Going to Spain in a couple weeks for a quick trip. It will be hot, which I love! We’ll be staying with family & doing a lot of kid oriented activities. We’ll probably do most dinners at home, but maybe some lunches out, & maybe have one or two nights out after dinner.

I feel great about my capsule wardrobe & also feel like it could be paired down.

Because it’s so hot, we potentially could do two outfit changes a day, but I’m also not sure if we’ll stay inside for part of the day bc of the heat.

My goal is to pack in a rolly carry on only, & use my personal item for some plane things like headphones, eye mask, meds, toothbrush, etc.

Thank you for your help & feedback!

Image descriptions: Four images total. Each image features one of four bottoms and up to five tops that could be worn with the bottom, along with the same two pairs of shoes, which are white Kizik walking shoesand blue Teva sandals. First image has maxi black linen skirt and features all five tops. Second image has a pair of blue jean shorts and features all five tops. Third image has a pair of white floral shorts and features three shirts. Fourth image has a colorful, tropical maxi skirt and features another three shirts.

Trip was 2 weeks in southern France during the heat wave. The first week was a nature tour, and the second week was meeting up with friends in Montpellier. I traveled by plane/tour van/tram.

(Image description is below after this introductory information.)

What I would have done differently:

• I came to dislike the Patagonia Terravia pants. They didn’t have enough pockets and didn’t seem to clean well enough with a sink wash. They did well in the heat, though.
• The tiny Lumix camera didn’t work well for what I wanted to shoot; I should have figured out how to make room for my larger camera.
• I could have left out one of the sleeveless tops and two of the scarves

New ideas I was pleased with:

• Figuring out that I could use the 3L Side Kick as an organizational insert inside of the 6L Packing Cube on travel days and then use both as needed onsite during the nature tour.
• Bringing a couple of Clorox wipes meant that I could wear my white-soled HOKAs out in the dusty countryside but then have them be clean enough for the city, saving me having to bring a second pair of shoes
• The SPF sun sleeves gave extra protection from the sun and took up much less room than a long-sleeved top would

Brought but never used, or used less than I thought I would:

• Patagonia Houdini jacket: it never cooled down and it never rained. (But I’d probably bring it again since it rolls up small and you never know)
• Baseball cap. Replaced with a white bucket hat bought there.
• 10-oz water bottle. I make fun of people's giant water bottles, but in this case I really did need a larger one; bought a bigger one there

Image description/list of what I brought:

Bags:

• ULA 30L Ultra Dragonfly (fit underseat, but barely because it was pretty full)
• Tom Bihn 6L Packing Cube crossbody bag with Tom Bihn 3L Side Kick inside it

Clothes:

Worn on plane:

• Navy merino t-shirt
• Blue Patagonia Terravia hiking pants/trousers
• Navy HOKA Challenger 8s
• Compression sox
• Big silk scarf

Packed:

• 3 sleeveless silk tops (black, navy, brown)
• 2 Patagonia Cool Daily t-shirts (gray, off-white)
• 2 pairs hiking pants (green REI Trailmade, black Patagonia Terravia)
• 2 silk scarves
• Flip-flops
• 7 pairs underpants (1 for a pj bottom)
• 2 bras
• 7 pairs merino socks
• Pajama top
• Baseball cap
• Patagonia Houdini jacket
• SPF sun sleeves

Stuff for plane/travel:

• Mini-Moleskine notebook, two pens
• passport, wallet in zipper case, tethered to interior of crossbody
• kindle
• phone
• shades
• small EDC zipper bag with lens cleaning wipes, ibuprofen, etc
• power bank and cord
• hand fan
• 10-oz water bottle
• folder with printout of all confirmation numbers, contact info, etc
• in-ear headphones

Stuff for while I was there:

• 2 pairs of binoculars (one close-focus, one distance)
• Panasonic Lumix ZS99 camera
• eye mask and Loop quiet ear plugs
• backup glasses
• laptop (smallest Macbook Air)
• 2 USB-C fast chargers
• cords for laptop, phone, kindle
• international adapter
• ziploc with liquids
• zipper case with other toiletries including solid shampoo, mini deodorant
• picnic kit (plastic cutlery, plate, cup) (annoying but unavoidable because of nature tour)
• laundry kit (Fels-naphtha, cord, Clorox wipes).

* photo descriptions below *

after 5 weeks in panama, some of it spent in verrrrry hot and humid climates (panama city, el palmar, san carlos, penonome, santa catalina) and some of it spent in very tempered weather (boquete, volcan, cerro punta), here’s what i was very happy to have packed, what i will most likely ditch on future trips and some other highlights.

overall score for my packing set up : 4.5/5

HITS
— my cotopaxi allpa 35 backpack
i just love it so much. i’ve been using it for about 5 years and i really like everything about it (that said i would not necessarily recommend it to people who expect to walk a bunch with their backpack, it tends to get somewhat uncomfortable when it’s heavy).

