Packing cubes

[ColoradoGurl]

Also, my suggestion for packing cubes:

 

My favorite are eagle creek because of the dimensions (they are slightly smaller than ebags and Amazon basics by up to an inch on the length and/or width when comparing a small to a small, medium to a medium, slim to a slim etc) and because they are made of solid material (vs the partial mesh that ebags and Amazon basics uses), which makes a smoother bag when your clothes are rolled up in there (ebags and Amazon basics end up kind of lumpy).

 

If your clothes are slightly larger, or you don't want to roll your clothes as tightly and you don't mind the lumpy thing, then ebags and Amazon basics are both great. Ebags and Amazon basics are the same dimensions as each other. Ebags has more color options, but that is the only benefit of ebags over Amazon basics. Amazon basics are cheaper, and they give you 4 per set vs 3 per set (that ebags give you) when you buy a set of bags that are the same size.

 

I own about 30 or more packing cubes, mostly eagle creek, but I also have some Amazon basics and ebags. I like them all, but prefer the eagle creek because of their more compact, sleeker look, and also because they have a super small bag (for undies) that the other 2 don't carry at all. If I am bringing bulkier winter items, then I do sometimes grab the Amazon basics instead of the eagle creek, and if I am packing more than 1 person's clothing in the same suitcase then I will grab some ebags because I can tell whose clothes are whose by the various colors.

 

 

 

 

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Edited May 31, 2017 by ColoradoGurl

[Spyke65]

Thanks Mking! I finally have time to study the TLS Mother Lode carry on. The Mother Lode Weekender Convertible has no wheels, am I right? Wouldn't it be hard to carry this around when full (44lbs)? I also saw the TLS Mother Lode Mini 21" that seems perfect but weighs 8lb 11oz and costs $300CAD (around $220 US)? Is it worth it for the weight? Do you think if it can hold up to rough baggage handling if I am ever forced to check it due to lack of overhead bin rooms on the plane?

 

I have been using the same TLS Mother Lode 21" Duffle for about 4 years now. I'm a frequent flyer who clocks in about 30-40 flights a year. With over 300 flights down, my bag is showing wear but is still going strong. I check the bag at least 50% of the time so it has seen some real hard duty. It does fit easily in most overhead bins, including the short bins on the 2 seat side of the MD-88 and MD-90s. The bag holds an amazing amount of clothes, especially paired with the ebags packing cubes. My standard for a 5-7 day trip is two slim and one medium packing cube. The total bag weight is usually 28-32 pounds including 2 pairs of shoes and toiletries.

 

The price is a little steep (currently $217CAD), but the bag is guaranteed for life.

[CH_ca]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies!

 

The Eagle Creek packing cubes I bought were excellent. You can never imagine how much I put in each medium size cube. They became almost rock solid after I was done! :')The only trick is to choose clothes that do not wrinkle easily.

 

Back to the carry-on bag. I don't think I'm as strong as you guys, carrying 30-40lb on the back. I guess I'll stick to the wheel ones. Now that ColoradoGurl mentioned it, I think I should get a smaller sized carry-on to use it on most airlines. I might be going to the Washington State soon. Any idea where can I buy these carry-on directly in a store? Hopefully at a good price?

[CH_ca]

 

eBags is currently offering a 25% discount, highest is 30% - if you wanted to be patient & wait for it. Lowest US prices now is $97.49 shipped free (use Promotion Code: EMBL053017)

 

To get $25 off, sign up for email and you should receive an unique code for $25 off. Otherwise, do the "Trade In, Trade Up" deal by sending in a backpack, handbag or other eligible items in good, working conditons for "recycling" and get a $25 code to use. https://www.ebags.com/landingpages/trade-in-trade-up

 

If you aren't in a hurry to get this, set this up and watch the email for the 30% sales/promotion - which should bring the price of the convertible down to about $100 USD or its equivalent in CAD - VAT & sales tax for Canada should be covered by the $25 discount, more of less. If you can send this to someone in the US for you, possibly saving $$ on import/VAT collected.

 

 

 

Thanks so much Mking for taking the time to write such a detailed reply! Yes, I tried the Promo Code with 25% and it worked. The problem is, the price is still a bit higher than I wish (for the 21.5" wheeled). So I guess I'll be patient and wait for some deeper discount. Also, do you know how I can sign up for the $25 discount? I can't seem to find it on their website.:)

[ColoradoGurl]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies!

