OlarHike

13 sets in this range

Compression Cubes

Thirteen sets, two layouts, and one extra zip that does the work.

Buy opens the item at our retail partner, where checkout, delivery and returns are handled. Prices shown are theirs, read at build time.

Side by side

Sorted by price. The "best for" column is a plain recommendation, not a specification.

ProductLayoutFitsBest forRatingPrice
8-Piece Compression Cube Set - Beige8 pieces20 to 28 in suitcasesBlending into a pale case4.6 (10,832)$24.99
8-Piece Compression Cube Set - Black8 pieces20 to 28 in suitcasesCabin luggage for up to five days4.6 (10,832)$27.99
8-Piece Compression Cube Set - Purple Gray8 pieces20 to 28 in suitcasesA quiet colourway4.6 (10,832)$29.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Black10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesA suit that arrives ready to wear4.6 (10,832)$29.99
8-Piece Compression Cube Set - Pink8 pieces20 to 28 in suitcasesColour-coding a shared case4.6 (10,832)$32.99
8-Piece Compression Cube Set - Blue Gray8 pieces20 to 28 in suitcasesBulky cold-weather layers4.6 (10,832)$32.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Beige10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesLight fabrics in hot weather4.6 (10,832)$39.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Gray10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesA weekly commuter4.6 (10,832)$39.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Orange10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesDark luggage interiors4.6 (10,832)$39.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Pink10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesA weekend with an event in it4.6 (10,832)$39.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Wine Red10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesLong trips and heavy use4.6 (10,832)$39.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Purple Gray10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesUnderstated travel kit4.6 (10,832)$39.99
10-Piece Compression Cube Set - Brown10 pieces20 to 32 in suitcasesTan and leather luggage4.6 (10,832)$39.99

Compression Cubes in plain terms

These look like the ordinary cubes and behave differently. Every cube carries a second zip on the outside, so a cube is filled, closed, and then closed again a size smaller. The air comes out, and with it the loft that makes a jumper take up three times the space it needs. Nothing is vacuumed and no pump is involved, which is the point: the mechanism is a zip, and a zip still works on the fourth day of a trip in a hotel room.

Both layouts use four cubes in four sizes, XL down to S, and the fabric is the high-density tear-resistant grade with more than a thousand mesh holes for ventilation. The eight-piece set pairs those cubes with a hanging toiletry bag, a shoe bag, a laundry bag and a pouch. The ten-piece adds a garment bag, which is the reason to pay the difference: it is the only thing in either set that keeps a jacket or a dress uncreased.

The second practical split is case length. The eight-piece sets are sized for suitcases from 20 to 28 inches, the ten-piece sets for 20 to 32. If the case in the hall is a large checked one, the ten-piece layout is the one that uses all of it. Beyond that, the choice between colourways is a choice about which cube you can find without unpacking the others.

Common questions

Does compressing clothes crease them more?

Rolled or folded flat, not noticeably - the pressure is even rather than concentrated. Anything that must arrive uncreased belongs in the garment bag that comes with the ten-piece set, not in a compressed cube.

Can these be used without compressing them?

Yes. Leave the outer zip open and a compression cube is simply a cube, which is how most of them get used for short trips. The compression is there for the return leg, when everything has been worn and nothing folds as small as it did.

The other ranges

Everything else in the OlarHike catalogue.

26sets

Packing Cubes

Twenty-six sets in four layouts, from eight pieces to eleven, cubes plus the bags around them.

14packs

Storage Bins

Five capacities from 23 to 97 quarts, bought singly or in packs up to six.

10models

Air Mattresses

Ten models, twin through California king, at 18 or 20 inches with a built-in pump.

13models

Tire Inflators

Thirteen cordless inflators, from a 1.2 lb bike pump to a twin-cylinder 12000 mAh unit.