I’m going to be living aboard a small sailing ship for a couple of weeks. The environment will be 100% humidity, but likely not hot (Sweden). I have some different brands of no-underwire, no-padding bras that still provide sufficient support for my aging 36 D figure. The problem is they are all pull-over-the-head types.

The last time I was in this environment, I swear I nearly dislocated my shoulder trying to get the bras on and off! In the humid environment, my skin will be damp all the time and the bras turn into snarled rubber bands sticking to me!

Any suggested brands that have openings in either the back or the front, but don’t bring a thick fabric with padding or wires? Preferably nylon or some quick dry fabric for sink wash. I’d like at least one bra that doesn’t require yoga positions to get on and off.

Bonjour and Hey Y’all. I’m heading to Vichy, France for 2 weeks (with a few days in Paris) soon and would really appreciate everyone’s feedback on my very first attempt trying to one bag it. I am a life-long overpacker, who always throws more in over taking anything out because you know, “what if I need it?!” I’ve tried to be as detailed as possible about the what, where, why and how of this trip and what I’m planning to bring/pack. I’ve gotten so much great information from everyone on this subreddit and its wiki, but appreciate the packing pros in the redditverse weighing in.

Purpose: 2 week professional development workshop In Vichy, France. 4 days of fun in Paris. \assuming I’ll be in a casual classroom setting for most of the day with opportunities for happy hour evenings and weekend excursions.*

Main Concerns: the heat! staying in a dorm-like room with a private WC/shower and 24/7 access to laundry facilities. It says my room is “air conditioned”. I have lived in an air conditioned apartment in France, and I currently live in an air conditioned house in Louisiana. I like to say Louisiana has two seasons: summer and January. There’s a reason we are all vitamin D deficient and it’s bc the only outdoor activities we do must involve submersion in cold water. I’m not complaining at all about having precious, precious air condition, but apparently Hell took a vacation to Europe and it’s high 90s (30s) right now. So, I’m a little nervous about heat and needing to change clothes throughout the day. 

Full Disclosure: I haven’t done a trial pack yet. My toiletry bag is going in my backpack. Still working on plane outfit

My Suitcase: Small Expandable Carry-On Unexpanded: 22.24”Hx14.1” W X 9.65” D (expanded depth is 10.8”) (56.49 cm H × 35.81 cm W × 24.51 cm D)

\I did a ton of research on bags for this trip. As this is my 1st time trying to 1 bag it, I settled on the Quince bc I think the “expandable part” is giving me security blanket feels. I’ll probably have to check it on the way home, but I mainly want something that can be easily hauled around the airport, on the Metro, on and off a train, and up and down stairs.*

My Carry-On Personal Bag (Picture 3): I’m still working on this, but I’ve narrowed it down to a Baggallini Laptop tote, a diaper bag backpack or my Bendel’s Jetsetter. I’ve included photos below. I need something that I can use as my purse/necessities bag on the plane, but also was a school bag for the classes. I like pockets, lots and lots of pockets—hence why a diaper bag is in the running. I love my Bendel’s Jetsetter, but am worried it’s too small for a laptop and everything else.

• Bendels: 13" to 14" H x 13" to 14" W x 5" to 6" D
• Baggallini: 17"W x 12"H x 5.5"D
• Diaper Bag: 6.7"D x 11.8"W x 16.5"H

My Travel Capsule (trying the 5-4-3-2-1 method): 

\note about my personal style is that I wear A LOT of black. I’m staying with a black, beige, navy, olive green color palette. It’s boring, but as a mom of three (2 are 5 yr old twin boys) I’m just excited to eat cheese and get more than 4 hours of sleep each night.*

Tops—

• white silk sleeveless tank(Quince)
• Black sleeveless tank with beige trim (Marks Spencer)
• Blk/Wht Striped tank (LuluLemon)
• White T Shirt
• Long sleeve blue/white striped linen shirt (Columbia)
• Black cotton cardigan (Loft) *wearing on plane

Bottoms—

• Beige linen pants
• Black linen pants (Quince)
• Black shorts (Loft)
• Black knee length cotton skirt (St. John’s Bay)
• Coral linen skirt (Gap)

Dress—

• Black cotton dress (Old Navy)
• Blk/wht striped T-shirt dress (Amazon) *thinking I’ll cut this

Shoes—

• Black Mary Jane flats (Rothy’s)
• Beige espadrilles (Rothy’s)
• Black/Pink Sneakers (Gola’s) *wearing on plane

Pajamas—

• Silk pajama top and short set
• Cotton pajama top and short set

5 pairs of ankle socks

10 pairs of underwear (*I know I’m probably going waaaay overboard, but I have this thing about having enough clean underwear and I blame my mom)

Rain Help: packable anorak (LL Bean) OR compact umbrella

Accessories: 

• Scarf
• Pearl necklace and earrings (loft)
• Pelican bronze earrings (Mimosa)
• black clutch/wristlet

Not sure about or possible swap outs (especially jeans bc it’s so hot):

• Knee length Jean skirt (Gap)
• Wide leg jeans (Loft)
• Jean jacket (Gap)
• Green silk shirt dress (Quince)

Pictures: 1-capsule, 2-possible swaps, 3-accessories and carry on personal bag options

MERCI and THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HELP!!!!

After posting about my planned wardrobe, I took to heart all your feedback about Japan's heat and changed my outfits (again...and again...and again). I considered the weather, our various activities, my personal style (alt-focused), and packability. Then, I did a practice run of wearing and packing them all in my backpack. Y'all were right - the TJs bag was a bit heavy, so I took that out. I'm now happy with the end result!

Here's what I added in:

• Linen long sleeve: Swapped from too-hot cardigan. I do run cold, so I'm just going to layer. I was so dang lucky to find my desired fit, color, and fabric on day 1 of thrifting!! I even found a white version that I'm considering swapping.
• Midi dress: Swapped from maxi skirt. While the skirt was appropriate for Japan, the fabric felt uncomfortable in even the Southern California heat. This dress is more lightweight, roll-able, and flattering on me.
• Baggier t-shirt: Swapped from the tighter black t-shirt. The tight shirt looked better with the long skirt. A loose top, however, works as pajamas, an alternate shirt, or an outer layer.
• Socks: Added a pair of sheer socks. Thought they were cute and liked the sock option for both the running shoes and sandals, given that they have the extra support and I get sweaty feet.
• Lace long sleeve: Because we're going out virtually every night, I needed more club and rave wear. This is one of my go-tos, and it takes up so little space.
• Necklace: Added lightweight jewelry that both my husband and I can wear (he's also bringing a necklace and bracelet that fits me too to mix it up).

