Hey there, folks! So, my wife and I just got back from a mega 4-week trip across London, Scotland, and Ireland. We did a ton of prep and testing to nail down the perfect packing strategy, and man, do I have some insights to share with you all. Disclaimer: We didn’t go full one-bag mode, as we checked in a bag between countries for souvenirs and to navigate those pesky budget airline size limits. But hey, the goal was still to travel light and stick to carry-on only (except for the souvenirs, of course).
Let’s break down my gear: I rolled with the Aer Travel Pack 3 for my carry-on, clocking in at 20.6lb. A tad over some size limits, but it never caused any issues. My personal item was the Aer Day Sling 3 Max, weighing 3.3lb. I could’ve squeezed in more stuff, but it wasn’t necessary for what I had planned.
In my main pack, I packed clothes like shirts, tees, a button-down, jackets, underwear, pants, shorts, and socks. Plus, I brought along some cool extras like a selfie stick, a packable blanket, a GoPro, a toothbrush, deodorant, and grooming essentials. For tech, I had a camera cube, a drone, batteries, chargers, and cables – all neatly packed into my sling when needed.
And let’s not forget about the shoes! My trusty black Saucony Peregrine 15’s were my go-to for all terrains, while the wife rocked cream Peregrine 15’s and Birkenstock slides for that London vibe.
Now, my wife’s setup was a bit different – she had a Travel Pro Compact Elite Hard Shell as her carry-on and an Osprey Daylite as her personal item. She also had a couple of extra bags like the Aer Go Pack 2 and the Aer City Sling 2, which came in handy for different situations.
Phew, that was a lot to cover! But I gotta say, streamlining our packing process really helped us focus on the essentials and enjoy our trip to the max. If you’ve got any questions, hit me up – I’m here to help!