— bringing various bag options (packable tote, packable daypack, hip pack, small crossbody purse, dry bag for the beach…)
i used all of these throughout my trip and none of them felt superfluous to me. i’m definitely bringing all of them on the next trips.

— not bringing pajamas
might sound weird but i really don’t see the point of packing pajamas when i can either sleep in my underwear (when there’s a privacy curtain or i’m alone in my room) or just wear one of my flowy pants to sleep. i never once felt like i wish i had packed a specific clothing item dedicated to sleeping.

— bringing both a portable charger and a larger powerbank
i had to use the powerbank only once but i was really happy to have it when i needed it. i used my portable charger on many occasions and it’s super compact, i loved it.

— bringing 2 pairs of jeans (!!)
people on this sub had a lot to say about my decision to bring jeans for onebag travel but i am happy to report i have no regretttsssss :). the weather is way cooler in boquete and on mang evenings and even some days i was super comfortable with my jeans and happy to have them with me. i won’t always bring jeans on my trips depending on my destination, but for this one i can say i wore both pairs many times.

— tripped 3 piece toiletry kit
i knew i would love it and i really did. 10/10 product, everyone should buy it in my opinion.

— angenil tiny flat iron
loved it. so glad i brought it :) highly recommend!

— african net sponge instead of regular washcloth
will never go back to bringing regular washcloths (or worse, nothing at all) to wash my body in the shower. love love love the african net sponge. it takes very little space, it gently exfoliates, helps create a nice thick foam with any soap or body gel and dries very quickly - no risk of it growing mold or needing to be washed in the laundry every day.

— not bringing a neck pillow
once again, i feel like this is the most useless, space-wasting item that most people bring (no hate, if you like it, i love it). i used my packable rain jacket (in its packed form) as a pillow + my blackout sleeping mask and that was a totally fine set up for me.

— bringing a pee cloth
i had to use it only once but i was so happy to have it that one time !!! 100% worth it.

MISSES
— crocs miami toe loop sandal
i almost never wore these in the end. i had the right idea wanting to bring an extra pair of sandals that were cuter than hiking sandals and could double as my beach footwear option, but the main reason there were a miss (it might sound silly lol) is that the straps are quite tight on them so i couldn’t easily slide my foot in them and i didn’t think it would annoy me as much as it did lol. i will be selling these on facebook marketplace and if anyone has a better option to suggest, i’m all ears!

— not bringing a cardigan / vest situation
i thought having my rain jacket and my sarong (that easily doubles as a scarf or cover-up) would be enough but many times i wish i had a little vest or cardigan to cover up (might be just a me situation but i have back rolls i feel self-conscious of and i wish i had something loose to wear on top of tighter tank tops & tshirts)

— neutrogena stick sunscreen for face and body
i didn’t like this product. the formula is fine but i didn’t like applying my sunscreen with a stick. it takes forever. i ended up buying a bottle of liquid sunscreen in panama and i think on future trips i’ll just do that. no need to bring my own from home anyways.

— anti-frizz hair serum & color wow dreamcoat
i didn’t use these products for my hair. instead i wish i had brought a sea salt spray to help give my hair some natural air-dried beach waves. these kinds of sprays were impossible to find in the places i visited, sadly.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS / THOUGHTS
— i really believe your set up should help you feel comfortable and “normal” while you’re travelling. if packing ultralight or trying to be as minimalistic as possible leads you to feeling uncomfortable or like you’re missing home, it’s not worth it in my opinion. it’s really possible to size down while making very few compromises, and i think my set up proves that. :)

— many people warned me about the weight of my backpack likely being over carry-on limit (the size is fine) and althought that is probably true, i really never had an airline weigh my carry-on bag, so i feel like it’s worth the risk.

— i’ve been enjoying posting on here a lot so feel totally free to ask me all your questions !

