Perryn

I'm travelling for 7 weeks, Africa and then Europe. I bought a Zuca, which is just a little too small, especially if I want to do any shopping along the way.

I'm a woman so I know how to pack badly and schlepp way too much stuff - I'm using this trip as a real learning experience for packing small and being efficient with space.

I will definitely use a rolly (bag on wheels) and packing cells, because that's a must for keeping organised. I expect to carry enough for 2 weeks and will lauder as I go.

I got the pacsafe slingsafe backpack and bag for my personal stuff (laptop, iPad, camera, passport etc) excellent quality with RFID anti theft and ant slash straps (I know but it is small, light, functional and very cool). Now I just need a suitcase that measures up. I love my Zuca but it's just too small for this trip.

Thoughts? suggestions? ideas? thanks

jpie

I joust bought a bag similar to your Zuca but without the plastic framing parts at Ross dress for less for $15 that I love. It is basically a duffel style but short and wide versus long and thin. This is good for me since I am pretty short, so much easier to put overhead and the more squarish form seems to work better.

Also, this may seem crazy, but go look for luggage in thrift stores. My husband and I just finished Peace Corps service in Mexico and our $5 thrift store luggage held up as well or better than some of the newer stuff we got. And it attracts less attention especially for off the beaten track travel destinations. In any case I never pay full price for luggage-not when ross and tj maxx sell it marked down at very good prices.

annhig

Perryn - i think that you are well on the right track already. Unless you're going from the arctic to the tropics really one needs no more clothes for a 7 week trip than for a one week one.

There are some packing threads here which I have found very helpful, though I am yet to put them fully into effect! Certainly those packing cubes that you can get are very useful when you are moving around a lot as you unpack the cube not the clothes which makes it much easier to find what you need.

have a great trip.

dreamon

The longer you travel, the sicker you become of hauling a lot of luggage so good idea to reduce what you take. The last few trips, I have found a small suitcase on wheels (about 35kg) and a largish daypack (same again) more than enough and because they are both easily handled I can carry them up stairs, throw them in the luggage rack, hide them under the seat, etc. On one trip my friend took the same capacity but in a single bag and really struggled because she couldn't easily lift it. Do take care to check the weight of the bag when empty.

Perryn

Thanks guys. Hi jpie - do you know the name/brand of the bag? I'm in Australia not the US sounds good though, just what I need.

I'm with you on the luggage thing - I'm usually a shocker, so have to be much more cautious this time because exactly that - I can't face the hassle of it. And I'm travelling in Greece/Italy for the first time and can only imagine easy access is not what I am going to find!

di2315

For me it's not the length of time you'll be away that's important - it's the climates that you'll be living in. If you only need (for instance) clothes for the equivalent of our Australian summer, then your clothing won't need to take up as much space as if you were needing bulkier clothes for a European winter.

I travel with the same number of garments for 7 weeks as I do for 2 or 3 . . . it's only DH and me who will know just how often those outfits are worn!

My carry-on bag is a Woollies cooler bag; definitely not classy, but extremely practical, and it sits perfectly on my main bag. My other piece of luggage is a wheely bag not much larger than the maximum allowed for carry-on, and in that I can fit all the clothing I'll need for up to 7 weeks away. Di

nytraveler

Sorry - a 35 kg suitcase is almost 80 pounds. That is HUGE - not small. I travel with a 24"/25"/26" wheelie - depending on if the trip is all vacation, different climates or business PLUS vacation. Full the largest one may weight about 40 pounds or so.

Either your weights are off or you're carrying a body bag filled with bricks. And can;t imagine you have a similar size day pack (are you a Sherpa?). My day bag may weigh 8 or 9 pounds when full (including camera, guidebooks, bottle of water and mini umbrella.)

annhig

And I'm travelling in Greece/Italy for the first time and can only imagine easy access is not what I am going to find!>>

?? easy access to what? Certainly in Italy there aren't many places where you won't find a launderette.

nyt - i think that dreamon [who is not the OP BTW] must have meant 35 lbs, don't you?

Perryn

annhig, what I mean by "easy access" or not; steep hills, lots of stairs, not always lifts for apartments on 3/4 floor and so on. The point being that travelling light is going to make getting around a lot easier. truth is I really don't know, I can only go by what I see/read/here.

Yes, agree on the 35lbs - and nytraveler, I did have a good giggle at your comments

Di, love the cooler bag, very Aussie!!

