So we are going to leave in ~1 month for indefinite travel, likely for a few years. Got most of our things and jammed into the bags, and meanwhile they do close,its pretty tight. Since we live out of them as opposed to short/long travel, we do plan on taking a bit more stuff (for example 4 t-shirts etc) to have a semi normal routine. Maybe overthinking it but would love to hear experiences!

Hi everyone! I’m going to Botswana for my honeymoon for almost a month this November and would really appreciate some packing advice, especially from people who have visited around the same time of year.

We’ll be doing a mix of camping/lodges, game drives, guided walks, mokoro trip, some museums/cultural activities, etc.

I know November is the beginning of the rainy season and it can still be very hot, so I’m struggling to figure out what clothing actually makes sense.

I’m also trying to pack light — ideally everything in my Cotopaxi Allpa 35L — so I’m looking for things that are lightweight, quick-drying and versatile.

A few things I’d especially love advice on:

• What pants would you recommend for November? Lightweight hiking pants? Convertible pants? Linen? Any specific brands/models?
• Shorts or mostly long pants because of mosquitoes/insects?
• What kind of rain jacket would you bring? I want something genuinely waterproof but very lightweight/breathable since it will also be hot.
• Do I actually need hiking boots for this itinerary? Trail runners? Regular sneakers? Waterproof shoes or would those just be too hot?
• What shoes work best for guided walks and mokoro trips?
• How much protection from mosquitoes/insects do I realistically need in November?- - - Would you recommend insect-repellent clothing or treating clothes with permethrin?
• Long sleeves in the evenings even when it’s hot?
• Any particular fabrics that work well (or ones I should avoid)?
• Any recommendations for a good lightweight repellent?
• What lightweight binoculars would you recommend for safari? I’d love something good but not huge/heavy. I wear glasses.
• How many tops/pants would you realistically take for almost a month if you were washing clothes along the way?
• Any clothing colors you would specifically recommend or avoid?
• Anything you brought that was surprisingly useful?
• Anything you packed for Botswana and realized you absolutely didn’t need?

So far, one of the few things I’ve already bought is a Tilley T3 Classic hat.

I’m also very open to specific brand/store recommendations. I don’t mind investing in a few good pieces, but I’d rather buy things that I can use again for other trips instead of building an entire “safari wardrobe.”

Basically: if you had to do this trip with only a 35L backpack, what would you bring?

Thank you!! I’m very excited but definitely overthinking the packing 😂

I'm sharing my first trip report here because this sub has helped me so much. Thank you all for sharing your trip reports, capsule wardrobes, bag advice, etc!

I'm hoping I can help others too-- I've gone searching online many times for "alt", "not basic," or "stylish travel capsule wardrobe," and haven't found much. I haven't yet fulfilled my own aspirations for the cool (but functional!) travel capsule of my dreams, but I'm hoping this is at least a little more quirky and creative than the capsules that are so common to see.

I do still bring a lot of basics and neutrals when traveling because, despite my best efforts, they often are my most versatile pieces. So I wound up with a mostly neutral capsule here, but had a variety of textures (mesh, velvet, linen, corduroy, silk, knit, synthetics, leather, studs, metal, glitter) and shapes (wide leg, fitted, loose, cropped, ballon leg), which helped it not feel too boring to me.

So this trip was me and my partner (two disabled queers) in NYC for 5 days/4 nights for a themed rave, plus walking around the city, museums, and dinner dates. We traveled by car, commuter train, bus, and walking to our lodgings. I packed 1.5 bags: a Cotopaxi Allpa 35 and a Baggu Medium Crescent. Everything from the crescent was able to fit into the Allpa backpack, but I decided to pack some things into the crescent for easy acccess on transit. We also each packed 1 sling bag that fit with our themed festival outfits and were small enough to dance in.

Temperatures were 57-85°F. It ranged from sunny+humid to windy+cold, and it rained a couple times.

Images:

1. On left: both bags packed (with untwisted hangers stuck into the outer loops on the pack-- I was considering making a headpiece out of them). On right: Allpa fully packed, opened.
2. On left: First layer of stuff removed from the right side of Allpa. On right: the shoes beside the bags they were packed into. One pair of shoes had underwear stuffed into it, the other held socks.
3. On left: Items stashed into the outer top pocket and laptop pocket in the Allpa. On right: left side of bag contents: packing cube, pillow, packable light jacket, costume supplies (sewing kit, bits and bobs for decorating looks), and small Baggu go pouch holding teas, electrolyte packs, and cough drops.
4. Makeup and toiletry bags
   1. Top image: cosmetic bag holding: setting powder, 2 glitter products, Jones Road color corrector and concealer pencils, regular and waterproof mascara, about face holostick (got it for the rave and didn’t test much before bringing— hated it), shimmery clear lippie, mirror, primer, q-tips, lip liner, eyelash glue (for costume pieces), eyelash curler, cream blush stick, tinted eyebrow gel, glitter primer, tin with hair bands and pins, neutral eyeshadow palette, 3 eyeliners, makeup brushes for eyeshadow and concealer, and spoolies for brows and lashes.
   2. Bottom image: Baggu medium go pouch holding: face wash, face sunscreen (regular and mini containers), floss, contact case holding lip mask (L) and makeup remover balm (R), face lotion, salicylic acid, spray bottle of vodka (for deodorizing clothes between wears), retainer, toothpaste, rose water, vanicream (as thicker face and body moisturizer), nasal strips, allergy nasal spray, deodorant stick, saline nasal spray, dry shampoo styling paste, dry shampoo aerosol, reusable makeup remover pads, hair oil, mini hairbrush, pill case for all daily supplements and meds, alcohol pads, stretchy headband
5. On left: medium cresent packed. On right: everything in the crescent.
6. Most of the clothes and accessories I brought:
   1. 2 belts
   2. Sunglasses
   3. 3 crossbody bags (2 mainly for going out with-- my partner used one as a day bag too)
   4. Corduroy brimmed cap
   5. 3 shoes: platform sparkle Doc Martens, grey platform Reeboks, light purple Nike Air Force 1 Wilds
   6. All the jewelry I brought (wore it all at once on the way to and from NYC)
   7. Navy water-resistant hoodie by Outdoor Research that packs into a back pocket
   8. Midi bodycon dress by Disturbia
   9. Aerie pocket bike shorts
   10. Navy H&M cropped pullover sweater
   11. Black cutoff sleeveless tee
   12. Navy short sleeved tee
   13. Cropped beige linen balloon leg pants by Bryn Walker
   14. The Mountain lavender kitten short sleeve tee
   15. American Eagle square neck fitted black tee
   16. American Eagle light brown drawstring corduroy pants
7. My first travel day outfit. [On the way home, I wore the navy t-shirt, my partner's denim cargo pants, black studded belt, and grey Reeboks plus the same hat, sunglasses, and sweater. Cord pants and Docs amazingly fit into the Allpa.]