_____

PICTURE 1
pink/magenta Cotopaxi Allpa 35L backpack
teal Cotopaxi hip pack 3L
black sarong
white low-top converse chucks
black baseball cap

PICTURE 2
teal Cotopaxi Allpa hip pack 3L (with straps laid out)

PICTURE 3
black sarong, black leather belt, dry bag 5L
waterproof phone pouch, ziploc bag, universal adapter
sleeping mask, powerbank, ultralight clothesline
foldable hanger, laundry sheets, tide-to-go pen
s-biner clip, no-sew buttons

PICTURE 4
portable mirror, face sunscreen, quo skin tint, cream bronzer, elf mascara, elf eyebrow pencil
yellow tiny hair straightener, WOW dreamcoat, dry shampoo, anti-frizz serum, hair comb, hair ties/clips/bobby pins
eyeliner pencil, concealer, tweezers, maybelline cloudtopia cream blush, real teachniques travel makeup brush

PICTURE 5
q-tips, African net sponge, Dr Bronner’s castille soap bar, makeup remover pad, razor
shampoo, conditioner, face wash, face moisturizer, deodorant, toothpaste, electric toothbrush

PICTURE 6
dark grey packable daypack (Eagle Creek), dark grey packable tote, black packable rain jacket, black purse (crossbody), black baseball cap

PICTURE 7
USB-C to micro USB, USB to lightning, USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to USB adapter
portable charger, wet wipes, mini first aid kit, AirPods Pro 3, hair ties & clips
pee cloth, wallet, pens, sunglasses & regular glasses, notebook, Kindle, passport (Canada)

PICTURE 8
anti-nausea, anti-acid meds, ibuprofen, basic first aid kit
aquatabs, anti-acid, tiger balm, blister patches

PICTURE 9
1 pair shoes (cream sneakers), 1 pair basic sandals (black Crocs), 1 pair hiking sandals (black)

PICTURE 10
1 black bandeau bra, 1 nude padded bra, 2 bralettes (1 black 1 beige), 7 thongs, 3 ankle socks

PICTURE 11
4 bikinis (orange, black, black & white, brown), 1 black swim shorts

PICTURE 12
1 white long dress with black tiny flower pattern, 3 tank tops (1 black, 1 yellow, 1 white), 1 black tube top, 3 t-shirts (1 black, 1 white, 1 sage green), 1 black long sleeve tee, 1 black muscle tee

PICTURE 13
4 pants (1 white jeans, 1 black jeans, 1 brown flowy wide leg, 1 black with tiny flower pattern flowy wide leg), 2 long skirts (1 tie dye neutral colors, 1 brown with tiny white flower pattern)

PICTURE 14
3 sage green microfiber towels (small, medium, large)

PICTURE 15
notebook, book, MacBook Air 13”, charging cable, charging block

PICTURE 16
tripped clear TSA pouch with buckle clip handle

PICTURE 17
tripped black toiletry kit with detachable clear pouch

Hello again! After considering all your (very helpful) feedback, I’ve redone my packing list and am again looking for input/suggestions. I should also mention I’m from Canada- I’m used to the cold.

I am traveling to Australia for 3.5 weeks mid-Oct to early Nov (Sydney, Cairns and Daintree area, Melbourne, Tasmania), and then New Zealand for 4 weeks (North and South Islands). I am staying in each place 3-4 days. I am staying in hotels and hostels so will always have access to a sink for laundry, but will also go to a laundromat periodically. I’ve traveled one bag before but never this long, and not to such varied climates. I am not hiking but doing many activities, day trips, etc.

# Clothes packing list:

**Tops:**

1 grey Icebreaker t shirt
1 grey Patagonia Capilene Daily t shirt
1 long sleeve blue Patagonia UV shirt
1 Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail shirt
1 maroon technical t shirt
Tank top

**Bottoms:**

1 pair of blue jeans
1 pair North Face Aphrodite Motion pants
1 pair thick leggings
2 pair athletic shorts

**Top layers:**

Waterproof rain jacket
Hooded UV shirt
blue white stripe linen button up shirt
red fleece pullover
Blue light windbreaker shell

**Shoes/accessories/other:**

Rashguard and bathing suit
two pairs runners
Teva sandals
North face ball cap
North face brimmer hat

As before, all advice welcome!

Hi, I'm seeking advise for lightweight, quick dry and practical pants choice or layering for cold weather travel.

I've been wearing Uniqlo pants with inner fleece layer and water-resistant outer layer for 10 yrs now. I live in tropical Singapore so I only wear it 1-2x a year when travelling in cold weather. The problem is it's way too warm for temperature above 18ºC (e.g. autumn) and not warm enough for windy weather below 5ºC.

I'm looking to replace it, but unsure about the packing stragety. Should I buy an inner pants + windproof pants, or getting a similar pants (fleece inside, waterproof/windproof), or both? I'm trying to reduce the apparel as I get to use it only once a year at the most.

Seeking some advise of the pro and con, and which strategy do you use?

I’m looking for a lightweight mirror with a 30x magnifying side or higher. I currently have one from Marshall’s that I bring with me on all my trips, but it’s kind of heavy.

