Packing everything you need can be one of the most stressful parts of traveling, especially if you’re visiting multiple destinations. Packing and unpacking at every place takes time and effort, and then there’s the frustration of not knowing where abouts anything is in your backpack.
If you want to stay organised throughout your backpacking trip, you need to find an efficient packing method.
You’ve probably seen packing cubes around, there’s quite a few of them on the market right now. But if you haven’t yet tried them out, honestly, once you’ve used them once, you won’t ever travel without them again.
The trouble is most packing cubes are best suited to suitcases, so in this post we’ll look at six of the best packing cubes for the Osprey Farpoint 40 backpack, and other similar bags.
The 6 Best Packing Cubes For Backpacks Like The Osprey Farpoint 40
1: AmazonBasics 4-Piece Packing Cube Set
Amazon Basics products are usually pretty reliable – you always know exactly what you’re getting, and you get it for a great price too. And these packing cubes are no different.
In this set you’ll get one small, one medium and one large cube. Then the fourth piece is a long thin rectangle shape that’s perfect for a rolled towel, blanket, bottle of wine, or as us backpackers normally do, you can also jam various items of clothing into it.
The cubes all have a double zipper, which is great for quick access, and mean the zipper is less likely to snag.
The mesh design of these cubes makes it easy to exactly what’s inside each cube, so no more digging around blindly in your bag, pulling out items that may or may not be what you’re looking for.
Pros
- Mesh Design
- Durable
- Gentle Interior
- Machine Washable
- Great value
Cons
- Privacy – mesh design means your traveling companions can also see what’s in your cubes
2: eBags Packing Cubes 3pc Set
This 3-piece set again has a mesh design, making it easy to find things at a glance, but these cubes also feature a ‘self-healing’ zipper. This basically means your zipper isn’t going to get damaged, regardless of how often you use it.
The exterior material of these cubes is weatherproof, and isn’t going to let any dirt in, which is great if you plan on doing a lot of outdoor activities like camping. The inside material though is soft, which is great for more delicate items.
The cubes are also machine washable, which is definitely a handy feature. We’re all guilty of shoving our dirties back in our bag with our clean clothes, and after a while, packing cubes can start to smell a little grim.
The main issue with this set though is the fact that it only comes with three cubes. The cubes will fit perfectly in your Osprey Farpoint 40 or other similar backpack, and you’ll have plenty of room spare as well. If you’re not taking too much with you on your trip, or if you only want to pack some of your clothes in cubes, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Otherwise, you might want to buy a couple of sets.
Pros
- Lifetime warranty
- Mesh design
- Machine washable
- “Self-Healing” zippers
- Protects your clothes
Cons
- Less total packing space with only three cubes
- Privacy – mesh design means your traveling companions can also see what’s in your cubes
3: Eagle Creek Pack It Specter Clean Dirty Cube
This is one of the most innovative packing cubes on the market, with the cube split into two sections, you can use one section for your clean items and the other for your dirty laundry.
The divider prevents any dirt or smell from crossing into the clean section. Even if you pack smelly wet clothing, you’re not going to smell it from outside the cube, and the smell won’t affect your clean clothes.
The materials used are specifically chosen for outdoor use, so this cube can take a battering. It’s also waterproof, and odour-proof.
Eagle Creek is also big on environmentally friendly materials and products, so you know that by buying this cube, you’ll be doing your bit for the environment.
This may only be a single set, but you can fit loads in it, and if you need any extra cubes, Eagle Creek also have a set of regular packing cubes, and a set of three pack-it dirty cubes if you want more than one.
Pros
- Simple Design
- Space for both clean and dirty clothes
- Waterproof and odour-proof
- Great Addition to other Packing Cubes
- Portable Handle
- Keeps Moisture in or out
- Green Company
Cons
- Heavy Fabric
- Only one Compartment
4: eBags Packing Cubes 6pc Value Set
This 6 piece packing cube set is great value for money, with enough cubes for you to pack your clothes by colour, type, size – whatever you fancy!
With more pieces, you can make sure your backpack is better organised. Everything will have its own place. The only troule with more cubes is that it makes it easier to overpack!
Pros
- Value for money
- 6 pieces as opposed to the usual 3 or 4
- Durable
- Lifetime Warranty
Cons
- Smaller individual cubes
- Snug fit in backpack
- More to keep track of on the road
5: Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Starter Set
This Eagle Creek packing cube set is great for those who want a variety of different cubes. It comes with different shaped cubes, and even a garment bag that can be folded, keeping your clothes neat and crease-free.
These cubes all have handles, so you can easily grab them and keep hold of them (which is more useful than you might think – especially if you’re asked to unpack your bag at airport security).
Pros
- Versatility
- Light-Weight Fabric
- Great for Backpacking Beginners
Cons
- Fabric durability – cubes can get damaged when washed on high temperatures
- Bulky
6: Osprey Packing And Travel Sets – the best packing cubes for the Osprey Farpoint 4o
If you really want the best money can buy when it comes to finding perfect packing cubes for your rucksack, it’s worth sticking with the Osprey brand.
As well as rucksacks, Osprey have brought out several different travel organisers and packing cube sets, specifically designed to accompany their rucksacks. So getting an Osprey packing cube set would be like giving your rucksack tailor made compartments.
Pros
- Specifically designed to fit the Osprey Farpoint 40 and other similar rucksacks
- Immaculate quality – you can throw these things around as much as you want, they’re not going to break or tear
- Stylish appearance – the trouble with packing cubes is that you can tell the cheap from the high quality, and these certainly look like they’re high quality
- There’s a range of different organisers and packing cubes within the Osprey packing range, so you can choose the packing cubes that are best for you
Cons
- Sticking with a brand you trust can come at a cost, these packing cubes are slightly more expensive than their alternatives.
So to sum up…
Packing cubes can definitely transform the way you travel, so it’s worth investing in a set you get on with. The ultimate packing cubes for the Osprey Farpoint 40, and other similar rucksacks are definitely the Osprey cubes. They’re specifically designed to fit snugly in Osprey backpacks, and they’re made with top quality material.
If you’re just looking for a kit that can separate your clean from your dirties, the Eagle Creek clean dirty cube is probably best for you.
However, if you’re looking for a good set of packing cubes that can help you organise your clothes and gear, I’d suggest the Amazon Basics 4-piece set. This has everything you need for a small trip, and it’s great value for money.
Whichever cubes you go for, they’ll make your Osprey Farpoint 40 much more organised, giving you different compartments. The same goes for other similar backpacks. Trust me when I say, once you’ve used packing cubes, you won’t want to go back to one-compartment backpacks without them.
I live in the UK, in the country’s most uneventful city, where the most interesting story in the local paper is about banning dressing gowns in supermarkets.
I travel and I write, because surely there are more interesting stories than that to write about and share.