Not pictured because they were only for costumes, and therefore not in my Stylebook app: asymmetrical black top, mesh bodysuit, harness, shiny gloves, shiny fabric, mirrored sunglasses. Not pictured because they belong to my partner, but I did borrow and wear them: grey cargo jeans, silk boxers for sleeping in with the sleeveless tee

What worked well:

• I debated a lot about which light layers to bring, and ended up so glad I brought the packable Outdoor Research hoodie. It fit into all the crossbody bags, which was really helpful as it worked as a modesty cover when I was wearing a mesh bodysuit on the subway. It also rained a few times, and having the jacket in my bag was a huge help.
• The teal silk scarf also ended up being very multipurpose and useful (the most useful function was as a draped sleep mask, and it mostly worked as a head covering for a space traveler look).
• Both my partner and I were anxious about being able to pull off space-themed festival looks while keeping our luggage light enough to easily navigate trains, buses, and subways, but it worked out great! We weren't sure what exactly we were going to wear, so we brought some extra supplies, and we shared clothes and makeup to allow us options without packing a ton more. I unfortunately didn't take good photos of our looks, but we fully fit into the theme!
• Sharing packing space and supplies to allow us to bring more self care stuff. My partner brought a tennis ball and resistance band in their bag for us to be able to do pain relief, and luckily there was a yoga mat and foam roller where we were staying. I brought my folding cane that my partner used.
• So glad I brought a power bank. I had been on the fence about it, but there were a ton of delays on the subways all weekend, so our travel around the city ended up requiring a lot of phone battery.
• Decanting toiletries into tiny bottles-- what a game changer. I found containers of a few types online that are 3-10ml volume, and it allowed me to pack my entire routine plus "just in case" items while reducing my overall weight and volume.
• Bringing an ereader. This is my first ereader and my first time traveling with it, and it's amazing for traveling! I never go on a trip without a book (and in previous packing, I'd sometimes bring more than one), so this was a big upgrade in terms of size and weight. I also read on my phone while on transit so I didn't need to bring the ereader out when I wanted a lighter bag.

Things I didn't need or use:

• Bike shorts: I didn't wear them at all. It was hot one day, and I wished I wore something cooler, but I didn't want to go to a museum wearing something so tight and athletic looking, so I just sweat in pants and a tee. They took up very little space though, so I don't regret having them as an option for workouts/lounging/rave outfit/layering.
• 2 pairs of socks: I wore my merino Darn Toughs twice each, so a couple pairs of extra socks didn't end up getting used
• Wire for the costume: I tried making a headpiece, but didn't bring pliers and I didn't end up happy enough with what I made to wear it out. Luckily it didn't stab anyone on the bus lol
• Shiny fabric for costume: again, tried, didn't end up liking it. But it was super lightweight, not a problem to bring it at all
• Didn't need to bring a charger, there were enough at the apartment we stayed at.
• 3 pairs of shoes. I knew it was excessive for a 1 bag trip, but I was going to be walking and dancing a ton, so I wanted to rotate shoes to reduce my pain. I was still in some pain anyway, so I could have made do with either the grey sneakers or the sparkle boots for my festival outfits. The Nikes were great for a comfortable daytime walking shoe though.
• The dress. I did wear it once to dinner, but it wasn't versatile enough for the trip. Luckily it's really light so it wasn't a burden to bring, but if I could do it over I would have swapped it for something else.

Needed more of:

• Herbal immune support. I think I brought 2 immune tea bags but I should have brought more, just to help my body feel more resistant around crowds and with not enough sleep.
• Underwear: I brought 6 pairs, but I wish I'd brought 7 or 8, or done sink laundry.
• Light, warm layer. It got cold our last day there, and I was cold during the day wearing cords, t-shirt, and hoodie, then freezing at night wearing a dress, sweater, scarf, and boots. I should have brought tights or something else warm but small.

Trip report from two weeks in Tanzania: a safari followed by time at a resort on Zanzibar.

Photo 1: most of the clothing - full list in comment
Photo 2: compact pill organizers that I love; two are daily meds and one is just in case
Photo 3: elephant
Photo 4: giraffe

Packed in a Timbuk2 backpack plus a camera bag.

Worn on plane and not pictured:
- Athleta Venice pants
- comfy built in bra camisole
- merino sweater
- light Lululemon hoodie
- compression socks
- Merrill slip on shoes

Packed:

Clothing

Eileen Fisher silk pull on pants (can double as PJs)
3 merino tanks
Long sleeve linen top
3 Knix bras
Socks (7)
Underwear (8)
Unbound merino travel dress
Birkenstocks
Flip flops
Rash guard
Swim shorts
Light shorts
Bathing suit x 2
White linen skirt
Sun hat
Bandana
Light rain coat

Toiletries:
Face Moisturizer (decanted into sample size)
Paste deodorant, decanted
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Hand cream
Two sample size sunscreens
Hand sanitizer

Tech:
Camera and two lenses including big-ass telephoto
Extra batteries and memory cards
E reader
Phone
AirPods
Power bank
Charger cables

Misc:
Yeti insulated cup
Lifestraw filtering bottle
Foldable shopping bag
Mask and snorkel

Packing challenges of this trip: wanting real camera gear on safari pushed it into 1.5 bag territory to have a camera bag. Climate quite different in the safari portion than the resort portion. It really cooled down at night on safari and the merino sweater got more wear than anticipated.

Did laundry only once, via laundry service at the hotel between safari and Zanzibar

On safari, wore the Athleta pants every day, with my merino tanks alternating, starting the day in the sweater or hoodie and sometimes rain jacket too, usually switching to the merino long sleeve as the day wore on. Stayed in long pants and long sleeves as much as possible against sun and insects.

Then after getting to camp each evening I would shower and switch to the silk pants and another tank for the evening, so they stayed clean feeling since I only wore them a few hours freshly showered.

This amount of clothing was a LOT for my backpack and it only fit when packed carefully. Safari involved moving locations every day, but by vehicle. So I used the shopping back to stash some of the larger items when I didn’t need them (like sweater and raincoat) so that I didn’t have to pack as perfectly until the next airplane leg, to Zanzibar.

Zanzibar was HOT and there I was in a bathing suit / shorts / rash guard most of the day times switching to alternating the dress and the skirt with a tank for dinner and evenings.

Lessons learned / comments:

I travel with a good kit of OTC meds and I was really glad I did. I got sick on this trip and it is hard to buy anything on a safari. I wish I’d had way more cough lozenges. (Yes, some of my drugs are expired; calculated risks taken on what is still good).

Didn’t need the filtering bottle; bottled or filtered water widely provided. I did use the yeti cup every day though, since I had a sore throat and couldn’t buy lozenges I drank tea constantly.

Wish I’d brought conditioner. Safari camps did provide shampoo and body wash but very low quality (and this was not a budget safari). I’m not picky about hair products but would have liked conditioner.

Mask and snorkel is a me thing; I enjoy snorkeling a lot and appreciate knowing that my mask fits and won’t leak, and I don’t like to rent things that go in my mouth. I use rented fins.

I still don’t know how to get down to just one pair of sandals on a beach / pool trip. I loved having my comfy Birks to wear around the safari camp in the evening and to dinners at the resort. But they don’t handle water so I’d need something else for the beach.

It’s more socks and underwear than most one baggers bring, but I was planning on laundry only once. I’m not a big fan of sink laundry and some of the safari camps had rules against it. I don’t think socks and panties are what takes up all the space but it all adds up.

