packs by outfit
Look elsewhere if
- long-term warranty seekers
- the lightest set — 650 g
Bagail 8-piece — for a first set with every bag included
for a first set with every bag included
Bagail packing cubes, 8-piece set
- Pieces
- 8 pieces
- Compression
- No
- Mesh panel
- Yes
- Set weight
- 350 g†
- Warranty
- Not stated†
Check price on Amazon.co.uk
The Bagail set is the kit for someone who has never used cubes: three mesh-topped packing cubes — extra-large 46 × 35 × 13 cm, large 42 × 32 × 12, medium 34 × 28 × 12 — plus an underwear bag, a cosmetic bag, a laundry bag, a shoe bag and a small accessory bag, eight pieces at about 350 g according to the listing. The cubes have mesh tops, double zips and a buckle, in nylon that Bagail calls water-repellent; there is no compression.
Two caveats. Bagail’s own website describes a different edition of this set — four cubes in imperial sizes, two clear toiletry bags — so the contents above come from the Amazon UK listing, which appears to be the newer version, and are marked as such. And the two larger cubes are suitcase cubes: 46 and 42 cm long, neither lies flat in a 40 × 30 × 20 bag. The medium does.
Buy it for a medium suitcase, for a family sorting one case by person, and for the laundry bag, which every traveller ends up wanting. Do not buy it to compress a week into a cabin bag.
Strengths
- Everything in one purchase: cubes, laundry bag, shoe bag, pouches
- Mesh tops show what is inside
- About 350 g for eight pieces
Limitations
- No compression zip
- Bagail's site and the Amazon listing describe different sets — the listing is the newer edition
- No warranty stated
Good for
- a first set for a suitcase
- families sorting by person
- keeping laundry away from clean clothes
Look elsewhere if
- squeezing a week into a cabin bag
- anyone who wants documented specs
Eagle Creek Pack-It mixed set — for one of each kind, with a real warranty
for one of each kind, with a real warranty
Eagle Creek Pack-It mixed cube set
- Cubes
- 3 pieces
- Compression
- No
- Mesh panel
- Reveal cube only
- Weights
- Isolate 77 g, Gear 283 g, Reveal 113 g†
- Warranty
- Eagle Creek No Matter What warranty
Check price on Amazon.co.uk
Eagle Creek made packing cubes a category, and this set is a sampler of the three kinds it now makes, all in medium: an Isolate cube in 70-denier recycled nylon at 77 g, a Reveal cube in 300-denier recycled polyester with a mesh front at 113 g, and a Gear cube in 900-denier recycled polyester with a coated base at 283 g — the last for shoes, chargers and things that would tear a lighter cube. The listing gives 36 × 25 × 8 cm for the Isolate and Reveal and 36 × 26 × 11 cm for the Gear, with volumes of 7, 7 and 10 litres; the Reveal figures match Eagle Creek’s own page, and the rest are marked as from the listing.
None of the three compresses, and three medium cubes is a starter rather than a system. What you are paying for is fabric — recycled, made without intentional PFAS by Eagle Creek’s account — and the No Matter What warranty, the only warranty in this article that is not measured in days or left unstated. All three cubes lie flat in a 40 × 30 × 20 bag.
For someone who wants to try the three approaches and keep whichever earns its place, or who buys once and expects a repair rather than a replacement, this is the set.
Strengths
- Three purposes in one set: light, see-through, and tough for shoes or chargers
- Recycled fabrics; Eagle Creek's No Matter What warranty
- Isolate cube at 77 g
Limitations
- No compression
- Only three cubes, all medium — a starter, not a system
- Figures for this exact set come from the listing; Eagle Creek's site documents the Reveal set
Good for
- someone who wants one of each
- a cabin bag (36 × 25 cm fits 40 × 30 × 20 flat)
- buying for the warranty
Look elsewhere if
- a full suitcase
- the tightest budget
How to choose
- Measure the bag, then the cube. Flat sizes under about 38 × 28 cm lie flat in a 40 × 30 × 20 bag; 44 cm and up need a suitcase.
