BAGSMART Compression Travel Packing Cubes for Suitcases Review

It doesn’t get more specific than this name: BAGSMART Compression Travel Packing Cubes for Suitcases. The key word there is “compression,” as we’re always looking for ways to make packing more efficient. Better still, this packing cube set is relatively comprehensive, with four-piece or six-piece variants, both including a shoe pouch with room for two pairs of footwear.

All in all, it’s starting to sound like a compelling package for those looking to dip their toes into the world of packing cubes. Is this the best compression cubes set for your needs? Let’s find out.

External Components

The six-piece set comes with one large cube, two medium, two small, and a shoe pouch. Opting for the four-piece set gets you one less of the medium and small sizes, so keep that in mind if you’re planning to mix and match sets with a friend or family member. While three sizes are a generous variety, we wish there was a fourth pouch smaller than the smallest one. The small cube is more of a rectangular pouch than a cube, one that we feel is too tall for some daypacks and a bit too big for storing socks and underwear.

Materials-wise, there’s nothing too crazy about this set’s construction. The main fabric is polyester, and it’s thin and light enough that you shouldn’t worry too much about adding weight to your overall total. There are no signs of loose threads or anything too flimsy, either, so overall, we’re satisfied with the build quality.

We test a lot of packing cubes, so we have a pretty good idea of what makes a set stand out. For this one, it’s definitely the window pockets. Each cube, save for the shoe pouch, has a see-through pocket at the front where you can slip a piece of paper to know which cube is for what kind of clothing. And don’t worry about needing to cut up the slips yourself preschool-style, as BAGSMART has included them. Even better, the cubes already have see-through mesh covers, so seeing their respective contents isn’t a problem at all.

Each cube (again, save for the shoe pouch) also comes with a simple handle. The webbing is folded over for some reinforcement and thickness. There’s not much to nitpick about them, although they do sometimes get in the way of the zippers since they’re very close to the edge of the zipper tracks. On that note, the zippers are courtesy of SBS. They’re not quite the same quality as YKK, but they’re still from a fairly reputable brand, so we’re glad. Plus, they’ve handled overpacking pretty well, able to withstand the pressure from clothing ready to burst out the moment we unzip the cubes.

Yes, as this set’s name suggests, the cubes are compressible. Running parallel to the two main zippers is another zipper that can free up slack fabric, expanding each cube’s volume. BAGSMART doesn’t provide specific volumes for the cubes’ compressed and expanded modes, just their linear measurements, as indicated in our table above.

Inside The Packing Cube

The rectangular shape of the small cube is quite suitable for rolls of socks and underwear. But to reiterate, we still wish there were a smaller option since we had to pack more than we needed in this cube so as not to waste the available space. In total, we can pack four pairs of socks and five underwear for a week’s worth, and there’s still room to spare. Call it a quirk of mindset, but using a compressible packing cube when you’re not utilizing all the available space just doesn’t feel very efficient, but there you have it.

Curiously, the back side of the small cube also includes two inward-facing stretchy pockets. We’re not quite sure what to do with these since we don’t usually pack anything smaller than a roll of socks or underwear. However, we can imagine other travelers using these for special accessories or even spare buttons, bobby pins, or a spool of thread. You can also use them to separate used socks or underwear from fresh ones. Whichever way you use them, they’re there for you.

Next up is the medium-sized cube. Ideally sized for storing tops, it can fit five rolls of shirts plus a dress, again for a week’s worth of outfits. You can likely squeeze one or two more, depending on how ruthless you are with your rolling technique and what type of tops you’re bringing. Compression is fairly easy, though it still requires some effort to get the zipper all the way around.

The large cube benefits the most from the compression system, as evidenced by how much slack fabric lies underneath the compression zipper. Decompressed, three pairs of pants and a hoodie fit, which is about as much as we squeezed inside before we couldn’t compress the cube effectively. On that note, we needed to be careful not to overpack the cubes; otherwise, it’s a hassle to remove clothing once you find out not everything fits while you’re compressing them.

It’s also worth noting that compression may require some finessing to prevent the fabric underneath from jamming the zipper. We stick a finger underneath the zipper to create some separation as we pull it around the cube.

Last but not least is the shoe pouch, which is, low-key, our favorite part of the set. Unlike most other shoe pouches, this one has openings on both sides to accommodate two pairs of footwear. Of course, it takes some Tetris-style finessing to get two pairs of shoes to fit. However, if you don’t attempt anything crazy, like trying to squeeze two pairs of boots, you can get there. In our case, we fit two pairs of women’s sneakers, which is a bit overkill even for a week-long trip. Realistically, we’d pack flip-flops or dress shoes alongside sneakers.

Overall, the set is quite functional in terms of the size variety and compression. That said, the six-piece set we tested is overkill for carry-on-sized luggage, especially in the 30-liter range. There’s just not enough space in bags of that size to accommodate six packing cubes, so going for the four-piece set is the more practical option. But for those wanting the flexibility to mix and match, the six-piece variant is the way to go.