Some mistakes on my trip

My husband is a huge fan of the short sleeve Columbia PFG Tamiami shirts (there are women's versions, too, but I've never tried them). They are very cool, dry very quickly, and fold up to nothing. Best prices I've seen are at Sierra Trading online, I get whatever's on sale. He prefers microfiber shorts, too, and we have those in several different brands.
Old non-breathing polyester was nothing like the new stuff! Leave 100% cotton at home!

Don't call them mistakes - just learning experiences. I don't preach a lot about packing lite as do some of the other posters. What I do preach is that it is learned behavior. Almost everyone on the first trip takes too much stuff and the smart ones learn to take less the next time. On our first trip we took an enormous amount of stuff that really affected our ability to move about. It took a couple more trips to get down to one carry on each but we learned. A big aid in our packing is to make a packing list for every trip and analysis that list on the way in the plane to refine that list for the next trip. Most of the time we have a basic list but always add one two new items and then evaluate how the new items worked. Sometimes they get added to the list and sometimes not.

For clothing we total avoid 100% cotton for many of reasons you discovered. Our preference is synthetic blends. Something around 30% cotton seems to work very well for us along with some of the newer wicking blends. We like the Rick Steve's bags. But those bags are not designed for heavy - 25 lb + - which could be your problem with stress on the lower back. I do have an Eagle Creek bag with a waist strap that takes more weight. A lot depends on personal preference and experience. Every when we travel in the US, we experiment with new items and clothing.

But you have started down the correct road so just keep good records of what you have done.

Thanks Celeste and Frank.

Yes, I decided to make a list of all the things that didn't work, of all the "in case" things we took. Not all were related to clothing either.

I patted myself on the back when I began to see the mistakes whilst on the trip, and begin to add some notes on my phone. We took the video camera as well and used occasionally, but not enough to justify hauling it again, though it's one of the smaller digital types. Perhaps my big Canon would be sufficient to take short videos.

What did work, and I loved better than my pacsafe bag while hiking and moving around in the day was a small daypack/backpack. Was so much better than having my cross body bag. The Pacsafe I used while we were in Paris sightseeing, but once out of the city, didn't find I needed it at all.

Again, you learn. We took a video camera on our first trip - granted much bigger than today. Shoot about eight hours of video - viewed some of it - most is still sitting on the shelf. One of these days, I am going to look at it.

I really like using the lightweight breathable golf polo shirts just for this reason. Look for "duo dry" or other fabrics that are moisture wicking. I have always been very hot natured, and these shirts feel so much better than cotton. While you can get the more expensive ones, you can find cheaper ones at places like Target. Living in Texas, a lot of my wardrobe is now this material.

Ginger,

Any number of athletic companies make their version of quick-dry and wicking shirts. Adidas, Nike, Columbia, Patagonia, Under Armour to name a few. Cotton??? not sure who gave you that information, but it does not wick the moisture away from your skin, and it takes too long to dry and yes it loses its shape. The trick is layers, wick it away from you skin to an outer layer, for warmth and to stay cool.

I like the Osprey Porter pack. Generally these convertible backpacks are not designed to be back packs in the traditional sense, just for short term. I would never use the Osprey Porter to go for a hike but it is fine for walking from train to hotel, etc., as are many others.

Haven't bought Eddie Bauer in a long time but have had quality luck with LL Bean and Talbots tees. Have also had luck with LL Bean luggage. I hope you still enjoyed your trip, though, despite the t-shirt fiasco!

Yes we did, Rachel, but I knew that there had to better travel clothes out there.

A friend who works at EB said they had all these travel clothes, and we did buy the Travex hiking pants, but some of the T shirts she recommended were definitely wrong. She has never traveled to Europe but mentioned that cotton keeps you cooler, so I quickly grabbed a few in different colors, which worked perfectly with accessories and my jacket, but that's about it. I never felt so darn foolish! Especially when they took on a life and size of their own.

