Packing it all in – a guide to travelling hand-luggage only - travel tips and articles

May 12, 2011 4:09:37 AM

Packing it all in – a guide to travelling hand-luggage only

Sarah Baxter
Lonely Planet Author

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Packing light used to be a handy skill. These days, it’s a necessity.

As airlines are crippled by ash clouds, strike action and general financial meltdown, they’ve had to find alternative ways of making money. Enter ‘ancillary revenues’, which basically means airlines charging passengers for anything they can get away with. The upshot? A raft of airlines now imposes fees for putting your suitcase in the hold.

Low-cost carrier Ryanair charges £15 each way for the privilege of stowing your luggage when you pay online – rising to a whopping £35 if you pay at the airport. (Tip: If you must travel with hold baggage, always book in advance.) According to a recent survey by lastminute.com, 75% of travellers say they will travel with smaller bags in future to avoid these fees.

Can you really travel hand-luggage only?

Yes you can – you just need to get clever with your packing.

First, check the hand-baggage dimensions permitted by your airline at www.seatguru.com. Limits vary by airline; generally it’s around 56cm by 45cm by 25cm. Buy a bag that fits these dimensions and isn’t too heavy. (A softer bag will be lighter and more pliable.)

Next, consider your restricted contents. For now in many destinations, liquids must still be carried in 100ml bottles and stored in a clear plastic bag that holds no more than one litre in total, but that really is no problem – where in the world can’t you buy replacement toiletries? Alternatively you can pack solid shampoo and soap bars (Lush, for example, has a good range), and remember to remove any extraneous packaging.

Vital medicines can generally be packed in your carry-on in larger quantities if accompanied by a letter from your doctor. Sharp items are not permitted so ditch the penknife and buy a cheap kitchen knife on arrival – handy for picnic preparations/cutting ropes/prising off lids. (You can use dental floss (non-minty) to slice cheese.)

Off on a trip that requires lots of gear? Mountain climbing, camping, skiing maybe? You can still travel hand-luggage only by buying or hiring specialist kit on arrival. It’s good for the local economy as well as avoiding baggage fees. If you must take your own gear, pay to store it in the hold on the outward journey, then hook up with a local good cause via www.stuffyourrucksack.com and donate items to schools and orphanages on the ground rather than bringing them home.

Fitting it all in

Plan your packing list in advance and don’t pack things ‘just in case’. In this globalised world, you can buy most items at your destination. Don’t take a whole library: take one book, and swap it en route. Shoes are bulkiest – take just one pair; say, a smart, multipurpose sneaker/boot. If you need two pairs, wear the biggest on the plane and use the packed pair to stuff shorts, socks and pants inside or use the cushioned interior to protect delicate items. Wear heavy items (coat, jumper) on the plane, or invest in a Scott E Vest: its range of jackets have up to 33 pockets, designed to hold iPods, books, even laptops.

Multi-purpose is key. Trousers that zip off into shorts; fleeces that can be used as pillows; sarongs that can be skirts, beach mats and shawls; sporks – all optimise your bag’s weight-to-usefulness ratio. Nomad Travel Store’s Ultimate Travelwash cleans everything – hair, body, clothes, pans – while its Trek & Travel Poncho is a budget waterproof that will cover you and your rucksack, and can be used as a groundsheet or makeshift shelter.

Pack clothes that are lightweight (Rohan has a good range), dry quickly and match each other, to maximise your wardrobe options. Ladies, pack a pair of nice earrings, a Travalo 50-squirt perfume atomiser and a light scarf (also good for mosque visits/sun-shielding) for a quick dash of style. Men, buy travel shirts that don’t crease and smarter-looking travel shoes that work equally well on safari or in good restaurants (try Brasher).

The science of packing

Folding items individually into squares is the worst way to pack – it’s space inefficient and increases creasing. Instead, roll clothes together. Lay jackets, shirts, trousers and T-shirts on top of each – in that order – alternating the thickest parts of the garment as you layer so you don’t get an uneven bulge. Once piled, place a bag of socks or similar in the middle, and wrap each item round this core in turn; www.onebag.com has detailed instructions, and loads of helpful packing tips.