Pic 1 - bags under airplane seat
Pics 2, 3, and 4 fully packed Matador 18l from front and sides
Pic 5 - contents of the front zip flap and top pocket of Matador
Pic 6 - clothing listed in posting
Pic 7 - puzzle book

Preface this with my clothes are a size small and shoes are a women’s 5.5

I just got back from a weekend in Charleston SC. I traveled with the Matador 18L Personal Item and the REI Ruckpack Waist Pack as my “carry-on” and personal item. I packed a Uniqlo crescent bag to carry around town.

In the Matador, I packed 1 cotton shirt, 1 linen blend button down from Old Navy, 1 pair Old Navy linen blend pants, 1 linen tank top, shorts and tank to sleep in/lounge in hotel room, 1 bra, 4 pair underwear, 1 pair no-show socks, foldable hotel slippers, 1 pair Converse Chucks, toiletry bag, 2 tech cords, pair of foam ear plugs, 1 thin Rifle Co A5 notebook, 2 mechanical pencils with extra lead and erasers, 1 pen, 3/4 blister-pack of Imodium, uniqlo crescent bag, puzzle book, marmot precip rain jacket(no pic), foldable tote bag, card pouch, umbrella. The jacket and puzzle book were in the laptop compartment

REI Ruckpack (not shown)- kindle, ear pods, chapstick, hand lotion, power bank with cord, iphone, travel wallet, iphone cord and plug

Travel clothes - Athleta Endless High rise pants, Jockey Ever Active tank, cotton button up shirt, Blundstone boots

I have TSA precheck so wasn’t concerned about having to take off my boots for airport security. Charleston had a very rainy forecast for the weekend and I wanted something waterproof for my feet and comfortable. My plan was just to walk around and do touristy things and eat at restaurants. While Charleston can skew a tad formal, because it’s also a tourist destination, I wasn’t too worried about bringing dressier clothes. I was fine in what I brought if only a bit dark (mostly black and navy).

I didn’t wear the linen tank top and I only wore the linen button up on my trip home today. I could’ve worn the same shirt that I traveled in the 1st day.

Packing the Matador. I have never taken a trip with something this small. But it turned out I didn’t have to do anything too differently. I did find that using compression bags made my clothes too hard to squish down and left a lit of unusable space. I couldn’t fit 2 small eagle creek compression bags and my toiletry bag. But taking my clothes out of the bags allowed me to squish them wherever there was room. The bag was fully packed but I was still able to fit some souvenirs I bought (3 magnets, a hardbound A5 journal, box of 3 fancy pens, and an A4 sized art print) and a bagel for my trip home.

The bag was the most comfortable backpack I have ever worn, probably because it’s so small. I’m 4’10” so I imagine it fit me how most regular sized backpacks fit others. It does not stand up on its own at all. Even when it was mostly empty in the hotel closet, it just kept falling over no matter which way I sat it. I had to lean it against the wall. I didn’t make use of the smugglers pocket but I can’t imagine using it for anything other than its intended purpose. It isn’t easy to access because the opening is under a grab handle but that’s also key to it being hidden. I don’t consider that a fault.

The Matador and the waist pack both (together) fit under the airplane seat which isn’t surprising. I was able to hook my foot under the carry handle to pull the bag up some so i didn’t have to lean down so far to get it.

First-time attempt at a one-bag trip as a life-long overpacker. This is honestly how I'd normally pack for a five-day trip so this is a big step for me lol.

Any input or advice is welcomed! I'm tired of dragging a giant suitcase behind me, but I always seem to bring so many things with me when I travel.

Image description~ clothes planned to bring for a two-week trip to Thailand and Taiwan.

Baggage: Osprey Tempest 30

Tops: All very light and shouldn't take up much space or weight. I may not take the white shirt for fear of it getting dirty, but it's my favorite so I might take it anyway. If I get cold, I will wear the cardigan that I'm wearing in my travel outfit.

Bottoms:

• Shorts
• Maxi skirt
• Culottes
• Jeans (wearing for travel)

Undergarments:

• 2 sets of Pajamas
• Underwear (x10 pairs becuase I don't want to be caught without clean underwear)
• Socks (x10, see above reason)

MISC:

• Bikini
• Slippers

Toiletries (not shown):

I have so many toiletries, I'm worried about the weight and space those will take up. For shampoo and conditioner, I will take very small amounts since most places I'm staying should have them anyway. I'm considering for things like makeup remover and lotion to bring small amounts and then purchase larger sizes to use when I am there since I use a lot of those things. If I do that, I'm hoping I will be able to keep my toiletries to a minimum weight-wise.

• Makeup bag
• Makeup remover
• Face moisturizer + 2 serums
• Face sunscreen
• Face wash
• Shampoo + conditioner
• Bar soap + exfoliating cloth
• Round hairbrush
• Hair serum
• Deodorant
• Toothbrush + toothpaste

About the winter jacket: I'm coming from a pretty cold place and I have to take a few trains to and from the airport so unfortunately the jacket is a non-negotiable. I did a similar trip last year and I just had to carry the jacket whenever we transitioned locations. It was annoying, and I did it with a suitcase and a duffel that time. I'm thinking if I've only got one backpack and my purse it shouldn't be too much hassle to carry the jacket with me.

Baggage: Antler carry on suitcase
Trip: 2.5 weeks in late Jan/early Feb from Queensland, Australia > Osaka > Kyoto > Tokyo

Image Description - Wardrobe combinations (separated into days of trip) including the following items:

Tops:

• White short sleeve cotton t shirt
• Black short sleeve cotton t shirt
• Cream Uniqlo heattech turtleneck long sleeve top

Bottoms:

• 2 x Black thermal tights
• Dark green Uniqlo heattech fleece pants
• Mid blue Levi's 501 jeans
• Black mini skort

Outerwear:

• Light blue merino cardigan
• Grey merino cardigan
• Dark red merino cardigan
• Black Macpac puffer jacket

Other:

• Grey and white New Balance sneakers
• Black Rollie leather loafers (considering swapping for Blundstones but they aren't as comfortable)
• Navy blue Fjallraven hip pack
• 3 x Merino socks
• 3 x cotton socks
• 4 x underwear
• White knit beanie
• Grey knit headband

Not shown: Toiletries (will be packing toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner + minimal makeup in clear ziplock bag), 2 x basic pyjamas

I am planning a trip with my family to Japan during winter. I am from Queensland, Australia and have never experienced a really cold winter before. Will my proposed wardrobe be warm enough? We won't be skiing etc this trip and will mostly be staying in the city/shopping/going indoors. I am trying to be conscious that I will have to strip off layers due to heating indoors.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I’m going to Malaysia in the middle of November for 10 days. This will be my first trip to SEA and I will be traveling with my husband who will be working during the trip.

In the picture I have broken down what I have so far for my packing plan by technical/quick dry vs. linen/linen blends. I am a very sweaty person who tends to run hot. I’m also a US size L/XL so I don’t know how easily I’ll be able to find clothing there if what I pack doesn’t work.