I'm allergic to polyester, and I'm sure I'm not the only one out there. What I find works well for me at home or abroad is tees with close to 100% cotton, but a little spandex - - 2 or 3%. They don't lose their shape, are usually machine wash and dry (won't buy if they aren't), and are as cool as anything I can wear. Talbots is a good source. If you can find them, tops made from crinkled rayon are cool, dry fast, and don't need ironing. However, these seem to have become not readily available.

One thing learned is to wear, then wash and dry in the same manner you will do on your trip, each new item before deciding to pack. In this case you would have discovered the shirt problem earlier.

Another thing I have learned is to weigh every item individually (I use a food scale) for use in the decision making on packing choices. You will be surprised by the difference in weight of similar items. I also fold or roll similar items to see which ones take up the least space. Those two measurements determine what I pack. And, for example, if there is a particular shirt I still want to take and it is heavier or bulkier, that is what I wear on the plane or travel days when hauling luggage. These actions have enable me to pack lighter and in smaller luggage.

Cotton and wool are great in everyday life but not for travel. Neither are jeans.

Always get the most polyester you're comfortable with into your blended shirts and pants. Just makes travel ever so much easier.

Those are great ideas, Lynn. I was very sick a few weeks before the trip, so packing had to be fast and those tops looked so good new :-)

My husband is allergic to polyester so for him, his first thought is 100% cotton. I didn't know that just the 5% spandex could make such a difference in how the t shirt or polo looks after hand washing.

I use Columbia travel outdoor wear.
It is a moisture wicking fabric and sell retail at a very reasonable price.
Ck it out many sport goods store carry this manufacturer.

Ginger, for yourself, take a look at the cotton/modal blend tees at Lands End. I wear them at home as well. They wash so well and dry usually overnight. I'm in Paris right now and washed one this afternoon which is mostly dry 5 hours later. I have had them take longer, especially in a humid coastal part of Italy just as a disclaimer. I wear their cardigans as well but don't usually have to wash them during a trip.

No suggestions for your DH, except my brother has changed over to all merino wool Tees.

We recently discovered merino wool tees from Icebreaker. Yes, even in hot weather, they are perfect and they do not need to be washed all the time. When you do wash them, they dry quickly. They do not scratch, they layer beautifully. Otherwise, the wicking polyester blends from Columbia and similar brands are terrific. If you need something dressy, it's harder, but in summer I always pack a Travelsmith dress or two.

My husband is a fan of breathable golf polo shirts too. They wash up in the sink, drip-dry practically overnight, and don't wrinkle. I have some of those crinkled rayon shirts Rosalyn was talking about, and those are great if you can find them.

But 100% cotton is the enemy: it's difficult to dry and doesn't keep its shape. I don't think it keeps you cool, either. Synthetic blends have been the answer for us, and we buy a lot of it at athletic/outdoor stores like REI, Columbia, etc.

Doing a test run was another good tip I learned. I'll hand wash and hang new pieces to see how quickly they dry, shed wrinkles and hold a shape.

But I don't preach minimal packing either as we both check a bag. They aren't enormous or terribly heavy by any means but they are over carry-on size. And we DO bring jeans: they're all we wear at home (unless it's shorts or dress clothes) so that's what we're comfortable in. Mine are a blend so aren't as heavy as all that.

Now if I could just talk the DH out of 100% cotton underwear and socks! HA!

We use the same luggage if we’re traveling for 7 days or, last year, 35 days. We pack for up to 7 days and count on finding a Laundromat and allowing the 75 minutes every 7 days it takes to wash and dry the clothes—in fact, we typically book hotels on the 7th and 14th days that are near a Laundromat. We’ve also been known to use the bathroom wash bowl for things that will dry overnight (which we “test” before leaving home). We also use the “onion” premise of taking the lightest apparel possible and layering with another light layer. We almost always travel wearing the bulkiest clothing, the heaviest shoes and hats that we are likely to need-- even if it means we look a little miss-dressed for travel (we’ll never see these people again), Favorite bags: those with wheels, we use the throw away principle, and always carry a "strap" incase something lets go.

