I use fixed, not retractable, brushes so I actually need the tube for storage or else my 'bristles' get all mangled. My tube is maybe 1" diameter so it fits snugly in a pocket of my stick bag without taking up too much space. I typically keep 1 set of brushes, 1 pair of sticks I'm actively using, 2-3 pairs of back up sticks (2-3 pairs lasts me well over a year), a spare drum key, some felts, and a bag of guitar pics in my stick bag and it's by no means 'bulky'.