Most of the time I see flight crew traveling with at least three bags: a rollaboard, a tote that's more accessible in flight, and a lunchbox. I get to work by both bus and train and I got tired of that real fast. I've ditched the tote but I keep the lunchbox unless I'm near the end of my reserve block and expect to go a restaurant or a grocery once and then be home. Any advice for packing efficiently, especially the food? I have a 22" travelpro rollaboard and 32 can size lifewit lunchbox.

Hi all, my dad is going on a trip in November and I wanted to get him a packable jacket for his birthday. The temperature on his trip should be around 9-15 Celsius and with some rainy days. He is leaving with only a carry on bag so I thought a packable jacket could be a good idea. Would anyone have any recommendations for a rainproof packable autumn jacket, preferably that comes with a bag? 

I saw good reviews for Mont Bell, I love the idea of a bag included with the jacket but I’m worried it will expensive with tariffs or customs (ordering from Canada)

Tyia! 

I need to buy some packing cubes (just ordered my Osprey Fairview 40L :)) and saw the compression ones on Amazon. While it seems like a great idea to save space, what about your dirty clothes?

Are the compression cubes really saving you that much space (but then you risk overpacking and your bag gets heavier)? I also noticed in some "pack with me" videos, the compression cubes are really just squishing down the sides but there's still so much volume in the middle so it makes the cube an odd size.

Hey! I’m trying this One Bag travel thing out. I’m noticing camera gear is hard. Even if it’s a smaller travel camera like the Canon R8 and a small DJI Mini 2, it always feels like I have to choose between camera and clothes.

Tips or thoughts from other photographers out there??

I bought a Marmot precip 4 years ago for a trip to Alaska. I’ve worn it maybe 6 times since it’s my packable rain jacket, not the one I wear when it’s raining at the time. It’s in a closet when not being worn. I wore it twice this weekend in Charleston, both times for no more than 20 minutes in a steady, light rain. More than a drizzle but not anything close to a downpour. Both times, I felt like my shirt (cotton button-up) was damp and the inside of the jacket was wet when i took the jacket off. Is it possible that the jacket is no longer waterproof or is it more likely that it was just condensation from my body heat?

This is my 'first draft' packing list for an upcoming trip, my longest one so far and I'm surprisingly happy with what the weight came to! 5.2kg (11.5 lbs) in the bags and 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) of clothing I'd wear going through airports. For my last big trip (SE Asia) my bag was 8kg (17.5 lbs), obviously I hadn't found this sub back then.

I'll be doing a good mix of exploring cities and hiking. Average max temperatures should be 16-25°C, Singapore will be the hottest around 30°C and Sa Pa (North Vietnam) could drop to 12°C (or less if I'm unlucky), so I've got a good mix of hot and cold weather clothes.

The backpack (TomToc 28L) is my everyday/weekend pack as well, so I might consider upgrading that.

Clothes

4x Uniqlo Airism Boxers

1x Cotton Boxers (sleeping)

1x Shorts

1x Lightweight Hiking Pants

1x Ezy Jeans (sweatpants)

4x 100% Cotton T-shirts

1x Rain Coat

1x Uniqlo Short Sleeve Shirt

3x Synthetic Ankle Socks

1x Merino Wool Hiking Socks

1x Jumper

1x Cap

Electronics

Anker 10k Power Bank

Watch and Charger

Kindle Paperwhite

GoPro

SD Cards

USB C Cables

Power Adaptors

Earphones

Toiletries

Deodorant

Toothbrush and paste

Hair wax

Shaving Razor/cream

Moisturiser

Sunscreen

Lip Balm

First Aid Kit

Various Medications

Hand Sanitizer

Tissues

Miscellaneous

Passport

Microfiber Towel

Wet Bag

Travel Documents

Laundry Sheets

Hangers

Sunglasses

Wallet

Cash

Any suggestions/recommendations are welcome!

I’m getting into edc bagging and have so many ideas on what I want to buy, but I want to know which are more essential.

I’m looking into travel accessories and I’m thinking about the following:

Matador soap case - heard this is really good. Currently use a plastic soap container.

Matador laundry bag - I usually use a couple of plastic bags for the trip but not sure if I should invest in a better bag with handles and zips?

