Bags for Traveling Light
TLDR:
When traveling light or limited to Carry-on + Personal Item ONLY, my favorite bags are:
Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (Back-Carry)
Small exterior compartment: Things MAYBE needed during travel/medium term
Large main compartment: Things NOT needed during travel/long-term
KAVU Rope Sling Bag (Front-Carry)
Chargers, small entertainment, writing pad/journal, PENS/PENCILS!!!
Pack a tight-packable duffel inside your larger bag for any extra trinkets you pick up for the way back home
Read more below to see additional suggestions for accessories in addition to these primary bags, and recommended packing placement of clothes, toiletries, and extras below.
When traveling light or limited to Carry-on + Personal Item ONLY, my favorite bags are the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L and Kavu Rope Sling Bag. To help show the amount of space you can really maximize with these two bags, below is a breakdown of what special/”consider these” items I packed on my trips in each bag! I give a specific breakdown of what I packed in this blog post about my time on the E/V Nautilus.
Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (Carry on my back)
There are 3 Compartments on the Allpa
Small Exterior, Main Compartment, and Laptop Compartment!
Inside the small exterior compartment: Pack things you MAYBE need during travel (medium-term needs).
Medium-term items are things that you wouldn’t mind waiting to take out/put away in an airport bathroom or in between immediate transit, since this larger bag is usually stowed in overhead compartments/racks.
What would I recommend putting here?
Big snack bags
rain cover
travel-day layers/clothes
toiletries dopp kit (highly recommend a normal carabiner (or better yet, a HEROCLIP) to hold hairties to the kit AND allow for anywhere-hanging)
Large main compartment: Pack things NOT needed during travel/long-term/until destination is reached.
All other clothes
Friendship bracelet making kit
A tight-packable duffel for extra trinkets you pick up for the way back home
I have the Eddie Bauer Stowaway 45L
Any basic cinch bag (contains the smells) for laundry
I recommend these Gecko compression dry bags for laundry purposes AND for internal organization of the large main compartment (keeps things SUPER compact after pushing air out!)
Exterior Straps
Luggage Tag with contact information
UNIQUE identifying add-ons (I often do obnoxious ribbon colors and bow-tie them on, or patches, LOL)
KAVU Rope Sling Bag (Carry on the front of my chest)
Pack items that are constantly used/needed during travel.
Main (Left) Compartment
Important Travel Credentials/Documents inside hidden inner zip pocket
Entertainment devices (headphones/airpods, iPad, Nintendo Switch), Books, Camera, JOBY GorillaPod 3k
Right Compartment
Flatter/smaller objects - writing pad/journal, chargers, glasses/glasses case
Outer Pockets
Phones can fit in the rectangular zipper pocket
Smaller flap pocket easily fits pens/pencils (especially helpful customs forms in addition to journals) AND AirPods case
On Strap
Luggage Tag with contact information
PeakDesign Capture Clip (for attaching camera on the go + quick access)
KAVU Sling Bag with Peak Design Capture Clip and JOBY GorillaPod attached at hip