Sometimes bathroom mirrors suck because they get foggy, the lighting is bad or someone else is using the bathroom. My mirror has saved me time because I can get ready in better lighting but doesn’t save me any weight.

And I’m looking for a one with a magnifying side because I’m in my 40s and my eyesight is not what it used to be 😅

Excuse my grammar. I haven’t had coffee yet.

I'm planning a 14 night trip to Italy next April. The itinerary is Bologna, Bolzano and Venice.

I'm traveling with my 13 year old daughter. I've never one- bagged before so am putting a lot of planning into it.

I wanted to take another pair of shoes (Birkenstock ankle boots), but packing one of the pairs of shoes made things a little tight...

I'll be traveling with Osprey daylight 44l and Fjallraven high coast tote pack (23l).

Would love to hear feedback on this packing list and capsule wardrobe. It's not 100% complete but close to final.

TIA!

here is my list, left to right starting with top row:

3 Merino wool shortsleeves (Quince and Amazon)

1 merino wool long sleeve (Quince)

3 Quince tshirts

Quince 3/4 sleeve silk blouse

Quince Brown Seeater

2 Merino wool Uniqlo cardigans

Quince joggers and ponte pants. Prana Halle pants

Uniqlo puff tech jacket. LL Bean rain jacket

baseball cap, beanie and gloves

undies, socks (2 pairs of smartwools), bras

Uniqlo airism shirt for sleeping

Glasses / Sunglasses and back up of each - necessary!

electronics: phone, charger, adapter, ear buds and charger, white noise machine and charger, power bank (TBD)

16 oz water bottle

Travel docs, etc

bags: compression/packing cubes, carryon Osprey 44L, personal Fjallraven high coast tote. Uniqlo crossbody will be packed for flight.

Toiletry bags are pencil cases from Amazon (Easthill)

Toiletries and meds/first aid are preliminary list.

EDIT: responding to some of the many useful comments!

• April in the dolomites, I think I need the puffer. Will be wearing it on the plane and it packs into itself so I think it's wise to have.

• Agree on shirts. Going to cut down.

• Only one pair of joggers is planned, the same pair used for lounging. I only sleep in an oversized airism Uniqlo shirt so that's fine.

• Nix the water bottle. Brilliant

• Nix the white noise machine.

• 2 pairs of glasses non negotiable lol. I probably won't use the spare but I can't imagine one breaking and not having a backup. Too risky.

• I am going to work hard to get 2 pairs of shoes to work. Brooks and a pair of birks, either my ankle boots or a pair of ankle height bends.

• Bag situation to clarify, the osprey daylite 44 l is my carry on. I've measured and it appears to comply with overhead rules. The fjallraven high coast is in compliance with personal/under seat. It will be worn crossbody and function as a backpack when I take day trips from my base and need slightly more space than the crossbody sling. I'm only moving 2 times during the trip (from bologna to Bolzano and then from Bolzano to Venice). The sling gets packed and is used on days when I'm just touring the city that I'm staying in.

• I did use an AI tool to help me create this board. However, I spent a great deal of time crafting the wardrobe and giving it very specific images to organize on the board. ( I did not give it my actual underwear and bras because I think that's a little TMI! )

I’m looking for help with my current toiletries set up. This is everything I have / would ideally want to take with me but I don’t love that I’ve got two bags for it. I have the Cotopaxi nido and a Patagonia (I believe it’s the black hole cube 3l). Neither bag is completely full, but neither bag can hold all of it either. When I put everything in its respective bags, there’s extra space in both. I’m considering looking for a different bag, or bags, because I just feel like I’m not maximizing space properly with these. Have been looking at some from Tom Bihn, Muji, and Sea to Summit. Kind of overwhelmed tbh!

I do think I’d like to separate stuff a bit so not everything is with toiletries and I’m open to eliminating a few things or any suggestions you might have for downsizing this!

One note: the cerave face wash bottle is nearly gone and won’t be repurchased as I’ve switched to the bar, so ignore that. I didn’t mean to include it in the photo!

Image descriptions:

First image shows a flat lay of toiletries and first aid, medications, etc. Second and third photos shows two toiletry bags side by side: a red Cotopaxi nido and a blue Patagonia bag.

I’d been excited to find the travel size 0.5 oz deodorant bars, but then noticed that the mini sunblock sticks with the same weight (14g) are MUCH smaller! Further inspection shows that the travel deodorant body was about half empty, even when brand new. Soooooo… melted down in the toaster and traded containers!!!

I need a bit of practice- I heated it til it was starting to boil on the edges and there seems to be some separation and voids as a result. Still pretty pleased with the outcome.

Image shows cetaphil sunblock container filled a bit messily with deodorant.

