A good friend of mine dropped into a recent post here lately, saying that she can go carry-on even for international flights. That’s the virtue of packing light, of course. I can’t go carry-on despite being a light packer because of the length of my backpack. But I can share some of my tips for packing light. Here’s what I do.
1. Leave the jeans at home – They’re bulky and they dry slowly. Instead, I grab a pair of chinos like the REI Adventure pants. You can wear them anywhere you’d wear jeans, but they’ll take up a quarter of the room in your pack.. I also avoid military-style BDU pants for the same bulky reason. I usually have some other quick-dry stuff for more hardcore outdoor stuff – Patagonia, Cloudveil and the old-style REI cargo pants.
2. Pack in plastic – I always get a bunch of big, sturdy self-sealing bags (like Ziploc) that are two gallons or bigger. I pack everything in the bags, roll them to squeeze the air out and seal. You won’t believe how much they shrink minus the air. It also makes organizing your gear a snap.
3. Big shoes on the feet – I always wear my biggest boots onto the plane. That frees up a nice chunk of room in my pack. And that’s more valuable than having fewer laces to unravel at the security mags.
4. Skip the laptop – Seriously, I can go without for a little while. Internet cafes -which provide not just wireless but actual computers- are common outside the United States. If I have documents that might be handy, I upload them to a file-hosting service. And I don’t fret about work: I’m on vacation.
5. Re-think the underwear – Why bring 10 pairs of underwear when you can get away with three? Ex Officio makes these awesome easy-wash, quick-dry chones for men and women. After I wear them, I wash them in the hotel or hostel sink (or a river, if I must!). Then, I just need to ring them out once, stick them in a towel, roll them up, squeeze them good, and let them hang overnight. Dry undies the next day.
How ’bout you guys? Any suggestions to pass along?
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I only carried carry-on when I went to Thailand. I packed my suitcase as tightly as possible with all the clothes I needed. This involved sitting on my suitcase to get it to close properly. I did not bring any shoes, other than the ones I was wearing. I only put short-sleeved shirts in my suitcase since they took up less room, and Thailand was hot anyway so I didn’t need long sleeved shirts. My backpack was big enough to carry a lot of stuff, but small enough to fit under the seat in front of me. Toiletries were cut down to a bare minimum (small travel size toothpaste, deodorant, and sunscreen). I did not bring shampoo and just used the shampoo provided in my hotels. Oh, I also put one of those flimsy backpacks made of thin material from the 99 cent store into my suitcase on the way over there. It folded up nicely and took up very little room. While in Thailand, I used it to hold dirty clothes so that I wouldn’t mix dirty and clean clothes. This way I had three bags while in Thailand, but only two on the way over and back.
I used to work full-time (now part-time) at REI and I’m amazed by their products. I too use the giant ziploc when packing…and have a few extra for dirty/stinky clothes.
I bring three changes of clothes – two pairs of pants, two pairs of underwear, two bras, three tops, three pairs of socks, a swimsuit and a rain jacket — all fast-drying. That’s it. You can buy the laundry soap and toiletries abroad, which is easier than getting the shit past security these days, anyway. Do laundry in the bathtub every night.
Those pants that zip off into shorts? Must have.
I bring food from home unless I’m going someplace like Australia where it’s just going to be confiscated. It all gets eaten, always. It’s amazing how handy Power Bars can be when you’re on a four-hour train ride with no concessions, or stuck in Beijing traffic for two hours. Again, this can be purchased abroad to save room, but it’s nice having brands from home sometimes.
“…because of the length of my backpack.”
What are you really trying to say there?
Carolyn, REI is an awesome company. I am usually inclined to hate chains on general principle. But REI makes any animosity impossible.
I am going to try to remember to pack some nice smelling stuff in my bags next time though – a sachet of pine needles, cedar – something like that. Because all that stuff, scrunched up in plastic bags for days on end really ends up smelling horrific.
Stellar idea, Sarah. My backpack definitely winds up smelling like it hosted a sewage truck demolition derby.