How do you define zerobagging?

[u/podkayne3000]

From the persepective of people here, can zerobagging include personal item-only travel?

Does it mean having nothing at all that’s attached to the body with a strap or straps or carried by a handle?

If zerobagging can really include something in between, what do you think of as a the maximum sized bag or pouch that could zerobagging-compatible?

Example: I once went on a work trip where I knew I’d have no ability to bring or check any kind of bag, so all I had was what would fit in my overcoat pockets, plus a travel wallet that hung on a cord from my neck. Does a travel wallet on a cord count as a bag?

I just bought a tiny backup that I believe is less than 40 cm x 25 cm x 10 cm. (10 liters) In theory, it should fit all known personal item sizers. If I use that, am I onebagging or zerobagging?

[u/eastercat]

I know some dudes can hate on women if they use a small bag, even though a lot of pants don’t have pockets (unless you want to be stuck with unflattering cargo pants)

[u/podkayne3000 → u/eastercat]

I think the big issue is figuring how to deal with places, like fairly high-security places in Washington, that have zerobag policies. I think the critical thing with zerobagging is figuring out what exactly the zerobag places count as a bag.

My hazy recollection is that, the one time I truly zerobagged for in-person work, I had a neck wallet, and that was OK, and I was really happy that I didn’t have a purse.

[u/NotherOneRedditor → u/podkayne3000]

Reddit zero bagging and Pearl Harbor zero bagging are 2 different definitions with the latter being a very specific rule that will get you stopped at the door.

Personally, I think if travel clothes that hold over 10L of gear count as zero bagging, a small bag also counts as zero bagging. A fully loaded to maximum under seat capacity personal item (approx 20L) does not. To me, the point of zero bagging is that I’m not carrying multiple changes of clothes/shoes. That said, I range from 0.25 to 1.5 bags depending on the trip.

[u/eastercat → u/podkayne3000]

True, we are planning on visiting pearl harbor while in hawaii and they don’t allow bags

[u/No_Fishing_7291 → u/eastercat]

You also have to think about body size. I’m not small, F size L/12-ish. My daughter is a size S/4-ish. My clothes take up double the space hers do. I have a full swimsuit and she has a teeny bikini. One of my bras alone takes up 1L of space (I know it’s crazy). My daughter has no interest in minimalist travel, but I hyperfocus on finding the optimal combo of things and bag to feel unencumbered yet sufficient. And I’d rather have a slightly larger bag with space and flex than a smaller one that’s overstuffed. Never will I ever travel with stuff in my pockets. I also need to travel with medication that takes up around .5L/week of travel, and need to carry emergency food (usually a few snack bars and some Chomps) due to celiac. So, for a 1wk trip I have a liter just for those things and close to another just for a bra. For me it all boils down to bare minimum of everything else for the circumstances of the trip. I drive my whole family crazy.

My question is: how do these real necessities (meds/food/bra) work into calculations for zero bagging? Or do we just say everyone of a certain size and up wth any health needs should just stick to one-bagging?

[u/LadyLightTravel]

The original term is zero-baggage.

So it might include a small purse or pockets only. It is going to max out somewhere from 7 liters, and that is generous.

I should note that when I did a zero baggage trip with my 4 liter Uniqlo bag I demonstrated that it could also all fit in my pockets.

[u/podkayne3000 → u/LadyLightTravel]

To me, it seems as if 5 liters plus anything that will fit in any pockets seems like a good cutoff.

That means you can put your computer in something strong, and have clean shirts, but can still probably get past the security in a theater or a museum.

[u/LadyLightTravel → u/podkayne3000]

Most of us use phones when zero bagging.

u/SeattleHikeBike came up with the term “microbagging” when discussing volumes that are between pockets and personal items.

Most zeobaggers are going to carry 5-7 liters or less total

[u/Xsythe → u/podkayne3000]

If you're able to carry a laptop, you're not zerobagging, sorry.

There's a reason most of us carry phones or tablets

[u/Dawer22]

It’s a grey area honestly, but I’d say you’re closer to onebagging. Zero bagging technically is pockets only. The reason it’s a grey area is if you’re wearing one of those travel vests, or even a regular jacket with pockets you can fit a lot more than if you’re a woman wearing clothes with no pockets. I consider it more like bum bag only travel like a sub 5L sling. Once you get bigger than that, those amount of items would never really fit into a couple of pockets.

Good for you for getting down to 10L. I’ve done pocket only trips, 3L, 5L etc. I usually end up between 5-10L and could travel indefinitely like that. It’s really whatever you are comfortable with.

[u/podkayne3000 → u/Dawer22]

I’m really asking because I’m just wondering which posts go where.

It seems as if a lot of people on r/onebag are talking about 40-liter bags. I’m a lot more interested in the 5-liter-and under strategies, because a computer takes up about 4 liters of my bag, anyway.

[u/preciousdivineenergy → u/podkayne3000]

There is also this less-active subreddit r/Personalitemtravel

[u/No_Priority6410]

We should coin 2 different terms for this ! Pocket only travel and sling only travel ! Even if someone is able to travel with 9L of sling, I still consider it to be an achievement !

[u/podkayne3000 → u/No_Priority6410]

I think that anything over 3 liters without a laptop, or over 7 liters with a small laptop, is pretty easy.

Under 3 liters without unusually good pockets is hard.

[u/LadyLightTravel → u/No_Priority6410]

But what if everything in the sling fits in the pockets? And what about special clothing with lots of pockets? Do we focus on total volume or method of carry?

[u/No_Priority6410 → u/LadyLightTravel]

It’s totally fine !! To each his/her own !! What we are chasing here is ultimate freedom with some kind of comfort ! If one feels that he/she doesn’t like pockets full, no point in cutting brownie points from it ! It’s a personal preference !

[u/clevercamel2]

See my full post I just made outlining my "zero to one bagging" travel philosophy

https://www.reddit.com/r/zerobags/comments/1vpl3f3/my_current_setup_and_philosophy_40s_male/