 

 

 

The Eagle Creek packing cubes I bought were excellent. You can never imagine how much I put in each medium size cube. They became almost rock solid after I was done! :')The only trick is to choose clothes that do not wrinkle easily.

 

 

 

Back to the carry-on bag. I don't think I'm as strong as you guys, carrying 30-40lb on the back. I guess I'll stick to the wheel ones. Now that ColoradoGurl mentioned it, I think I should get a smaller sized carry-on to use it on most airlines. I might be going to the Washington State soon. Any idea where can I buy these carry-on directly in a store? Hopefully at a good price?

 

 

They don't sell them in stores unfortunately. The company was created sometime in the 90's by some old samsonite guys who wanted to do their own thing, and wanted to sell luggage online. Samsonite told them that was ridiculous since nobody would ever buy luggage online. So they started their own company (ebags) where they sell strictly online only.

 

They are based in Colorado, and I have driven by their building many times, but it's just a corporate office; it isn't a storefront and I believe they warehouse and ship their stuff from a totally different state. I thought about knocking on the door once to see if they had a showroom or just some stuff laying around the office that I could look at, but I haven't actually tried that, haha.

 

Off topic, but they do have some other neat products that you can peek at that aren't luggage. I also have the "Professional Slim laptop backpack." It's kind of heavy for a backpack (3 pounds, whereas a Jansport type backpack would be ounces), but they are apples and oranges. It's a great carry on item to pack your electronics, and some snacks and small items for the plane. It looks professional, is sturdy even when empty, and it's thin and takes up less space than a regular backpack. It's nice because it is compact, but some people review it poorly because they are expecting it to be a large bag that they can pack clothes and stuff in for an overnight (if you want a backpack that functions as a laptop bag as well as an overnighter, that would be the etech 2.0). For a backpack that is for weekends or longer, that's this Motherlode Weekender we've been talking about. All good choices :)

 

EDIT: I should add that I travel for work 20-30 times a year, on top of traveling for the sake of traveling. So if it sounds like I'm obsessed with packing and bags, that's why :)

 

 

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Edited May 31, 2017 by ColoradoGurl

[ColoradoGurl]

Sorry for another edit, but in my above post when I said the "etech 2.0" was the combo laptop backpack and overnight bag, I meant the "Professional Weekender." The etech is pretty similar to the motherlode weekender.

 

 

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[mking8288]

Thanks so much Mking for taking the time to write such a detailed reply! Yes, I tried the Promo Code with 25% and it worked. The problem is, the price is still a bit higher than I wish (for the 21.5" wheeled). So I guess I'll be patient and wait for some deeper discount. Also, do you know how I can sign up for the $25 discount? I can't seem to find it on their website.:)

The email sign-up promo for $25 - just go to their website, on the bottom ... of the webpage is a link to sign up, or if you open a new browser (clear the cache & cookies first) - the prompt should be there ... switch to U.S. website if you don't see that on *.CA site.

 

The CAD pricing is indeed higher especially with VAT added. If you plan to travel into the U.S. and stay in WA State, maybe you can have that shipped there instead & hold for pickup (UPS/FedEx outlet like Staples ?) or with a friend/relative ... if using a hotel, alert them & have the front desk hold it for you upon arrival - that would save a chunk of money.

 

Otherwise, sales with the 30% code are available from time-to-time, combine that with $25 USD off (don't think you can "stake" 2 offers together ... maybe with the "Trade Up & Trade In Offer"

 

As ColoradoGurl wrote, the Convertible Junior is shorter, pack less and will weight less - it is basically shorter, width & depth is identical; and, it still can pack a lot ... XXL sizing meant that I prefer the "full" sized carry-on version. When traveling with DW, I just stack it on top of her ... the red eBags 21" rollerboard - it's perfect, or, make use of airport luggage carts if it is a long walk, when "loaded" down. Taking out or toting the laptop, tablet, gadget pouches & 3-1-1 bags would reduce the TLS to under 30 lbs; and for shorter road trips - 20 to 25 lbs (shoes are heavy)

 

Among the features are those strong YKK self-repairing zippers and the internal/external compression straps on the convertible, the rollerboard on wheels don't have the external ones to help compress for a "flatter" profile.