Other helpful bits of kit

Hand-held luggage scales could save you a fortune in excess charges; try the set from www.globalbagtag.com.

Packing cubes and organiser pouches allow you to keep your bag tidy and condense contents. Made of nylon and mesh, they dont add much weight. Check out the ones at www.eaglecreek.com.

Invest in a travel towel – these viscose sheets are a fraction of the size of regular towels. Lifeventure’s range is antibacterial too.

Product recommendations are the author’s own. Grab your Lonely Planet guide by the chapter – no need to haul the whole thing!

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Comments

18 October 2010 8:46PM uni_ho Report this comment
just got back from a 2 week south america trip and my boyfriend and I did it with one large back pack and a small one. Those travel towels are fantastic, although we left ours behind somewhere along the way :-( most hostels to offer towels for a deposit but as the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy says, you need to have a towel. i agree that most things you can buy if you do end up needing it.
18 October 2010 9:43PM bkester Report this comment
have been traveling hand luggage-only for years, and agree with all your suggestions. one thing not to forget: there often is a weight limit for hand luggage, which is often around or below 10kg. i find the biggest weight is my camera and -gear, as i don't want to compromise on quality when it comes to taking pictures...
18 October 2010 11:44PM darchand Report this comment
i spent 3 months in India with a tiny daypack. still had room for a DAT recorder, an SLR camera and the thick India LP guide. the trick is to take only the clothes on your back, and buy anything else you need when you get there. this is really only practical in warmer climates.
remember you can also post stuff home from time to time if you're not using it. i did this in China and halved my pack weight when things got warmer.
19 October 2010 4:07AM kevincolorado Report this comment
Yes to most everything in this article, but you missed one great tip - merino wool clothing!!!! Merino wool (companies like Ibex and Icebreaker) looks great, doesn't wrinkle, breathes wonderfully, and best of all, DOESN'T SMELL! You can wear it many days in a row before it needs rinsed. It's all I wear when I travel, in both hot and cold weather.
19 October 2010 5:33AM meg_graham Report this comment
good advice, but I'm sorry.. I'm not going to donate my £500+ snowboarding kit for the sake of an extra hour at the airport and a couple of quid to stow it, sometimes less since a lot of airlines DON'T charge for sporting equipment. sure it might be a little profligate to get by with such an asset, but as something I use in almost every continent, I will undoubtedly save cash rather then forking out for hire gear at every resort I work.
19 October 2010 7:49AM statuskuo Report this comment
yeah the donate-your-expensive-gear seemed a little strange to me.
For shirts, try the Columbia titanium synthetic shirts, about 25 dollars or so each. They wick away sweat (don't smell) and dry fast. Cotton shirts are such a pain, and get dirty easily.
I think it should be mentioned here that your carry-on shouldn't be more than 70% full you're done packing, since on the road you won't have time to meticulously organize things so that they fit perfectly, and because you're most certainly going to pick up some things along the way.
My solution to this is to carry a stuff sack or tent case. It takes up no space and when your pack is full, you can stuff it and strap it under/over your backpack as a sort of external storage.
19 October 2010 10:58AM lonesomeroad Report this comment
My tips (here: [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?messageID=17294314#17294314])on travelling light if anyone's interested and YES there are people doing it with even less. If you can't carry your pack on one shoulder all day and even run for a bus then it's TOO HEAVY! I see young girls bent double with the load and their 'day packs', usually full as well and hanging to the front, are often bigger than my backpack - killing themselves!
There's no need to take your dirty laundry on a tour of exotic parts of the world in your 'skyscraper backpack'. If your gear is too heavy it will really hinder you and restrict your freedom unless you're travelling completely on tours where someone will be there to help you with it. In most countries you can buy almost anything you need along the way.
19 October 2010 2:05PM vasenka Report this comment
Some of the new rules on baggage seem unfair...
1. For example if you are charged "per bag"... This tends to force people to used the biggest bag possible...if you are trying to start out "light" you are forced to go big early in your trip ...