I like a nice cotton blend tee or top, with a teensy bit of spandex for shaping. I don't buy special garments touted for travel wear, just know which pieces in my everyday wardrobe work best. Boden comes out with some interesting tops, including sleeveless and tank styles, in solids and prints every season and they are flattering, keep their shape for a couple of wears and wash/dry well without wrinkling. I wear my usual jeans as well, they're a lightweight denim/spandex blend by Hudson and keep their shape beautifully and dry easily overnight--2 pairs does me nicely, wear 1 for 3-4 days, wash and wear the other, repeat.

The "just in case" thinking for me ended, finally, with my 5th trip this May--I fought hard with myself but really pared down my choices to 7 tops, 4 short-sleeve and 3 long or 3/4, with 2 light sweaters for layering--for 2 weeks in weather that varied by up to 30 degrees. They were washed and worn 2 or 3 times each and the only thing I didn't wear was a tank top. My suitcase is 22" and easily handled by me.

When I travel I go with cotton/poly blends that will not wrinkle easily, that don't stretch out, and that dry well with a good sink washing. We were in Europe during the heat wave as well and the wardrobe was perfect.
I usually hit TJMaxx or Marshall's for a month or two before we leave, buying individual pieces that have some style but are very inexpensively priced, and sticking with a single color palette so that I can mix and match. This past summer it was "colors of a stormy sea"...all greys and dark blues. It worked great! 7 weeks in a carry on...7 short sleeved/tank/swing tops (for me, loose fitting clothes are key in hot European cities), 2 long sleeved shirts, 2 pants (shaped in the rear, loose legs for the heat), 2 shorts, 1 skirt, 1 pr. walking sandals, 1 pr. tennies, 1 rain jacket. I was pretty tired of the clothes by the time I got home but I felt like I looked good and was comfortable.

Another vote for Icebreaker lightweight shirts. I've worn the same ones for many, many trips. They're lightweight and comfortable and they dry in hours after sink washing. Also, make a list right now of what worked and what didn't. I've modified my list after every trip to get it where I'm happy.

As far as cotton is concerned. I learned my lesson on a trip to Germany awhile ago. I packed an expensive pair of Columbia cargo pants (cotton) from REI and a cheap pair of convertible cargo pants (non-cotton) from Walmart. One use of the cotton pants stretched the wast, butt and knees enough that they didn't look good at all. Hand washing and hang drying doesn't solve this at all - if anything it was worse - so the entire trip was in my Walmart convertibles.

Here's my non-cotton pack list:

• Underarmour 9" inseam boxer jocks (the ones with a fly)
• Non-cotton black crew socks I read the labels of every sock in multiple stores to find non-cotton for travel (currently they're Calvin Klein but I already bought some Puma socks that I'll use when these wear out). I pack three matching pairs and hand-wash a pair daily. They all match so I can lose one or two socks and still have two working pairs. Depending on the itinerary, I might change these for wool hiking socks.
• For t-shirts, I like the Adidas ultimate tee. Other options are Nike dryfit and similar from Underarmour. I prefer something that has a soft feel rather than a polyester feel.
• I generally pack non-cotton button up long-sleeve shirts too. They're dressy enough when I need something nice but I can roll up the sleeves for more casual wear. I have a few that are ready for travel (two from North Face and one from Columbia). Many of these travel shirts either don't fit well or have weird colors/patterns. I try on a lot and only find something I like occasionally.
• I don't pack cotton warm layers either, get a washable wool sweater rather than cotton (my favorites are from H&M and LL Bean), a zip-up polar fleece or soft shell, or even a non-cotton Underarmour hoodie. If cotton gets wet, it loses it's insulating ability as well as it's shape.
• For pants, I really like golf pants; they're light, wrinkle free, easy to hand wash and dry, and look dressy enough when needed. One pair of those for my dressier needs. I also like to pack non-cotton warm up pants; they work for ultra casual as well as laundry days or walking down the hall to use the shower. I'll often pack a pair of non-cotton shorts that double as a swim suit or swim suit that doubles as shorts. I'm still wrestling with the perfect casual pant, a substitute for jeans. If you pack jeans, at least find the lighter material jeans in a more tapered fit. They look better and will dry much faster than heavy jeans.