HappyTrvlr

We travel with a 21" roller suitcase each for one week or six weeks plus a small carry on that sits on top of the luggage. I have never gotten the weight above 25 pounds no matter how much I pack in it. It is so much easier to move from place to place with smaller luggage.

annhig

what I mean by "easy access" or not; steep hills, lots of stairs, not always lifts for apartments on 3/4 floor and so on.>>

Perryn - thanks for the elucidation. I so agree about stairs and things. When I went to southern Tuscany for an italian course, I thought that I had packed light, but by the time I'd lugged my case up and down all the stairs at Pisa Centrale, I knew different. Of course, on the way back when I'd discovered my italian "feet" I discovered the lifts!

nytraveler

Well 35 lbs is better. But what about the daypack. I hope that's not 35 lbs too!

And I hope you have checked the rules of the airlines you will be using - many of the budget ones have VERY strict number, size and weight limits for luggage - not like US airlines.

dreamon

You're right - I meant litres, not kilos! That was a dumb mistake. I try to keep my total weight under 10kg (for everything) as that's about as much as I can manhandle about.

jpie

Hi there:

The cheapie bag we love is American Flyer. Here is a picture of it on ebags, although ours is a different pattern and I only paid $15 for mine.

http://www.ebags.com/product/america...uctid=10303811

The one we hated was the similar to this Victorinox one, but a knock off:

http://www.ebags.com/product/victori...uctid=10144732

Notice it is 5 lbs heavier empty than the other one. The real difference is that the short and squat form fits much more nicely in overhead and it also packs most things better. Luckily I was able to return the original and swap it for the one we love. One other comment. The American Flyer is pretty thin material, so I am waiting for the day when it shows up ripped open by the luggage handlers. One thing we have learned to travel with is a small roll of duct tape-I think you may find in pretty useful for the more adventuresome parts of your travel

Sorry for the US-centric shopping refs. We are in France now but I must admit I find better deals US side at all the discount stores. But after many years of nomadic existence I have pretty much determined that cheap luggage does as well as expensive pieces. I don't use packing cells since I don't want the extra weight, but I know many people love them. I do totally agree with the other folks here saying that I pack for 7 weeks the same way as I do for 1 week. Washing items is pretty easy along the way and the light weight travel is so worth the trade off.

asellus

The 40L bags are ideal for log trip, if you shouldn't take many small things along like shampoos, soap and so on. Last time I traveled adroad for 2 months I took 40L Delsey bag from http://www.luggagesuperstore.co.uk and it was enough. It was front load bag so it was more convenient than top load, but less capaciuous IMHO. It has 4 rollerl and firm holder

sdtravels

We spent a month traveling all over Africa and 2 weeks in Europe and we used an LLBean bag. For Africa and flying in small planes, light weight is essential and the bags have to be soft sided so they can conform to the nooks and crannies of small planes. This is he lightest weight luggage we could find :Expedition Travel Pack, Dusty Olive
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/64438...ductId=1091961
It says it is currently sold out but you might find something similar.

We brought separate "travel wheels" which were great because we could stack the luggage and our day packs on them and yet the bag wasn't heavier due to the wheels when we had to go backpack style.

If you are going to Africa, follow the following rule when packing: one outfit on, one off and one in the laundry. Worked well. Buy quick dry clothes that you can wash a night and wear in the morning. The Scrubba (which we got for our recent 8 week trip to Europe is great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7lLzVltvmc We'll take it on every future trip. Consider shipping purchases home.

Have a great trip.

Witait1948

Hi Peryn,

You are having great ideas and stuf along with you while going on journey unless you are going to tropical areas where a person needs alot of stuff to carry. When I went on trip , i used to carry all my essentials ifmain backpack is in an overhead bin.It is feasible and many backpackers are doing the same thing

RM67

Be so so careful if buying luggage in the US that may end being used for domestic flights within Europe.

Budget airline luggage dimensions are small and you need to check all three measurements, not just the longest. I frequently see luggage recommendations in Fodors own articles that will not be compatible with budget airlines over here, usually because of the depth (the smallest measurement).

annhig

and don't forget to include the wheels in your measurements. We had to put a bag in the hold once because of that - and to pay extra for the privilege. That was on the way out at Bristol - on the way back from Malaga, they didn't care - they were much keener on making sure that people only had one carry-on, including coats, cameras, etc.

you never can tell!

nochblad

Keep luggage small enough that if you travel on trains it can go on the rack above or can slide between the backs of the seats on the Eurostar and similar trains.

One thing that really annoys people in Italy is when those with huge luggage - and I have to say this is prevalently Americans - block seats and carriages so that others cannot occupy the seat or are inconvenienced.