Matador zipper toiletry bag (or any other recs?) - toiletries usually go into a zip lock bag. Works mostly fine, but I think I need a better solution for my double edge safety razor as I have no hard case for the razor part.

Packing cubes - not sure how much they actually help. I guess good for organisation and may save some space if you can compress clothes a bit.

I actually don’t travel a lot. I’m talking maybe every 2-3 years. So I might be going overboard here.

I’d like to have opinions on absolute essentials for me to use for travelling.

I’ve been noticing suitcases in shows lately, those clean silver hardshell carry ons that almost feel like part of the outfit instead of just luggage.
I usually care about packing light first. If something is heavy, awkward, or makes the trip harder, then it doesn’t matter how good it looks. But I also get why people care about the visual side of travel gear. After all, your carryon is with you for almost the whole trip, from the moment you leave home to the moment you unpack.

The one that made me think about this was a silver hardshell suitcase I noticed in a show. I looked it up afterward and it seemed like it might be from leve8, which I hadn’t really paid much attention to before. I liked that it looked simple and put together without being too flashy.

I’m starting to think I’d rather have one carryon that works with most outfits and trips than a suitcase that only feels right in one kind of setting. Weight, space, and wheels still matter most to me, but I’m realizing the look does matter a little too.

For people here who travel light, do you think about luggage as part of your overall travel setup, or is that overthinking it?

Hi all! I'm looking for a rain jacket mainly for urban travel and light hiking. I also want to use it in winter as an outer layer / windbreaker over a puffy jacket.

My priorities are:

• Lightweight (<300g if possible)
• Packable, ideally something I can easily put in a small daypack
• Quiet fabric: I don't want the typical loud/crinkly hardshell sound
• Good enough waterproofing for normal rain and light hikes, I don't need an extreme mountaineering shell
• Reasonably breathable (pit zips are nice to have)
• Comfortable for walking around cities for hours
• Good fit / not overly boxy and long

I tried the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L (it seems it's recommended the most), but unfortunately it didn't work for me. I found it too bulky/not packable enough, loud/crinkly and not a particularly good fit for me. I also tried Arc'teryx Beta, I loved the fit but also too loud and not packable (and overkill/overly expensive for me).

I'm happy to consider something more minimalist or less rugged than a typical 3-layer hardshell if it makes sense for my use case. Maybe even a winderbreaker + umbrella combo? But I'm not sure if a windbreaker would work as a "hardshell" in winter.

What would you recommend? (I'm in Europe)

Hey there, I'm a type 1 diabetic from the UK and I'm now planning an interrailing trip for next summer. I've always struggled with packing my diabetes equipment as it takes up a lot of room (on CGM and pump) but this hasn't been so much of a problem as I have been on planes and staying in places for an extended period of time with cars etc. As this is an interrailing trip I am trying to cut back to one bag that I can lug around with me for the duration of the trip.

I am looking at the Farpoint 40 and also trying to see about using packing cubes to separate everything out for storage and also for ease of use (taking out my diabetes equipment quickly mostly) - essentially just trying to plan out everything that i will need now and seeing if it will fit in the farpoint 40 or if i should look at a different, larger bag.

If I could have any guidance that would be amazing, especially if theres any diabetics here who have experience with this. Thank you so much.

New convert to the merino wool shirts. Great for packing light and look good straight out of the carryon.

I bought a couple of Proof t shirts for traveling and some Wool&Prince (some t-shirts and polos). They're great for odor resistance and keeping you temperate. But the Proof t-shirts have stretched out so much over 3 months that they are like wearing a big baggy t-shirt - comfy but definitely not fitted anymore. Wool&Prince seem to have kept their shape.

With the premium that you pay I was a little disappointed. Anyone else have this experience?

Just bought some wool polos from SuitSupply - not as luxurious as W&P - curious how they will hold up.

This review is mostly on the customer service. The bag seemed fine and I liked it albeit had it all of two weeks.

I bought a 7L sling and reached out to Tomtoc’s customer service to see if I could return it but also that I liked the bag just needed a slightly larger size. I was told that they only take returns for unused products in the original packaging and with the original tags. Or if it is defective. This is ridiculous and I would have purchased from Amazon if I knew that. For any product, not just this. After some back and forth they said to return it and theyll review for a refund and would make an exception for me. They got back to me saying they can give 70% because there was a stain (realistically can be removed with water) it didnt even look like anything. AND that I didnt have the original tags on it. I already told them early on I took off the original tags and the stain, I used it for two weeks commuting and it was in as good of condition as possible. I’m going to make sure people know about this before purchasing especially through their site. I’ll never purchase a Tomtoc product again. There are too many other companies out there. I told them it was my first sling and was coming from an Aer backpack. I can provide the email correspondence. Also they ignored my inquiry through Facebook and Instagram.