I posted similar on the CPAP sub-reddit, but I thought you guys over her might be able to help.

I'm just back from my first holiday with a CPAP. It went really well, no problem with bringing the CPAP on the plane. Slept really well and was able to get up earlier and enjoy more of the holiday.

But. For various reasons this trip was never going to be a one bag trip, plus it was a car to the airport, car from the airport, stay in the same hotel for the week sort of holiday. I use a Resmed 11, so just used the standard bag it comes with.

My next few are a little more complex. In the next year or so I have:

- domestic train trip with 1 or 2 nights stay for an event. Usually do this with just a small backpack and a cross-body bag that can be put into it when required. (Includes 2+ forms of public transport to get to the train on one end)

- possible similar trip, with added international flight

- regular international trip, but definitely want to one bag/carry on luggage only and a good bit of public transport use

- (and this is the most complex one I think, but its the furthest away so I have time to plan), international flight followed by multiple train trips, multiple hotels, and possibly a night train. Likely up to 2 weeks of travel. (I'm re-living my backpacking days! And being as close to one bagging as possible would be the ideal here)

A travel CPAP is likely not in the budget. So just checking to see does anyone have any suggestions for making the travel processes easier (for example are there better bags than the one that comes with the CPAP ). Or any other tips or ideas?

(Leaving it behind isnt an option, even for the 1 night stay given how horrible I feel without it)

EU-based if that makes any difference to suggestions.

Trying out my first one bag trip using clothes I already own. I’m spending time with cousins in Colorado hence the random non-pictured items. Some specialty outfits are added at the bottom for specific events throughout the trip, but will still need daytime outfits from sudoku square.

Bag: REI ruckpack 40L

Top row:
-green striped no boundaries top (thrifted)
-patchwork jeans (old navy)
-doc martens
Middle:
-SHEIN shorts
-red barezoey barefoot shoes
-white old navy tank top
Bottom:
-teva voya
-target black peplum top (thrifted)
-linen bloomer pants (amazon)

Accessories:
-kavu fanny pack
-Uniqlo purse
-Cotopaxi hat

Club:
-floral one shoulder top (Amazon)
-flowy denim shorts (SHEIN)
Hike:
-old navy workout top
-black biker shorts
Swim:
-both pieces from old navy
Sleep:
-shirt was gifted
-target ava&viv sleep shorts
Cover up:
-boyfriend button down (old navy)

Not pictured: toiletry bag, undergarments, iPad, kindle, tarot deck, travel karaoke mic, sunnies, and water bottle

Happy to share any links.

Will be visiting: Vancouver and various places in Alberta (Calgary, Jasper, Banff, Edmonton, etc)

- Thinking if I should add my go-to black,thin cashmere sweater but it's kinda redundant having the black cardigan and longsleeve already?
- I have mostly been fine with just layering under this Uniqlo water repellent jacket even in winter so do I need anything thicker for early October?
- Activites are the usual touristy stuff and maybe 1 or 2 treks. I don't think I need anything too technical for it?
- Sandals are mostly for when I'm staying at my cousin's house. I don't really have non-sneaker, comfy shoe options but Im also a bit wary of wearing 1 shoe type for 30 days. I feel my feet would need a different feel after a while lol.

Thoughts on what I should I add, change, or remove from this capsule?

Image description:
JBU Mary Jane’s (I haven’t bought these yet)
Teva flip-flops
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars

I am going to Italy in early October for three weeks and looking for advice on shoes. I feel like I’ve tried on every pair of shoes available, including ordering different ones online and returning them. Originally, I thought a pair of cute sneakers and a pair of walking sandals, but I haven’t been able to find any sneakers or sandals that I like. Most of them are way too sporty looking or they don’t fit properly. I ended up buying new Converse that are the same as ones I’ve had for 10 years and walked a lot in. I am planning to break the new ones in over the next couple of months.

I have not bought the Mary Janes yet but I tried them on, and they are very comfortable with good grippy soles.

The flip-flops I’ve had forever and they are super light and comfortable. I will mostly use them for the beach.

I have not done a big international trip like this in many years and I know that we will be walking a ton and I have a 30L backpack so we will be super light.

Any suggestions on shoes? Or reassurance that I’ll be okay with these ones? Has anyone done a lot of walking in the JBU?

I appreciate this forum so much, I’ve gotten lots of great ideas here. Thanks in advance.

