The Pack Gear Organizer Review: A twist on your average packing cube

One of the most hated aspects of travel is packing – and rightfully so.

It’s annoying to have to figure out what to pack, how to keep your clothes organized and to make sure you stay within the TSA regulations and airline weight limits among other issues. Thankfully, there are products out there that make your packing and unpacking less of a hassle.

One of these is the organizer from The Pack Gear, a packing cube-like organizer. The organizer is lightweight and essentially a packable dresser for holding your clothes, gear or anything you might be traveling with.

I’ve had the chance to test it out for a bit and here are my thoughts:

Pros:

• Keeps clothes organized
• Has drawer-like shelves
• Fits in most backpacks (30 liters and larger) and suitcases
• Lightweight (9 ounces)
• Makes it easy to pack and unpack
• Has two hooks for hanging
• Can be used in hotels, hostels, trains, etc.
• Great for top loading backpacks or even suitcases
• Perfect capacity for backpacking or long travel, could also be used for shorter duration trips

One of the issues with using a top loading backpack for travel is that it can be hard to access and organize your clothes since the pack doesn’t open completely. The organizer from Pack Gear solves this issue completely. Just pack your clothes into all of the compartments in the organizer and put the organizer into the backpack. Once you’re at your destination, pull the organizer out of your backpack and you’re done unpacking.

The organizer has 4 levels, each almost like a drawer, or a packing cube. I usually use the bottom level, which is divided into two parts for socks and underwear. I use the 3rd level for pants and usually the top two for shirts or other accessories. You could think of the organizer as 4 packing cubes stitched together.

Read more: What is the best travel backpack size?

The packing organizer has a handle as well as two hooks which allow you to hang it anywhere, whether in a hotel closet or in a hostel or even a train. The organizer definitely would have been useful while I was on the Trans-Siberian Train for 7 days.

Cons:

I test the Pack Gear Organizer after having used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Mobile Locker for over 2 years during my RTW travel, living out of a 50 liter backpack. The Pack Gear organizer and Mobile Locker have the same purposes – to organize travel gear and clothes.

With that said, if I had to choose between using the Pack Gear organizer or the Eagle Creek, I’d choose the Eagle Creek. Here’s why: The Pack Gear organizer has a great concept, but I still feel like the design is still raw.

Side note: Of all the gear I took during those 2 years, my favorite was by far the Pack-It Mobile Locker. Nothing could compare. It is in my opinion one of the best products Eagle Creek has ever made. The Mobile Locker is like the iPhone of packing organizers: it’s brilliantly designed, ridiculously easy to use and gets the job done efficiently. I could rave all day about the Mobile Locker, but here’s the catch: Eagle Creek doesn’t sell it any more  –  and your next best bet is probably the Pack Gear organizer. If I come across as harsh on the Pack Gear organizer, it’s for this reason: I’m jaded. I’ve tested and used the best of the best on a daily basis for two years in 14 countries.

Here is some constructive criticism:

If The Pack Gear could just model their design similar to the Pack-It Mobile Locker, I would be all in.

There are some quirks here and there in the current design. Here are a few aspects I’d improve on:

1. Currently, there are a ton of buckles. It would make for an easier and cleaner design if the compartments sealed with zippers instead of buckles. Manufacturing would probably be more complex, but the end result would be a lot more intuitive.
2. The current nylon material feels a bit skimpy. It gets the job done, but it’s thin and crinkly. I understand the thinness that makes the product lighter, but I wish it were made of a different material, say Cordura or a ripstop material with some dimension and texture. How about something infused with Dyneema or Kevlar? Or maybe even incorporate some mesh so users could see inside the compartments without opening them. A different material would make the product feel more robust and luxe, not that it isn’t already, but currently it feels bland if not, may I say, homemade. Texture and feel is everything. Just ask the guy who came up with the idea for Nike’s Flyknit material. I honestly doubt that Flyknit has any super special properties, but it looks and feels amazing.

Read more: How much should I spend on a travel backpack?

3. Add a little rigidity to the edges of the organizer. (I don’t mean to make the entire thing stiff.) This would make the product feel more solid and have more shape, especially when it’s not fully packed.

The Verdict:

I’ve lived out of a backpack for over 2 years. I know just how imperative it is to have an organizer which keeps your clothes in place and easy to access. The Pack Gear Organizer does the job well. It organizes your clothes, and makes it incredibly easy to pack and unpack. Albeit not without some minor blips, the Pack Gear Organizer is an essential for travelers looking to keep their gear organized.

The Pack Gear Organizer comes at retail $45, however you can find it on Amazon.com for $30.

Where To Get It:

• You can find the Pack Gear Organizer on Amazon.com for $30.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

The Pack Gear packing organizer was provided for this review. As always, this Pack Gear review contains only my honest views and opinions. 🙂 Find out more about me and this site here.