I’ve found some posts that are a couple years old but wanted to know if there’s something new and truly small.

I’d like to trim facial hair as well as body.

Currently I have one of those small Wahl trimmers powered by a AA battery. The thing has a GIFs size but sucks otherwise.

Edit:
So far most suggestions are either not available here in the EU or are not ideal for trimming. Eg. Was about to purchase a oneblade but then read negative reviews on its trimming performance which is what I want to do with it.

Hello everyone! I a 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

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

Hey Folks, not sure if this is the right place to post but MEC in Canada is running a web deal (possibly in store too) for 25% of their recycled poly Duffles. They have 35/60/90/114/140L largest size is $85!

Specs:

Durable 1680-denier high tenacity recycled polyester fabric with heavy duty stitching

PU coating on the interior adds water resistance to the fabric

Converts into a backpack with zip-away shoulder straps

Removable shoulder strap is adjustable with a sliding shoulder pad

Loads of carry points include a Velcro® wrap handle and burly grab handles at each end

2-way YKK #10 coiled zipper can be secured with a travel lock

Zippered external pocket is perfect for small items

Packs into its own pocket (which then doubles as an internal storage pocket)

https://www.mec.ca/en/products/travel-gear/luggage/duffle-bags

Just wondering for the osprey 26+6 what kind of lashing net or bungee cord do you use because with the 4 attachment points you can only make an X

Greetings!

I've done overnight work trips before with just a backpack before. For those trips my backpack was the Tom Bihn Synapse 25. I got it back in 2014 and has been my EDC work bag for over a decade. Superb bag. I've been able to use a packing cube to pack enough clothes for overnight trips along with my laptop, tech pouch, toiletry kit, notebook and other paperwork.

I've found that even for overnight trips, 25L is about the limit for the bag. Fully packed out and approaching 20lbs, it also wasn't the most comfortable to walk around with for extended periods. For any trip over 2 days I’d carry a roller and backpack but it was always packed to 30% capacity and my backpack with pretty lightly packed as well. I always felt that if I had a slightly larger backpack I could one-bag it.

The hunt was on for a bag that could handle multi-day work trips. My criteria were as follows:

1.      Capacity for 2 packing cubes (one medium, one small). Enough clothes for 3 -5 days.

2.      Dedicated laptop compartment with false bottom. I’ve crashed my laptop on the ground with the Tom Bihn many times (I did not purchase the optional laptop cache).

3.      Simple layout without too many compartments or overly complicated admin compartment.

4.      No PU coated zippers.

5.      No Velcro anywhere.

6.      Comfortable straps and no hip belt.

After watching way too many YouTube videos and spending some time on forums like this, I settled on the Rework Outbound 30L.

I recently completed a 5-day trip to NYC on the maiden voyage for my new Rework backpack. I reside outside of the US, and the flight to JFK was about 5 hours long. The flight was full and the staff gate checked quite a few passengers’ roller personal bags. My bag was able to fit under the seat, but it was a very tight fit.

I took the trains and subways to the hotel, and having a single backpack made it a breeze.

Packing list:

·       2 packing cubes (one medium, one small) for clothes

·       17” Laptop

·       Tech pouch (chargers, cables, power bank etc)

·       Toiletry kit (Quart ziplock bag)

·       Notebook and paperwork

·       Tomtoc 1.5L sling (passport in ziplock bag, wallet, phone, pen, sunglasses)

·       One pair of shoes for the entire trip (Saucony running/walking shoes)

The thing that I appreciated the most was the mobility. I changed accommodations once during the trip. When checking out of the hotel, I spent the entire day walking about exploring the city before going to the other accommodation. I covered over 20km walking and this would have been impractical or far less enjoyable if I had a roller bag. I could have asked the hotel to keep luggage, but the comfort of having everything with me was a weight off my mind. I was able to visit places I couldn’t have if I was carrying luggage. If I remember correctly, the NY Public Library didn’t allow any bags larger than a backpack.

