Owain

"Deirdre Saoirse Moen" wrote
    | "Owain" wrote:
    | > Whatever they are, I'd be surprised if they achieve anything that
    | > cannot be accomplished with tissue paper and common sense.
    | And tissue paper is more expensive if you travel a lot.

Lovely leather-scented tissue paper is free in shoeboxes, and can be ironed
and re-used.

Owain

Michael G. Matola

"Diana J. Hellman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or packing
    > folders? Are they really worth the $$$? I know Rick Steves sells 3 for
    > about $16, but I am wondering if they're worth even that...

The Eagle Creek folders and cubes work very well for me.

To me it seems that the advantage of these organizers is not about
compressing more stuff into smaller space, but about structuring and
dividing up the small space you do have. My main travel bag is a Patagonia
Little Brother Carry-on (discontinued model, slightly smaller than their
Maximum Legal Carry-on), which is a relatively unstructured travelpack (one
large main compartment, and one much smaller flap). Using a folder and a
cube or two allows me to structure and divide up the limited space as I see
fit. The folders are *great* for keeping shirts nice. They're not very good
for men's pants (more wrinkles and folds than without), so I leave the pants
out.

Since my bag is light to begin with, to me the benefit of the structure the
EC organizers provide is greater than the small disadvantage of added
weight. The folder comes with a plastic rectangle thingy to help you fold
your clothes neatly then to add structure to the folder once packed. I
suppose you could leave this behind if you're that seriously concerned about
added weight (and you're very good at folding neatly), but I don't see that
as a problem.

The only minus I see of using the folders is that if you're staying in a
different place every night, you may find yourself digging into the folder
then repacking it again too often.

If you're using a more structured bag or suitcase, I guess it's just a
matter of preference. I still use my folders and cubes when I travel with a
suitcase. But to repeat my point: I think these organizers really shine when
you have an unstructured bag like I do.

I just got a set of the Rick Steves cubes and may try them on my next trip.

Worth the money? The Eagle Creek organizers are a bit pricey, but for me I
say yes. If you you sew, maybe you could make these kinds of things
yourself? Ziploc bags can be great for things like socks, underclothes, and
toiletries, but I've never managed to get Ziplocs to work well for clothes.

My absolute all-time favorite toiletries bag is a Lands' End hanging
toiletries bag (medium). I think they've discountiued it then brought it
back again several times now.


Michael Matola

Casey

    > Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or
    > packing folders? Are they really worth the $$$? I know Rick
    > Steves sells 3 for about $16, but I am wondering if they're
    > worth even that...

I've never used the cubes as I thought they weren't that useful.
I have used the Pack-It Folders (I assume that's what you meant).
The folders are useful for keeping clothes wrinkle-free and for
keeping clothes organized. The downside is that they require a
large bag like a duffle, as you end up with a semi-rigid rectangular
shape. I used the folders with an Eagle Creek wheeled duffle to
bring business clothes. Before you buy, make sure you know
which size you need. Too small, and they won't fit your largest
clothes. Too large, and you take up more space than you need.
Rick Steves isn't the only source, you know. REI is a better
source, in my opinion. I cannot imagine why Steves sells them
on his website, as he is always pushing his style of packing light,
and the folders really aren't useful for that style of traveling.


Casey

Me

"Joe Pessarra" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > "me.home" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > On 19 Aug 2003 14:35:13 -0700, [email protected] (Diana J. Hellman)
    > > wrote:
    > >
    > > >Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or packing
    > > >folders?
    >
    > I use ziplocks for that
    > > purpose now, but they can get a bit bedraggled over a long trip.
    > >
    >
    > Yes, and Ziplocs are so slick, they slide around a lot, and don't really
    > stay in place.
    >
    > Joe in Texas

They are vastly less expensive though. So if the question is about
"worth it", I have to admit that the increase in functionality is hard
for me to justify. I have one of the shirt carriers by Eagle Creek
and it is nice, and easier to use, but comparing $3 or so to
a 35 cent bag....

The ziplocs do slide but not while your suitcase is closed unless
it's quite empty. And still, it will tend to keep things neat.

