Minaal Packing Cubes 3.0 Review

The Minaal Packing Cubes 3.0 is a set of three packing cubes specifically designed to help you pack more efficiently. While they lack a dedicated compression system, they offer a nice amount of organization in an impressively lightweight package—a feature that weight-counting travelers will surely appreciate. The last thing you want is to add a pound of needless weight to your setup.

Ideally suited for a weekend getaway or potentially even a week-long trip, depending on your packing style, these packing cubes ensure everything is kept neat, orderly, and easily accessible. Crafted from durable materials and equipped with industry-leading hardware, these packing cubes are sturdy, resilient, and built to last, promising to be a reliable companion for all your future travels.

External Components

The Minaal Packing Cubes 3.0 are made from ultralight, rugged 40D ripstop nylon, which feels flexible but not very stretchy. The diamond-pattern ripstop is easily visible and provides a pleasant aesthetic and durability. The ripstop nylon is on all sides except the front, with a simple mesh lining for airflow. However, compared to the rest of the materials, the mesh feels slightly rough to the touch. 

Despite the mesh wall, the materials feel super light and feature 100% vegan components. However, the materials are pretty loud when handled, which is a manageable issue but something to keep in mind if you are sharing space with others.

The set comes in a pack of three, consisting of one large and two smaller packing cubes. They feature dual YKK zippers, which are decently smooth. Thanks to their super lightweight material, the packing cubes do not contribute too much to your overall luggage, which is always nice when weighing options. They can also be compacted down quite a bit, making them easy to store when not in use.

While they are incredibly lightweight, they do not have any compression capabilities, so it is important to keep that in mind when planning what to pack. These packing cubes do not have any exterior handles, grab points, or attachment points. Their clever use of different colored logos on each cube to distinguish between each allows users to discern which is which quickly. For example, a possible setup might be using red (small) for undergarments, blue (small) for casual wear, and black (large) for formal wear. That makes it easy to grab what we need without opening up each one.

Inside The Pouch

There are no additional materials or attachment points inside the packing cubes—just an empty cavern to pack your clothing. The rigid fabric lacks stretch or flexibility and can be unforgiving for those who like to overpack. The lightweight material, while noticeably loud with a crinkling paper-like sound, even when full of clothing, does not hold any shape or form. While this may be a minor nuisance because it does not hold its shape, one hand must be used to keep the cubes from collapsing in on themselves while packing. We found that lining the perimeter with clothing tends to help them maintain a semblance of shape but might not be everyone’s preferred packing method.

In terms of packing these out, in our testing, the large cube can comfortably hold two pairs of shorts, a pair of rolled dress pants, a dress shirt, and a polo. The smaller cubes accommodate four folded t-shirts and six tank tops, respectively. Depending on your packing philosophy, these could hold enough clothing to get through a weekend trip or a week-long vacation; however, it is important to note that there are no dividers or separation, so depending on how you go about it, you might be mixing clean clothing with dirty ones on the return trip.

We found little difference when we tried to see if rolling versus folding the cubes helped optimize the space. Aesthetically, when packed full, the packing cubes get a bulbous-like appearance. While it does require a small amount of effort, it is easy to shape everything back into a somewhat cube-like shape thanks to the malleable material.

Overall, The Minaal Packing Cubes 3.0 provide a nice amount of organization even though they do not have any compression. The sturdy ripstop nylon feels rugged and sturdy, even if it is not very flexible. That, combined with the hardware, makes these feel like they will last a while as long as you do not overstuff them. The color-coded branding on each packing cube is also a nice touch, especially when looking for particular items, provided you remember how you packed them. While they are not the most spacious or have the most features, they offer a pleasant approach to keeping all your clothing neat and organized without overcomplicating things. These packing cubes are more suited for those with minimalism in mind. It might be best to look elsewhere for those who want to compress as much as possible into the smallest form factor possible.