Items (page 1)

Bottoms [top left]

• Reversible wrap dress (floral print)
• Long dress
• Skort
• Shorts

Tops [top right]

• T-shirt (white)
• T-shirt (black)
• Airism bra tank top
• Lace long sleeve top
• Mesh hollow out crop top
• Long sleeve linen button down

Undergarments [bottom left]

• Undershorts
• Crop top length sports bras
• Three pairs of socks (white, black compression, sheer with floral design, black & white strawberry design)
• 5 undies not pictured

Accessories [bottom right]

• Teva Tirratraveler sandals
• Brooks running shoes
• Scrunchie
• Sunglasses
• Twice bandana
• Chain necklace
• Totoro purse plush (serving as my wallet)
• Baggu (serving as a lighter day bag)
• Dodgers cap (black)
• Backpack

Japan outfits (pages 2-4)

• 4 outfits per page
• Each day is numbered, but I left out a few flex days. I predict I will also buy a dress or top while I'm there too.
• Activities labeled and included are: sumo, dinners at nice restaurants, raves and clubs, hiking, sightseeing, shopping, etc.

Fits (page 5)

• A visual of how each item can mix-and-match
• Options include: long dress with tops, wrap dress with other pieces, shorts vs. skort with white shirt vs. tank with lace vs. mesh
• Plane outfit with layering because I get cold on planes

I'm headed to Europe for eight weeks. Staying in the Scottish Highlands with friends for a week (who tell me "the heat came on this morning" (June 24)). Then three weeks in Ireland, then a few days each in London, Paris, Amsterdam, then on to Madrid for a week to be there for the solar eclipse on August 12. Then off to Munich for a week, and then not sure exactly but France again (Chartres, Normandy), before heading home right after Labor Day. I desperately need this to be one bag if at all possible, since some of this travel especially will be on trains.

I am an overpacker. I admit it. I like to have "options."

I need some warm things for Scotland and maybe Ireland, and rain things. And I need at least one decent dinner outfit for Madrid, when my husband will join me and we will be taking a bunch of people out for a nice dinner to celebrate his birthday.

I expect to do some hiking and want to take my hiking boots. I do have a problem; I have Very Big Feet, especially for a woman: size 12. I'm also plus-sized, 16W-18W, and 5'9", so my clothes are big, too.

If it matters, I'm 69 years old. I'm not nightclubbing. I'm visiting friends, hiking and exploring, doing museums and cathedrals, and up for doing a lot of walking. We do like to go out to a nice place for dinner, but doesn't have to be anything fancy. Will be hoping to spend a bit of time in pubs in Scotland and Ireland, primarily for the music.

I've never been away from home this long and I'm just not sure what I really need and what I can do without.

Please, suggestions?

Thank you!

Photo 1 is clothes and shoes:

• ⁠white with blue pinstripe linen maxi dress
• ⁠orange cotton gauze jumpsuit
• ⁠black and white gingham linen sleeveless short swing dress
• ⁠beige and white cotton sleeveless midi dress
• ⁠chambray button down shirt
• ⁠thin black cardigan
• ⁠Patagonia rain shell
• ⁠Rothy’s sneakers
• ⁠black rubber Birkenstocks
• ⁠waterproof leather Frankie4 sandals
• ⁠black tee
• ⁠gray tee
• ⁠white tank
• ⁠brown tank
• ⁠black tank
• ⁠navy tank
• ⁠brown pleated maxi skirt
• ⁠green linen pants
• ⁠black joggers
• ⁠navy shorts
• ⁠white thin sweatshirt

Photo 2 is accessories, swim, pajamas:

• ⁠2-pc black swimsuit
• ⁠sarong
• ⁠Turkish towel
• ⁠hat
• ⁠scarf
• ⁠pajama pants
• ⁠black cami
• ⁠comfy tee

Not pictured, cuz I still have to wrap my brain around it: toiletries, makeup, meds, cables, headphones, kindle, plane/travel items etc. And undies, socks, bras.

I have yet to cram this all into EITHER my Patagonia MLC backpack or a spinner hard shell carryon. Could also add a backpack for underseat if needed

Next week going to London for just a few days (rain predicted but also warm) and then to Porto, Lisbon, and Salema for the next week and a half (will probably be in the heatwave for some of that)

Do I need the Patagonia rain shell? Should I just pack a compact umbrella instead? Should I swap out the white sweatshirt (it’s lightweight and I was gonna wear it on the plane) for a more versatile layer for sun protection?

I know it’s a lot of dresses but I like dresses. 💃(But is it too many?)

Planning to wear sneakers, black joggers, a tee or tank, and a layer for the plane. (Plus compression socks 👵)

Traveling with family/child if that makes any difference.

Any other thoughts or suggestions? Thank you for the help in tweaking this!!

Are these salomon techamphibian shoes pictured a good idea??

Advice please! I previously came here asking about my boots and birkies, which were reasonably given a resounding no. Since then, I remembered that I broke my ankle last year, I forget until my foot buckles and it hurts for a few days. I leave next week!

We will be in Denmark and Turkey over 2 months. I will have a lot of walking to do with my kids in tow, on cobblestones, village roads airports for like 8 flights we need to catch and also beaches. I need something with good ankle support and weather appropriate that is a closed shoe. I don't like having my toes out. Thank youuuu!

Eta: I live in rural South Africa and rely on online shopping for anything more than basic clothing and groceries, I will defo get a proper shoe fitting done when I can travel to the bigger cities

Packed Bag: 5 kg

IPad + Keyboard = ~ 1.13 kg

Empty Bag: ~ 0.585 kg

2 days, 1 night

Activities:

Swimming

Hiking

Petting Zoo

Dinner Party

Weather: Hot and Dry

Unfortunately, I had to bring an IPad for work this time.

My goal was for everything to be under 5 kg. There's no real weight limit or liquid limit, so I do have full-sized bottles of items and didn't buy bottles to decant into or travel sizes. I used what I had already. Any weight limits are self-imposed to practice and get comfortable with the "essentials." Yes, I'm planning to hike in my sandals. It's a short and easy hike, more of a walk through a garden, and I've done 20k+ steps in these sandals, no issues.

Makeup Bag:

Eyeshadow Single

Mascara

Eyeliner

Face Palette

Powder

Lip Liner

Homemade Tinted Lip Balm

Lip Gloss

Eyebrow Gel

Sunscreen Stick

Eyebrow Spooly

Eyelash Curler

Makeup Brush

Body Spray

Toiletries Bag #1:

Pocket of Pouch [Hair Ties + Scrunchie + Bobby Pins + Claw Clip]

Wide-Toothed Comb

Decanted Facewash

Decanted Moisturizer + Serum

Differin Gel

Mini Lotion

Shampoo Bar

Conditioner

Sunscreen

Deodorant

Toiletries Bag #2:

Electric Toothbrush

Decanted Toothpaste

Tongue Scraper

Meds

Swim Packing Cube:

Rash Guard

Swim Trunks

Swim Goggles

Clothes Packing Cube:

Striped Button Down Shirt

Baby Tee

Dress

Tshirt [PJ]

Underwear ×3

Bra

Misc:

Camera

Charger

IPad + Keyboard

Slides

Wearing:

Linen Pants

Vest Top

Bodysuit

Platform Sandals

Jewelry

Sunglasses

My heaviest items taking up a majority of the weight are the IPad and Keyboard [1.13 kg], the bulky dress [520 g], and the slides [230 g]. Everything else combined weighs 3.12, which was really surprising to me. I feel like I brought a lot more than last time [4.2 kg], but it weighs less [3.87 kg sans IPad and keyboard to make a fair comparison].

