OUR TAKE
“Packing cubes are boring and everyone recommends them because they actually work.”
Get the cheap ones on Amazon, not the $80 branded set. You'll feel organized for the first week, then you'll just throw clothes in them without thinking. Still better than chaos.
DETAILS
WHAT'S GOOD
Makes packing faster
Keeps clean/dirty separate
Compresses volume
Cheap
WHAT'S NOT
Not exciting
Eventually you stop using them properly
Takes drawer space
KEEP BROWSING
Peak Design · essentials
The generic cubes still work. This one lets clean clothes and laundry share a cube without touching, then compresses the whole arrangement. The $40 price looks silly beside a generic set. Halfway through a trip, the divider starts earning its keep.
Aer · backpacks
You don't need the Aer Travel Pack 3. But if you're going to obsess over your bag anyway (and you are), it's the one that'll stop you from continuing to obsess over your bag. It's expensive, it's overkill, and it'll probably last longer than your nomad phase. Buy it or don't, but stop researching bags.
Apple · tech
Noise cancellation for airplane crying babies and co-working space LinkedIn influencers. They're overpriced, the case is too slippery, and you'll lose them eventually. But they work flawlessly with your iPhone, fit in your pocket, and the ANC actually lets you think. Worth it if you value your sanity.