GadgetFreak

So an update. I found the Skytrain at a shade under 10 kg to be easy as a backpack walking through DCA, although it is admittedly a small airport. The 3 or 4 kg Metro on the shoulder with the backpack in place was also a breeze. I will give this combination a good workout on this trip to DC and Cambridge and report back. Thanks a lot everyone (especially Till)!

tfar

Perfect! I am glad it works out well so far. Thanks for the update.

I wish you a safe and successful trip,

Till

dia1

When I clicked on this thread I thought PAPER was paper and I was tickled thinking I'd found someone else who uses tissue paper to pack. It's a *very* old trick to keep things from wrinkling. I pair it with those flat bags from Macy's, Dillard's, etc.--fold items with tissue paper inside, stack items in bags (then fold over bag top), layer bags in suitcase.

Used folders for a while. Then cubes for a while. Then a combination for a while. Now it's back to the future--paper and bags. Even my husband has given up his beloved folders in favor of paper and bags for overseas trips where the weight limit is restrictive.

OzBarb

For my 15 seconds of fame




Shopping list - for 2 folders and 4-5 useful dilly-bags
1 m of ripstop nylon (use a lurid colour so there's less chance of leaving bits behind when packing in a hurry)
2 very thin sheets of plastic - Ikea flexible cutting boards had the right combination of weight and stiffness for me, though I have speculated the acetate sheets in a certain brand of shirtbox would be even lighter)
1 packet of bias binding
thread
velcro tape - about 50 cm of loop, less of hook surface (the adhesive stuff saves sewing)
Cord and mini-toggles(optional) for bags

To Make:
1. Place board on sheet of nylon a bit less than the width and the length of the board in from the bottom left corner. Mark the four corners of the board on the nylon.
2. Fold side across until it nearly meets the other side. Mark and cut an arch or triangular point centred on the long side.
3. Unfold the side, then fold the material under the base of the board up, then mark and cut a similar shape going vertically.
4. Remove board. Fold so the bottom board markers are immediately over the top ones. Trace off the arch or triangle, and cut it out.
5. For the last point, fold left edge points on top of right ones. Cut out.
6. Round points
7. Bind all edges with a continuous strip of bias binding
8. Stick 20-25cm lengths of self-adhesive velcro loop tape to the underside of the right and bottom points.
9. Stick shorter lengths of hook tape to the upper surfaces - must go almost to the point.

To Use:
Use the board as a template to fold clothes into rectangles. Stack them in the centre of the folder. Alternate direction of waistbands or collars so the stack has a regular shape.
Put the board on top of the last item, and press firmly as you foldright point across, then left. Fold bottom point up, then top down and smoothe.



The folder up top contains all the non-underwear clothing on the bed - Red and black stretch gabadene pants, red leggings, red, black and white s/s Tshirts, red l/s tunic, black 3/4 sleeve top, red/black shirt/jacket, fine black merino tank and zip-top tunic, red merino zip hoodie

tfar

Very cool! Many thanks! That will certainly inspire a lot of us. At least some will ask their wives to sew them a packing folder for X-mas. Seriously, though, very nice job.

I can handle a sewing machine alright but how difficult is rip stop nylon to work with? Do you make a bottom pocket as EC folders have it? I didn't see that from your instructions.

What are the dimensions of the board you used and what is the final weight?

Thanks again for the great post.

Till

OzBarb

Ripstop nylon is quite stiff and only moderately slippery, so it is easy to sew. I didn't put any pockets in the folders, and I haven't seen EC folders - so what is the pocket there for?

My cutting boards were 30 x 38cm, weighed 52g each and the folders weighed 45g - all up weight just under 100g.typo