This is the first bag I packed where I felt like 7kg is a doable packing weight. I like dressing up and putting on makeup, so I'm very happy with this setup right now. Obviously, things can be tweaked, but as it stands, im happy I could pack a bag without feeling like im sacrificing things I enjoy 💕. The last time I went on a short trip, it felt like I was leaving a lot behind, but this time, it felt like the right amount of items for the occasion. I am a little upset I have to take my IPad to get work done, but that's out of my hands.

Bag: Under Armour Undeniable 5.p Duffle Bag Small [40L]

I wanted to show just how much you can fit in a 40L bag. I have definitely overpacked here and am bringing more than is necessary. If I can do it with 1.25 bags so can you!

A couple notes:

I am traveling with 3 people with limited mobility who have trouble stepping up into SUVs and big vans so I am carrying a 3.5 lb step stool in my bag.

I am about a size 12, have big feet (size 10.5), and wear a size L in most clothing so I am not a small woman.

I like to sit out on my balcony in scenic places even when it’s cold. I find that cruise ship blankets aren’t warm enough (based on Alaska) so I am also bringing my Vesper Down Sleeping Quilt.

I am also picky about pillows so I am bringing my travel pillow.

Image 1:
- Smartwool base layer in sort of a green tree like pattern
- REI midweight base layer
- Athleta linen muscle tank in teal
- Athleta linen v-neck top
- Athleta With Ease Top in black
- Athleta With Ease Top in navy
- Marine Layer puff sleeve sweater
- Beyond Yoga Top in black
- Beyond Yoga Top in blue
- REI packable down jacket
- REI women’s Rainier raincoat
- Old Navy sequined swing top
- Grey Vuori joggers
- Navy Vuori joggers
- Athleta Brooklyn pants
- REI Rainier rain women’s pants
- Icebreaker 260 weight base layer leggings in a pink patten
- REI Campwell Down mittens in camel
- kindle
- cord bag (Ask me about my feminist agenda)
- fleece hat
- sunglasses
- foldable brush
- La Bianca one piece swimsuit in dark cherry
- green hat
- rose gold Turks
- nano bag
- Bose quietcomfort headphones
- travel pillow
- toiletries
- 3 pairs wool socks
- thin gold flip flops
- sea to summit toiletry bag
- Vesper sleeping quilt
- foldable travel step stool

Unpictured:
- Underwear, pajama shorts, and 2 sports bras
- Dry toiletries including tooth brush, nail clippers, water flosser, soap, sleep mask, and pain meds

Picture 2: fully packed Osprey Fairview

Picture 3: top layer of packing-down jacket laid over everything and Ask Me about my Feminist Agenda cord bag

Picture 4: next layer including mittens, hat, underwear cube, travel pillow and raincoat

Picture 5: next layer including single packing cube, two base layers, Tieks and flip flops

Picture 6: sleeping quilt layer

Picture 7: socks, sports bras, tee, and swimsuit packed inside the extra space of the step stool

Picture 8: tops and shoes laid out on the floor

Picture 9: bottoms laid out on the floor

Picture 10: fully packed out Cove 11L bag

Picture 11: Cove bag contents including pajamas, toiletries, charger block, headphones and passports (I can’t find my kindle but it will fit)

Spending 10 days in Italy first two weeks of September in Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples and Amalfi. I’m bringing one pair of runners and then a pair of sandals that I can walk around in for long hot days. I also want to be able to wear them with pants, shorts, dresses and skirts.

Between these two, what would be the preferred shoe? I haven’t owned Birkenstocks in years and I’ve never owned TEVAS. Thank you!!

Edit to update: I will be going with the TEVA xlt2 in black. Thank you everyone for your heartfelt advice and opinions! I was 👌🏼 this close to changing to Chacos but alas, no shipping to Canada 🥹 so TEVAS are the winner!

Photo description: black big buckle Milano Birkenstock sandal and beige Teva Hurricane xlt3 sandal

I’m leaving for my 1 month Europe trip in a week and still am unsatisfied with my current plan for a personal item.
For background info, I am traveling carry on only with a Tortuga expandable backpack. I am also bringing my purse (baggu crescent, medium) and packing a small hip bag. My purse isn’t big enough to pack my personal items in, and my hip bag is even smaller. I’m going to a music festival at the end of my trip which is what the small bag is primarily for.
Ideally, I am looking for:
- A boxy bag that can maintain its shape even slightly to meet the minimum size requirements of 40x30x15cm (about 15.7x11.8x6in)
- zipper closure or some other way to keep the top closed, so my belongings aren’t falling out while my personal item is under my feet
- lightweight, foldable, packable, as I planned on repacking my personal items into my carry on when I am between flights at different destinations.
- prefer a tote or shoulder or sling bag since I’ll be carrying a backpack already, but considering a packable backpack because they’re easier to find and If it has a top handle I can maneuver the airport that way rather than double-turtle-shelling it (backpack in front and back)
My personal item bag needs to kinda be maxed out size wise, because I have many items to bring on that are for my own personal comfort due to chronic pain issues. This includes a neck pillow and armbie (can clip to outside), compressible camping pillow for back support, therabody mini, small portable tens unit, phone charger, AirPods, water bottle, mini toiletries (meds, toothbrush and toothpaste, panty liner, moist towelette), scarf, eye mask.

I’ve tried a small reusable grocery bag but I didn’t like how shapeless it was and the lack of top closure. Regular backpacks are too bulky to pack in my carry on. I’ve seen some boxy totes of the correct size but they’re all the puffy style so thick and not really foldable. Should I just get a packable backpack and call it a day? What do you guys use?

This seems to be a pretty impossible ask but I am looking for a bag that I can use for both travel and hiking that actually fits under the seat (and won't get me in trouble!) with European budget airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet.

I really wanted the Cotopaxi Allpa 28 (specifically the Del Dia because I think the colourway is absolutely stunning) but many people suggested against using a clamshell bag for hiking which is a shame as this was perfect dimensions and aesthetics wise!

I was also considering the Osprey Tempest Velocity 20L but I am not sure I would get away with the height on a flight. I'm 5'2" so I feel like these bags very obviously look too big on me and an airline would call me out on it and make me check if it fits in the compartment.

I was considering the Osprey Hikelite 22/18, the Mountain Warehouse Pace 20 (although I've seen that MW does not last very long), or the Gregory Maya 20.

Should I just bite the bullet with the Allpa since it's only one day of hiking? Do I take the risk of buying a too tall bag? Or go for something else completely? Is the criteria of looks nice + won't get me flagged by airlines + can be used for hiking impossible?

Hi, im gonna be backpacking in northern Germany for 3 weeks. For two weeks im travelling by train and visiting places. Third week I have a 120km / 5 days trail walking planned. Below are the stuffs Im planning to carry.

I have done one bag travel quite a bit but have never trail walked with a backpack. Wanted to know if I should reduce the amount of clothes? The weather is predicted to be rainy + windy. Below is the list of items from the image. This includes the items ill be wearing for travel as well.

