OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light • Hacker News Board

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#71

Post by kmonsen » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:48 PM UTC

giglamesh wrote: post #63

I've been a one bag traveller since approximately forever. One hitch I encountered after getting married: the spouse's family has a tradition of bringing back gifts for everyone from any major trip. I understand that back in the olden days, rare and exotic items (an orange? for me? really?) could only be shared via travel. But those days are gone. There are nearly no other remaining friction points left our otherwise…

Can't you just mail things back? We did that from a trip to Italy, mostly wines. Almost all local vendors of expensive items was well prepared to mail things to the US.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#72

Post by larrywright » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:48 PM UTC

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 haven’t used a wheeled bag in years (including several international trips) and I would recommend it if you’re physically capable. Particularly if you ever fly on regional jets. Whenever I’m boarding a full flight the flight crew starts going around asking people to gate check their wheeled luggage. Not once have they told me I need to gate check mine.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#73

Post by ghaff » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:48 PM UTC

ramses0 wrote: post #66

anonporridge wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I once lost a very nice wine corkscrew to the TSA that I forgot was in a backpack due the little foil cutter blade. The guy in charge acted all jubilant, like they successfully thwarted a hijacking.

I've _only_ had success with regularly carrying "prong-style" wine openers (especially internationally). https://www.amazon.com/Belwares-Wine-Opener-Two-Prong-Stainl... I'd even gone through the trouble of dremel'ing off the foil-cutter blade on a "double-knuckle" corkscrew in order to comply with the "no blades" rule. I was able to exit the U.S. with it fine, but Mexico security refused it for simply the corkscrew p…

I carry one of those cheap corkscrews where you pull off the corkscrew cover and insert it through the hole at the top of the corkscrew.

BUT they're really crappy corkscrews and I've sometimes had a lot of trouble getting the cork out and have ended up opening bottles in the bathroom because I was afraid I'd get wine flying everywhere.

And I've even had one of those confiscated in Spain.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#74

Post by tristor » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:50 PM UTC

I don’t think you need to buy expensive brands (although I have some) to successfully one bag travel. My progression when I started out to now was just a succession of YAGNI realizations until I got to a point where my trusty Z28 backpack is spacious.

The biggest factor IMO is becoming confident and comfortable with skirting some social norms and either planning your trips or establishing yourself in such a way that it is acceptable to do so. Once that’s out of the way it’s fairly easy to make 3 outfits mix-match into a week, and launder as needed on the way. Clothes are the bulkiest items and everything else is tiny by comparison.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#75

Post by technoplato » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:50 PM UTC

I thought this site was going to be about photons. Not disappointed

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#76

Post by kmonsen » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:50 PM UTC

AlbertCory wrote: post #54

Laundry is one of the biggest hassles of travel, IMHO. Hotels charge extortionate prices to launder your clothes. Many cities don't have self-service laundromats, and even if they do, you don't feel like wasting two hours using one. I personally do not like washing things in my room, but if you do, there you go. What I've found, though, is that it's easy and cheap to get someone else to do it for you. In Sydney, I go…

For me, sure the hotels overcharge a lot but it is so much less than the flight ticket there I usually just shrug. For longer stays I just buy some detergent locally and was in the bathtub, many hotels have a string you can dry clothes on.

Also, when I am backpacking I am OK with wearing some dirty clothes. Never had an issue with it, these days dress code is pretty optional as long as you present yourself well and can pay.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#77

Post by NikolaeVarius » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:51 PM UTC

anonporridge wrote: post #55

throw0101a wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> - Equally absurd restrictions on carrying my Swiss Army Knife. You're not wrong, but for possible future reference, multitools are fine as long as they don't have a knife ( * https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/...

The TSA can and does confiscate anything they want. If you happen to get the wrong agent on the wrong day, they may still choose to confiscate a technically compliant multitool.

One guy confiscated my lockpick even though they are allowed.

Hate the TSA

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#78

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:52 PM UTC

BiteCode_dev wrote: post #56

I went the other route: I used to be minimalist, now I even bring my kettlebells, game pads and different pairs of shoes on my business trips. Even in the moutain, I now have a heavier bag. E.G: my latest knife is way bigger, sturdier and so weights a lot more, I also have a smaller one as a backup now. Being minimalist is not an end goal, it serves a purpose. E.G: to make your life simpler, easier, to help with focu…

[deleted]

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#79

Post by CalChris » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:52 PM UTC

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…

There's absolutely nothing on a Swiss Army Knife that's going to make me want to wait through luggage multiple times for it to arrive. There are travel limitations but not prohibitions on liquids. TSA sized toothpaste is 3.4 oz. I'll live.

BTW, an up to date passport is worth it, TSA Pre is worth it and Global Entry is worth it. GE requires an interview but if you live near the office, after you get your appointment, just go to the office on a Sunday and wait through line. I took BART to SFO on a Sunday morning and waited an hour. Done. The California Enhanced Drivers License was much more of an ordeal.

If I'm not going through TSA, sure, bring tools.

If I'm going light, I pack up an REI Flash 22 day bag ($50) with whatever. A Macbook Air fits in easily. Side pockets for Nalgenes. Ripstop. Light. I can't praise it highly enough.

My daily driver is a Timbuk2 Messenger ($80) bag. I think equally highly of it. It is more rugged and so usually the Air lives here.

Carryon policy is one bag plus one smaller, personal-type item. These two pass muster.

If you must know, yes, I have an American Giant hoodie.

Re: OneBag: The Art and Science of Travelling Light

#80

Post by DoreenMichele » Wed, Jan 05, 2022, 6:52 PM UTC

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 hassle and doesn't involve selling a gadget."