Patagonia Black Hole Cubes Review

Packing cubes should be pretty simple—they’re just zippered pouches to hold your clothing. But they come in so many shapes and sizes, with so many different features, that just Googling “packing cubes” and choosing the first one on the list isn’t really the best option.

You can choose something super lightweight to keep your travel backpack light, something that compresses bulky clothing into a smaller space, or something like the Patagonia Black Hole Cubes, which are so durable you could toss them in the mud at the campsite and rest assured your clothing will remain pristine. However, we put them to the test the way we do most gear here at Pack Hacker—we packed them up for the plane.

How do they hold up for one bag travel? That depends on your travel backpack, carry on luggage, and clothing. So, let’s dive in and find out.

External Components

The Patagonia Black Hole Cubes (V2) are available in three sizes: 3L, 6L, and 14L. Each has a little bit different internal organization, but the exteriors are more similar.

The cubes are 300D postconsumer recycled polyester ripstop with a postindustrial recycled TPU-film laminate, which makes them as sturdy as a tech pouch or toiletry bag. They feel much thicker than most other packing cubes we’ve tested, even in the spots that don’t include the 200D recycled polyester, PU-coated lining. Lightweight packing cubes these are not, and that might matter to you if you’re flying an airline that limits your carry on to 15 kg or even if you’re using them exclusively in a checked bag and are bumping up close to that 50-pound weight limit. The large one alone weighs more than 10 ounces, which is a lot for a packing cube.

For the sustainable packers among you, Patagonia says that everything is made in a Fair Trade Certified™ factory, and the lining and pocket fabrics are bluesign®-approved. You can always count on Patagonia to create ethical products. Cheers to them!

No matter which colorway you choose, the branding is pretty typical for Patagonia: loud and proud. There’s a small logo patch on the front and the brand name printed in large letters on the side. There’s nothing to indicate which cube is which size, but it’s pretty obvious, either by comparing them side by side or looking at the internal organization.

Each cube has a daisy chain of recycled nylon webbing on the side. It’s in line with the YKK zipper, encircling the medium and large cubes but only on the left side of the small. The combination of smaller loops and a larger handle allows you to connect it inside your bag and pull it out easily, as long as it’s handle-side up. The handles are large enough to fit most hands, though they’re thin. There is also a small loop on the back of each cube so you can hang it on a hook while you’re getting ready.

The zippers themselves are No. 8 reverse coil models, so Patagonia’s not messing around. They have paracord pulls, which we find easier to open and close than small metal pulls. The zippers are also corrosion-resistant on the off-chance you want to take them in salt water. They’re not waterproof, though, so the chance of you taking them swimming is probably pretty slim.

Inside The Packing Cube

While the three cubes look similar from the outside, each has a slightly different internal organization.

We’ll start with the smallest, which we’ve found useful as a Dopp kit or small organizer. That’s because there’s a recycled polyester mesh pocket on the side where you can lock down smaller items to keep them from bouncing around the bottom or organize a few bottles or brushes apart from the rest of your grooming gear. Otherwise, the 3L size works well for socks, underwear, and other small articles of clothing. However, we have to point out that, if you’re packing the medium and large, there’s a decent chance you’ll have space for small clothing in them.

The medium actually has a deceptively useful layout and amount of space. It opens completely clamshell style, with equal capacity on both sides. Each side is held in place by recycled polyester mesh panels, though, so you don’t have to pack a double thickness on one side and then pull the opposite one over the top. Instead, you can stuff both sides with clothing, zip the panels closed like you would a suitcase, and then sandwich them together to close the cube. And while these aren’t compression cubes, the durable materials are so strong that you can really stuff a lot on each side and trust that you’ll still be able to zip it closed without worrying about anything ripping.

Your mileage will vary, but we fit a lot of clothing in this cube. Our tester was packing for a 7-night cruise and fit two pairs of shorts, three T-shirts, two swimsuits, three pairs of socks, underwear, and two bras inside the medium. It bulged out into a solid rock of a cube, but it all fit rather easily, and the cube, in turn, fit nicely into our travel backpack.

Then, there’s the 14L large. It is organized just like the medium, with a clamshell opening and equal-capacity sides. However, while one side has a mesh zippered panel holding gear in place, the other zippered panel is made of recycled polyester with a PU coating. Our tester was able to put eight dresses on the side held down with the mesh panel and used the opposite side for travel shoes. However, if you don’t want to use the opposite side for footwear, you can use both for clothing. In that case, the size works well for larger men’s clothing, such as dress pants, polo shirts, tank tops, and athletic shorts.

As Patagonia puts it, these “burly” cubes are really just that—super-burly. They’ve helped us get extra organized on the road while giving quick-grab access to whatever we need in our bags at the moment. We’ve also found it helpful to keep one of these filled with your airport essentials, so if you’re stowing your bag under the seat in front of you, you can just use the grab handle, pull it out of your pack, and keep things neat for the remainder of your flight. Otherwise, you might be able to fit a week’s worth of clothing in two or three of them, depending on your gear. Just make sure the extra ounces from the packing cube don’t throw you over your airline’s weight limit.