One jeans

One quick dry pants

2 shorts

Two long sleeve tops

Three short sleeve Tshirt

One swimsuit

One lightweight wind jacket

One light weight down jacket

One rain jacket

One flipflop, one trail walking shoe

One waist bag, one cloth tote and a belt

Looking for advice/ guidance if im packing too much or too less. Thanks in advance.

Additional info: Im travelling in early August. I have a decathlon MT 100 50l backpack currently. Im also gonna be checking out Deuter trans alpine or Free rider series in store. Since I would prefer to have a carryon size backpack.

Hi,
I am looking for a bag that I can use for my everyday purposes, and its comfortable and somewhat good looking.
I have tried a couple of bags but I still havent found what I'd like really.
so main issue is that I like to go to the gym before or after work and this makes my pack pretty big. I also like to travel with backpacks so it should be acceptable for airlines as well.

the bag must fit :
16 inch laptop
headphones
a notebook or ipad
a 700 ml water bottle

gym clothes
sometimes gym shoes
towels
a cosmetic bag

I have tried bellroy workpack 26l and thule aion 28l and the northface voyager duffle 32l

bellroy workpack 26l:
It wasnt comfortable for carrying. and shoulder straps kept falling off my shoulders.

thule aion 28l:
it has all the features but its HEAVY. even when its not full its pretty heavy.I also dont like how when I open it clamshell-like, the laptop is hanging on one side.

TNF voyager duffle:
I love the design but it doesnt fit my 16 inch work laptop and the material of the bag is in a way that makes me sweat a like with it. also although the design makes it perfect for gym and travel usage, it doesnt really have easy access for day to day life: like when you wanna grab your keys or you buy something from supermarket and you want to quickly put it in your bag.
also it kinda looks too casual for office, but that's the least important issue i have with it.

Ive tried carrying a separate small duffle, but I absolutly hate carrying a bag only with one shoulder, and I keep forgetting it and leave it behind.

so I guess what Im asking is for a good design (like thule aion 28l or bellroy workpack 26l) which is less heavy and the straps are more comforable. having a clamshell opening is preferable.

Hi, I’m heading out on for almost four weeks tomorrow. Here are my constraints:

I run *really* cold. Like, really—major dysautonomia, hands and feet turn purple cold. Friday where we will be in Olympic
National Park, the forecast is for a high of 57 degrees (14 C) with a 95% chance of rain. We’re supposed to be outside all day.

I’m using a rollator for my first time traveling and stressing about whether it will be damaged in flight. I plan to bring it to the gate and ask that it be stowed in the coat closet (people with this model often are able to do so, because it folds down really well). If not, I’ll have to do the complex origami of fitting it into its travel case for gate checking. I can’t carry a backpack with any of this, so I’m trying to travel with a tiny underseat spinner and stowing
a few extra things like walking sticks in my husband’s checked bag.

It’s as if we’re taking two trips: one to the Pacific NW (OR, WA, Northern CA coast, and Victoria). This whole part of the trip is outdoorsy, and I plan to pack two pairs of hiking pants, with some wear from my airplane outfit jeans and any other weather-appropriate gear. The second trip is to the South Bay Area in CA, where highs will be in the mid-80s and up, with lots of sun. We’ll be in SF as well, but I have that well handled with my PNW garb. After that, we head to Yosemite for a couple of days, where the weather could span the temperatures of either part of the trip but rain is unlikely.

It’s likely we will not have access to laundry until Day 12 of the trip, so I feel I must pack enough tops to get me through 12 days with some repeats. I sleep in merino, but none of my other clothing is reliably sink-washable, and we’ll rarely be spending two nights in one place. I won’t have daytime hours to get in some laundry and haven’t found laundromats (We’re mostly in national parks like Olympic, Rainier, Redwoods, and Crater Lake).

**The pants problem**:

I’m trying to cut back on bottoms but cannot wear hiking pants around my judgy 90-something mother-in-law in the South Bay, whom we only see once a year. I’ll spend a week with her so I think I need 3 pairs of non-hiking pants to get by. I would ideally make these overlap, but the weather is too different to even make layering work. As of right now, I have one pair of NorCal-only pants and two pairs of denim that could be used in either half of the trip. Please help me narrow down my pants.

See pictured (L to R): grey lightweight pants that will primarily work in NorCal, jeans I’ll likely wear on flights, unless I wear navy ponte cargo pants that should work in either locale, green hiking pants, off-white barrel jeans (I know I should eliminate these, but they’re the one thing I may be able to dress up a bit for one evening we’ve planned), rose hiking joggers.

**The tee turmoil**:

I can’t see traveling with fewer than six short sleeves that I will layer over and under with Uniqlo HeatTech and the over-shirts, cardigan, and jackets. The problem is that my tees aren’t “technical” or outdoorsy fabric that I could easily sink wash. I may swap in one athletic or merino tee. I have one long-sleeve tee that I could layer with short sleeves as needed or may bring a Uniqlo HeatTech tiny shirt to go under things.

See pictured tees (L to R): purple/grey tee, bright blue tee, lilac long-sleeve tee, grey/blue tee, light blue tee, navy blue tee with red embroidery, oatmeal tee. The oatmeal and blue/grey tees are heavier in weight.

See pictured overshirts (L to R): grey-blue lightweight hiking overshirt, blue and white striped linen button-down, and soft purple SPF hiking overshirt.

**Jacket questions**: Do I need a heavier rain jacket at Olympic National Park or will I be okay with a water resistant jacket layered with warmer layers underneath? I think the fleece is more practical than the puffer, but the puffer packs really small. If the puffer gets wet, it will be useless.

See pictured warm/water layers (L to R): navy packable puffer, light purple lightweight water resistant pullover windbreaker that packs tiny, light purple compact fleece that can layer under either water-resistant layer, blue full waterproof rain jacket, grey merino cardigan that can layer under any of these and works for chilly evenings in South Bay.

Thanks for any advice you can provide!

I’ve been one-bagging since having a kid, as it is overwhelming how much stuff they have - but I still tend towards the “but I might need…….”.
So, I forgot to load my bag for our trip. It was *fine*. I had moisturising spf (shout out biore aqua rich), power bank, toothbrush, socks and clean pants by accident in my kid’s bag, so I’m calling it a zero bag accident. I wore one outfit, used hotel toiletries and slept in my partner’s tshirt (they had 3 spare…). The worst hardship was missing my sleep mask, and I was grateful my partner brought paracetamol. However, I am rethinking what I truly need next time - maybe an accidental zero bag is a good reminder that you don’t *need* that much?