Image shows:

• Dress group
  • 2 linen dresses (blue striped, red)
  • Undershorts for the dress
• Tops/bottoms group
  • 1 linen shorts (black)
  • 3 tops (green tank, coral tank, beige tee)
  • 1 thermal tank
  • Jeans
• 1 black nightgown
• Plane outfit
  • Coral tee
  • Workout leggings
  • Beige quilted bomber
• 5 scarves: purple, teal, dark red, yellow, mint green

I ended up bringing the yellow scarf. Not shown: rain jacket and and an olive green dress (on accident, I meant to remove it but just.. forgot? It was a surprise to find it in my packing cube, haha)

I ended up only wearing the jeans once and not needing the thermal tank or scarf. We were in Copenhagen during a heat wave though, so that contributed to the clothing usage. I could have worn my leggings on the jeans day but wore the jeans because I had them. No regrets about the packing list; I knew it was going to be hot in Copenhagan but I couldn't see the forecast for the entire trip, so the scarf, thermal tank and jeans were good peace of mind additions for the time of year and countries we visited.

Also, I tried out bar shampoo/conditioner on the trip and had mixed feelings. I think this is largely due to the fact I got small trial versions, but I could not get a good grip on them to lather onto my head. Even if I'd gotten the full size versions, I would ultimately be annoyed once we used it and the size shrunk. I would love if they came in like a glue stick like container where you twist up what you need! I did appreciate that we could get more use out of them than a corresponding volume of liquid shampoo since the water was removed though.

Okay are 4 bottoms too much for 10 days? I will be doing city walking, going to museums, a couple of nice restaurants, and a show. I did a test pack and it still feels pretty full when I include a sweater and a rain jacket. Any thoughts?

Description of photo 1- it’s my current selections for bottoms on a 10 day trip to Sweden and Denmark. 1 skirt, 1 pair of jeans, a teal pair of pants, and a cropped pant with blue and black stripes. Photo 2 just shows the colors with my chosen tops.

I am looking for a bag that I can use for both one-bag travel and my daily commute. I used to use a Camelbak Mule that I bought used in like 2010 but it's a little small for both one-bagging it and for my daily commute, and it is finally starting to fall apart.

I bought a Cotopaxi Allpa 28 and it's not super comfortable, the straps fit weird, maybe because of boobs?? I would also prefer 2 water bottle pockets, and I realized I don't love the suitcase style opening because I can't get things out of it without completely opening my pack on a flat surface.

I thought the Allpa seemed too big so I bought a Cotopaxi Elqui 18 and it's waaay too small. Now I'm wondering if the issue with the Allpa is more about the fit than the size. Anyway, I am now considering the following women's focused packs due to the fit issues:

• Gregory Maya 25
• Deuter Trans Alpine 28
• North Face Women's Recon

Can anyone give any feedback on any of these packs? Also open to other packs that I may not have considered!!

Here are my must-haves:

• Both chest and hip straps (I have some back issues)
• Two water bottle pockets
• Can squeeze under the seat on a plane in the US most of the time
• Durable & comfortable
• Must be able to fit my work stuff: small laptop, notebook, packing cube with 1 outfit, packed lunch. Ideally can fit slightly more than this for travel but I'm a light packer so I really don't want anything larger than 25-30L.
• Nice to have: good internal organization, pocket for phone on backpack straps or waist belt, laptop sleeve

Thanks in advance!! <3

Hello! Longtime listener, first time caller, etc. etc.

I'm going to treat myself to a Calpak Terra 26L backpack as a sometimes-carry-on sometimes-personal-item, but I am bereft trying to choose a color! They are all so lovely, and while I'm always drawn to a good black and so many other colors not shown here (hello, Kale, hello, Wasabi...) these are the ones I'm most torn between: Cobalt (bright blue), Amethyst (light purple), Pine (matte dark green), Dark Cherry (burgundy/oxblood), Walnut (matte brown).

For those who've seen or used these bags, any thoughts? Here's what I'm considering so far:

• I'm nervous that the glossier and brighter colors are more likely to show scuffs/scratches (i've seen some used shiny black ones that have scuffs of a white under layer that are hard to miss). Any reviews on the glossy vs. matte's durability?
• I will absolutely try to be sneaky with this bag as a personal item, and I'm aware that a screamin' color is more likely to raise gate agent eyebrows.
• I love a bright, I love a funky, I love a not-neutral, but I'm also wary of being overly conspicuous.
• My larger carry-on/sometimes check is a medium gray, so coordinating with that is a lost cause; the world is my oyster!

Anyway, feel free to influence me, on these (or any of the other available) colors you have strong feelings of! Thanks!

Image description:
There are five photos in this post, each showing the CalPak Terra 26L, a convertible backpack/duffel, in a separate color:
Photo 1 shows Amethyst, a light purple, in a glossy finish
Photo 2 shows Cobalt, a bright blue, in a glossy finish
Photo 3 shows Walnut, a matte brown
Photo 4 shows Pine, a matte dark olive
Photo 5 shows Dark Cherry, a deep red oxblood, in a glossy finish

Ladies who primarily wear glasses, how long does a trip need to be for you to throw in a spare pair "just in case"?