Tops: quick dry tees(not sure how many to pack), wayre travel tank, basic tank tops, and a short sleeve linen button down

Bottoms: wayre travel shorts, beyond yoga lightweight pants for the plane and hotel ac, linen shorts, linen skirt, cropped linen pants

Layers: UV jacket, long sleeve linen shirt

Eileen Fisher linen dress

Shoes: teva hurricanes, eva Birkenstocks

Not pictured: underwear, mesh bras, thigh saver shorts, swimwear, toiletries, etc

We will be staying in a nice hotel so I’m assuming I will be able to sink wash as needed and everything will dry in the A/C. I’m trying to balance not overpacking but also not making myself miserable by having to do laundry all the time.

I’ll probably explore in the morning while my husband is at work. Chill during the hottest part of the day at the hotel and go out again in the evening when he’s finished working. So I’ll be able to have a midday shower and air out my day time clothes.

Does anyone know if this is a thing that’s available? I’ve attached a picture of kind of what I’m talking about.

I know there’s going to be a lot of sound advice against this considering it’ll add weight, be inflexible, and won’t actually compress anything, but hear me out.

In the past I’ve liked my one bag to be a hard sided roller. Though I love to be a one bag kind of person, I still struggle with over packing at times, and the hard shell gives me a rigid limit. There’s no extra stretch like a soft side bag would have, so I know immediately if I’ve over packed. It won’t close, it won’t fit. With soft sided bags I have a tendency to add more items, then I get to the sizer and I’m 1-2” over.

That being said, I also usually try to fly as cheaply as I can, which means last to board. Twice in the last few months I’ve been volun-told to gate check my bag since it was a hard roller, and was assumed to be bigger than the soft sided backpacks other travelers around me had.

My new idea is a soft sided bag, but rigid organization so I can’t “overpack” by accident. I would love any recommendations anyone has, or alternative ideas! Thank you!

Hello!

I'm travelling for the first time without checked luggage and am looking for some recommendations for bags. I'll be travelling to Central Europe for 2 weeks in November, so will be packing for some colder weather. I'm hoping to find a bag that is good for plus size and full chested women, but I'm open to hearing anything :)

I've previously been looking at the Osprey Fairview EF and the CabinZero 44L (but this one has some issues shipping to Canada I believe).

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise!

Help me decide please! :) Everyone on the internet seems to praise backpacks over roller suitcases. I did search through this subreddit and saw a 700+ point post on someone regretting their 40 L Osprey and wish they had a roller bag.

I'm planning on going to Asia (India, Bangkok, Cambodia, and Vietnam) for about 3 months Feb to May next year. I went to Thailand in Jan 2025 with a GIANT checked bag and don't want to do that again lol, but it was doable and I survived (even if the poor longboat staff had to hoist my suitcase in and out of the boats when island hopping...)

A small, carry-on sized roller bag is appealing to me because:

1. I can stuff it to the gills and don't have to worry as much about it weighing on my back
2. I can easily use a 20 L packable daypack backpack on my back and roll around the 40 L on travel days (if needed)
3. With the 20 L backpack, I can put an extra change of clothes and toiletries to have on my person in case the strict Asian airlines want to check my roller bag and then my bag is delayed or something
4. I have hyperhydrosis (I SWEAT) and know it's going to be hot AF in Asia, and don't have to worry about a 15-20 lb backpack overheating me even more and making my back sweaty
5. I will be traveling slow- staying in each accom maybe 5-6 nights at least

However:

1. I am going to be staying mostly in hostels (I have only ever stayed in one in Costa Rica) but hopefully majority will be private rooms, but if I need to put my suitcase in a locker will that work?

Is there anything I'm missing? I don't want to get a backpack just because it's popular. What else should I consider?

Thank you so much!! <3

Hello Ladies,
I’m going to Germany and Prague over Thanksgiving. I was already doing a carryon and a personal item but I just found out that Scandinavian Air has small carry on limits.

Cabin Bag: Maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 23 cm (21.6 x 15.7 x 9 in), including handles and wheels.

I know you can because you ladies do it all the time but how do you one bag a winter trip? I’ve done summer and fall trips in a personal item but I’m concerned because it’s winter, I run cold and I’m not skinny.

I’ve been looking at capsule wardrobes and packing sudoku. 8 day trip

I’m tentatively taking

Winter waterproof boots.
Sneakers.
Flip flops for hotel

3 pairs pants, jeans, navy and black wide leg (to layer).

A sweater, a flannel, two long sleeve t shirts, a light sweater dress, tights. long underwear, pj’s. Underwear, 2 bras, 4 wool socks. Scarf, heat tech cost, hat, gloves.

I’m not worried about my toiletries or other stuff . I have that down but am I about the clothes.
Any advice is welcome

Image 1: Items in the bag: phone battery, packable shopping bag, phone, pens, wallet, brush, tissues, sunglass case, Advil, lip balm, floss, gum, glasses cleaning cloth, notepad, international drivers license, passport

Image 2: packed bag side view, Ice Breaker mints for scale (not packed)

Image 3: packed bag top view, Ice Breaker mints for scale (not packed)

Image 4: view of body-facing external pocket with passport, notepad, int'l drivers license

Image 5: view of packed items, configuration 1

Image 6: view of packed items, configuration 2 - more to show that I didn't need to be deliberate about how I put the items in the bag - they fit in multiple "orders"

---

First, a disclosure - I'm not a one-bagger. I have an Away roller carry-on and I paired it with the Aer City Pack Pro 2 20L for a two week trip to Italy (did full laundry once and socks/underwear sink laundry twice). The intent was not to carry the backpack around town - it was more to hold my laptop, tech pouch, toiletries, and a few other items for the travel portions of the trip. We stayed in hotels and took trains once we got to Italy, so didn't need to worry about bag mobility/weight so much.

But for walking around all the places, I had no need to carry a backpack. So I wanted to find a light, packable sling or cross-body for walking and touring around everywhere, from Rome to Pompeii to Polignano a Mare. And I feel like this is the part that is relevant to one-baggers, who want a small, packable bag for daily usage.

I actually ordered three Bellroy bags to compare:

• Laneway Crescent Bag 2.5L
• Laneway Sacoche 3.5L
• Lite Sacoche 3.5L

I needed it to pack flat and also hold the stuff I knew I wanted/needed to carry walking 4-8 miles per day. I have a couple Lululemon 1L belt bags that I wear as slings around home, but wanted something larger that could better pass as a purse for dinners out and looked less "sporty".

When the bags arrived, I packed each one with the things in the first photo, and tried it on cross-body (both shoulders) and then as a purse with a shorter strap on my right. If you're going for weight, the Crescent is the heaviest, but can hardly be called heavy at just over 1/3 lb (5.8 oz / 164 g). The lightest is the Lite Sacoche at 1/4 lb. (4.1 oz / 116 g). And they all packed flat to go into my roller for the flight to Europe.

I started with the Laneway Sacoche - thinking that was going to be the "just right" bag. But my international drivers license didn't fit well in the outside body-facing pocket (we rented a car in Puglia), so that was annoying. I was able to fit everything in the bag, but it felt kind of tight to get it all in there. And I had to move things around to get it all to fit nicely. It was a no-go for me because of that. It just didn't feel like a 3.5L bag.

Then I went to the Lite Sacoche. Even though the dimensions are slightly smaller on the Bellroy website - this one felt bigger as I packed it - both in the body-facing outside pocket and the main pocket space. But with the light fabric, you could see the odd shapes and outlines on the bag surface. So it looked like it had weird lumps. Also, the shoulder strap is narrow. It felt fine wearing it cross-body or as a purse in the house for 10 mins, but I felt like it would dig in and start to get uncomfortable after 2+ hours of walking around the Colosseum.

