Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, but opinions are all my own. 

Packing cubes have always been one of those items that I know I should buy. Former roommates and travel partners can attest to the fact that I throw my underwear and socks in one compartment of my backpack…but that is as far as my “organization” abilities go. So I am super excited to get the chance to try out the Travel Packing Cubes from milepro.

I’m starting to plan my trek through Torres del Paine in Chile, so I decided to do a little “trial pack” with the clothes that I would need for the journey.

Here are my first impressions while using packing cubes. I’m kind of obsessed with them and genuinely wish I had purchased them sooner.

Why You Should Try Packing Cubes

• • Everything is organized! I gave each cube a purpose (underwear that I would need everyday, non-hiking clothes, etc.) and I could easily identify the contents of each pack before I opened it up. I love that the top of each cube has a mesh material that allows your stuff to breathe and shows you what is inside.
  • They are versatile af (as the kids say.) Obviously, they fit well in a carry-on suitcase, but I also managed to pop them in my backpack with no problems.
  • Storage is easy. Once I’ve unpacked, I can smush the cubes down and pop them in a laundry bag/shoe bag that comes with the four-pack. Free bag that I can store dirty hiking shoes in? Sick.
  • Maintenance is no big deal. Just hand wash the cubes in the sink in cold water and hang them out to dry.
  • No wrinkles! Okay, I’m not going to lie – wrinkles aren’t my biggest concern when packing for Torres Del Paine, but I’m glad to know I have an option that will keep my clothes nice for when I do go on trips where wrinkles may be an issue. I did think about a time in Sydney where I wanted to bring home a small poster as a souvenir and worried about it getting smushed…if I had the packing cubes, I could have brought the poster home safely and crease-free. Milepro also has packing folders available on Amazon if you are worried about garments and wrinkles and whatnot.
  • They’re a great value. A one-time purchase for sanity and organization on the road forever? Worth it.
  • You can fit more stuff in there than you might think. You can check out a full list what I put in my packing cubes below. I was pretty blown away by the fact that I could fit a fleece jacket, yoga mat, laptop, and a decent amount of clothes in the packing cubes without any struggle. There is quite a bit of wiggle room left, too. Again, these are super versatile.
  • Packing cubes help you practice restraint. I just want to take the necessary items on my trip. When I was packing my “non-hiking clothes” I limited myself to one packing cube, which is only going to benefit me in the long run.

The milepro packing cubes come in a four pack with a laundry bag for storage. Each cube is a different size; I was able to organize my backpack based on the type of clothes I wanted to bring and when I would need them.

What I Fit in Each milepro Travel Packing Cube

 

Cube #1

Small Cube, 11″W x 6.75″H x 4″D

• Seven pairs of underwear
• Travel towel from Teselate
• Three sports bras
• Three travel-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash

Cube #2

Medium Cube, 13.75W x 9.75H x 4″D

• MacBook Air
• Manduka travel yoga mat
• JOBY tripod

(There was a lot of room left in this cube…I knew I would have to fit an extra pair of hiking pants and other gear somewhere so I didn’t want to stuff all of the cubes on my first pack. Plus, I’m going to rearrange my items when I set off on the O trek and leave a small bag with this cube at my hostel. I am certainly not bringing my laptop to Torres del Paine!)

Cube #3

Large Cube 13.75″W x 12.75″H x 4″D

• Seven pairs of ~thicc~ socks
• Two pairs of fleece leggings
• Three lightweight shirts (two tees, one with long sleeves)
• Underarmour hooded top
• Packable Columbia rain jacket

Cube #4

X-Large Cube,  17.5″W x 12.75″H x 4″D

• North Face fleece jacket
• One pair of overalls
• Three lightweight shirts
• One pair of denim jeans
• Laundry bag
• Vibram toe shoes
• Bikini

(There was also a decent amount of room left in this cube. I anticipate wearing the fleece jacket for the journey to the airport and for a lot of my journey throughout the O trek, so packing the fleece jacket was more of a placeholder for gear. This was also a cube that I might consider leaving in a hostel during the trek. Besides the jacket, I don’t plan on wearing these clothes on the trail.)  

How much weight can the packing cubes hold?

I put Cube 3 and 4 in the big compartment of my Osprey 55 liter backpack and Cube 1 in the top compartment. Cube 3 and 4 filled up just half of the big compartment and altogether my pack weighed 15 pounds. (At the end of my Asia/Australia trip, my bag weighed 16 kilos, or 35 pounds. Popping the backpack on with only 15 pounds felt so much better than it did before!)

The cubes themselves are only a pound; even though they are quite lightweight, they’re still durable. I know they’ll last me for quite a while. milepro also offers a lifetime warranty, which is dope.

Obviously, I still have a few more items to pack, but I’m super excited to use packing cubes on this trip (and for future trips! I don’t think I’m going to go on another long trip without them.) I highly recommend them and I’m happy I got the chance to try them out with milepro.

Have You Used Packing Cubes Before? Tell Me Your Thoughts in the Comments!