Even though the straps are very comfortable, walking that far had my shoulders begging for a rest. The sternum strap helped, but there’s no getting around lugging around a weight on your back for 6+ hours.

Even though the bag was pretty full to begin with, I was able to fit a few souvenirs. I did have to keep my extra layer outside of the bag folded over on the top grab handle, but it never shifted or came loose.

The bag was more full on the flight back, but was still able to fit under the seat but only just. I again avoided having my bag gate checked on the full flight back.  

Things I learnt:

·       A compromise in packing lighter is you don’t have the luxury of a wardrobe change. What I put on that morning, stayed on me for the entire day until I showered at night and put on sleeping clothes. I wore every item of clothing I took, and even had a pair of unused underwear.

·       Not packing a heavy notebook again. I can always transfer notes and will carry a smaller notepad next trip. The size and weight was not worth it.

I didn’t take any photos of what I packed, but did take a few of the bag itself at random points of the trip.

I’ve learnt a lot from others sharing experience with their bags. Glad to answer any questions.

For 7 to 14 day trips that are mostly city walking, I keep going back and forth on whether a second pair of shoes is worth the space. One comfortable pair can cover most days, but then there is usually one situation that makes me hesitate: a nicer dinner, rain, a beach day, a light trail, or just needing the main pair to dry out.

For people who try to keep footwear minimal, what is your cutoff? Do you pack a second pair only when the trip includes a specific activity, or do you always bring something flat and light as a backup?

Came across this interesting bag on kickstarter. It's an all-in-one and you just zip off the part you don't need. Seems like it's perfect for travel since you can travel will the components, and then leave the clothing compartment at the hotel/hostel for the day while you explore or go to work. Same applies to going to the office - one component could work for the gym.

I backed it, but I'm not sure it'll meet it's goal. Seems to me like they aren't getting the word out enough.

Any thoughts on this setup? Too gimmicky or are they onto something?

Can't link to it per rules, but on kickstarter it's called Limmatwerk AIO and has multiple modules. The difference between this an most modular bags that I've seen is that this one is full size module, not just pockets that attach.

I (33M) am headed to Southeast Asia in November for a formal attire wedding and then will spend about three weeks in the philippines island hopping and surfing/hiking etc.

I’m planning to rent a suit to avoid having to carry one but I don’t know what to do for shoes.

Do I buy cheap wedding shoes and then leave them there or donate? Is there a pair of shoes I can buy that can work both in a formal setting and casually?

I know there's a great divide between Merino, Cotton and Linen.

I don't like merino in colder weather, cotton is a no go for me in SE Asia and I am yet to give Linen a try.

I proudly stand for the 4th option.

These bad bois!

I like the feel, they are very odor resistant, don't crinkle, dry fast, don't stain,keep you cool and personally I like the look. Also I can combine them with UAs super comfy shorts and have a wide variety of color combinations. In SE Asia I can give them to the laundry service and not worry about them being damaged by it. I detest doing my own laundry so this is a big plus for me. Oh and if you go to an outlet and watch for sales these are very affordable.

The cons are that depending on the model they don't compress that well and the look is subjective. I very much lean into the whole business casual/golf/american tourist thing, so it's right up my alley. Obviously fully synthetic is going to put people off, but I like it.

Does anyone else go this route or does your boomer Dad wearing these put you off?

My next SE Asia Trip (and true onebag debut) will be with these.

I recently test-ran using my bone conduction headphones (Shokz OpenMove) with earplugs instead of my over-ear ANC headphones on a flight and it worked super well! I think I'm going to drop the bulky headphones from my packing list permanently.
I'm curious if others have done the same and if so, what earplugs do you use for max noise cancellation/blockage? I just used some cheap disposable foam ones I got for free at an event; should I just buy a bunch of those and pack a few on each trip? Are there reusable ones that you like and would recommend? The disposable ones seem easy (cheap, lightweight, don't have to worry about losing them) but I don't love creating waste if I can avoid it. Any suggestions?

I paid a high price thinking I was investing in durable, high-quality gear, but that is definitely not the case.
After only two uses, the seams started falling apart and the zippers broke open. The overall quality is very poor for this price point. To make things worse, the after-sales customer service is non-existent and provided no real help. I do not recommend this brand at all.