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OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

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Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#151

Post by mncharity »

FWIW, I've used nested soft packable mostly-shoulder bags. Sometimes adding a semi-disposable interior cardboard half-shell, cut from a box, refolded, gaff taped, and edge mashed to transit size restrictions. So bag number and volume compress for transit, and reinflate at destination.

I envisioned adding optional shoulder pads, backpack strapping, waist belt, and even packable strap-on wheels... but the need hasn't been pressing.

I'd hoped instead to find a one true travel backpack, but the diversity of personal-item size restrictions, a brick of thinkpad, and a tech load tightening the volume budget, had me failing to find a bag which fit the constraint space, didn't regrettably narrow it, and leveraged opportunities (eg, with the laptop as pack frame, another would be excess - and it already barely fits flat as a United free personal item).

Off topic, I just saw a baggage size checker in an unexpected place: a NYC public library local branch. Together with additional luggage-in-the-library restrictions. I assume it's targeted at homeless, but seemed potentially problematic for travelers seeking wifi. I use public transit even in places where it's very class segregated, and the line between digital nomad, and impoverished homeless with nice kit, can be though-provokingly narrow. With an associated need to easily alter class flags, depending on who's inclined to hassle you as being out of place.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#152

Post by Jtsummers »

ncpa-cpl wrote: post #144
Jtsummers wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also dry very quickly when you do wash them. Very convenient for hotel/hostel sink laundry days. My first longer-than-a-weekend trip was 2 weeks and I took cotton undershirts (mistakes were made). Since they tend to pick up odor quickly (at least the way I sweat) I had several days worth and they took a while to dry. Switching to wool shirts, I could pack 3 and do laundry once on the trip and no one would notice…

Sometimes I travel with carry on and other times with checked luggage. The part of travelling with one bag that I don't like is having to do laundry more often. Like, I gain 30 minutes by not waiting for luggage at the airport, but sometimes that offset by the time spent doing laundry.

That's reasonable, but I've found that switching out my cotton (entirely) and synthetics (mostly) for wool (lasts longer without odor than both, dries faster than cotton) lets me pack 2 pairs of pants, 2 shirts, 3 pairs of socks, and enough underwear to last a week if my goal is to do laundry only once a week, and even then I could go longer if I absolutely needed to without doing a wash of everything. Underwear and socks wash easily in a sink and dry quickly, so I can get by with 1-2 pairs of packed socks and 2-4 pairs of packed underwear with only 5-10 minutes of time spent in the evening washing things every 2-3 days, and a bigger wash once a week for shirts and pants. All of that comfortably fits into most backpacks, I only take a larger backpack because I often pack a camera.

I would be annoyed if it took me an hour or more at a laundromat every few days, but I haven't experienced that since my clothes dry fast enough, I can just spend 30 minutes or so once a week in the hotel room (morning or evening, I don't normally sleep in when traveling so I have time to kill when I wake up). Admittedly, I don't travel to hot and humid climates, that would change things (especially the way I sweat).

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#153

Post by ubermonkey »

asdff wrote: post #102
ubermonkey wrote: post #26

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, i…

The big annoyance with checking a bag imo is dealing with the entire process. Many airlines charge you per leg per bag. Then there is sometimes a holdup at the bag drop. Then there is the weight limit. Then after you are done with the flight you have to wait at baggage claim which can be quite long at certain airports. Then there's the nonzero chance that something catastrophic has happened with your luggage; I think…

Oh, absolutely. This is why frequent fliers almost never check bags, or at least traditionally don't. I almost never did when I was flying all the time.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#154

Post by adamrt »

kmonsen wrote: post #68
58x14 wrote: post #32

I bought a Goruck GR2 (40L capacity) in 2013 and cumulatively lived out of it for ~4 years. It's been with me up every mountain I've climbed, on 3 continents, on my back as I rode a motorcycle through a snowstorm. I've slept on it, swam with it, skied with it. After nearly 9 years, it's in perfect condition, and one of my most cherished possessions. I'm not one to anthropomorphize... but this one bag is my best frien…

I have the 25L I use for everything for almost 5 years now. Still see no signs of wear and I do not treat that thing nicely. I am wondering for the 40L, can you bring it as carry on item on flights? For the 25L I can and it is usually large enough for me. A bit larger would be nice, but I usually just cut something I will not need anyway.

The 34L that I have fits under a plane seat even if its packed full. I prefer it in overhead obviously, but for a short flight with packed overhead, it's nice to have the option.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#155

Post by steelframe »

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....)

I replaced my CPAP with a mouth guard that keeps my lower jaw forward to open my airway just for the purpose of not having to lug around a CPAP. Given how much CPAPs suck, I don't know why the mouth guard isn't the very first thing they try for people with airway obstruction.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#156

Post by waffle_maniac »

I nomad. Travel with a multiple bags and planning to buy another one during the next Europe trip so I can bring back beer and licorice.

Also, if you have status with an airline you can bring a checked bag free. That sometimes means you can bring comforts and supplies that are unavailable or more expensive at your destination.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#157

Post by sutterbomb »

dougmwne wrote: post #145
sutterbomb wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

planning everything around rare failures seems silly to me. If an expensive item has good value, adds utility over a less expensive option, and can still be functionally replaced in case of rare failure mode, i don’t see any white elephant in that picture.

I take an iPhone and a laptop of course, but if you look at some of these one bag packing lists, they run into the thousands with every last sock being highly technical, boutique, and exorbitant.

there’s literally nothing brittle about a $15 dollar pair of merino socks though, which is the argument I was responding to. If you lose it you can still buy a cheap backup and still have socks, nobody is spending all their time and energy worrying about losing a pair of $15 socks. Some things really do provide more value for a higher price, but everyone’s utility curve is different for each item.

Mostly though i think it comes down to the old joke “everyone who spends more than me is wasting their money on exorbitant whatever and everyone who spends less than me is a cheapskate.”

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#158

Post by SuoDuanDao »

DoreenMichele wrote: post #80
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…

Wisdom and making money are often somewhat at odds to each other. I am reminded of a TV show with two guests, one selling gadgets and the other a famous author. It was a disaster. The famous author kept saying "Why would anyone do that? You can just do blah instead and it's better for thus and such reasons." But you can't readily make money off of blurting "This is a better method for X that takes less time and hassl…

I'd be curious to see that... sounds amusing, even if unintentionally so.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#159

Post by smm11 »

I worked with a guy who was a bag junkie, he'd get a few new bags every month, and had bags to carry other bags. The bags carried bags, and he'd carry a bag.

I have a nice size bag I usually use. If going away longer, I carry an extra one. I'm into some things. Bags is not one of those things.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#160

Post by Swenrekcah »

ajmurmann wrote: post #96
anonporridge wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The absurd restrictions on knives really needs to go. A blade is a necessary tool for a lot of people in everyday life. It's time to get over the unfounded fear and face reality like adults. It's especially ridiculous because of how ineffective it is, https://onemileatatime.com/tsa-fails-tests-95-percent/ . This is a worthless waste of resources that only serves to inconvenience regular people and give the masses som…

It's so inconsistent too. I cannot bring my safety razors on board, but it's ok to bring a bunch of razor cartridges that are filled with blades... Even traveling with the safety razor but no blades is inconvenient, since the TSA will frequently do a secondary inspection to confirm that there is really no blade. So you gotta travel with the thing disassembled which means I cannot use my regular case.

Sometimes you can even buy a full set of kitchen knives in the duty free shop on your way to the airplane!
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