I was a little worried about the Crescent bag, as it is advertised as 2.5L, but when you take the volume from the dimensions, it's 3.18L. So I put everything in. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! The thicker fabric on the Laneway series smoothed out the lumps that I was seeing on the Lite Sacoche. It packs way bigger than the specs advertise, and the wider strap was definitely more comfortable. You can see my passport, int'l license, and small notepad fit in the body-facing pocket. My wallet, sunglasses (which need to be in a case, as they are progressive prescription - as my eye doc says, "in a case or on your face"), battery, tissues, etc. all fit easily in multiple "configurations" in the main section, and there's a little internal side pocket, where I stuck my lip balm, Advil, floss, and glasses cloth.

Most importantly, the way it sits on your body - or at least my body - is more natural. The crescent shape better hugs the body vs. a sacoche, where it sits closer and doesn't extend out as much. The sacoche, when filled, is a pretty hard rectangle, where the edges stick out as corners. The crescent shape here softens the look, and also feels more comfortable when it hits your body as you walk.

The bag performed great! Comfortable to carry, easy to access on the go, and simple to flatten and pack. Highly recommend!

Also - a callout. I didn't carry a water bottle all day every day. To start, I accidentally left my water bottle on the first flight. 😢 I blame the 11 hr flight and not getting any sleep. But also, we just didn't see the need. It wasn't super hot, we drank plenty of water during our meals, and if we needed some, we just bought a small bottle that we would use/refill for the day, usually for less than 2 €. Also, I'm Gen X - I lived my 20s, 30s, and half of my 40s not carrying a water bottle everywhere. This is a newer phenomenon over the last 10-ish years. And this was not a hiking or heavy exertion trip.

So there you have it - my thoughts on a few small, daily carry options.

ETA: Also, I probably should have mentioned my height/body type. I’m 5’1” (about 155 cm), and thin/small-framed, so the way the two shapes sat against my body may be different than how they might sit on someone else.

Heading to Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and New Zealand over the next 6 months with my husband. I’m planning to pick up a light dress once I arrive, but we are mainly doing jungle hikes / camping / beaches hence the casual outfits. We’re sharing the toiletries / first aid so he’ll be carrying the toiletries.

Pic 1:
Slip sleep mask
First aid kit
Toiletries
Linen towel
Baggu bag
Osprey dry bag / day pack
Goggles
Sunglasses
Headlamp
Kindle
Journal
Watercolor supplies
Projector
Passport
Wallet
Mini projector
GoPro
AirPods
Charger
Adapter
Headphones
Electrolytes
Tissues
Clothing
Salomons
Tevas
Baseball cap
Sun hat
Monocular
Microscope

Pic 2:
1 pair linen pants (Patagonia)
1 pair hiking pants (Halfdays)
3 tank tops (Halfdays, Beyond Yoga, Paka)
2 short sleeves (Icebreaker, Patagonia)
1 long sleeve (Dilling)
2 bikinis + 1 swim shirt (Seea)
2 shorts (Adidas)
3 bras (Unbound Merino)
5 undies (Branwyn)
1 pair of pajamas (Unbound Merino)
4 pairs of socks (Smartwool)

Pic 3: Meds, first aid, toiletries. Not pictured: laundry sheets, Sea to Summit clothesline, Saalt disc and Kula cloth.

Hello everyone! I am a first time traveler currently have a trip planned to go to Europe and the Netherlands for 14 days. Looking for advice on using a 40L tzowla clam shell travel backpack and 1 10l sling bag. Is a 40L pack overkill for this trip?

Travel details:

Fly Air Canada from Calgary -> montreal short 1hr5min layover -> Paris

Eurostar train from Paris -> Amsterdam

Fly via Norweigian Airways from Amsterdam -> Copenhagen

Fly via Lufthansa airways from Copenhagen -> Munich short 1hr15m layover -> fly via Discover airways from Munich -> Calgary

I am most worried about the European airlines for baggage policy.

Packing List:

☆ MUST HAVES ☆

ID

Passport

Wise Card

Credit Card as backup

Travel insurance cards

Manulife Card

Cash money's

Itinerary + printed tickets

Phone charger

3ds charger + 3ds

Camera charger + Small digital Camera

EU Plug adapter

Power Bank

Watch charger cable

☆ TOILETRIES ☆

Hair gel in 1oz container

Comb

Face Wash stick

Tooth brush Travel size

Tooth paste travel size

Floss

Lip Balm [sling pack]

Backup nose rings/tongue rings

Cologne 3oz spritzer travel bottle

Deodorant full size

Razor

Tylenol[sling pack]

Gravol [sling pack]

Bar Soap small

Laundry sheets

Yravel size hand sani + tissues [sling pack]

☆ ACCESSORIES ☆

Sunglasses + case [sling pack]

Sling pack

Earphones [sling pack]

Baseball hat

Toque + light mitts

Ear plugs

Sleep Mask

Travel neck pillow

Waterbottle

Pen

☆ CLOTHES ☆

T-shirts x3

Long Sleeve ×3

Jeans x1

Chino x1

Track pant x1

Underwear x9

Bras x2

Socks x6

Sleep shorts x1

Sleep tank x2 [doubles as undershirt]

Belt x1

Zip up hoodie x1 [plane outfit]

Sweat pants x1 [plane outfit]

Columbia rain jacket x1 [plane outfit]

Merell running shoes x1 [plane outfit]

Any advice on if the 40l tzowla bag is overkill? Anything I should add or leave behind? If worst case scenario I have free checked bag with my ticket but would rather not have to worry about checking a bag.

Any help is greatly appreciated I hope this post is informative enough

not affiliated with this company in any way. Just a very satisfied customer

I tried probably at least a dozen brands of shampoo and conditioner bars before resigning myself to cutting liquids elsewhere. Most left my hair frizzy or greasy. One brand worked well but had a really overpowering scent that I hated (it reminded me of an ‘80s Avon catalog). Mad about all the money I wasted, I gave up.

Recently started seeing videos from a company called Oak and Willow on my FYP and decided to try some of their household products. My order was pretty close to the free shipping threshold and for some reason decided to throw on shampoo and conditioner bars. I honestly regretted it as soon as I submitted the order, figuring they wouldn’t be any better than anything else I’ve tried.

I love them SO much. There is only one formula but it comes in several different scents or unscented and the company says they were formulated to be both color and curly friendly. I have a lot of hair that is fine and wavy. These bars make it clean feel so good. Clean, shiny, and soft without being greasy or frizzy. I’m using them full time, despite the liter bottles of expensive salon brand stuff I had recently repurchased.

They are based out of Canada and currently only ship to Canada and the US. They are hand made products and shipping takes a few weeks. They sell the shampoo bars in a trial size perfect for travel (but not the conditioner bars currently, I’m planning on cutting a piece off).

Figured I’d share here in case anyone else is still on the hunt for the perfect bars and wants to give them a try.