- Compression if depth is your problem (Gonex, Bagsmart); plain cubes if order is (Bagail, Eagle Creek).
- Mesh if you want to see in (Bagsmart, Bagail, Eagle Creek Reveal); opaque if you want a tidy brick (Gonex, Eagle Creek Isolate and Gear).
- Weight per set. 340 g (Gonex) to 650 g (Bagsmart) — a small difference in a suitcase, a real one in a 24-litre bag.
- Warranty. Eagle Creek’s No Matter What; Bagsmart 30 days; Gonex and Bagail not stated.
Who should not buy packing cubes
A hard case with divider straps for two nights gains nothing from cubes. A traveller whose problem is bulk — a winter coat, boots — needs a bigger bag or a vacuum bag, not a compression cube, which reduces depth by a few centimetres, not litres. And if you pack the same three things every time, a single cube for the wash bag and cables is the whole answer.
Which one, by situation
- A week flattened into a medium suitcase: Gonex 4-piece.
- A family cabin bag with names on the cubes: Bagsmart 6-piece.
- A first suitcase set with a laundry bag: Bagail 8-piece.
- One of each, bought once, warranted: Eagle Creek Pack-It mixed set.
Sources
Facts checked 24 September 2026
- Gonex — Compression Packing Cubes Set 4 pcs (GX046) product page — Manufacturer documentation, checked 24 September 2026
- Amazon.co.uk listing (Gonex) — Retailer listing, checked 24 September 2026
- Bagsmart — Compression Packing Cubes 6 PCS (BM0104003) product page — Manufacturer documentation, checked 24 September 2026
- Amazon.co.uk listing (bagsmart) — Retailer listing, checked 24 September 2026
- Amazon.co.uk listing (BAGAIL) — Retailer listing, checked 24 September 2026
- Bagail — 8 Set Packing Cubes product page (site blocks direct fetches; read via a reader proxy) — Manufacturer documentation, checked 24 September 2026
- Amazon.co.uk listing (Eagle Creek) — Retailer listing, checked 24 September 2026
- Eagle Creek — Pack-It Reveal cube set page (Reveal cube M figures apply to the mixed set's Reveal cube) — Manufacturer documentation, checked 24 September 2026
How do packing cubes work, and do they save space?
A plain cube saves no space at all — the same clothes take the same volume — it saves time and order: each cube is a category or a day, and you lift it out without unpacking the bag. A compression cube adds a second zip around the outside; closing it squashes the contents flatter, typically from around 15 cm to 5 cm on the Bagsmart, so the same clothes take less depth in the bag. What compression cannot do is reduce weight, and airline limits on under-seat bags are about dimensions, not how hard you have squashed them.
Which cubes fit a 40 × 30 × 20 cabin bag?
Anything whose flat size is under about 38 × 28 cm lies flat in the bag with room for the zips; a cube that is 44 cm long has to go in on the diagonal or bent. Of the sets here, the Gonex small and medium (25 × 19 and 30 × 22.5 cm) fit flat, its large (37 × 27) just, and its extra-large (44 × 33) does not; Bagsmart's large is 38 × 27 cm; Eagle Creek's medium cubes are 36 × 25 cm; Bagail's medium is 34 × 28 cm. Depth matters as much: a 20 cm-deep bag takes two compressed cubes stacked, or one uncompressed.
Compression or mesh?
Mesh lets you see what is in the cube without opening it and lets damp clothes breathe; compression flattens. Bagsmart's cubes have both — a mesh front and an outer compression zip. Gonex's are opaque and compress hardest; Bagail's have mesh tops and no compression; Eagle Creek's mixed set gives you one mesh cube, one ultralight and one rugged, none of them compressing.
Are packing cubes worth it for a two-night trip in a hard case?
Usually not. A small hard case with a divider strap already holds two days of clothes in place, and a cube adds fabric and zips for no gain. Cubes earn their place when the bag is soft and shapeless (a backpack), when several people share a suitcase, or when the trip is long enough that you want a clean/dirty divide inside the bag.