Convertible Packing Cubes – for backpacking, camping, hut trips, and adventures of all kinds

Pika Products is a very early-stage company (Kickstarter funded) founded by three travelers and outdoor enthusiasts who loved the concept of packing cubes, but current products on the market weren’t meeting their needs. So, they set out to develop a product to address the deficiencies they found, namely a lack of durability and quality given the inherent demands of adventures near and far. More specifically, Pika Products says that they didn’t love what the market was putting out there. If you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on a piece of gear (hopefully it’s American Made), hell yeah you should love it, packing cubes included.

Photo: Pika Products

Three Sizes

Pika Products packing cubes come in three sizes – small, medium and large. You can pick from two outdoor-specific fabrics, which are both durable, rugged and water resistant – nylon packcloth (heavier, thicker) or ultralight nylon ripstop.

  • Small (9” x 8” x 2.5”) – Keep smaller items organized (snacks, toiletries, headlamp, instant coffee, etc.) This one is not compressible (it’s small to begin with), but does have a loop handle for easy clipping, hanging, etc.
  • Medium (15” x 9” x 2.5”) – Great for 1-3 day adventures. Compresses to about half its size.
  • Large (16” x 9” x 5”) – Great for 3-6 day adventures. Compresses to about half its size.

And don’t forget the multiple size combo pack: AmericanOutdoorGearHub.com likes the idea of using two or three packing cubes to really refine how you organize the contents of your pack. The cool thing is you can mix and match these packing cubes to customize how your bag is organized depending on what you need to carry for your specific adventure and your unique organizational style.

Mile High Made

Pika Products are 100% built in Denver, Colorado, home of the company’s founders. All the materials that go into making Pika Products are sourced from within the United States (mostly Colorado), although some of their suppliers make some of their products overseas. Pika’s goal is to keep all aspects of the company and its operation local to the extent possible while ensuring and maintaining quality products.

All of us [founders] put a lot of value in and try to support local companies as much as possible. It’s hard not to admire and want to support the hard work of people who live near you and share your passions, so it was a no brainer that we would manufacture in the U.S and more specifically in Colorado – where we all live. Even though it’s been expensive and hard to make a quality product at an affordable price, we are extremely proud to manufacture our bags in Colorado. – Pika Products

Value Added (compressible cubes that convert to a backpack – say what?)

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that all of you reading this can relate to the following tale of organizational dysphoria. Close your eyes and breathe in and out, in and out. No, this isn’t a yoga class, but you get the picture. You have your itinerary and trip logistics pinned down for a weekend backpacking trip, a quick weekend getaway, or an epic adventure and you are now faced with the sometimes daunting task of packing your bag – backpack, duffel, etc. Packing starts by throwing every last thing in one pile, or organized piles sorted by type – shirts, pants, gear, etc. All contents are then carefully put in the bag in a very organized fashion, likely filling it to its absolute max – in most cases the mantra is that it’s better to have more than less, right. If you’re getting ready to embark on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or Continental Divide Trail then the mantra is reversed, less is more. Either way, pack organization is important.

Back to the cautionary tale . . . fast forward to two days into your trip. You’ve probably unpacked and maybe even repacked haphazardly for the next day’s adventure. Now everything you brought is either in your bag in disarray or strewn about near your bag or in your tent. Then, as always happens, you need one particular item of clothing or piece of gear. Uh oh. You start looking, digging, and low and behold, said item cannot be located. What do you do? Empty the entire contents of the bag to find it or rip through everything already out of the bag like a wild animal who just found a bag of groceries. Am I wrong?

Don’t do it. Pika Products packing cubes are thoughtfully designed to not only help you keep the contents of your bag organized, the larger sizes are also compressible and can convert into a backpack. Say what? Yep, you read that right, gone are the days where you take off the lid of your backpack or stuff a separate bag within the primary bag for your day trips. With Pika Products, you always have a built-in pack with you (medium and large versions only). Now that is value added.

Photo: Lucas Lopez

In Pika Products’ Own Words:

Pika Products started when we saw a problem with the way we pack for camping and backpacking trips. The contents of our top loading backpacks inevitably shifted and tangled throughout the trip, causing disorganization, unnecessary bulk, and frustration. Clean things got dirty, dry things got wet. We wanted to change the way we packed to make our outdoor adventures more streamlined and successful. Pika’s packing cubes are durable (made with outdoor-specific technical fabric), compressible to save valuable space, and can easily be converted into a daypack for the adventures you embark on after setting up camp. They keep you organized to make your camping experience better. – Pika Products

Get People Outside

The main goal of Pika Products is to provide quality products that encourage more people to get outside by helping them avoid the aches and pains of packing and keeping a backpack organized – we’ve all been there! – Pika Products

Globetrotting Gear

Pika Products, like so many other American outdoor gear makers, says the biggest challenge about making their cubes and sourcing their materials in the United States is cost and availability. Despite these challenges, they are just finishing manufacturing their first production run and AmericanOutdoorGearHub.com is excited for the response because early versions of their cubes have been globetrotters.

Our products have been backcountry skiing in Canada, hiking through the Swiss Alps, adventuring through Petra, Jordan, rafting through Colorado and Utah and even taken a beach vacation in Fiji. Next up: Berlin, Greenland, Netherlands, Ireland, Argentina and Chile! – Pika Products

Photo: Lucas Lopez

Going forward, Pika Products will look to create job opportunities at the company for folks who share their passion for the outdoors. As a former resident of Denver, I can say with certainty that finding quality talent in a city adjacent to world-class outdoor recreation opportunities will be like a walk in the park (Wash Park, City Park, . . . )!

Favorite American-Made Gear

When asked what their favorite piece of American-made gear from another company is, Pika Products listed two other companies.

  • Melanzana sweatshirts – “they’re so comfortable” (Check them out HERE)
  • Darn Tough Socks – “they’re extremely durable” (Check them out HERE)

A big thanks to Pika Products for being a part of AmericanOutdoorGearHub.com!

Get Organized

  1. If you plan on taking a trip in the next few years with a bag in tow (yep, that would be you and everyone else reading this), head over to Pika Products and do yourself a favor by purchasing a few cubes. Remember, you’re in charge of how your bag is packed so make it count.
  2. And don’t forget to visit AmericanOutdoorGearHub.com’s The Goods every time you’re looking for new outdoor gear and support local gear makers with your wallet.
  3. Follow American Outdoor Gear Hub on Facebook and Instagram @americanoutdoorgearhub