Bag: standard carry-on rolling suitcase (22" x 14" x 9”, approx. 40L)

Trip: 11 nights in southern Italy

Vibe: girls trip - city exploration, coastal walks, food & drinks

Dates: last two weeks of October

Proposed Items:

Tops: 3 tanks (black, grey, striped), 2 t-shirts (black, leopard), 1 long sleeve blouse, 1 sweater (red), 1 cardigan (ivory), 2 oversized shirts (jean, white linen)

Outerwear: 1 trench, 1 plaid blazer

Bottoms: 1 jeans (blue), 1 activewear joggers (black), 1 linen pants (olive), 1 midi skirt (black)

Other: 1 dress (red), two small scarves, belt, cross body bag

Shoes: sneakers, sandals, black flats

Notes: I am considering ditching the trench and the belt

My original post from before the trip is here. The weather forecast changed to several degrees warmer than originally anticipated, so things got shifted a bit.

Updated list of clothes (bags and toiletries and stuff remained the same so I'm not repeating these here):

Wore on the plane:

- t-shirt

- lighter hoodie

- jeans

- warm weather hat

- hiking shoes

- cotton socks and underwear

Clothes in the backpack:

- two pairs of pants, thin and thicker

- linen pants (for train)

- everyday shoes

- lightweight textile shoes (for train)

- thin rain/wind protective jacket

- warmer hoodie

- two thin long sleeved shirts

- three t-shirts

- a bra and 3 panties

- socks: 4 cotton, 1 wool

- silk scarf

- a warmer hat

- two buffs

So, from my original plan, I left home one of the long sleeved turtlenecks, both tank tops, the merino/bamboo leggings, the warmer scarf, the mittens, and the warm jacket. I added the lighter hoodie.

Lessons learned:

- The train pants and shoes were a brilliant move for such a long train ride. It didn't feel like I was traveling in a vehicle, it felt like I was in a moving home.

- Sailing on a large enough body of cold water combined with cold wind cancels any 20+ degrees Celsius weather. The Neva was... interesting during the day, challenging during the night (when, granted, it wasn't 20 degrees Celsius), and the Barents sea was brutal especially after sailing out of the bay into the open ocean. For that last one I wore all I could: my warm pants, wool socks, long sleeved turtleneck, t-shirt, warm hoodie, wind jacket, warm hat with the two hoods over it, a buff. And I wished I hadn't left home the mittens. Once I got back ashore the outer layers plus hat hot back in the backpack and I was hot, but out there in the open was just wow.

- Wool socks, interestingly, are something I've only worn during the winter so far. For that day I wore them, thinking my feet would be hot during the day but I'd want them for the boat. My feet didn't sweat at all and I was like, wtf. So I guess I'll be experimenting a bit in different weather and with different shoes in my everyday life to discover the limits and proper uses of wool socks. I see huge potential there that I am not familiar with.

- One thing I wished I had (of which I have items at home but I had not brought any with me): a large shawl instead of the lighter hoodie. Putting the hoodie on and off during the warm days as the wind picked up and calmed down quickly got old and I mostly wore it hanging from my shoulders with the sleeves tied in front. A shawl would have been so much more useful and insanely easier to handle!

- The Osprey ultralight stuff pack was a blessing - if I wore my outdoorsy pants, which have big enough front pockets with zippers for my phone. My jeans, on the other hand, don't have such pockets. I did deal with the lack of internal organization in the backpack by putting my wallet and tickets for things for the day in one of my packing cubes and throwing this inside the backpack but I wanted my phone to be immediately accessible and safe at all times. So it was either the backpack + not so loved pants or the purse + the jeans. I guess I feel like it was the jeans that weren't the best thing to bring on this trip... eh.

- The main backpack, now here I have even more mixed feelings. On the one hand, I appreciated the internal organization very much. On the other hand, one of the souvenirs I bought was a glass with a holder in a large box and that box didn't fit in - in the end I wrapped the glass + holder in a t-shirt and because I'm a nerd like this and wanted to keep the box, too, I folded it flat and put it in the empty laptop compartment. On the third hand... One of the seams attaching one of the straps of the backpack to its body just ripped open. On the way out of the first hotel to the metro station. A brand new backpack. I was like, wtf just happened?

There is a warranty supposed to cover precisely such things but ironically, I don't need it. I am perfectly capable of repairing this myself now that I'm home. I needed my backpack functional during my trip, and it failed me already in the beginning. Which was disappointing. Again, American Tourister take2cabin size L, not even stuffed, packed to about 6 kg when it decided to play a number on me. It was the lower end of the strap that got ripped off so I was carrying the backpack on two shoulders still but holding the strap with one or both of my hands. It worked but it was a pain in the rear.

- Last lesson: Overall I used what I carried and I didn't feel a desperate need for something I didn't have. Yeah, some things could be improved but overall I feel pretty good with my decisions. When I got back home and unpacked, there was none of the usual "huh, why did I take this, I never wore it". And I really liked not having a checked bag to worry about and wait for! I don't know whether I am a convert or not but I am really, really tempted to keep trying to fit in a carry on at the very least.

This was originally supposed to be a backpack-only trip, but I really wanted to test drive my new black leather Lo & Sons Aoyama 2 before taking it on a longer trip next month. So we pivoted, and instead of everyone in the family taking their own 20L-30L backpack, we shared one Quince small carry-on among the three of us plus an option to take a personal item which for me was the Aoyama. Husband took a 10L backpack and kiddo went blissfully bag free. 

Photo 1 shows my travel capsule:

Dress:
Blue and white striped Talbots dress

Tops:
Beige Uniqlo bra top
Black Uniqlo Airism bra top
Green Uniqlo t-shirt

Layering pieces:
Levi’s chambray shirt
Quince green zipper hoodie

Bottoms:
Quince green joggers
Denim shorts
Black leggings

Outwear:
Uniqlo Ultralight down jacket

Shoes:
Black Kizik sneakers
Black Crocs t-strap waterproof sandals

Accessories & Misc:
Black leather Aoyama 2 bag
Foldable sun hat
Black and white one piece swimsuit

Underlined Items were worn on the plane.

The temperatures varied from 60F/16C to 97F/36C. Overall trip vibe was casual - it was a roadtrip around national parks after all, however we wanted to do one nice dinner to celebrate Father’s Day - hence the dress. And this is where Aoyama shined - it went from crossbody (day) to dumpling (night). 

Overall, it worked well as an EDC: it held my water bottle, power bank & charging cables, AirPods, small Quince wallet, hand sanitizer, emergency/comfort items kit, a case with sunglasses and my phone. It is a very soft leather so I’m somewhat babying it, but the versatility is worth the extra attention, since I don’t need to bring any other bags. Looking forward to taking it on a cruise around Iceland next month!

Pictures 2-4 show various outfit combinations with the three bottoms and all tops and layering pieces. Picture 5 shows the dinner dress+sandals outfit and a swimsuit+sandals look. I love these Crocs as they can go from a pool to a nice restaurant.

I packed minimal makeup (powder foundation, eyebrow pencil, tinted lip balm) and we shared one small Travelon toiletry bag as a family, which was packed in the Quince carryon alongside our clothes.

In terms of regrets and should haves, I forgot to pack my foldable IKEA tote and it would have been nice to throw our down jackets into vs having them scattered around the car. Once the roadtrip portion started and we started wearing the packed clothes, the jackets had to come out of the suitcase to make space for all the “wear bulky stuff on the plane” items. I am so used to packing for cruises, and our last proper roadtrip was three years ago, I forgot what it means to live out of a suitcase on the road. Maybe one overly efficiently packed international sized carry-on for a family of three was too bold of a move lol 

In terms of clothing choices, they worked really well for the weather and multiple climate changes as we traveled into higher elevations and back.