Make a pack list and save it with your travel files. The best time to update it is right after a trip while everything is fresh in your mind (what worked well, what didn't, what you wish you had packed, what you could have left home).

These are all brilliant ideas, and I'm kicking myself for not asking sooner!

But I love the idea of making notes now about what didn't work, what did, and keeping it handy for my next trip.

I did have a pair of jeans, but they didn't get as stretched out as the ones others wore that were 100% heavy cotton. Cotton is now a bad word in my house!

Will be keeping an eye out for the recommendations here. I also like the added post about what people pack for a week.

Reason we used a 26" with wheels is because of back problems, and also a recent surgery for female issues. Otherwise I would surely have gone smaller on the suitcase. Those cobbled streets are a killer.

Hi Ginger, As Pam and Christa indicated, cotton blends work well. I, too, buy the cotton/modal blend tees at Lands End, and find they wash well, dry overnight, wear well, dress up easily and kept their shape. They are what I often wear at home. They are mostly cotton. In fact, I really ended up wearing the same two shirts most of the time on my last trip (I was traveling solo), and one more than the other. When I woke up and it was dry on the line I often just put the black one back on, as I did with the underwear and socks…so I could pack even lighter, but don't want to do so. I also take my black jeans, which I constantly wear at home and that have a bit of spandex in them (NYDJ Nordstroms). The pair I washed in the sink dried overnight. I like natural materials usually, but the only completely cotton or wool outfit I wear when traveling is on the plane…as I'm a bit of a risk management freak. Otherwise, they are blends…and the last trip I did wear my black jeans with that bit of spandex on the plane even though I don't know what the burn and melt factor is on them! Yes, I am laughing at myself, and yet... My latest suitcase is the RS 20" wheelie, but I checked it after the first flight, because I find it nicer to not have any luggage when possible. I can easily carry this up stairs and lift overhead on the train, etc. We are mostly packing addicts here because many started like you, so welcome! Wray

Here's a third vote for the Lands End cotton-modal t-shirts. You may be able to find the short-sleeved versions (which is what I prefer) on sale now, if you want to try one out.

I love the Eddie Bauer Travex travel clothing. I bought black pants and a matching jacket last summer ... not exactly hiking pants, these are slim-fitting, with a bit of spandex so they were extremely comfortable. I wore the pants and jacket (plus a Lands End t-shirt, of course) on the plane and almost every day for a month (washing them in the sink occasionally). Everything dried overnight and always looked fresh.

Flax has some nice linen tops. I wore some all summer in hot NYC. They rinse out easily and try overnight every time.

Pam

Ginger,

A few thoughts on the points you mentioned.....

• Cotton T-Shirts - I sometimes travel with cotton shirts and don't find that to be a problem, as I usually visit a laundromat every week or so. If you'd rather not travel with cotton garments, have a look at items from Ex-Officio, Tilley or other "travel clothing* firms.
• Favourite bags - it's difficult to make a suggestion without having some idea what type of bags you're looking for. Are you interested in wheelie bags, backpacks or other types as well? If you're considering backpacks and don't want "stress on the lower back", it's important to have the pack properly fitted for your torso size, so that the majority of the weight rests on your hips and not your back. If you need more information, post another note.

Personally, I like linen for warm temps. Keeps me cool, washes and dries quickly (air dry) and layers well with other materials.Linen is also very lightweight and takes up little space. I have some of the Columbia etc. wicking shirts but prefer the looser fitting linen unless I know I will be hiking . I also make sure everything I pack can be worn with multiple other items, eg. three tops for each pair of pants. I do pack more tops than bottoms. For example, for 2 weeks in Italy last month, I had 3 pair of linen pants and 8 tops plus 2 very lightweight sweaters and a lightweight shell. I wore warmer clothes for the flight over since I assumed (incorrectly this year) that the weather would be cooler when I returned. I use a 22" Travelpro wheeled case.

