REI Co-op  Expandable Packing Cube Set - Small/Large

Got these for a “ten days with a carry-on” trip to Lisbon, Portugal. Not only are they lightweight and expandable, the shape is perfect for socks or clothes that can be rolled up. They can tuck in almost anywhere, so don’t need to be layered like regular cubes, and also fit nicely in-between the “ribs” from the handle of the rolly, forming a soft base for the rest. The only minor knocks I have is that the ID card falls out of the slot constantly, so I just removed it (who needs an ID card in a packing cube, anyway?) Also, the material is so lightweight that I need to belay the zipper when I run the pull. Like I said, minor knocks.

As a big business traveler, roughly 250 days a year, I have always looked for ways to make my packing easier. On a recent trip I went into an two store in Anchorage, Alaska and found these packing cubes. While traveling I have always struggled in being able to pack efficiently, and find certain items in my luggage. These cubes have completely solved that problem. In fact I liked them so much I bought a complete second set that I keep packed for my trips to Africa. It has allowed me to simplify and streamline my packing for business trips. I would HIGHLY recommend these to any traveler or camper looking for a light weight and efficient solution for packing.

Bought two of these in preparation for a weeklong work trip to the Caribbean. My goal was to carry all clothing in my backpack. These worked great as I carried 4 polos, 6 pair of socks, one pair hiking pants, 4 pair of under garments, two pairs of shorts, 3 t shirts, and a pair of loafers. Definitely kept everything well organized. The differing sizes worked well with the backpack. The REI rep suggested these (versus the rectangular ones) for that purpose. Good call there. Would buy again in a heartbeat.

I had another member recommend these to me in the aisle just before I almost purchased something else, and he was right! These work great! The long/narrow shape allows these to be stuffed into the side of my bag without taking up as much space as the larger rectangular/square ones. The ripstop material is great for the same reason, considering they're going to be getting stuffed in wherever they'll fit. The zippers work smoothly. They easily hold enough for a weekend trip. And I love the new aqua color. They match my backpack :)

I've been searching for packing cubes dedicated to shoes. So many shoe cubes are too big (probably intended for bulky or men's shoes). I was able to fit a pair of heals or two pairs of flats or a pair of tennis shoes in the larger cube and the smaller cube easily fits a pair of flats. The fabric is sturdy, but light - my clothes are protect from dirty shoe bottoms. Win!

These are great, lightweight bags. Perfect for their intended use, though I definitely misuse them. The nylon is durable enough for me to feel comfortable strapping them to the outside of my backpack in the wilds, despite the attachment points being a little unwieldy. The "expansion" zippers compress the bags pretty well, and I haven't had any trouble with the zippers giving out or seams popping. The is a pretty big color difference between the army cot green pictures and what the bags actually look like. The dull olive is much greener.

I bought a few sets of these and also some of the more traditional square shaped ones for a 3-week overseas trip. I ended up returning the square style and only used these in my 60L duffel for the trip because the longer shape worked better in the duffel bag. Concerning the expanding feature, it is fantastic. I was worried about putting too much stress on the zippers when compressed so I packed them to approx 75% capacity when they were expanded and had no trouble zipping them down. The compression made the difference between bringing enough clothes so that I didn't have to do laundry during the trip vs rolling the dice with laundry service (humidity and travels plans prevented hand washing and line drying during the trip). After using these, I doubt I'll ever use regular packing cube again. The reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 though is because of a few cons. Specifically: (1) these are only water resistant in the most limited sense of the phrase. If water finds its way into your bag or you put a wet bathing suit in them, these will start to soak it up in 10 - 15min; (2) not machine washable (if you put dirty clothes in them, they also soak up the aroma after a couple of days); and (3) the window for inserting a card listing what's inside the cube is an odd shape. Good luck finding something that fits in there other than the one-time-use cards that come with the cube.

Excellent design, reasonably priced. I use these for socks, t-shirts, underwear, and rain gear. They keep everything clean and organized in my rucksack, 3-day pack, and load-out bag. Truly and exceptional addition for those operating in austere conditions. Like the large/medium sets (also reviewed), I have three sets of these. Much better than stuffing things into Zip-Lok bags. The subdued colors and quiet zipper pulls are appreciated for field work. They have held up very well in less than ideal field conditions.

I was surprised at how much each cube can hold. I filled one with all my undergarments and socks. I filled it with it expanded to the max and then zipped it down to compact everything to save even more space in my luggage. I nice set for things you roll up. Could also use for toiletries and medications.

Always wanted something lightweight to organize my small stuff on trips. I use these with my Patagonia Blackhole bag and a dopp kit for shorter trips. Put my undies and socks in the bigger one and lil' random stuff in the small one. I liked these the best because the walked the line between durable fabric and lightweight. The other brand seemed too flimsy. Will use the small one for backpacking too. The compression feature is pretty cool. It adds a zipper but give you the ability to really cinch it down.