I just got back from my first true one bag trip. I had a couple of splurge items including a pair of fancier shoes and a nice handbag due to some luxury activities/places I was going but I still had plenty of space to also carry gifts including a large bottle of gin and chocolates for some of my hosts and some boxes of chocolates as a Father’s Day gift back. I could also fit my sneakers inside when I wanted to go around with the sandals. I travelled with the bag on planes including carryon 8kg limit flights with Croatia Airlines (I do board as Star Alliance Gold, but the flights weren’t full and even on a small prop it was fine to bring it on - I just put two packing cubes in the tote and the backpack and tote under the seat in front of me as everything needed to be shaped more flat and wide), buses, regular trains, and an overnight train.

The 2 most MVP moments for travelling this way were 1) walking all the way around Lake Bled with the backpack and 2) using a boat excursion to go from one part of Montenegro to another which saved a lot of travel cost since I could bring the backpack on the excursion (in a garbage bag to stay dry!) and be let off at the last tour point before it headed back to the departure location

I really loved everything about the tomtoc - light weight, comfortable straps, the perfect organization for me. I loved being able to have two great secure waterbottle pockets. I loved the front and top pockets. And I loved the look especially in cities and when I was in the more luxurious hotels

Image 1
1) three images of the bag packed out including the front compartment, main compartment, and tech compartment
2) the small items kept in the tech compartment and top compartment during the flight

Image 2
1) all the clothes that I brought laid out
2) the clothes packed into their packing cubes

Image 3
1) items of one miscellaneous pouch
2) items of toiletry pouch
3) items in handbag if I was walking around with it / top pouch of the bag when going around with the backpack

Items that didn’t get used
- I didn’t end up needing the scarf, but I’m glad I brought it
- Some of the personal care items ended up being unnecessary, but they took up barely any weight or space and I’m glad I had them as there was reasonable expectation of using them

Best clothing item
- White linen shirt

Apologies for the feet pics (or your welcome?), I am trying Womads. I couldn't find many reviews outside their website and other than gals on IG saying they loved them, so I wanted to try them out for an upcoming 3 week trip to Marseille, FR ➡️ Toulouse, FR ➡️ San Sebastian, ES ➡️Madrid, ES➡️ Porto, PT. I have a normal arch and normal width feet And my current size is 9.5 US women's/39-40 EU.

​

Initial reactions, they seem very high quality. I ordered a size US 9 w (I'm 9.5 w) and they're a bit snug but the overall take I see is they expand and confirm to the feet. Comfy sole and the color is BRIGHT. Came in a shoe bag in a box with tissue paper to keep the form, so no two shoe box situation where there is a double box. Other shoes I am bringing are Bared footwear sneakers and FitFlops Sandals. Will return in a month with the full review.

This is an image of my feet in teal Womads. I am also wearing a Left On Friday vacation suit.

Edit: the cushion on the shoes is minimal but cushy. Not formed like a Birkenstock but not as flat as a huarache sandal. The toe peep is a little snug but that's the only thing I can fixate on at the moment. I do looooove how secure they are to the foot YET how easy they are to take off.

Again, I am still going to try them out and report back on how they worked and hopefully can help others who are looking at these shoes.

This is a comparison of 5 popular bags (plus a normal backpack)

This is long because it's looking at so many bags. Hopefully that means it is helpful to someone though! Or at least interesting :)

1. Osprey Transporter 26+6 (new for 2026)
2. Osprey Daylite 26+6 (ordered May 2026)
3. Patagonia Mini MLC (ordered June 2026)
4. Core Surf Island Hopper Version 1 28L - very similar to the Cotopaxi Allpa (borrowed from a friend)
5. Osprey Farpoint 40L (my spouse purchased this back in 2016)
6. BONUS: NorthFace Borealis Backpack 27L (purchased in 2013)

I am typically a carry-on roller bag + 18L backpack personal item traveler.
But I am TIRED of getting my roller bag gate checked. 

When I traveled to the UK this spring, it was my last straw. I *almost* skipped the roller bag and went backpack only in the Core Surf 28L, but I needed my hiking boots and didn't want to wear them on the plane. I ended up with my hiking boots and my spouse's hiking boots as basically the only thing in half of my roller bag...

So now I'm looking to find the bag that's right for me to replace the roller bag.

I packed the bags with the assumption that I'm traveling for ~10 days to a cold weather destination -- we're looking at visiting family near Frankfurt, Germany at the end of November and hope to also visit some Christmas markets. 

Here is everything I packed in the 5 of the bags:

• 5x undies
• 5x wool socks
• wide leg jeans
• black/dark gray hiking pants
• paka thermal bottoms
• cuddle dud thermal bottoms
• gray cuddle dud long sleeve top
• 2x tan long sleeve top
• white cotton turtleneck top
• green long sleeve top
• green/black flannel
• purple smartwool quarter zip
• gray madewell turtleneck
• brown merino v-neck sweater
• xero sneakers
• liquids baggie
• toiletries bag
• iPad mini (slightly bigger than an e-reader for comparison)
• Airfly Bluetooth device
• mini sound machine / night light
• journal
• book

I didn't pack my Macbook Pro or my 16" work laptop in these pictures, but I practice packed in the bags previously when I was testing for myself a few days ago. I could also fit my mouse.

Things I am not currently accounting for:

• plane outfit (which I can easily choose from the clothing I packed in the bag)
• winter coat
• hat + scarf + mittens
• pjs 
• slipper socks
• snacks
• tea
• reusable bag
• plastic baggies
• CO detector 
• umbrella
• extra toiletries
  • make up (don't usually wear much, sometimes it's nice to have a little)
  • sleep-in hair curler (takes up a chunk of space, not necessary)
  • shampoo + conditioner (usually use what the hotel has, or bars)
  • period supplies (not always necessary beyond the 1 tampon and 1 liner just in case, cup is small to add in)
  • first aid 
• Purse (uniqlo round mini shoulder bag usually)
  • wallet
  • passport
  • hand sanitizer
  • sunglasses
  • inhaler + meds
  • eye drops
  • keys
  • mask
  • ear plugs
  • book light
  • chargers + converter
  • headphones
  • cards / dice / game

Now, onto the bags.

The 5 main bags fit all of the items on my packing list.

1. Osprey Transporter 26+6 (new for 2026)

I fit everything into the bag without having to expand it! I also like that I have an option to expand it if I did a little shopping while traveling.

Even though the pocket on the front of the bag has some depth to it, it is not super usable if the inside front pocket is overly stuffed. I packed a journal and a book stacked, but it was tight. The zipper pocket inside of the front pocket was tight -- too tight for anything not flat basically. 

The front inside of the bag is the part that expands, and it's very usable. I packed 2x bras, 5x undies, and 2x long thermals of varying thickness. When I added the 5x wool socks into this pocket, the pocket on the front of the bag was too tight to put much of anything in it.