These things are useful for folks who have to pack and unpack
daily, which I think is an important point. If you just pack and
unpack once at each end, their utility decrease exponentially.

Evelynvogtgamble

Dan Stephenson wrote:
    >
    > I used 'stuff bags', nylon bags with drawstrings. They serve the same
    > purpose but don't presupport a size and fit for a cube. For what it's
    > worth. Organizing stuff really is nice, but there are alternatives. I
    > got my stuff sacks at an outdoor equipment store in the city.

With U. S. "security" free to open your luggage, clear plastic (or
see-through mesh) organizers seem like the best idea for travelers from
here. Items are clearly visible, so should not invite someone's grubby
hands examining them. Since your stuff is organized, there's less
liklihood of anything inadvertently going missing in the course of a
search.

Simon77

They look like a load of crap to me.
They take up more space



"Diana J. Hellman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or packing
    > folders? Are they really worth the $$$? I know Rick Steves sells 3 for
    > about $16, but I am wondering if they're worth even that...
    > Appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions!
    > Thanks!
    > ...diana

Dave Null Sr.

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 03:32:35 GMT, Dan Stephenson <[email protected]>
wrote in news:190820032232441981%[email protected]:

    > In article <[email protected] >, Diana J.
    > Hellman <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >> Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or packing
    >> folders? Are they really worth the $$$? I know Rick Steves sells 3 for
    >> about $16, but I am wondering if they're worth even that...
    >>
    >> Appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions!
    >
    > I used 'stuff bags', nylon bags with drawstrings. They serve the same
    > purpose but don't presupport a size and fit for a cube. For what it's
    > worth. Organizing stuff really is nice, but there are alternatives. I
    > got my stuff sacks at an outdoor equipment store in the city.

I use nylon stuff bags as well. I use different colour nylon and
different colour draw string stop thingies. That way everything
is colour coded and I can find which bag I'm looking for very quickly.

If you can use a sewing machine they're very cheap to make.
And you can tailor the size for specific porpoises.

Also extremely durable. Many of my original ones are now veterans
of dozens of trips and still holding up nicely.

They are also somewhat water resistant and have helped the
contents survive brief drops in puddles etc. When you're cycle
touring, you often need to search for things in less than ideal
conditions...

Another benefit is that with everything in a suitcase or panier
also in a nylon bag, you can rearrange loads or remove everything
very quickly. In fact, I foiled a pickpocket who was trying to
grap stuff from a packsack on my back. He couldn't get inside
the drawstring bags before I caught him.

Debra Weber Kurt Weber

We use the Eagle Creek packing folders, 1 medium and 1 small in each of
our small rolling carry-ons. They work very well for us. We also use a
little tissue paper, and carry a small spray can of a wrinkle-release
product. We find that we like having our shirts in one folder, and my
pants, skirts, and my husband's sweater in another. My husband then
folds his pants in the top of our rectangular rolling carry on.

I bought my Eagle Creek packing folders in a discount store and use them
over and over. I'll be using them this weekend while packing for a 3 stop
trip.

"Diana J. Hellman" wrote:

    > Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or packing
    > folders? Are they really worth the $$$? I know Rick Steves sells 3 for
    > about $16, but I am wondering if they're worth even that...
    > Appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions!
    > Thanks!
    > ...diana

Mason Barge

On 19 Aug 2003 14:35:13 -0700, [email protected] (Diana J. Hellman)
wrote:

    >Hi. Has anyone tried those Eagle Creek packing cubes or packing
    >folders? Are they really worth the $$$? I know Rick Steves sells 3 for
    >about $16, but I am wondering if they're worth even that...
    >Appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions!
    >Thanks!
    >...diana

Here's a packing tip for things that wrinkle. Leave them in a plastic
drycleaner bag. Works like a wonder.

Mason Barge

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Deirdre Saoirse Moen

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] wrote:

    > With U. S. "security" free to open your luggage, clear plastic (or
    > see-through mesh) organizers seem like the best idea for travelers from
    > here. Items are clearly visible, so should not invite someone's grubby
    > hands examining them. Since your stuff is organized, there's less
    > liklihood of anything inadvertently going missing in the course of a
    > search.

