Why we’re converts to Pro Packing Cubes

My husband Dougie is the designated packer in our house. Over the years he has taken it upon himself to turn packing into an art form.

Old-style rolling method

Dougie’s preferred method is to lie trousers flat and then place tops and jumpers at one end before rolling them all up into a short or long bundle to match the size of the case. This stops trousers getting creased at the knees and keeps the other items in place.

This works well until I come along with additional items and plonk them unceremoniously on the top.

Of course, the rest of the paraphernalia is then secreted into little pockets within the case. This usually involves a lot of rearranging. On one trip he rearranged the clothes so many times that all my underwear was left out of the case and I had to go commando for the whole of a blustery weekend in Shropshire.

Pro Packing Cubes

I informed my packing professor that I had been asked to review some Pro Packing Cubes and he was hesitant, to say the least. How on earth could a few flimsy bags improve on his already perfect method? With a little encouragement, he agreed to give them a try.

What do they look like?

When they arrived, we were both impressed at the quality: strong zips, excellent stitching and extremely lightweight. It wasn’t long before Dougie and the cubes became best buddies. He loved them and spent many happy hours stuffing them.

How do they fit in a case?

We were given a 6-piece set which included one large cube (43.2cm x 34.3cm x 9.5cm) which fits most cabin baggage dimensions. Three medium sized cubes ( 35cm x 25cm x 8cm) were great for shirts and tops and the two long, slim cubes ( 37cm x 13cm x 8cm) were excellent for underwear, socks or even chargers and cables.

Here’s the same case with one large cube and two medium ones on top:

We also realised the medium ones can also be stacked upright – the case will easily shut:

Why are they so good?

• With usual packing methods there is a lot of air taking up space. With a Pro Packing Cube the air is pushed out through the mesh so clothing can be packed very tightly. It’s a bit like having those special vacuum packed bags, without the hassle of taking your Hoover on holiday with you for the return journey.
• On our recent holiday in Portugal, we stayed in three different cities, which required packing and unpacking at each hotel. With the cubes this was easy – items could remain in the cubes and be placed in a drawer or on a shelf without clothes spilling out and needing to be refolded. They even have small carry handles which might seem an insignificant feature, but proved to be very handy.
• If you are edging close to your luggage allowance (when am I ever not!)  having small cubes you can whip out to reduce the weight is a bonus. No longer do you have to reveal your scanties to the whole of Stansted airport when you can discreetly remove a cube or two from the overloaded case instead. We discovered the slim cubes fitted very neatly into the side pockets of a rucksack.

Verdict?

A triumph! Dougie is so excited by these new revolutionary packing aids, that he plans to buy more….and that’s something coming from a Scotsman.

They come in different colours and there are a number of sets to choose from. The 6-piece set we road-tested costs £29.99 at the moment from Amazon (February 2017).

I was sent a complimentary 6-piece set of Pro Packing Cubes to review. All opinions are my own although the expert opinion is obviously Dougie’s.