Ken is correct that if you were to go with a backpack, you need to have it fitted. And you need to pay attention to the pack specifications (especially the weight of the pack when it is empty - some can weigh as little as 2 lbs and others as heavy as 8 or 9 lbs empty. And think hard about how you would really be using it. Sorry, Rick Steves' is a good guidebook writer, and it's nice that he slaps his name on backpacks and suitcases, but that doesn't make it a good bag - and his staff is not fitting you for the pack - most people buy them online because they saw Rick talking up his pack on TV somewhere. Go to a store like REI or Cabela's and have them help you find the right backpack - they will have you test it out in the store by putting some weights in their so you can determine if it is sitting correctly and your back is not taking the brunt of the load. I love my Eagle Creek pack I got from REI. To me, wheeled suitcases are more of a pain in Europe - too many cobblestones or bricks, uneven or broken sidewalks, tons of stairs, hopping on and off trains, buses and subway - it all makes it much more difficult to drag a big heavy suitcase behind you. If all you are doing is traveling from city to city and not doing any sort of serious hiking with a backpack, you can get away with a relatively lightweight backpack.

As for the clothing choices not keeping their shape "when hung to dry", sounds like you listen to the sheeple who preach about hand washing clothing in a hotel sink and hanging it to try. Of course your clothing will dry funny when draped all over the hotel room or stuck on hangers to drip into the tub. It is completely worth the few extra dollars to simply take clothing to a local laundromat. Do it yourself if you feel like you want to take 1-2 hours out of your day to sit down, have a cup of coffee and write out some postcards or read a book while waiting for your laundry to dry in a machine. If that's too much time missed sightseeing, then that is when it makes it completely worth the extra Euros to do drop off service at a laundromat. Let them take care of it all and when you come back, everything will be neatly washed, dried and folded for you. I hear lots of die-hard sink washers complain about all the time one loses in a laundromat - but really, the last thing I want to waste time on during my trip is standing in my hotel room washing my underwear in the bathroom sink and watching my clothes dripping into the shower stall for the next 24 hours until they are (hopefully) dry enough to wear or pack.

Well guess we are all different , but I love cotton shirts.. but not cotton TShirts.

I try to find lightweight ( think almost gauzy ) blouses.. the kind with the sort of wrinkly already texture ( so it never needs to be ironed and looks fine after hanging to dry) .. The lightweight cotton BLOUSES not tees.. dry quickly..
I also look for lightweight linen.

I also wear mostly sundresses or skirts when its hot. I don't like capris or pants when its hot.. and capris do not keep me much cooler then pants.. its not like have bottom half of my calfs free is that much better. I understand a lot of ladies prefer pants and capris . .but as I said.. I find them hot as hades.

Since most of my visits to Europe have been in hot months.. I totally understand about trying to keep cool,, 90-95 degree weather literally can make me sick.. in fact anything over 80 is hot to me.

"Cotton and wool are great in everyday life but not for travel." Hmmm, I've had great use of wool clothing....whether hold or cold outside. In colder weather, i really like lightweight merino wool t-shirts as a base layer. Also, I pack a long sleeve zip lighter weight wool sweater that works great for layering when it's cool or cold. I use both wool and synthetic socks....both are fine for me. Finally, in the counterintuitive category, I have switched to ultralight and very soft merino wool underwear (works great during hot or cold days). The t-shirts and underwear dry easily overnight after a sink washing. In short, wool works for me.

My husband and I both love lightweight merino wool for tee shirts, both long and short-sleeve. They are thin and cool to wear, pack very small, and dry quickly when hand washed. I buy mainly Icebreaker, but also SmartWool, Patagonia, and Ibex---basically whatever I find on sale at backcountry.com or Sierra Trading Post.

For pants, I like cotton/spandex----around 5% helps them keep their shape, avoid wrinkles! and dry much faster. Eddie Bauer makes a great one for travel (not the Travex one). It is called Bremerton Stay Shape. They are slim cut, no waistband, no pockets, and side zip---very flattering and pack small since there is no extra bulk. I also like NYDJ which fit well and dry quickly because of the Spandex. I am wearing a pair right now in Venice, along with an Ibex merino tee. Very comfortable on a warm and humid day of walking all over!

