Thoughts on packing cubes? Also, general travel gear thread, I guess. What gear do you find useful when traveling?
>>2684691I just got these and a cybertool m. I spend 9 or 10 months out of the year abroad. Swiss army knife is good because it doesn't have a locking blade so I can have it in Japan and England
>>2684691>Thoughts on packing cubes?The amount of space they claim to save is negligible if not zero, though I still use them to compartmentalize my bag.
>>2684700I'm not sure if they save space, but they definitely help with management. I have a big one and two small ones, and it's really easy to just throw in a bag quickly depending on your needs.
I keep a bottle opener in case I buy drinks from a store instead of drinking at the bar like a normal vacationer. I know there are many creative ways to open a glass bottle, but a proper bottle opener will always be the easiest way.
>>2684691I use them on all my trips. Obviously you don't need them but they're nice to have to keep things organized. I have the double sided ones so I can keep clean and dirty clothes separate.
I bring one of those reusable shopping bags with me. Apart from its very obvious use case, I also use it as a makeshift laundry bag. And in the rare case where an airline won't let me bring my carry-on bag aboard, I will use this bag as a temporary carry-on to hold my most important shit while my actual carry-on gets checked.
I just use a waterproof backpack1 pair of clothes on me, 1 pair in bag, rest of shitez + check this bag *unzips nuts*
>>2684719this, but I use a nylon drawstring gym bag. they take up about the space of a pair of socks, but can hold a good amount if needed. good for laundry and grocery store runs
>>2684691Does anyone know of a good, compact traveller's emergency med-kit?
These
>>2684691I always bring:high-power flashlightprecision tweezerscarabiner clips microfibre quick-dry towel (for open water swimming and beaches)>>2684713this>>2684721>>2684724lightweight daypack is useful because you won't always need to bring a full size backpack with you. it's like the upgraded version of a drawstring gym bag.lastly, if you're trv/ing in hot or wet conditions, durable travel sandals and a collapsible umbrella are extremely underrated for personal comfort.
Fine for keeping smaller items organized or as a laundry bagI always make sure I have:Zip lock bagsShoe bagCable tiesCabin nail clippersAir tagsPower bank + pouch to keep it and other cables in
>>2685033>collapsible umbrella rain jacket is superior
>>2684691>packing cubesReddit memeThey do not meaningfully compress enough to offset the extra bulk that comes from essentially wrapping your things in themStuff clothes in ziplock or freezer bags and squeeze the air out if you want to actually save space, and for compartmentalization of incompressible things thin zippered pouches are the best>What gear do you find useful when traveling?sea to summit compact clothes drying line, also robust enough to tie things together with if neededDetergent sheets if going to a country without a lot of laundromatsFoam ear plugsCheap carabiners to easily attach things to my backpack (hero clip is overpriced meme)
>>2685091>backpackI'm pretty satisfied with the osprey farpoint 55 on big trips that require checked baggage.
>>2685091>(hero clip is overpriced meme)Generally speaking, if there is a meme brand-name product that people genuinely swear by, you can buy an unbranded knockoff from eBay/AliExpress/Wish/Temu. They work the same, they look the same, but they cost a fraction of the branded equivalent. Chances are they're from the same factory.Basically, what I'm saying is, I don't always knock the meme products. I'll just knock-off the meme products ;-)
Since this is a general gear thread, I've been wanting to replace the old luggage I got from my parents like three decades ago with something newer. The question is to go hardshell or softshell?
>>2685169Hardshell if you can afford something other than plastic, soft if you can't.
>>2685185Any recommended brands? I know of Rimowa but they seem to be the overpriced+good marketing kind of brand.
>>2685098I use that exact bag too, lots of attachment points for carabinersI usually use two of them to secure my tripod's carrying bag to it, but it's pretty versatile nonetheless >>2685148That is the spirit
Anyone seen the latest meme bag? It's got a vacuum seal so you can compress all your gear. Won't be buying one personally but I am interested to see if it actually works
>>2685236Big if true. I only use carry on whenever I fly.Although I've used vacuum bags for home storage. Good for pillows and blankets, but for regular clothes any gains in volume are lost in the awkward uneven way they always compress. Maybe the rigid profile of a luggage could help though.
>>2685236looks like chinese garbage that doesn't actually work
>>2685236I would much rather use a real suitcase and pack it with vacuum bags. More cost-effective and if anything fails, you're out one or two disposable bags instead of one gimmick suitcase.
>>2685169I really like my Monos hardshell carry on. Much. more refined than Away.
Imo compression cubes do workI have no idea how to properly pack shoes tho
>>2685771Wear your good shoes while you're flying. Put your less-good shoes in a bag and stuff 'em somewhere in your luggage. If space is limited in your bag, stack your shoes like how they were in the box when you first bought them.
>>2685771I stuff them with my underwear/socks then squish top to top.
>>2685236My wife has some good quality vacuum seal travel bags. They’re ok. You’re not going to save a lot of space if you have a lot to pack. It becomes lumpy and uneven. Having to unpatch and repack it is a hassle. I feel like it only works with minimal amount of items. Overall not worth it for majority of people.As for as packing cubes. I’ve mess around traveling with and without packing cubes. They’re not going to save space. They actually do the opposite. The only benefit you’re getting is organization. It’s much easy to sort through your clothes in packing cubes rather than the suitcase or bag itself. If you lay your clothes out in your bag. That’s saves you more space. I’m probably going to stop using packing cubes altogether.
Compression cubes are stupid. If you roll you clothes tight you gain just as much and save on the space that the bag uses.
>>2684691sewing kit and dental flossbandanawet wipesflip flops for shared showers
>>2684691I am a devout believer in packing cubes, have been for years. I don’t think they save space at all (is that one of their claims?), but they make it easy to keep my stuff organized, to pack, and to unpack. As I am usually traveling with my family, color coding helps me to know which kid’s underwear and socks are which, etc. But I use them when traveling solo as well. Otherwise, I’m not particularly fussed about gear, beyond very basic stuff like plug adapters and sufficient charging cables. A small, high-capacity power bank/rechargeable battery can be valuable, too. Band-Aids, antibiotic ointment (which isn’t available OTC in many countries). A cloth shopping bag/tote bag. And I always prefer to have multiple pens on hand, although I also happily take them from airline check-in counters and hotels if I’m not sure where mine are or if I forget. I don’t steal them from flight attendants, though, on rare occasions when I have to fill out a paper form while in flight.
>peak design packing cubesThey have a clean and dirty side, compression and expansion and are good quality. Although they add 200g of weight they allow me to take a top loading pack without a bunch of zippers and organization shit which saves weight overall.>Alpaka toiletry bagLight and weatherproof. I don't have many toiletries. This is usable as a toiletry bag, tech pouch or edc sling bag.>Matador Freefly 16
>>2684691I think the usefulness of a packing cube is 100% dependent on how you approach packing. They'd certainly help with organization, though most people would manage without the compartmentalization. They're the sort of thing I'd never get for myself, but that my wife would probably love.
>>2685777What if they’re delicate (like high heels)
