Kiva RSK-05201 Packing Cube Set - Black

After 25 years of international business travel, I only recently discovered packing cubes. Honestly, I thought they were a gimmick until I tried them. If you take trips where you're moving to a different city/hotel every couple of days, packing cubes are terrific, as they let you "unpack without unpacking" -- i.e., you can remove the cubes to get at your stuff, but still repack your suitcase in under a minute the next morning just by popping all the cubes back in place. They also keep items (especially business shirts) neater, and they're very handy when a security screener needs to go through your bag. My packing cubes paid for themselves the first time I had to go through a secondary security screening at the airport.In terms of specific brands and models of packing cubes, I prefer the eBags medium-sized cubes over the Rick Steves cubes. Two of the eBags medium cubes fit perfectly side-by-side in a typical 21" carry-on roller-style suitcase (e.g., the eBags TLS mini or the Rick Steves 21" carry-on roller, both of which I use), whereas the Rick Steves smaller cubes leave a lot of extra space on the sides. Also, the eBags cubes are shorter (about 3" vs. 5" for the Rick Steves cubes). Personally, I prefer to use more of the shorter cubes, with different types of items in each cube (e.g., shirts in one cube, underwear in another, etc.), rather than stuffing a lot of different stuff into a larger cube.Having said that, packing style is a matter of personal preference, and others may prefer the deeper and smaller Rick Steves cubes, so the real question is quality and durability. Both the eBags and the Rick Steves cubes are well made, and the zippers on both work well. I think the eBags cubes will be more durable over time, though. The Rick Steves cubes are mesh on all sides. The eBags cubes use a very light, solid fabric (like parachute clothe) on the sides and bottom, with mesh on the top so you can see what's in the cube. I think the parachute clothe (which is reinforced with mesh) will last much better than pure mesh, and it doesn't get snagged on things as easily. The fabric doesn't add any discernible weight relative to all mesh, as far as I can tell.Whichever brand you get, it's worth the investment. Packing cubes really do make travel easier.UPDATE 4 July 2012: When I wrote the above review, I speculated that the eBags cubes would be more durable. Sure enough, the mesh of the Rick Steves packing cube has torn around one of the seams, but the eBags cubes (which I've used more heavily) are still going strong with no signs of wear.

First, let me say these are my first packing cubes, and I already LOVE packing cubes and I highly recommend them! I just returned from a weekend, and I was able to pack almost all my clothing in these three---and I tend to overpacking. Packing was easier, unpacking was easier, and finding-things-from-my-suitcase was MUCH easier! I plan on getting more packing cubes for future trips.These are actually larger than I expected, and they almost fill a 19" carry-on by themselves. They store almost completely flat.Some reviewers complained about the smell of these. There is definite odor when they are unpacked, so I recommend ordering well in advance so that you can air and/or wash these before use. Perhaps the amount of odor is incosistent with these, though. My asthma typically makes me sensitve to odors, and I found that the larger cube had very little odor but that the smaller ones had a strong smell. The smell did not last after airing/washing them.They do lose one star because the zippers are already becoming fussy (and I did NOT overpack the cubes or strain zippers). While I think these are a good value for the price, I do plan to try a different brand when I add more cubes to my travel system.This is a great set to start with for packing cubes.

I got these to use on a long trip through Asia this summer and they will work fine. I used them on a test run for a weekend in Austin and had no trouble. These little bags are very light and add nothing to your airline luggage weight restrictions. The mesh will allow your clothes to breathe and not hold moisture (important in the humid tropics) They do hold a good amount of stuff and definately help organize your suitcase or carry on.The ONLY reason for a single star reduction is that these cubes are a bit flimsy when compared to the Ebags brand for example. With rough use or several trips in a row, I can see these bags having either a zipper failure or the mesh breaking & tearing apart very easily. With that in mind, I will still take them to Asia and use them for soft things (underwear, bras and the like), but no shoes or anythign with sharp edges like books etc.

I recently used these to pack for my honeymoon to use with my RS suitcase/bag, I enjoyed the structure they provided to the softsided luggage! I was really able to pack a lot and have it compressed into convenient cubes for travel; at the airport it was easy to open my bag and have them check my stuff, tidy and swift through security.I would recommend two sets per RS bag if you want everything in these travel cubes. One set let you lay down a full base layer and then I was able to add larger folded items on top so it was still great, but I would have liked having 2 sets.Each cube has two zipper pulls so you can get at the contents easily. The material is vented with a bit of stretch, so it is nice to overpack a little and then zip it all down -- like a packing girddle :)Highly recommend!

Regardless of which type of luggage I'm taking (rolling duffle or structured rolling bags) these packing cubes are extremely helpful with organization inside. They allow me to compartmentalize similar items like underwear in one cube, socks in another etc. I've also been happy with them for electronic stuff - I use one for powercords and cables (for laptop, Zen player, camera, mobile phone) and other small attachments like my memory card reader for the digital camera etc.Very useful - and I've had some of these cubes for many years so they do hold up well. I like the Eagle Creek ones a little better but the Rick Steves set is by far the best price. And, Rick Steves is a travel guru by the way - if you don't own some of his books you're truly missing out. They are the best travel books on the market. Check out the Graffiti board on his website for additional info and a taste for his tips and recommendations.