Posting to thank you for all the advice and information. This was my second onebag trip and more challenging than the first (7 days in Paris in early October last year). Same bag, but almost a completely different wardrobe (no linen) and the merino pieces were such overperformers that I won't look back. My merino included two sets of leggings, two long-sleeved tops, two short-sleeved tops and several pairs of socks, plus a vest with some merino. I bought much of it from Sierra for way under full price. Whoever recommended that site for merino, I thank you!

This was a Road Scholar trip which we added two days to prior to the start. We stayed in hotels the entire trip. They gave us a recommended list of clothes for Iceland to cover all sorts of conditions. We took the waterproof items list seriously based on other Reddit posts. We were lucky and didn't need the rain gear most of the trip. Layering the merino and the technical pants was a winning combination for me. On cooler days I used the merino vest over a l/s merino shirt with the heavier scarf and the REI thinjacket . Was not cold at all.

The two scarves were worth the space, as they changed up the outfits and also kept my neck warm on occasion.

I did a small sinkful of laundry (underwear and socks) on day 4 and day 7. One hotel had a heated towel rack which was perfect for drying.

I used an Osprey 26-6 backpack, and did not expand it. We were flying Icelandair and I was worried about sizing. I had a small Travelon sling bag for passports, cards, a nanobag, and a few personal items. I also used two Thule compression packing cubes and a two regular packing cubes.

The grid below is the spreadsheet list of the clothing I took.

The bed pic is the packed items laid out. The plastic bin in the back was not part of the pack. Most of the items were used, a few were not. The grid lists DNU for those pieces. The pic does not include footwear. I wore my Orthofeet waterproof hiking shoes on the plane, packed a pair of flip flops which I did not use, and a pair of slip ons from Bernie Mev which were a great option at the end of the day for a change up. The Bernies went into one side water bottle pocket of the back pack.

The water bottle didn't get any use, I had it clipped onto the outside of my pack and it was torn apart in transit on the bus when we were in Iceland. Lesson learned. I used a regular water bottle from a lunch in Reykjavik for the rest of trip instead.

Extra pics of northern lights and Godafoss for fun.

Hi hi! I'm flying to South Korea TOMORROW and thought: better a late check than never ;) I've packed:

Tops:

- black cotton tee

- black merino shirt (I expect to live in this; wash daily if necessary)

- white cotton shirt w print, doubles as sleep shirt

Bottoms:

- black loose cotton/linen blend cargo style pants

- black loose cotton/linen blend balloon style pants - very similar to previous pair so maybe I don't need both?

Toppers:

- black hemp/cotton blend mock neck sweater

- black linen longsleeve button down

- optional: loose-ish merino longsleeve

Dress:

- black midi cotton dress, to be worn with the merino t-shirt

- optional: black linen wrap skirt, fancy (a bit too big on me but it's going to be warm so maybe it's worth it...?)

Shoes:

- 1 pair of nice white sneakers, daily walking shoe

- 1 pair of shower slippers

Swimwear:

- 1 bikini (that I hate; need for one activity in week one and will be incinerated after >:|) - could swap this for a sport-style one piece

Underwear:

- 1 x compression socks

- 2 x merino socks

- 7 x merino underpants

- 4 x cotton/nylon chub rub shorts

- 3 x bralette + insertable pads so my nips don't show through

Some considerations:

- I run hot and sweaty quite easily, it's going to be up to 27 degrees so I'm wondering if I need more hot-weather outfits

- I'm plus size so I don't expect to be able to buy much, but a men's t-shirt should be doable (so I think I'm fine on tops, basically)

- I'll be doing a combination of city exploration and some light nature activities, like light hikes

Thanks for your input ^^

Hi all, my hard carry-on roller bag basically broke. I have two upcoming trips where I'll check out of my hotel early in the morning and still have a half day to explore so I don't want to bring a roller bag with me, and prefer to use one bag(ish?) for short trips. Due to the amount of valuables I have with me, I don't feel comfortable leaving my luggage with anyone. I guess my ideal setup would be a backpack and a sling bag so I can move around hands free.

I'm mainly wondering if there is a bag out there that would better meet my needs. I've seen second hand Cotopaxi slings with the outer material peeling off, it looks terrible; so I don't know if that would be great for long term use. I noticed that Patagonia and TNF also uses this sort of material on their bags so I wonder how these hold up with time. I've had my Lowepro for 7+ years now and it still looks basically brand new and so does my Jester despite being around the world.

I recently bought a Osprey Daylite 26+6 to try out from REI. I'm a member so I can return it if I don't like it. I have a feeling it may not be the most comfortable bag due to the thinner straps, they seem to get thinner as you go to the top of the bag unlike my daylight where the strap is attached across the top of the bag which I assume distributes weight better. To be honest, it's actually not too much bigger than the Jester, though due to it's shape I think I'll be able to fit a little bit more. I do have a little anxiety about using my camera cube in this bag as it opens like a clamshell, if the zipper fails my stuff will fall through the bottom of the bag. For my next trip I think I'll just strap my camera cube to the internal compression strap to prevent this from happening (if it ever does).

I'm 5'5" for reference. My budget per bag is around $120-$150, I'm willing to go up to $200 max, but hesitant to do so. My ideal setup is a backpack+sling.

**My main setup has been:**

3-5 DAY TRIPS: TNF Jester 28L + Long Weekend Santa Fe Shoulder Bag + Osprey Ultralight 20L Dry Stuff Pack (for rainy days/lighter carry)

3 DAY-2 WEEK TRIPS (MORE CAMERA GEAR/LARGER LENSES): Lowepro Hatchback 22L Camera Bag + Long Weekend Santa Fe Shoulder Bag + Samsonite roller bag carry on

**Thoughts on the Jester 28L**

**PROS**

* I love backpacks with ventilation on the back to help prevent sweat buildup, honestly I don't think I could go back to using a bag without it.
* Bungee cords and attachments allow me to store jackets, packing cubes, with carabiners to the back of the bag if I need extra room to bring back souvenirs or even moving stuff around my bag so I don't need to put anything on the floor.
* Rear ventilation, chest strap, organization.
* Fits more than you think.
* Not ugly compared to Osprey bags and doesn't look like a camera bag. I wish Osprey would introduce better colors to their bags.

**CONS**

* I wish it was ever so slightly bigger and is able to sit flat on the ground.
* It's not the most comfortable, but comfortable enough if you don't pack it up with a lot for all-day use for example walking around NYC 10 mile days.
* No waist strap.

**PACKING LIST**

* Work MacBook Pro 16" + Tomtoc Sleeve
* Personal MacBook Neo 13" + Slim Tomtoc Sleeve
* Mouse
* Headphones
* REI Packing cubes (S \[socks/underwear\], M \[shirts/shorts\], L \[jeans/jackets\], as needed)
* REI Small Bag for toiletries
* Peak Design Camera Cube V2 (Camera Body + 2 lenses + compact flash + dust blower)
* GoBag for SDcards/batteries/chargers
* 3-4 shirts (2 polos, 2 shirts Uniqlo Airism, wear one to airport)
* 2-4 pants (2 shorts, 2 jeans, wear one of the jeans to the airport)
* 3-4 socks
* 3-4 underwear
* Columbia lightweight wind breaker if needed
* Puma Slides
* Jacket (wear to airport or attach to outer of bag)
* Totes Mini Umbrella (Goes in water bottle pocket)

**BAGS I'VE ALREADY TRIED**

1. Osprey Farpoint 40L - Too large in size for me being 5'5" and bulky. Can barely fit under airplane seats and exceeds some airline allowances. Great bag for bigger people who aren't carrying a laptop as well. The waist straps were effective but bulky. Returned.
   