2. To carry decent sized toiletries you need to check a bag to avoid the carry-on size limits...sometimes you go to places that don't have the kind of items you get at home...and tiny "travel" sizes just wont do...on a long trip.
3. Souvenirs and things you pick up on the road are discouraged by these bag limitations...this hurts the local economy where you are traveling... Now I tend to take only photos...and skip the bulky coffee cups.
20 October 2010 10:59AM munditravel Report this comment
Some goood ideas here, that ill be sure to use in my next trip. Though not so sure about giving away my sporting goods to worthy causes, whilst a noble idea, dont think im going to give away a $5000 mountainbike for the sake of saving $50 bucks.
21 October 2010 8:01AM mr_s_baker Report this comment
Our "hand luggage only" travelling was transformed by getting hand baggage that is exactly the maximum size allowed by many budget airlines. We searched high and low to find them (you would think that there would be lots....)
Just google something like "biggest hand luggage" and look for reviews about the Cabin Max (the ones we use).
Using these and because we are four, gives us 176litres and 40kgs.....for FREE!!
Surely anyone can go away for a week or two with that??
And each bag costs less than ONE return trip in the hold for a suitcase, making it a complete no-brainer.
23 November 2010 6:20PM alaric Report this comment
This is good but if you are into photography it starts to get tricky because you already have a bag full off carry on stuff. I think its better to travel light, but I don't care much for the airlines making it a hassle. I think a lot of people are gonna get screwed over because they didn't read all the fine print. I live in Australia so flights anywhere are pricey, lowering the cost helps but ultimately its just a drop in the water. I did a write up recently on travel tripods which may be interesting to people looking to pack light. http://www.starshipmonkey.com/blog/2010/11/how-to-choose-a-travel-camera-tripod/
24 November 2010 10:44PM kunmingirl Report this comment
*sigh* these tips reveal our ageism and sizeism (could that possibly be a word?). we too are travelling lighter than ever, one medium-size roller bag for the two of us, but in my size (which is not mountainous, but certainly larger than your average slip of young lady backpacker) i definitely can't buy clothes wherever i happen to land. undergarments in asia were particularly challenging. and our medicines take up a fair amount of room as well, more than they used to!
and as the sports people have mentioned about their equipment, replacing a wardrobe as well can be more expensive than just paying for one bag, whose price is still a minor expense in the context of a few months of budget travel.
25 November 2010 11:37PM nomadicmatt1 Report this comment
These two guys just went around the world, WITHOUT A BAG.
VERY COOL STUFF-
AARON CAROTTA-www.adventureaaron.com
ROLF POTTS-www.rtwblog.com
26 November 2010 10:57PM boringtime Report this comment
My favorite fat-trimming travel accessory is one many people wouldn't probably think to bring on a big trip: A linen sport coat. Worn in the airport, this is where you put your ipod, wallet, cigarettes, keys, even book and water bottle. Mine has something like four or five decent-sized pockets. You just put everything in there instead of in pants or backpack pockets, and stick the whole thing in a bin on the way through the metal detector. On arrival you've got something light and classy to wear to restaurants or theaters, and if you have to stuff it into your bag in a hurry you can hang it up later and it will usually press itself by gravity. This can also help you not look like the kind of asshole tourist who wears zip-off shorts and a camel-back in the downtown of a major city. Just make sure yours is light and not too expensive, so you won't mind if somebody spills curry on it or you rip it in the door of a tuk tuk.
27 November 2010 10:34AM sumokitty Report this comment
Good tip, Boringtime! I hate "travel clothing" -- if it's too ugly to wear at home, I'm certainly not wearing it abroad. Zip-off trousers are an abomination.
I live near a major hub for Continental Airlines, so do most of my flying with them. With their frequent-flyer credit card, I not only earn miles, but can check a bag for free. Other airlines may have similar deals -- worth checking out if you often fly with the same carrier.
16 December 2010 8:14AM ianmanderson Report this comment
I agree, jacket makes sense. I have been favoring 'combat' type, anonymous looking pants with lots of velcro pockets to stuff my 'everyday carry' stuff in.
However it does make you look like you are emptying the pantry at security! Attention you can do without in front of a big queue.
Time to look for an inoffensive go anywhere jacket.....
