ryan-twob

I was reading another thread on here about someone starting a job with heavy travel and one response noted the following web site:

https://www.onebag.com/

There seems to me this relatively artificial obsession with packing light, as if it's a badge of honor to travel for a week with the smallest bag possible.

I generally operate completely contra to this. I do about 30-40 trips a year and around 100 nights hotel. I always take a medium sized roller bag and check it, even just for one night. If I am in Europe or Asia for a week or more I take a pretty big bag and maybe even an extra in case I buy stuff to bring back. I realize there are trade-offs and I am not saying that this approach is for everyone, but there is such a negative stigma to checking a bag or not cramming everything into a carry on, both on here and in the real world... I don't get why it's 'impressive' to pack light.


I sometimes have to wait for my luggage, I sometimes cannot jump an earlier flight, I sometimes (like once a year) lose a bag for a day, etc. but I guess for me it's worth it since I NEVER have to

• Fight for overhead bin space or worry about boarding early to get it (probably in and of itself the biggest benefit for me)
• Buy a sweatshirt, umbrella, or other stuff bc the weather changed unexpectedly
• Wear clothes that have not been laundered/seek out laundry

There are certainly times it would have been easier to have a smaller bag but seems like my carry-on colleagues are always the ones who are short of something or need to stand in the boarding line 20 extra minutes to get an overhead.

Just wondering if others have any thoughts on finding the right balance between packing enough versus always packing super light.

CPRich

Nothing about "obsession" or a badge of honor, it's just easier. Fighting for overhead space? The status that goes with frequent travel means this is never an issue for most of us. Buy a sweatshirt? Why - pack what you need. Wear clothes that need to be laundered? Does back-checking come with laundry service? I pack what I need. For our recent 10 day vacation, we checked 2 bags. But for business travel, my roller can easily hold a week's clothes with no problem at all.

As noted, I don't have to wait for bags, go without a lost bag for a day (or more), can't change flights (I had to stay overnight in CLT just last night coming back from vacation because I had checked a bag and couldn't hop on a direct flight when my connection was delayed).

Not "impressive", no need for "cramming", etc. I'm fine with everyone making their own choice. You seem to be the one with the derogatory comments to those making a different choice.

slawecki

my wife is one of these pack tiny nut cases. she spends days(not hours) packing the stuff as small as possible.

i carry at least two maxi cases. three if allowed. i get sizes that will fit one inside the other. i throw in the ton of stuff i will need for 2 or 3 weeks. no need to wash or iron the stuff. the bags will fit one inside the other. the stuff is organized as it comes out. i pack and unpack in an hour. my wife spends days compressing, and then searching.

kochleffel

Many of the one-bag advocates are bizarrely militant, insisting that the one bag be literally one bag, with no personal item unless it fits into the one bag and will only be taken out once aboard the plane, or if you're forced to check the bag, which can happen if there's no overhead space left, or if the bag is weighed and found to exceed a particular airline's limit. For example, my main bag often weighs almost exactly 8 kg, which is OK for every airline on which I've flown but too much for some others.

I do it partly for convenience, and partly to avoid a checked-bag fee. Many FlyerTalkers probably have a free bag allowance because of status, or because of having the airline's branded credit card.

But I only do it when it is convenient. I have two trips coming up in which I'll check a bag, one because I need a bag large enough for hiking gear, and one because the trip is too long for the clothing that will fit into a carry-on bag and the schedule is too full for doing laundry.

Whether it's feasible also depends partly on the size of your clothes and shoes. It is harder if you wear large sizes.

Cityflyer10

Depends on destination but I can easily travel for 2 weeks with a roller carry-on and a small day bag. Carrying more clothes inevitably just means carrying lots of dirty clothes home.

Only ever had an issue with overhead space on domestic flights with blocked space towards the front of economy (looking at you 767!).

Matt777

Amen, I've shifted to a big roller suitcase for vacation and work travel. I much prefer not having to do laundry when overseas, plus I like to bring along gym shoes and clothes.

Calliopeflyer

Yes, some people think it's a badge of honour, and even more can't understand those who choose not to pack light. The more I travel, the more I want the choices or extras that packing in a larger bag can offer.

kochleffel

And others are so tired of the light-packing braggarts that they brag about how much luggage they're taking. On my next trip I'm taking seventeen large suitcases and a steamer trunk.

darthbimmer

OP, your bio says you've been registered on FT for 14 years. Fourteen years and you haven't realized there's an endless back-and-forth argument about "Checking a bag is a crazy waste of time" vs. "I'm not going to wash my clothes in the sink like a homeless person at a shelter"? Sure, there are moderate voices in the middle on this subject. Plenty of them, in fact. I'm surprised that in 14 years you haven't seen them. Of course, since you started this thread by jeering at one side I doubt you're truly looking for enlightenment, just trolling.

Giggleswick

Oh, yeah? Well, I'm taking seventeen large suitcases and two steamer trunks. So there! And that's for just a weekend in NYC.

StartinSanDiego

I think steamer trunks are under-rated. The best ones are cedar lined. So, no matter how many outfits you bring, they will all smell divine.

Annalisa12

I just arrived back from hols with 2 large suitcases. I got 90% of my clothes laundered on the second last day and theybwerevreturnedball perfectly folded and wrapped in pladtic. When i get home I just put it all away without any stress. I can't imagine travelling light!

ft101

Agreed, although I think it's predominantly an American fetish. Pack everything I need and get someone else to carry it suits me.

The guys that take delight in getting out the airport 5 milliseconds after the door opened are still waiting in the taxi queue (or bus or car hire or hotel check in etc) when I get there after picking my checked bags up.

Having to be somewhere 10 minutes earlier just means your planning wasn't good enough.

irish_goat

I pack light but generally it's because I know what outfits I'll wear on what days. The missus on the other hand will pack 3 or 4 evening outfits for a 2 night break just to give herself options. Of course that then means extra shoes have to come along. Don't understand why she can't pick one outfit and stick to it before we leave.

mandolino

I prefer to check a bag, even for a short trip.

​​​​​then my very small carry on is easy on my back, and leaves plenty of space for the one-baggers cramming their oversize cases into the overhead. I'm unselfish like that.