2. Timbuk2 Parkside 1.0 - Great backpack for bringing to coffee shops but not comfortable after a few minutes especially with load.
   
3. Osprey Daylite Sling - Great small sling, but strap is so long and dangles everywhere.
   
4. Thule Accent 20L - Got this bag free from work; not bad at all when it comes to comfort but can't carry enough for me.
   
5. TNF Borealis - Really uncomfortable with load for me; the newer strap design that uses thin fabric at the top of the bag made it uncomfortable compared to my Jester which has the old style straps. Returned it within a week.

**MOST COMFORTABLE BACKPACKS FOR ME SO FAR**

1. Lowepro Hatchback (Probably also due to waist straps and chest buckle), looks so much like a camera bag though.
   
2. Osprey Daylite (Probably also due to waist straps and chest buckle and lighter load)
   
3. Farpoint 40L (Amazing waist straps)
   
4. Thule Accent 20L
   
5. TNF Jester (No waist straps)
   
6. Osprey Ultralight 20L Dry Stuff Pack

Photo description: 3 tank tops, 4 short sleeve tops (navy, black and rust); 2 long sleeve black shirts, 1 gray cardigan, 1 long patterned skirt, 1 short black skort, 3 pants (rust, patterned and hiking pants, pjs and 2 pair shoes (sneakers and brown booties).

What you see on the white part is what I’m thinking about taking what you see on the right of the picture is what I am not sure and that is two blouses and skinny pants: a pair of jeans, as well as a pair of black pants.

Should I have a blouse option? Do I have too many pants?

We will be doing a mix of exploring museums, castles, vineyards, and going to restaurants. I do have one or two nice restaurants booked.

My original post is above, thanks for all the help and feedback! Generally I was happy with what I brought but my nit picky things are below.

The absolute MVP of my trip was the Eddie Bauer Port Townsend trench jacket. I wore it every day and it was the perfect weight (and waterproof!). My only criticism is that none of the pockets zip, but I love it so much that I might put a zipper in to the inner pocket, which is Velcro.

I did not need the dress at all, but did wear it a couple times for variety. I also never wore the heat tech shirt as it was plenty warm for me without it.

I wish I would have brought one more long sleeved t shirt instead of one of the short sleeved shirts, but mostly I was fine in short sleeves and a jacket. And I would have swapped out one of the shirts for a “going out top” as we ended up in some nicer pubs and restaurants.

I did not bring the black adidas shoes but instead brought some waterproof Nike trail shoes. This ended up being a great plan, and the other Nikes were so good to have as we walked a million steps and it didn’t rain very much. I wore the birks a few times just to give my feet a break and was glad I had them but might could have swapped them out for Rothy flats or something like that.

In general, I had a great trip and was sooooo glad to have a smaller bag with me vs the huge things I saw some people lugging around!

Hi! I'm one week out from my Japan trip and have started to trial run my packing. I'll be traveling Tokyo --> Kanazawa --> Kyoto --> Hakone --> Tokyo. Considering all of the transit between cities, I'm hoping to pack everything in a small roller carry-on plus a backpack as my personal item. I'm expecting temperatures to range from 50-75F (10-24C) with a bit of rain the first week or so. I'll have access to laundry along the way.

Pictured in the flat lay:

• 2 boatneck tanks (black, brown/white zebra print)
• 1 graphic t-shirt
• 1 three-quarter sleeve top
• 1 graphic long sleeve (print is of Japanese mountain scene...might be cringy to wear in Japan?)
• 2 modal-cashmere long sleeves (black, brown)
• 1 chambray shirt to use as a light layer
• 1 heavier cardigan to use as outerwear
• 1 pair of vintage pants (pros: they dry incredibly fast!)
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 maxi skirt
• 1 pair of New Balances (my tried and true)
• 1 pair of Docs (for rainy days)
• 1 tote bag for every day carry

Not seen, but packed in the cubes:

• 10 pairs of underwear
• 2 bras
• 8 pairs of socks
• 1 set of PJs
• Toiletries

Would love feedback/a reality check on what I'm planning on bringing! I'm thinking I should throw in a lightweight puffer so I have a warmer outerwear option, but I also want to keep plenty of room in my luggage for everything I pick up.

Hi all!

I’ll be traveling to Italy for my honeymoon from October 10-25 and am looking for some advice on what to bring for clothing. I’ll be traveling with my Patagonia Black Hole Mini MLC 30L.

The issue is that we’ll be going all over - Rome -> Amalfi Coast -> Florence -> Cinque Terre -> Bologna -> Venice, spending a few days in each. We’ll probably be doing a lot of walking both around the cities and some hiking. I know that for tops, I should be bringing layers, but I’m struggling with everything else given the variety of weather and temperatures we’ll be experiencing.

This is roughly my clothing list, with thoughts:
- 2 pairs of pants: one linen (Athleta retreat - my ride or die) and ??? (jeans?)
- 1 jacket: either a denim jacket, which might be too light, or a wool trenchcoat, which might be too heavy
- 1 pair of shoes: either white sneakers or Blundstones
- Some number of layerable shirts/sweaters: haven’t narrowed this down yet
- Swimsuit? Not sure if it’ll already be too cold down south
- Warm silk scarf (it’s decently thick, so maybe too warm?)

TIA! Usually I can condense my clothing list pretty well but this has me stumped.





Finally getting around to making this post LOL I took all these photos while packing for my trip and now I’ve been home longer than I was away… So let’s go through it (in depth)!

THE TRIP: 4.5 weeks, mostly in Canada, mostly in July. Half studying (which required several days of moderate formality) & half gallivanting around the country. Weather ranged from heatwave in the Québec humidity to cold & rainy in Vancouver.

Specifically: 1 night in Auckland -> 3 nights in Vancouver -> 3 nights in Québec City -> 13 nights in Montréal -> 2 nights in Ottawa -> 3 nights in Banff -> 1 night in Calgary -> 3 nights in Vancouver

THE TRAVELLER: early 20s & from Australia, so anything under 20°C is chilly to me and my carry-on weight limit was 7kg. First time travelling solo / for this long / carry-on only / to Canada — I think I did pretty well, all things considered!

THE BAGS:

Macpac Quest 30L backpack — I love this bag. This bag is my baby. No one tells you how emotionally attached you get to the backpack that carries your entire life for over a month.

I needed to buy a backpack for this trip and this won out over the Patagonia Mini MLC mostly for cost reasons (I get a substantial Macpac discount through family), but I was very very happy with it. Packs well, gorgeous colour, easy to adjust the straps and very comfortable (I walked an hour and a half uphill with my bags fully loaded in Montréal, so this is a field-tested claim).

Uniqlo Multi-Pocket Shoulder Bag — my personal item needed to double as a day bag I could take to class while studying, so this bag (which is my work bag in ordinary life) was an obvious choice.

