LUGGAGE ADVICE SOUGHT

Moving this conversation from the Silicon Valley thread where we’ve been laughing at the shitshow that is Away:

3 weeks with only a commuter backpack

I’ve moved beyond asking how people accomplish this. I can barely fit a week into a backpack and at that point it’s so stuffed I have to check it. We should use this thread about luggage tactics.

Continuing on.

Yerac, BIC Camera and Loft had some good hard side luggage last time I was in Japan. MegaDonki seemed to have more Rimowa stuff than anything else and a usual rimowa prices.

I also share your like for hardside luggage for bootle shipping reasons too. Proper hardside with clasps, none of the zip nonsense.

My main case is actually a polycarbonate Rimowa, bought for $250 in an Orlando outlet mall many years ago. Not worth the stupid prices they charge for them but it is very robust and has been fixed for free many times by rimowa, even once over night in a Hong Kong hotel with a repair service. It seems to go on forever.

I’m rubbish at packing light even if I know I’m going to have access to laundry I seem to take all the underwear I own and it spirals from there. What if I need a jacket, or will I need a suit, should I have hiking boots etc. it probably doesn’t help that I haven’t had to worry about a baggage allowance in a long time.

I think my hardshell is a Delsey. I would love to own a Rimowa but they cost about a thousand dollars now

my space-saving rule is to cut back on shoes, just one pair if possible plus shower/house sandals. If I need a jacket I will wear it on the plane. Any clothing items I can buy easily at my destination I consider expendable for packing. Usually I find I don't miss the things I decided not to pack. I always try to anticipate the weather, but was caught unguarded in San Diego this Thanksgiving when the weather turned cold with pouring rain

I don't skimp on packing underwear and undershirts, I always find I want more of them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUuID2ijD_A

Shoes for me is hiking boots, dress shoes and espadrilles. I find that covers all eventualities.

tombot: My commuter backpack is 35L so it's not tiny. I prefer it when I know I am going to be going to multiple places so I am not constantly lugging around a roller (no matter how small) in and out of trains, subways, accomodations, while killing time. Plus I can walk a lot faster with just the backpack. I can fit in my laptop, two trousers, shorts, underwear for a week (do laundry once a week), flip flops and dressier flattish shoes, 5-7 tops, one nice dress/or top, cardigan. I think that is all I brought my last trip when I was in FR for three weeks. I roll the clothes. I don't bring jeans (too heavy), wear my sneakers on the plane and I carry toiletries either in the backpack or my purse. I don't even bring a brush, just a comb. But I really only do that for certain trips. Usually I have too many foods and bottles I want to bring back home so I will have at least one hardshell suitcases and I have a 40L? duffle that folds into a pouch in case I need more room.

I just looked at the other bags I have: one 29-30" hardshell delsey, ,one carryon hardshell samsonite, and a Hideo Wakamatsu carryon. And then a Kelty 50L hiking backpack.

Ed, I won't be in Japan but in Oahu for a couple of months. There is a large Donki there but it is more of a grocery store/drugstore. They have somef household stuff too that I am going to have to check out. It's usually a lot of kitchen stuff and hawaiii souvenirs but I know they renovated recently. I WISH there was a Loft. They have soooo many nice bags there.

The Hideo Wakamatsu bag I know I got for under $100 on sale. I think one of the buckles is broken though, but the bag is still completely usable.

- slim 15L Thule backpack for commuting

- big 35L Keltey backpack for trips, hiking, etc

that’s it. no suitcase. i borrowed my wife’s small roller suitcase for a trip recently and i kinda felt.... grown up?

Yeah it’s all a question of how much I want to bring back. I’m 9 days into a 14 day trip and I could have gotten away with a medium sized backpack (one I used everyday until I found a wonderfully built small one in Japan a few years ago) but for the things I’ll bring back.

I just use a 20€ roller cloth sided suitcase. I’d care more about its quality if I moved from place to place on trips, but I usually just go to one place so I only use the suitcase on the away/return days.

I have a half of a closet full of conference bags that my wife and I have accrued over the years. What should I do with them?

Donate them.

Also, I somewhat regularly put six bottles of wine in one suitcase. I have only ever had one break out of over a hundred probably and it was annoying because it was the one time I used an actual wine box in the suitcase. I've put bottles in my hiking backpack before and checked it and it was fine, but I just feel better about hardsides.

six bottles? hero

I traveled this year with a duffel that converts to a backpack and a smaller bag across my chest. I’m going to pack even less next time

6 bottles or GTFO

I have some of these to put bottles in. Despite what the listing says they are not single use. You can use them again and again. I’ve only had to replace the double sided sticky on one or two of them.

https://www.boydandco.com.au/product/wineskin?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrMmCwqKk5gIVGreWCh1sdQcOEAQYASABEgJtyPD_BwE

Is 6 the limit for booze? I’m more likely to bring bottles of oil or vinegar.

Usually I just bring home lots of candy. That didn’t go so well coming from Romania because no one liked Rom chocolate, but it’s usually a hit with the fam.

I've brought back a dozen in total but I won't do above 6 per large suitcase just because I want to balance out weight and you need to pack it full of other things to keep it from shifting. I usually just wrap each bottle in clothes and then tie a plastic bag around it (if I have some) in case there is breakage to contain the glass. Most customs only allow like 2 liters of wine/spirits or something before they are supposed to tax you. I always declare it and no one has ever wanted to deal with the paperwork to tax me.

I also bring back a lot of food too. Salt, mustard, cheese, spicy haribo, paté from France, from the US cheerios, tons of stuff from trader joes, hot sauce, marmite...

Australia is 2250 ml (3 wine bottles) per person. So 6 between 2 is what I’m going for.

I’ve tried to declare and pay tax once, I was alone but had six bottles. I told the customs lady I had 6 bottles and she told me I had two and to get one my way.

I just checked, for the US it seems to be 5 liters. In Chile it's 2.5 liters.

On my 10-day trip to NM and Vegas a few years ago, I packed my most raggedy hole-y underwear that needed replacing anyway, and discarded as I went. Made room for a some small souvenirs and gifts that way. Probably not an option every time for frequent travelers, but it worked in this one instance.

I too am also part of the 'leaving my ratty underwear all over the world' club.

What do you do for dusters?