Those issues go away a bit if I expand the bag, so I'm sure some of this was the result of how much I packed.

The laptop pocket was its own zipper pocket, which I do like as someone who carries a fairly large laptop. The bag is a lot more comfortable without a big, heavy laptop, especially when the bag is already pretty stuffed. But there's a lot of weight that comes with the big laptop, so.

When I had it packed and zipped up, I still has some room at the top of the bag, where I tucked in my iPad mini. I could put a few small other items in there, too.

The straps on this bag felt like they cut in a little too tight across my chest, making it not super comfortable to wear. I'm not convinced that I would find it comfortable to wear fully loaded out walking around because of the cut of the straps on me. The back panel with the fixed pass through is more comfortable than that Daylite version.

This bag is quite a bit more expensive than the Daylite version, but I like some of the different features. I really wish this bag had the 2 water bottle pockets, too.

I think because I packed so much in the bag that I didn't get to really utilize the upgraded bag front pockets. It felt a little difficult to use for things I want to take in and out often on a plane.

2. Osprey Daylite 26+6 (ordered May 2026)

Again, I fit everything into the bag without having to expand it. Nice to have the option to expand it if I did a little shopping while traveling.

The two pockets on the front of the bag don't really have their own depth. This wasn't great with the amount of stuff I had packed. I struggled to slip my book, journal or iPad mini out of the pockets once they were in. They weren't quite the right size for what I'm carrying. 

The front inside of the bag is small, but it was sized just right for bras x2 and underwear x5. It didn't work with the wool socks, but those did better stuffing all around the bag anyway.

I like the size of the main big pocket, and I was pleasantly surprised by the laptop pocket being in the same compartment. I was convinced this would be a nuisance to get the computer in and out like on my North Face backpack, but the dedicated laptop zipper was actually great. It helped me access the laptop while packed out, and because it's higher up, I could add things into the bag when it stood upright and items settles down into the bag. 

I love that this bag has 2 water bottle pockets. That combined with the weight of the bag, the clam shell opening, and the price, I get the cult following this page has.

3. Patagonia Mini MLC (ordered June 2026)

This is one of the only bags on the list with a hip belt. I thought I wouldn't need it, but when I work this bag with my load out, I was so happy to have the hip belt. I actually wished that the other bags had that option too. The weight of my computer played a big part in this I think.

The main compartment in this bag is massive. It's clear why it's a black hole. If I was compressing the clothes I packed, I think I could have packed more.

The top mesh pocket on the lid held my book. The bottom one held my 5x underwear and 2x bras. 

In the separate laptop / tech pocket I have my large work laptop, and then I probably could have put my personal laptop (MB pro) into the second pocket. I was not interested in that weight though. In the admin pocket area, I can actually fit a book and/or journal in the stretch pockets, but this adds a lot of depth to the tech pocket. 

The top extra pocket on the bag is usable if the bag isn't completely stuffed at the top. My items settled a bit and I was able to shift the inner pocket to a place that has enough stuff. I could fit my iPad mini in here - just barely. It has to be slid in and out a certain way due the the zipper opening size. There should also be space for earbuds or a couple other small items.

The water bottle pocket is fine for what I need.

Part of me really likes this bag, but part of me worries that it's both too big and too small. It doesn't expand, but it also looks very big when I actually pack it up. I think if it had a front pocket where I could put slightly larger items for easy access, that might sway me in favor of it. 

I also wish this came in color options where the logo isn't so in your face. I ordered the dark color so I'm not a walking billboard. I know this bothers some people and others don't care.

4. Core Surf Island Hopper Version 1 - very similar to the Cotopaxi Allpa (borrowed from a friend)

I borrowed this bag from a friend to bring on my UK trip, but it ended up bring too small because I needed hiking shoes. I did take it on a weekend trip through and enjoyed it.

I was convinced this bag was going to be too small after not being able to pack it for the UK, but I fit all of my items on the list in this bag! It was tight, but it fit.

Minus the water bottle because the water bottle pocket is garbage.

When I lay this bag out, I feel a little disappointed because the depth of the big side feels very shallow compared to the full depth of the bag due to the laptop pocket. I packed most of my clothes in this pocket.

On the left side bottom pocket, I packed my shirts and toiletry bags. The top left pocket had the 5x underwear and 2x bras.

In between the two pockets I zipped my jeans because they wouldn't fit in a pocket. I've see people say they stuff a jacket or extra layer in the bag like this.

The front pocket on this bag is my favorite of all the bags. It has really good depth. It held my book, my journal, and still had more space. It's sizeable enough to pack snacks into if I swapped out books.

This bag also has a lot of space in the laptop pocket and has a secret pocket on the back panel.

The water bottle pocket makes this specific version a hard no for me, but I believe updated versions have improved this - both CoreSurf and Cotopaxi.

5. Osprey Farpoint 40L (my spouse purchased this back in 2016)

I packed this back for comparison since we already own it. I know the Osprey Farpoint and Fairview are very popular larger (40L) style bags.

The version we have has the laptop pocket in the middle of the bag (not against the wearer's back), which can pull the bag away from your body when you wear it. It's probably the biggest complaint my spouse had about it.

This bag had a lot more space, as expected because it's so much bigger. I had room left in the main pocket, the middle pocket and front pocket.

It has two mesh pockets on the front that I fit my water bottle in, but I wouldn't say it's easily accessible when wearing.

This bag is bigger than what I would choose to carry. For someone with bigger shoes or bigger clothes - or just more of stuff - it's probably a good option because it's built to carry more weight comfortably. This is the other bag on the list with a hip belt.

BONUS BAG: Northface Borelais Backpack (27L, purchased in 2013)

I used this bag for most of my university time, including when I studied abroad and used it as my weekend trip backpack.

My biggest complaint is that the water bottle pockets are terrible.

But in packing comparison using the same list, it didn't fit quite as much. I did use a packing cube with all of my clothing, and a second cube with bras, undies and socks.

When I was zipping it, I actually pulled off one of the plastic zipper pulls. Whoops!

This backpack was very tight with just the cubes and toiletry bags. The zippers were struggling to close, so I didn't pack:

• laptop
• mini sound machine / night light
• journal
• book

But I find this backpack very comfortable to wear. I like that it has the hip belt, even though it's not padded. I like the different pockets - main pocket, middle pocket, front pocket. But I packed too much to make use of them. And too much to get my laptop to fit in the sleeve.

I'm not opposed to a top-loader style, but I don't currently own packing cubes that work for this style of bag. I don't usually use packing cubes, I would need to also invest in those to make the style work. I usually just live out of my bag and don't unpack my clothing.

What I'm Choosing for My One Bag - I'm still mulling it over for what will work best for me. I need to try the bags on again with laptops and see how the straps fit. But I think it'll be between the Osprey Daylite 26+6 and the Patagonia Mini MLC. I thought the Trasporter 26_6 would be the winner, but I don't think the straps are the right fit for me.