21 December 2010 1:53AM woodyola Report this comment
I totally agree with uni_ho about the Lifeventure Towels, travelling through most countries hostels will offer you a towel (sometimes at a cost) but these guys pack down real small and are available in many different shapes and sizes and dry super quick too! Deffo worth a look and I think you can buy them at most major outdoor retailers on the high street - http://www.lifeventure.co.uk/htm/washgear/micro-fibre-trek-towels.html my fave's are the Lifeventure Micro Fibre towels as they are softer on the butt!
29 December 2010 11:22PM mardow Report this comment
Great article, I love a well-packed bag myself and my close friends and loved ones are always astounded as to how I can go through a whole trip with a backpack and know exactly where everything is. We travelled from Panama to Abu Dhabi last year and my top items that were packed were: Haviannas, Sarong - not only for wearing but for hiding from other people in a crowded hostel room, wind/waterproof jacket that folded up into a small square, spork, packing cubes - the reason how I knew where everything was and the two pairs of 3/4 pants I bought from Tesco's - super oomfy, uncreasable, quick drying and cheap at £9 each! Another option on saving space on guide books is to buy the necessary chapters on the countries you want to visit from Lonely Planet - we did this for our Cuba length of the trip and threw them away afterwards.
30 December 2010 8:05AM salsero69 Report this comment
So what I'm getting from all the comments here is that I should only leave home with the clothes on my back. Buy clean clothes when I need them and ship the dirty clothes home to get watched when I get back. ;-)
20 January 2011 9:36PM caybaybay Report this comment
All the travelling light articles I've read seem be at a crossroads with travelling cheap. It's for sure cheaper for the majority of people to pay the bag fee than follow a lot of the suggestions, especially females, and definitely people going to colder climates.
I tried travelling Europe for 3 weeks (in the winter!) with only hand luggage, and I could make everything fit (I'm really good at puzzling), except then I was over the 10kg weight limit (a serious problem with you're flying Ryanair).
My tip is to always travel with a scarf (the new towel?). My "everyday pashmina" from Le Chateau is 27.5" x 71", and you can use it seriously for everything: scarf, towel, blanket, pillow, skirt, shawl, head cover, sun block, padding, sling, and more. It's useful in both hot and cold climates. It's soft, comfy, big, but takes up no room and still looks stylish to wear it normal.
10 April 2011 8:12PM samanthani Report this comment
Loads of really good hints here - some I already use. I'm not a frequent flyer (I travel overland/sea usually), but for toiletries, I find airside branches of Boots (UK) are a great place to buy full size shampoos etc. Because you've already passed through security you're not limited to the 100ml per bottle/1 litre total rule.
It might be worth double checking if your airline re-checks liquids and baggage weight at boarding though.
I have also used large canvas shoppers from supermarkets as my carry-on bag. They can be used to stow a number of smaller bags if needed - useful if you're travelling with a family and need quick access to different items.
11 April 2011 3:47AM trav3322 Report this comment
Good article. I've gone to Australia for three weeks with just a bike messenger bag. I generally take two extra shirts, personal care stuff in a zip lock freezer bag, a book, camera, and extra pair of socks etc. You can usually make about four outfits out of traveling very light if you think it through well. Much better than waiting for luggage at an airport after you've paid for what used to be included in a ticket.
21 April 2011 8:56PM fullenglish Report this comment
Do you seriously think hiring gear when you get there is going to be cheaper than paying baggage fees? I am a keen photographer and my gear fills most of my carry-on bag. And what about things you buy when away and want to bring back as souvenirs? Bottles of booze cannot be put in carry-on luggage, even if they fit.
25 April 2011 7:28PM danielrece Report this comment
I should trust my life to used climbing gear and pay hundreds to rent it in order avoid spending $15 baggage fee? good one. and 'buy when you get there'?? .. why would someone spend time away from the vacation looking for stuff? the time you are losing and the stuff you'll end up throwing away at the end of the trip will add up to much more than $15.
22 June 2011 2:53PM vasenka Report this comment
Its how you pack your luggage that counts...more than how its made...or what its made of....
Never put two breakable things next to each other in the bag... always separate them with something soft and non-breakable.