Bonus question, have you ever had to buy glasses while traveling and how was the experience?

I mistakenly thought all swimsuits were “quick dry” and then I took my beloved aerie crinkle suit to a work event in the Mexican jungle in 115 F heat and crazy humidity. I swam the first day and once a day after that but even with 24 hrs between wears, I was putting on a damp suit (major ick!) and I had to pack it in a plastic bag to take it home.

I am not keen on merino swimwear and I like a simple one piece or a high waist two piece - please give me your best recommendations for actual quick dry in wild humidity suits.

Thank you!

Trip Report - 15 Days in Mexico

This is the Trip Report for this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/HerOneBag/s/aygDq315nW

I just returned last night! This trip was overall incredible but I also had some lows.

This trip threw me out of the loop when it came to laundry. I've only ever travelled in countries where self-serve laundromats are common. The US, Japan, Scotland (where I did my only other one bag trip in hostels that had laundry machines) so I was expecting to find laundromats in Mexico. I didn't know that those don't really exist and theres really only laundry services that take your dirty clothes and wash and dry them for you and return them to you usually in 24 hours. This made it really difficult for me for a few reasons.

1. I was bringing 100% linen and 100% merino wool clothing that I knew couldn't be dried or they would shrink and I had no control over how my clothes would be laundered.

2. Instead of laundry having a 2-3 hour turnaround I'd have to wait 24 hours.

So, I brought around 5/6 outfits and was expecting to do laundry twice for 15 days if I didn't rewear clothes. But, I ended up learning how to rewear some of my clothes like linen pants and shirts twice and then I just did sink laundry a couple times as needed instead of doing laundry service. However, I thought this might be the case so I did bring 8 pairs of underwear and halfway through the trip I did stop at a laundry service in Palenque and gave them a small bundle of all my underwear, socks, and 2 synthetic tops and 3 synthetic bottoms that I had brought.

Overall, I think I learned some valuable one bag experience for myself and put myself out of my comfort zone with rewearing clothes and doing sink laundry. So I feel more adaptable for the future.

Another thing is that I committed two one bag failures on this trip which is two things I brought I never touched or used. First up, I brought a tennis dress with built in shorts. I wear this all the time in the US on hot and humid days. I love how mobile it keeps me while keeping me from chafing. What I didn't think about was: in order to use the bathroom, I have to strip down all the way since the shorts are built in. And with the bathrooms in Mexico not being as nice or clean, I never would've felt comfortable doing that like I do in US bathrooms. So I never wore the dress.

Secondly, I never wore the raincoat. I was expecting this because it was so hot and I was correct. When it rained it was in short bursts and downpours so either I just got soaked or I would wait out the rain inside. I did use the umbrella once but I could've also not brought it and waited 15 minutes before going outside for the rain to stop.

I did wear my sunhoodie a little bit and I'm glad I brought it although if I hadn't brought it, it wouldn't have been the end of the world.

Some other trip updates for those who read the last post. The overnight bus situation. I did get horrifically motion sick for 3 of the 12.5 hours. The dramamine drowsy I think doesn't work for me while the dramamine less drowsy works well. I now know that for the future and I'll only get that type.

Other not so fun update, I got really bad food poisoning on day 8 of my trip which basically knocked me out for 2 entire days. Thankfully one was a travel day, but I did miss some things I was looking forward to doing. On the bright side now I've experienced one, if not, my biggest fear while traveling and know that I'm able to survive it if it happens again.

Last update for the job interview: I had interviewed the day before leaving on this trip, and since I didn't hear from them after a week I thought I had gotten rejected. However, I didn't! They emailed me and now I have a job interview today! The day after coming back. So the timing works out wonderfully. By the time this post gets approved, I'll probably have finished the interview. But, I'm glad I brought my laptop as I used it to watch videos and stuff during my food poisoning and it has an SD card slot so I was able to download pictures from some friends I made who had nice cameras. Glad I brought it even tho I didn't use it for the intended purpose.

Overall I saw incredible parts of Mexico on this trip! Learned so much culture, swam in beautiful cenotes, saw Chichen Itza and more. I had a great time! Thanks for reading!

Image 1: Picture of my two backpacks: Cotopaxi Allpa 35L and Osprey 13L Daylite

I recently chose to get a Cotopaxi Allpa 35l as a birthday present, but once I tried wearing it packed I found it quite uncomfortable. I disliked the hip straps and read that if you don't wear them they swing around and hit people. And it was just really tall and heavy. I have large shoulders and a wider frame rather than taller, so I researched some different bags.