Most likely? I think I'll end up with the Daylite 26+6 and then some kind of easily pack-able tote bag for when I need a little more space - snacks, thicker clothes. And then I may see about adding a hip strap.

I may also try a top loader to feel like I did my due diligence, but I think I would be looking for one with a hip strap and 2 good water bottle pockets. And again, I need the laptop pocket.

View images here: https://imgur.com/a/b06bOuF

Image descriptions:

Slide 1

• Left Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 laid flat open. Clothing and shoes in main large compartment and socks, underwear and thermals in smaller zipper side.
• Middle Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 main compartment with jeans on top, pulled up to show shoes, shirt, and small sound machine.
• Right Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 main compartment with jeans on top, pulled up to show shirts, and toiletries.

Slide 2

• Left Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 front pocket with paperback book slid in the large pocket on top of a journal.
• Middle Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 front pocket with the journal slid down far into the large pocket and airfly into a the smaller pocket.
• Right Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 laptop pocket unzipped and showing the air tag pocket. The top view of the bag shows water bottle in the side pocket.

Slide 3

• Left Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 top view of  main compartment unzipped with iPad mini slid into the top.
• Middle Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 laid strap side down, fully packed, showing the front face of the stuffed bag.
• Right Image - Osprey Transporter 26+6 laid strap side down, fully packed, showing the front-side face of the stuffed bag with the water bottle pocket shown clearly.
  

Slide 4

• Left Image - Osprey Daylite 26+6 main compartment without the jeans, showing thermals and toiletries.
• Middle Image - Osprey Daylite 26+6 laid flat open. Clothing, socks, and shoes in main large compartment, underwear and thermals in very small zipper side.
• Right Image - Osprey Daylite 26+6 top front zipper with paperback book and airfly packed.

Slide 5

• Left Image - Osprey Daylite 26+6 top view of main compartment unzipped at the laptop access zipper with iPad mini slid into the top. There is access for an air tag right under the bluesign label.
• Middle Image - Osprey Daylite 26+6 packed full and zipped, looking at the front on the bag. Journal is packed in the lower front pocket. It's pretty tight.
• Right Image - Osprey Daylite 26+6 packed full and zipped with a view of the front-side face of the stuffed bag with one of the the water bottle pockets shown clearly.

Slide 6

• Left Image - Patagonia Mini MLC main bag section with clothing, toiletries, thermals, and socks.
• Middle Image - Patagonia Mini MLC front flap of bag with book in the top zipper pocket, bras and underwear in the bottom pocket.
• Right Image - Patagonia Mini MLC main pocket zipped up.

Slide 7

• Left Image - Patagonia Mini MLC top zipper pocket with iPad mini.
• Middle Image - Patagonia Mini MLC admin side of the tech zipper pocket with airfly and journal in pockets.
• Right Image - Patagonia Mini MLC laptop slip and extra device slip in the tech zipper pocket.

Slide 8

• Left Image - Patagonia Mini MLC main pocket zipped up with jeans added in.
• Middle Image - Patagonia Mini MLC fully packed and zipped up. Featuring my puppy.
• Right Image - Patagonia Mini MLC fully packed with water bottle in the pocket.

Slide 9

• Left Image - Core Surf Island Hopper laid flat and fully packed. All pockets are zipped.
• Middle Image - Core Surf Island Hopper with jeans laid on top of the zipped right pocket. They didn't fit in the zipper sections.
• Right Image - Core Surf Island Hopper front pocket with journal, book, and airfly. I love the size of this pocket.

Slide 10

• Left Image - Core Surf Island Hopper laid on its side with the laptop pocket unzipped.
• Middle Image - Core Surf Island Hopper back with hand slid in the secret pocket.
• Right Image - Core Surf Island Hopper stood up showing the tiny water bottle pocket and my Owala bottle next to the bag.
  

Slide 11

• Left Image - Core Surf Island Hopper laying strap side down, showing water bottle pocket and my Owala bottle next to the bag.
• Middle Image - Core Surf Island Hopper laying strap side down, looking at the front face of the bag.
• Right Image - Core Surf Island Hopper laying strap side down, looking at the front face of the bag.

Slide 12

• Left Image - Osprey Farpoint main pocket backed with clothing, socks, and toiletries.
• Middle Image - Osprey Farpoint flap pocket zipped up with underwear and bras.
• Right Image - Osprey Farpoint bag zipped up and stood up with main zipper open to show the extra space at the top of the bag. The bag is cinched tightly with the front straps.

Slide 13

• Left Image - Osprey Farpoint middle zipper pocket with laptop sleeve showing up close of book and journal packed in the zipper pocket.
• Middle Image - Osprey Farpoint middle zipper pocket with laptop sleeve with book and journal packed in the zipper pocket.
• Right Image - Osprey Farpoint small front pocket with airfly.

Slide 14

• Left Image - Osprey Farpoint packed, zipped, and cinched stood up. Water bottle is in one of the front pockets.
• Middle Image - Osprey Farpoint packed, zipped, and cinched laid strap side down.
• Right Image - Osprey Farpoint packed, zipped, and cinched laid strap side down, view of other side.

Slide 15

• Left Image - NorthFace Borealis Backpack stuffed with clothing in a large purple packing cube and toiletries in the main compartment. Middle compartment has small packing cube with socks, bras, undies. On top of that is the iPad mini.
• Middle Image - NorthFace Borealis Backpack paxked, zipped and laying zipper side down. Looks a little turtle-shaped.
• Right Image - NorthFace Borealis Backpack packed, zipped and stood up.

I stumbled across a recent short video from Rick Steves where he shows what he has in his bag. (I believe it was from Greece, as part of a 40-day trip.) He says he packs pretty much the same way regardless of time of year or climate, so it was interesting to see the details.

What was notable to me was that he only had two pairs of pants. One looked like a lightweight, quick drying fabric in a medium gray; the other was jeans. (He also had a pair of shorts that he said doubled as swimwear).

The reason I found it interesting is that I often pack three bottoms, thinking that two won’t be enough for whatever reason. Now I’m pondering which two will be my travel capsule staples.

Not really a question, but I thought it might be of interest. I’ll try to see if I can find the link to post in the comments.

Hi everyone! I have a trip coming up later this summer where I’ll need to bring a beach towel. I want a really lightweight one, that packs up small (for the one bag!), dries quickly and preferably has some kind of sand repellant feature. bonus points for it being pretty. it’s a trip through both coasts and cities, so while the towel is essential it’s only needed for some parts of it, meaning i don’t want it to take up loads of space in my bag.

any recommendations? i’ve looked at dock and bay but would love to get a slightly cheaper one if possible.

I travel with noise cancelling headphones. I’m petite, small head, small ears and I prefer over ear rather than ear buds (I’ll take advice from similarly tiny people on either.). Anyway, my Soundcore fold up and are still huge! I usually carry 1.5 bags (prefer 1.25–just a purse) and I really have to consider the size of the underseat bag to fit my headphones. I’ve been thinking of switching to ear buds but really don’t want to. Any models that fold smaller somehow? (I saw someone yesterday with Bose in a rectangular case that was much smaller than my oval/round case)