The nice thing about most of the packing cubes is that they are partly
mesh. And they are easy to unpack and repack if someone in security wants
to look through your bag (as has happened to me).

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done." - Steven Wright
"A Sword Called Rhonda" forthcoming in anthology TURN THE OTHER CHICK

Deirdre Saoirse Moen

In article <[email protected]>, "Owain" <Use
Postmaster to email me.> wrote:

    > "Deirdre Saoirse Moen" wrote
    > | "Owain" wrote:
    > | > Whatever they are, I'd be surprised if they achieve anything that
    > | > cannot be accomplished with tissue paper and common sense.
    > | And tissue paper is more expensive if you travel a lot.
    >
    > Lovely leather-scented tissue paper is free in shoeboxes, and can be ironed
    > and re-used.

Yes, but when you travel a LOT, it doesn't last especially long.

--
_Deirdre http://deirdre.net
"I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done." - Steven Wright
"A Sword Called Rhonda" forthcoming in anthology TURN THE OTHER CHICK

Dan Stephenson

In article <[email protected]>, <nightjar>
wrote:

    > "Deirdre Saoirse Moen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > ..
    > > Well, you can stuff stuff INTO the packing cubes, allowing them to be
    > > packed more densely than a suitcase as a whole.
    >
    > IMO, if you need to do that, you have packed too much. The only real
    > essentials are your passport, your ticket and a couple of credit or charge
    > cards. Increasingly, the ticket is becoming obsolete.
    >
    > Colin Bignell

Here's a warning, however, regarding obsolescence of tickets. In
Athens I bought a plane tick to Santorini, then to Iraklion, Crete,
then back to Athens in time to catch a flight to Istanbul. Somwhere
along the way I lost the Iraklion to Athens return leg. So, EVEN
THOUGH the Olmpic Airways tickey woman LOOKED ME UP in her computer and
SAW THAT I BOUGHT A TICKET, wouldn't simply re-issue it to me. I was
forced to BUY A WHOLE NEW TICKET so I could make the flight to
Istanbul. What a *****ing ripoff. So be very careful about keeping
track of your tickets. Not everywhere does the 'e-ticket' I'm so used
to in the USA.

--
Dan Stephenson
Photos and movies from my 3-month European vacation:
http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda
(remove nospam from email address if replying)

Erilar

In article <190820032232441981%[email protected]>, Dan Stephenson
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > I used 'stuff bags', nylon bags with drawstrings. They serve the same
    > purpose but don't presupport a size and fit for a cube. For what it's
    > worth. Organizing stuff really is nice, but there are alternatives. I
    > got my stuff sacks at an outdoor equipment store in the city.
    >

It's also easy to make your own. Big ziploc bags are nice, too. I just
roll my alternate pants and a couple shirts around a bag of underwear
and stuff it down the middle of my pack. Main secret: don't take along
things that wrinkle 8-)

--
Mary Loomer Oliver(aka erilar)


Erilar's Cave Annex:
http://www.airstreamcomm.net/~erilarlo

Erilar

In article <[email protected]>, "Joe Pessarra"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > Yes, and Ziplocs are so slick, they slide around a lot, and don't really
    > stay in place.

That's a disadvantage? It makes them easy to pull out or reach past, too.

--
Mary Loomer Oliver(aka erilar)


Erilar's Cave Annex:
http://www.airstreamcomm.net/~erilarlo

Evelynvogtgamble

erilar wrote:
    >
    > In article <[email protected]>, "Joe Pessarra"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    > > Yes, and Ziplocs are so slick, they slide around a lot, and don't really
    > > stay in place.
    >
    > That's a disadvantage? It makes them easy to pull out or reach past, too.

I got some "jumbo" ziplocks at a local "wholesale to the public"
restaurant supply store. They're 13" by 15 5/8", which makes them a
good size for packing clothing.

    >
    > --
    > Mary Loomer Oliver(aka erilar)
    >
    > Erilar's Cave Annex:
    > http://www.airstreamcomm.net/~erilarlo