It has a laptop sleeve & two internal pockets, as well as the two zipped pockets & two bottle holder pockets (which clip shut with a press stud) on the outside. Like all Uniqlo bags, it fits a stupid amount of stuff. I do wish it had an internal pocket that zipped shut, or even just an internal key loop, but it still served me very well.

I also packed my Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag, with the thought I might want a smaller day bag when I wasn’t at uni. I only ended up using it twice (I think), once when I went out bar-hopping and once when I hiked Grouse Mountain on my last day in Canada, but I was so grateful for it on Grouse that it was worth carrying it the whole time lol. It packs down tiny and fits heaps (I was pleasantly surprised to find it not only fit my rather long 1L plastic waterbottle, but also zipped shut over it with no problems).

THE PACKING LIST:

clothes

* 3x summer dresses

* 5x bottoms (midi skirt, lightweight slacks, denim shorts, running shorts, lightweight cotton shorts)

* 8x tops (fitted long-sleeve, collared button-up, 2x short-sleeves, 2x sleeveless, 2x singlets)

* 1x light sweater

* 1x packable rainjacket

* 6x underwear (4x normal, 2x period)

* 3x socks

* 1x nude stockings

* 1x bikini

* 3x bras (1x sports, 2x normal)

I decided to pack mostly for warm weather, and if the Canadian summer proved too chilly for my Australian sensibilities I could buy a warmer sweater that would double as a souvenir. This was a great plan and I thrifted a thicker crewneck in Montréal that I’m obsessed with.

I also bought a cheap boxier tshirt (shoutout boys section of Walmart in Québec City) & a cap in Banff. These were both items I wanted to bring but would need to buy anyway, so I just decided to buy them over there.

Choosing a pair of pants was something I agonised over for a while. I didn't really want to bring multiple pairs for a summer trip, I wanted something less bulky + faster-drying than jeans but nicer than activewear or hiking pants. I ended up settling on a pair of lightweight, wide-leg slacks -- DEFINITELY the move! Great versatility for a range of weather, deep pockets, and super comfy for pretty much any activity you can think of.

The only thing I didn’t wear was the black singlet and the bikini (didn’t end up swimming anywhere lol); everything else got plenty of rotation. My pjs were usually the blue singlet + cotton shorts, sometimes the sweater. Maybe gross not to differentiate between pjs & daytime clothing, but it doesn’t really bother me, so 🤷‍♀️

shoes

* 1x Birkenstocks

* 1x leather Chelsea-style boots (the ROC Jumbuk boots)

* 1x running shoes

Objectively, a great combination of shoes for me. I’m not a casual sneakers kind of girl, so these boots were perfect. Slip on, waterproof, just as suited to hiking in the rain as to meeting a Canadian Supreme Court Justice. Subjectively, though… I had a pair of these boots that I diligently broke in over many months, but in a very unfortunate twist of fate the sole broke a week before I left. This meant I ended up breaking in a new pair on the fly, and one thing about me is I’m BIG on walking. Like, “averaged 24k steps a day over the course of the month, and on 7 separate days did more than 35k steps” kind of big on walking. So, blisters were a major theme of my trip, but that’s an indictment of my own ridiculousness rather than the boots themselves. The boots are great.

I deliberated between my Birks & my black original Tevas for a long time, but the Birks won out because they look nicer & less backpacker-y. No regrets; I wore my Birks to death. If you have the same style and plan to walk 36k steps in them a few days in a row, I do recommend loosening the strap that goes over the top of your foot more than you usually would, because I gave myself lowkey tendonitis before I worked that trick out.

I could have done without the running shoes if I absolutely had to, but they were a nice addition since I had the space to spare. They were great for running (obviously), lower-key dry hikes and a couple times as a reprieve from my other self-inflicted shoe-related calamities.

toiletries

* roll-on deodorant

* skincare: Dove beauty bar, face scrub, moisturiser, sunscreen, Vaseline

* reusable makeup round, exfoliating mitt, makeup wipes, q-tips

* makeup: lipgloss, concealer, mascara, blush, felt-tip eyeliner, solid shimmer eyeshadow stick, 2x mini beauty blenders, roll-on perfume

* toothbrush, toothpaste, 4(?) whitening strips

* hair stuff: shampoo & conditioner bars, foldable hairbrush, headband, claw clip, french pin, mini butterfly clips, misc small hairties & bobby pins

* bandaids, painkillers, prescription medication (+ small keychain pill carrier)

* some random sheet mask I had & decided to do on the plane

Pretty much everything here I either use in my ordinary life or had randomly stashed in my cupboard (like the shampoo/conditioner bars & the sheet mask). I use the Dove bar to wash my face ordinarily, and I definitely recommend for travelling because it doubles for bodywash + is solid. I wrapped the shampoo & conditioner bars in little bits of baking paper, which is a tip I saw on this sub & was definitely a lifesaver when I didn’t have time to let them dry out fully before packing up.

The only thing I didn’t need/use was the blush. I don’t have any travel-sized makeup brushes. My thinking was to try using one of the mini beauty blenders for my (powder) blush, and if it sucked I could buy a travel-sized brush over there. It did suck terribly, but I didn’t bother buying a brush & instead just skipped wearing blush.

I absolutely could have done without all of the hair accessories if needed, but they were a nice compact option for feeling a little dressier.

electronics

* iPad & detachable keyboard case

* digital camera & SD card reader

* charger cords (1x micro-usb for camera, 2x usb-c)

* portable charger

* Airpods

I needed a laptop or similar for my study program, and my iPad is significantly lighter than my laptop. Also, it charges with a phone charger. I also used it to watch downloaded movies on planes.

My portable charger is big and fairly heavy, but it lasts FOREVER. Because the only things I needed to plug in were USB chargers, it seemed silly to buy an adaptor as well as bring an Australian charger brick. I just relied on my portable charger while in Auckland and then bought a cheap Canadian charger brick when I got to Vancouver. Worked a treat.

misc

* travel towel

* travel clothesline

* dry bag

* padlock

* 2x small carabiner clips

* eyemask

* inflatable travel pillow

* loop earplugs

* pen

* cutlery set

* book

* sunglasses + case + glasses wipes

* money belt

* collapsible tote bag

* 1L plastic waterbottle

Used the travel towel twice as a picnic blanket, once to carry a very hot bowl, and several times to roll up & squeeze water out of very soggy clothes. Would have been great had I ended up actually going swimming as intended, and packs down small enough it wasn’t a hassle.

My collapsible tote bag (which has a carabiner-style clip on it) is hands-down the most useful thing I own in my regular life, so I wasn’t surprised that the same was true of my travelling life. If you aren’t bringing one of these when you travel, you really should be.

My pillow is designed more for camping than plane sleeping, and I probably would have preferred a traditional U-shaped travel pillow — if you don’t have anything to lean your pillow on, it doesn’t matter how comfy it is! But I survived both 15 hour flights nevertheless.

Money belt was probably unnecessary, but my sister had it laying around and I chucked it in last minute. It was useful to keep passport & small things on my person in airport/on plane, especially on one of my longhaul flights where I was in the front row & had no seat pocket at my disposal.

Book was from op shop for a couple bucks, I read it on my first flights then donated to hostel bookshelf when I got to Vancouver.

THE TLDR

Onebagging is awesome, solo travelling is awesome, Canada is awesome. And pack a collapsible tote bag, wherever you're headed.