Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube Review
Osprey's 40D ripstop packing cube weighs 19.8 g in medium and 32 g in large. It's tough and well made, but it has no compression and isn't waterproof.
Overview
The Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube is a zippered 40D nylon ripstop box that sorts clothing and small gear inside a pack or duffel. It comes in a medium (19.8 g) and a large (32 g), and it is aimed at travelers and backpackers who want tidy packs without a weight penalty. The trade-off is that it does one job, organizing. It doesn’t compress or keep water out.
Key Specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Weight | 19.8–32 g depending on size |
| Medium capacity | 3 L / 183 cu in |
| Medium dimensions | 10 x 7 x 6 in |
| Large capacity | 9 L / 549 cu in |
| Fabric | 40D nylon ripstop (recycled, bluesign approved) |
| Closure | J-shaped zip opening, YKK zippers |
| Carry | Reinforced webbing grab handle |
| Water protection | Water-resistant, not waterproof |
| Price | About $20 (medium), $22 (large) |
Versions compared
| Image | Version | Weight | vs. lightest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium | 20 g (0.7 oz) | lightest |
 | Large | 32 g (1.1 oz) | +12 g |
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Weight and fabric. The medium cube weighs about 0.7 oz, less than a AAA battery pair’s worth of nylon. The large is 32 g. Osprey sells all three sizes together as a set, and Packhacker put that trio at 2.5 oz (70.9 g). The 40D ripstop is thin and soft. It is also tougher than it looks. A reviewer at Outoria hung a small cube from a luggage scale and loaded it with 15 kg of clothing, and it held without complaint. Packhacker’s testers likewise praised the construction, noting the cubes tolerate being stuffed full.
Access. The J-shaped zip opens a wide mouth, so the cube can be rummaged through like a drawer instead of unzipped halfway and dug into. Owners cite the YKK zippers and the reinforced webbing handle as the details that separate these from bargain cubes. The handle is wide enough to pop a hand through, which helps when a cube is wedged at the bottom of a pack. It also gives the cube something to hang from.
No compression. There are no compression straps or second zipper, and Packhacker flagged this as the main shortcoming. The cube holds its shape and keeps things sorted, but it won’t shrink a puffy jacket. Anyone who wants to squeeze a down layer or a stack of socks into a smaller footprint should look at a compression sack. The thin fabric does let the contents settle and flex into odd corners of a pack, which suits a soft-framed ultralight bag better than a rigid cube would.
Weather. The fabric sheds splashes and dirt, and testers found it good enough for separating damp items from dry ones. It isn’t waterproof. The zipper isn’t sealed and the seams aren’t taped, so a cube left in a downpour or in a pack bottom in a river crossing will let water in. Thru-hikers who care about keeping a sleeping layer dry still need a roll-top dry bag.
Fit in a pack. The rectangular shape suits square-ish travel packs and carry-on luggage. In a narrow, tapered 40–50 L trail pack, the medium’s 10 x 7 x 6 in footprint is easier to place than the large, which is 12 in deep and can leave dead space around the edges.
Choosing a Version
Only size changes between the two. Color and cosmetics don’t matter here.
- Medium (19.8 g, 3 L): Holds a shirt, base layer and a couple of pairs of socks and underwear. It is the version for a weekend or a lightweight three-season load, where one cube per clothing category is enough. It is also the easier size to fit into a narrow trail pack.
- Large (32 g, 9 L): Takes pants, a fleece, or a full clothing kit for a longer trip. It is the better pick for duffels, carry-on bags and travel packs with a wide, flat panel. The extra 12 g buys three times the volume, so it is a better weight-per-liter bargain than the medium.
A medium plus a large covers most one-bag trips. Hikers who only want one cube should pick the medium and let the rest ride loose in the pack.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 19.8 g (medium) and 32 g (large) is very little for a cube
- 40D ripstop and YKK zippers hold up to heavy stuffing
- Wide J-zip opening makes the contents easy to reach
- Webbing handle is easy to grab and hang
- Backed by Osprey’s lifetime guarantee
Cons
- No compression of any kind
- Water-resistant only, so it can’t replace a dry bag
- Roughly $20 each, a lot for a thin nylon box
- Square shape wastes space in narrow trail packs
Who Should Buy This
This cube suits travelers, section hikers and ultralight backpackers who pack by category and don’t want to carry extra grams to do it. It also makes sense for anyone moving between a duffel and a pack on a trip that mixes city days and trail days. Thru-hikers who already stuff clothes loose in a liner, or who need compression and true waterproofing, should buy a dry bag or compression sack instead. Anyone who wants the cheapest option can find lighter or cheaper generic cubes, though they rarely match the Osprey’s zippers and stitching.
Verdict
The Osprey Ultralight Packing Cube is a well-built, almost weightless organizer that does exactly what it claims and nothing more. Buy it if you want order in your pack at a cost of 20–32 g. Skip it if you need compression or waterproofing.