Poor baggage packing is more responsible for damaged items in the luggage than anything else...
A soft bag, if always hand carried, can be more manageable that a hard shell bag... Personally I like a wheelie bag preferably not black...which is too common... A wheelie bag really moves through airports easily... Next a bag with backpack straps...
The worse travel bag is the duffle type bag that cuts into your shoulders...
26 July 2011 5:30PM manlygirl Report this comment
Don't bother with Columbia Titatiam women's zip off pants. I took a pair to Europe and they pilled badly in the crotch. They did't dry overnight, and the bottom part of the legs got melted on a heated towel rail trying to dry them. They looked tatty after a few weeks and were always handwashed. I threw them away.
26 July 2011 5:36PM manlygirl Report this comment
Travel clothing lacks style. Next trip I will be buying light weight street clothes to take. I found the synthetic fabric in travel clothes got smelly and was difficult to remove with just hand washing.
22 August 2011 5:38PM moeparkin Report this comment
Good tips (mostly). I just managed 3 weeks in India (which included wedding clothes) in a single carry-on. But my new all time fave travel accessory - my Amazon Kindle. Saved me lugging around the enormous LP guide to India - but it's also great because you can stock up on loads of books, because you never know what you're going to be in the mood for next. Also easy to read one-handed when you're stuck in those nasty 2+ hour immigration queues at Heathrow.
22 August 2011 6:03PM parallax42 Report this comment
As a Lonely Planet author I only ever take carry-on luggage. As the years have gone by it's become easier to carry stuff in digital form (eg novels) and I can chuck a few things at the end, such as the clipboard I use on assignment.
As for clothing, I subscribe to the 'rule of three', which I formulated in this blog post in 2008: http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com/2008/05/poland-5-bearable-lightness-of-packing.html
Though I now have an iPhone, it's still basically accurate.
24 November 2011 6:46AM daydreamfarmer Report this comment
I always try to travel as light as possible, however the last thing I want to do when on a vacation is shop for toiletries and utensiles.
27 November 2011 2:02AM happymick Report this comment
I am on a five year trip and am a year into it. I have been using a combination backpack/wheel pack for my last three trips. My minimum trips are about 5 months. On this one in South America for a year I have only had to put my backpack on once as opposed to just wheeling it. Now I admit for a budget traveler below around U.S 40 a day better to have a backpack. However as a mid range traveler $50-75 a day the wheeled packs are great.I get off at bus station or train stations take a cab to the hotel never using the anything but the wheels. I have an IPad, IPod, very nice noise reduction headphones, cell phone and the accessories needed for them. I am also diabetic so have some extra pills. No way on a five year trip it is in one bag. I have a day back and a small backpack/wheel pack. One bag a couple months no Problem. On a five year trip I am losing more than I am gaining.
5 December 2011 1:14AM vasenka Report this comment
Some thoughts on packing...
1... If there is a one bag limit...make it a BIG ONE!
2... Baggage, like the universe, is constantly expanding...Consider carrying an EMPTY BAG of at least carry on size in your check bag...
3...Determine the cost of an extra check bag in advance...or, fly airlines that allow a more "civilized" two checked bags...!
4....Unless you really are going to "trek" ditch the backpack and get a big wheelie bag...They are very easy to handle and carry a lot of stuff with no stress... So if you are only "treking" from the taxi to the door of the hostel...ditch the backpack...
7 December 2011 3:24AM tahoehikerbill Report this comment
Excellent suggestions. My girlfriend and I have traveled for years with only carry on - a day pack and a small personal items bag.
One item I find quite useful to pack is a small packable duffel. When we go out for the day we can put what we don't need in the duffel.
The duffel is also useful when you aren't limited to your carry on and can use the duffel as well. Makes packing easier.
Lastly, if we run into a situation where we need to check something. We put clothes in the duffel (easy to replace) and check it.
17 January 2012 4:51PM joolz2 Report this comment
You have GOT to be kidding about donating skiing/climbing etc. gear to a local cause at the end of the trip. I'm not going to buy a new pair of skis every time I go on holiday! And do you have any idea how much it costs to hire gear in places like Japan?