There are plenty of packing cubes, pouches, and folders out there to get you organized in your packing, but these Specter Packing Cubes from Eagle Creek take the concept a big step forward.
Instead of just giving you something to stuff your clothes into, they actually help you carry more in the same space.
- Silnylon Ripstop. Imported.
- Compression Zipper For Even More Space Savings.
- Great For T-Shirts, Pants, And Shorts.
- Ultra Lightweight Silnylon Ripstop Allows For Visibility Of Contents.
- Quick Grab Handle.
It’s not a radical concept: we’ve long had Space Bags and other compression systems (Eagle Creek makes their own version too) to reduce sweaters and bulky coats down.
You know, those clear plastic things that are shot if they get a tiny hole in them. But those are better for a one-time move than regular use.
These cubes, on the other hand, are easy to work with, super-lightweight, and not dependent on having an airtight seal.
Basically these are made like the regular Eagle Creek Specter super-light cubes, but with a key twist. You can use them normally, but then after you zip your things inside, you activate another zipper to compress the bag tighter.
The fabric may be light but it’s super-strong, so the cube holds everything in well.
These are stain and water-resistant, plus there’s a handle on top to pull them out and toss them in a hotel drawer.
I’ve been taking one of these on trips for months now and while I often leave the other cubes behind, this one has become a regular on my list.
I use mine a lot for dirty laundry because who wants that taking up a lot of room? You can cram a lot of socks, underwear, and t-shirts in here, then you zip it up and reduce the bulk in half.
If you want to learn more, check out our guide How To Use Packing Cubes Like A Pro.
Thin & Lightweight Specter Packing Cubes
- Silnylon Ripstop. Imported.
- Compression Zipper For Even More Space Savings.
- Great For T-Shirts, Pants, And Shorts.
- Ultra Lightweight Silnylon Ripstop Allows For Visibility Of Contents.
- Quick Grab Handle.
I like these new Specter ones from Eagle Creek more than past iterations because they take up no extra room whatsoever.
They’re super-thin and wispy light, to the point where the extra millimeter or two of thickness they add is going to have zero impact on your packing space.
This translucent material is the same type of refined nylon used in lightweight tents and is amazingly strong. It weighs next to nothing though: the 14-inch-long cubefor example, only weighs one ounce.
They come in a variety of sizes you can buy individually (list price $12 to $24) or you can buy a set of three for $35 to $38.
The general idea is that these pouches keep your clothes organized so you can pack and unpack with ease. This is especially useful if you’re going to be changing hotels several times in one trip.
They also give you a place to put dirty laundry as you use up your clothes, keeping dirty things separated from clean ones.
One thing I do use one of these for regularly is packing shoes. If they get dirty, no worries.
There’s nothing complicated about these products—just rectangles or pouches with a zipper—but if you’ve got a set of these there’s guidance on how to effectively pack a suitcase, should you need help with that.
A little more complicated but quite useful for business travelers is the Pack-It Specter Folder for shirts. I’ve used an older, thicker version of this whenever I’ve had to pack some dress shirts to look presentable.
This folder, which comes with a handy hard plastic sheet to help you fold your shirts to fit, keeps your nice shirts/blouses relatively wrinkle-free and protected from the other items in your bag.
This Specter version is much lighter and thinner than the one I’ve been using, but just as strong. It costs a bit more, at $32 for the 18-inch version, but if you travel a lot on business it’s well worth it.