Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

onebag.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 213 posts

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#21

Post by gk1 »

Ultralight travel is the best. I was first inspired by this post from 2007: https://tim.blog/2007/07/11/how-to-travel-the-world-with-10-...

... In the 15 years since then I've gone all over the world with just an 25-liter backpack. The biggest benefit I enjoy was the freedom to move from place to place without being tied down to a hostel/hotel/town just because "my stuff is there."

Oh and it's a lot easier to sprint through an airport to catch a flight when you have just a small backpack.

For example here's my packing list for a trans-siberian rail journey (which I would've missed if I had to wheel a suitcase as I ran through the airport): https://www.gregkogan.com/journal/russia-trans-siberian-rail...

An interesting side-benefit I've observed: When you return from an ultralight trip, you realize just how little stuff you need to be happy. All the crap in your closet feels more than enough, if not excessive. So you end up buying less step or even donating a bunch of your existing stuff, thus lightening your life overall.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#23

Post by KineticLensman »

I once did a three week trip to Africa that involved a light aircraft flight into the Okavango Delta in Botswana. We were allowed one small backpack and a small non-rigid holdall that they supplied prior to the trip. So okay, two bags, not one, but still a significant limit given that I wanted to do some serious big-lens wildlife photography. I managed quite well although I had one day of wet very feet when I flooded my only pair of boots. I also grew a beard so that I could leave shaving kit behind.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#26

Post by ubermonkey »

I've seen this site before. It's, um, zealous.

I travel light. I have since the 90s. I never ever ever checked a bag before 9/11, but since then I've often done so for two reasons:

- Absurd restrictions on liquids in the cabin; and

- Equally absurd restrictions on carrying my Swiss Army Knife.

Once you check a bag, you need another bag to carry some essentials aboard the plane.

Even on a short weekend trip, though, if I buy sample sizes and ditch the SAK, I end up with a small additional bag. It's easier to do that than constantly open the overhead to get a different book, or your tablet, or whatever.

One-bagging is also a poor choice for business travel, since you likely want a smaller computer bag so you don't have to use your much larger "one bag" as your office bag.

OneBag purists also have a WILD hatred of wheelie bags that seems rooted in a refusal to realize that, for many people whose travel patterns are home to airport to destination hotel/home, they're perfect. The extra weight isn't a problem because they roll. There's a great reason why they're very very popular with full-time/very frequent travelers.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#27

Post by ubermonkey »

TylerE wrote: post #22

Very jealous of those who can manage this. Personally i have to have one smallish bag just for my medical stuff (CPAP, ergonomic pillow for my neck, bunch of meds, the wrist braces I sleep in so I don't wake up with numb hands....)

Yeah, it's inherently ableist.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#28

Post by ubermonkey »

OJFord wrote: post #12

I found this a particularly interesting page: https://www.onebag.com/wheeled-bags.html ('Wheeled Bags (A Disputation): The Dismal Downsides')

It's a weird article of faith for OBers that wheelies are bad, but for a huge chunk of travelers they're exactly the right option because their travels are comprised of home to car to airport to plane to taxi to hotel, all on smooth surfaces.

They're the rule for business travelers and (significantly) air crews, and those choices aren't made out of fashion or inertia.

I mean, if you're trekking in Nepal, yeah, it would suck, but it seems like the OB faithful have a one-size-fits-all disdain for the whole category.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#29

Post by et-al »

futureshock wrote: post #20

I’ll offer up my one bag take that’s very much against the mainstream of one bag aficionados. I love traveling light, but think the carefully curated list of expensive branded items are counterproductive. I’d much rather the bag and everything in it to be functional, ugly anonymous and replaceable. If the bag gets stolen, I should be able to walk into the nearest mall and replace everything that was in it without a s…

I agree that packing lists often devolve to the Minimalist(tm) Shopping List.

For me, packing light is about lack of hinderances. I carry two bags (!!!) because I find the organization to be easier, but I can still ride on the back of a hired scooter and walk 5-miles across town if needed. I'd rather just pack more underwear than spend time washing it in the bathroom sink.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#30

Post by WillPostForFood »

OJFord wrote: post #12

I found this a particularly interesting page: https://www.onebag.com/wheeled-bags.html ('Wheeled Bags (A Disputation): The Dismal Downsides')

I'm a hardcore backpacker, but one baggers can stray into religious fervor on the subject of wheeled bags. My wife won't backpack, and it has never been an issue, including on fairly off the beaten path trips in Asia. Backpack is marginally better, but the main advantage is just having one bag, regardless of type. I vehemently disagree with this assertion, "few places worth visiting are conducive to rolling a bag behind you."
Post reply on HN