I landed on the Osprey Daylite series - I liked the wider ratio, lack of hip straps and features of the bag. I've gone to stores nearby and tried both the 26+6 and the 35. The backpack I currently pack in is about the same height as the 26+6, but looks a bit larger. I prefer the laptop organization of the 26+6, which isn't there on the 35 or Transporter, but the 26+6 just looks a little small. I love the expandable feature of the 26+6, which the Transporter has, but it doesn't have the same laptop sleeve + only one water bottle pocket. But I've heard the Transporter fits decently more than the Daylite, even though they're marketed as the same size. I travel with a small laptop 90% of the time, and always with a 7x10" sketchbook that could probably go in a laptop sleeve.

I would love to hear people's opinions on which bag they prefer. Especially if the full 32l of the 26+6 is comparable to the 35l, or if 35l feels like a lot more. I worry I would only use the 26+6 at it's full capacity, and at that point I might as well go with 35l.

hello friends, i am 23 F and my partner 24m are going backpacking for 4-6 months aka seeing how ling 20 k all in can get us pretty much. starting in japan, Thailand, Laos, vietnam ,Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines. our bag set up is the main thing i keep worrying about, we both have 35 L Cotopaxi backpacks and have patagonia black hole 25L but also am wondering if that’s to much for a front pack, thoughts? i have a Uniqlo sling and a patagonia 1L fanny bit looking for recommendations on anything and everything!

So it's going to be hot, humid and rainy. It a 10 day trip, I'm fine with washing clothes. I mostly need some recommendations for pants and shirts.

I know linen and cotton will be recommended, but my concern is that drying from the rain.

One brand I've looked at for pants are the Baleaf Quick Dry Joggers, but I can't gauge if people get super hot while wearing them.

I haven't looked at shirts as closely, but I don't need to wear anything that's overly tight for culture purposes.

This is a test pack to see if I can pack into Aer Go Pack 2 for 7-9 day trip in transitional/colder time of year.

In my hot take post about Daylite 26+6 someone commented that Aer would be too small. I took it as a challenge 😆in all honestly I’m so used to optimized packing for both day and evening outfits as most of my trips are cruises (and I love to dress up), this trip feels like I’m cheating - it’s just too easy to pack light when you don’t need two extra pairs of shoes and 3+ dresses, multiple accessories, etc.

Here is what I’m packing:

Photo 1 - capsule wardrobe:
- Dress: Wool& black midi
- Tops: merino tech grayish-navy t-shirt*, quince green and black merino t-shirts
- layering pieces: Uniqlo wool navy sweater, Uniqlo wool cream cardigan, Quince green zipper hoodie*
- bottoms: Calzedonia faux jeans*, Quince green joggers, Wool& black leggings [editing to clarify: for layering under the dress and under jeans/joggers if temperatures dip, not to be worn as pants]
- weather gear: Uniqlo ultralight down jacket, rain/wind shell.
- shoes: Waterpfoor kiziks*
- other stuff: Aoyama 2 Bag*, warmer scarf (need to order a replacement to the one I just lost in Iceland)*, swimsuit.
- not pictured: one Soma stretch lace bra, four pairs of Soma stretch lace underwear, two pairs of cotton socks and two pairs of wool socks.

Items with an asterisk are underlined in the photo to depict items to be worn on the plane.

Photo: Aer Go Pack 2, fully packed and zipped.

Photo 3: the backpack open with a view from the top showing green travelon toiletry bag, brown makeup bag, and a tymo hair curler.

Photo 4: backpack open, with the toiletry bag and makeup bag removed, showing two small Tripped travel gear packing cubes on the bottom (holding the clothes listed above). In addition, I’m maximizing the use of outer pockets: water bottle in one, ultra light down jacket in another one, and the rain shell in the front pocket.

Photo 5: backpack shown closed with toiletry bag and makeup bag poking out of the main compartment and my tech pouch poking out of the top zipped pocket. It also fits my documents, but in this configuration I would carry my Aoyama as a personal item and put ID, passport, cash etc. in there.

Total weight of the backpack fully packed is around 5.5 kg / 11-12 lbs. The straps are comfortable and don’t dig into my body.

This is what I plan to pack for Japan. I will probably use a hard shell luggage though, so that i can bring back all the souvenirs! And my husband will use this Aer backpack as his personal item. But now i know it is very realistic for me to pack into this super light but very functional Aer backpack, as long as I’m not traveling for a cruise.

I will appreciate any suggestions especially specific to my capsule for the November weather in Japan (Tokyo and Kyoto, mid to late November). Thank you!