"Cotton and wool are great in everyday life but not for travel. Neither are jeans."

I have to disagree. If I travel outside of the hottest summer months my husband and I always take a pair or two of jeans. Mine have a little spandex and are lighter than his. You can wear jeans many times without washing them.

We rent apartments when we can, to have a washer (and if lucky a dryer) whenever possible. If we need to wash outside of those occasions we sink wash. Not jeans, but almost everything else can be washed and will dry overnight if you get all the excess water out of them. I have inflatable hangers that aid in the drying process by holding the layers apart, plus they help shirts keep their shape. I also bring a few hangers with clips, like pants come on in the store. I can can use them to dry pants, skirts, etc.

I have to agree that means are great for all but hottest months/ destinations because you can wear them for a week without washing .

I forgot to mention my other favorite T shirt, which is poly-cotton and 5% spandex. It is the Ex Officio "Go-to" tee with elbow length sleeves. The fabric is thin and cool enough for hot weather (I even wear it hiking on hot days) but not clingy.

http://www.exofficio.com/products/details/womens-go-to-half-sleeve-shirt

The shirt has been discontinued and is getting scarce, but if you can wear sizes XS there are still some around. They seem to have replaced it with a poly-spandex shirt which I don't think I will try.

here's why I'm anti-jean for travel. First, they're heavy and bulky. Hardest thing in the world to pack.

Second, if they get wet (and since it often rains in most of the world they will), they are hard to get dry.

Hey I really don't care, if you want to take them go ahead. I just find pants like Dockers or microfiber slack-type pants work better for me and are more versatile (you'll never get turned away from anywhere or feel underdressed).

Oh sure, if you intend to eat at fancier restaurants or go to upscale evening events, then another type of trouser might be better. We don't do any of those things so our jeans are fine. They're well-fitting and comfortable, and we've never felt out of place anywhere we've been in them. We also don't mind a mid-trip session at a laundromat as we usually meet someone interesting there! Part of the local experience, ya know?

Note.. in all but the most fancy places in Paris jeans are quite the norm.. worn with a sports jacket and button up shirt for men.. or a nice blouse and shoes for women.. they can take you almost anywhere.. really.. but they must be nice jeans.. not baggy ones, they like jeans fitted and dark.

"...they like jeans fitted and dark" so I guess my 501s don't meet the standard.

Bruce, I wouldn't worry about it. The locals certainly don't.

i know this is late, but we went to Germany/Czech during June. I took several yoga dresses; they wash and dry quickly, don't wrinkle, and are comfortable to wear if you have to sit on the train for several hours. I paired these with a couple of pairs of light & medium weight tights, and lightweight fleece sweaters & wind breaker. Easy to layer for cooler mornings & evenings; and peel off the layers for afternoon-easy to stuff the tights & sweater in a daypack.

Ginger,

A few additional comments to add to my earlier reply.....

"They seem to put stress on the lower back. Favorite bags out there?"

The RS Packs put stress on your lower back due to the fact that all of the weight is resting on your shoulders, and therefore also on your lower back. Even if they do have a waist belt, there is no provision with the RS Packs for torso range adjustment for users of various size to allow the majority of weight to be carried by the hips and not the shoulders. This is exactly why I don't use RS Packs.

Favourite bags out there...... If you're looking for properly designed Backpacks, you might have a look at these.....

• Osprey Packs - depending on capacity, you could have a look at the Farpoint 70 series or the larger Waypoint 80 series. The smaller models likely won't have enough length to allow proper torso range fitting, which means the weight will again be carried by the shoulders. These come with a detachable Daypack which can be used for carry-on, and also a stowable harness to prevent the straps from being damaged by airport baggage handling equipment.
• Eagle Creek - unfortunately, EC has changed their focus more towards wheeled luggage, but the Deviate series is one you could consider, especially since this includes a model with a harness specially designed for women. These also feature a clip-on Daypack and I believe also a stowable harness system.

The important thing with any pack is a proper fit according to torso length by a competent sales person. THIS link from Osprey provides some information on that.