 

P.S. It's nice to read and hear from other eBags "followers" as we shared that no-nonsense belief & trust in the products they made ... our travel is low keyed and don't care for those "flashy" B&R or Tumi (except for their toiletry pouches, "free" from Delta) ... still has a beaten up 15 years old TravelPro 22" carry-on.

[CH_ca]

Excellent and useful info! I'll see if I can use some friend's Seattle friend's address to ship. If not, maybe I'll wait for the 30% off and buy it here. You guys got my heart set on the Mother Lode bags! ;pThanks so much everyone! :)

[ColoradoGurl]

Excellent and useful info! I'll see if I can use some friend's Seattle friend's address to ship. If not, maybe I'll wait for the 30% off and buy it here. You guys got my heart set on the Mother Lode bags! ;pThanks so much everyone! :)

 

 

You're in luck, 30% off today!! Just got the email (Thursday June 1st, 2017)

 

 

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[mking8288]

Excellent and useful info! I'll see if I can use some friend's Seattle friend's address to ship. If not, maybe I'll wait for the 30% off ... :)

Great, just got email - 30% off (for a limited time only, of course ... yada yada) Here's that "string" to input as the promotional code - EMBL060117. Based on USD rates - it will drop the TLS ML Convertible to $91 or the 21" Mini Wheel Duffle to $140.

 

I am not sure if that $25 credit for email sign-up can be combined, it might not; or, that trade-up deal with the $25, worth to give it a try. If you have a Seattle address to ship this to & can "arrange" to get that home on the next trip, free shipping and saved on VAT, etc. - I would consider it a good deal.

 

Keep in mind that with either bags, it will only be heavy if it's fully packed & loaded. The convertible without wheels has both internal & external tie-straps, used together with packing cubes - keeping the package slim & tight, contents not shifting around ... I don't consider the tiny extra weight of the cubes or its fabrics a waste. It's organization and knowing that everything is where, and not forgetting something behind ... on a quick, overnight or 2 nighter trip - just toss the smaller cubes & pouches into a packpack and I'm off and gone.

 

Compared to the wheeled version, the convertible is easiest to drop into the trunk or back of a SUV/minivan - and several pounds lighter when empty ... as a 20 or 25 lbs or even 30 lbs backpack on straps (note - it does not have the "chess strap" across the front) it free up both hands - to hold passports & documents for checks and to pull a 2nd. rollerboard, etc. The retractable handles on the duffle is strong and I have no trouble stacking the convertible on top, pulling both at the same time.

 

Let us know further down the "road" after you get the TLS and how you liked it, etc.

[ColoradoGurl]

Unfortunately they don't allow you to combine discounts, you can use either the 30% off, or the $25 off, but not both. Also the $25 off has to be for an item that is $100 or more. So the $25 off coupon is best for when they are only offering a 20% off sale for any item that costs $100-$125, but for anything under $100 or $126+, the 20% off is a better deal. With the 30% off deal (which comes around a lot less often than the 20% off deal), then you are better off using the 30% off in all cases, because even a $100 item will be $30 off, which is obviously more than $25.

 

 

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[CH_ca]

Thanks guys! Will be hunting down a Seattle address! :D

[ColoradoGurl]

Packing for yet another trip today, and getting good use of 13 packing cubes (so far), and my MLS motherlode Junior (the 13 packing cubes are not going in my motherlode, in case anyone might be under the impression that it turns into a Mary Poppins purse, haha).

 

 

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[biker@sea]

D.W. and I both have 29" Delsay spinners.

 

14 cubes in hers 11 in mine, All done, Let's go. :cool:

[untailored bostonian]

Mostly just bringing this back to the top.

 

Just bought two sets of the new ultra light Ebag packing cubes. They are fantastic! I also bought a 27" and a 31" IT 8-wheeled spinner bags for our TA cruise in October. The two bags total weight is just over 10 pounds! That will give me added weight to fit under those international limits.

 

You have to love Ebags.

[barb65]

Wal-Mart Supercenters also have a nice selection of packing cubes and/or hanging collapsible shelves that fit over the rod in your cabin closet.