What do you put in your day pack?

Don't forget a pair of tweezers for those pesky ATM's that have been known to eat your cards!

A water bottle and some snacks. But don't do this if you're going to an art museum, chances are they'll check your bag and make you toss any food/drink you have. And stick in some band-aids in case of blisters.

Chap stick, bandaids, sample size lotion, emmery board and nail clippers, a few ziploc bags. If you wear glasses, a tiny screwdriver to tighten the screws at the temples. A pill organizer for daily meds, asprin or equivalient. Mints or gum.

That is a lot to carry around all day. We do plastic ponchos (if there is a big chance of rain). Guidebook, sun block, band aids - maybe. If we need water or a snack we'll pick it up. Nail filing can wait until I get back to the room. Gloves and hats (if necessary). The worst is hauling around a heavy bag - we pack up in a backpack and our son (10) wears it.

Oh, you've discovered the joy of purses! Map, reading material, hand sanitizer, moleskin, small first aid kit, a few safety pins, maybe a little duct tape. Plastic spoon and fork, chapstick, small travel umbrella, sunglasses. And add a Sharpie marker to your regular pen. You never know when you'll be asked for your autograph.

Tide pen for those yummy misfortunes.

One more purse comment and I'll probably leave it at home! :)

wow that is a lot of stuff! My day bag is small though so I limit it to water bottle, guidebook, small moleskin and pen, chapstick and camera. Depending on weather I will pack my rainjacket that is very compressible.

In my day pack I took: My folder with all of my iteneraries, notes, guide book info pages that had been copied and a map. I was gone for long periods of time with little to no money to spend on extras so I packed food, I kept cheese & peanutbutter(from U.S.) in my bag, then bought bread and fruit at the markets. I kept my journal, camera, and my cell phone! I kept hand sanitizer and a small travel umbrella. I wore my sweater around my shoulders when I was too warm.

Thanks for the replies. I'm a big guy, but am going to try to keep the weight down for comfort. I added a water bottle when I tried it out at home, but probably won't keep it when travelling. Water is easy to buy. The band aids are a good idea. Blood on clothes is not cool in the middle of a two week vacation with limited washing facilities.

Here's our standard line-up:

Small Water Bottle.
Ibuprofen.
Band Aids.
Plastic Poncho.
Map.
Parts of Guide Books.
Moleskine & Space Pen.
Hand Sanitizer.
Camera.
Cell Phone.
Travel Kleenex Pack (not for your nose, for ill-equipped restroom).

We've also had a/some toddler(s) along on our last few trips... so also carried:

Juice Cups / Juice.
Crackers / Peanut Butter.
Fruit.
Wet Wipes.
Dry Washcloth.
Small Blanket.
2-3 large ziploc bags.

Yeah... the day pack resembled a whole pack when traveling with little ones, but -- hey -- what ya gonna do?

Come on --- lets don't get carried away. You are not going on safari. And you are not leaving civilization. And I don't understand why we American have developed this cultural habit of having to carry a water bottle.

I carry what I anticipate that I will NEED for that day and it doesn't include most of the stuffed mentioned. Guidebook, map, compass, camera, extra batteries and SD card. Small umbrella if rain is forecast. Almost everything else I can buy along the way. The idea is to keep it light.

"The idea is to keep it light."

Right on, Frank.

This is beginning to look like a solution in search of a problem. "Gee, I have this big day pack, what can I think of that I can put in it", instead of, "what do I really need to take with me. Maybe I need something to carry it in". No wonder these people can't pack light. I don't even carry most of that stuff in my big pack.

How many of you walk around every day at home with Band Aids, Plastic Poncho, Moleskin[e], Space Pen, and Hand Sanitizer (Sorry Jim).

Frank, I agree with you on a camera, umbrella, and a map, but a guidebook, compass, extra batteries. I read my guidebook at home before I go (usually), or load everything worthwhile into my netbook, and I charge my batteries every night.

OK, I admit, I do carry a netbook (2#) with me, but I use it. It's probably no heavier than a couple of guidebook, and loaded with things I need, like maps and train schedules. I refer to it during the day and often spend my lunch time updating my expense spreadsheet or my blog, and it's safer with me than back in the room.

Don't get me wrong, being x-military I know the value of correct and efficient packing. I was just curious what others packed. The bandaids IMO are a great idea. The value they hold far outweigh the space they will occupy. And yes, I keep them in my desk and work, in my glove compartment, and in my medicine cabinet. Blood on travel clothes is just plain troublesome.

I change each morning. It's typically some combination of the following: Rain jacket, swiss army knife, plastic fork, water bottle, snack/picnic foods, monocular, tiny tripod for my camera, tiny flashlight, chapstick, kleenex pack, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and a ziplock bag or two.

I usually leave my small repair kit/first aid kit in my carry on.

I think you're going to find 2 schools of thought here -- either take everything you think you'll need, or only take the essentials. Do what works for you.

I like having a water bottle so I don't have to find someplace and pay for more water when I want some. But, then, I'm incredibly cheap, so there ya go. I like having my guidebook along in case I have more time on my hands than I thought, or if I'm in a big city, so I know what bus to catch to get to where I'm going.

Yes, you usually don't carry all of this stuff with you every day. But, most days, I'm assuming, you're not trekking out somewhere, doing a lot of walking, and spending the entire day away from your homebase (unless you're working, and that's another story).

Lee writes, "How many of you walk around every day at home with Band Aids, Plastic Poncho, Moleskin[e], Space Pen, and Hand Sanitizer." Well, I don't carry a purse or bag at all when I'm not traveling. Wallet in one pocket and keys in the other. But I have all those things in my car's glove box, at work, and at home. So when I travel, I take a bag of some sort, and yes, I put that stuff in there.

I carry water bottle, camera, lipstick with mirror, mini-map of city, pen and snacks, pain pills. I have to carry snacks because of gluten problems.

Since I started using Smartwool socks, I have not had to carry anything with me in case of blisters. Whatever else I might need can be bought along the way.

When I travel, I don't carry anything more with me then I would any other day walking around town, except for maybe a map or some other print-outs. If it is hot, I might carry a small bottle of water with me. I don't wear sunscreen, or use chapstick or hand sanitizer, so my bag stays light. If you are wearing broken in shoes, you shouldn't need band-aids for blisters. I have yet to cut myself while out in the city, so have not worried about blood on my clothing from that. Tissues always, a small, fold-up brush, a pen, a light notebook, fold up umbrella and my wallet. I do wear a messenger bag so the weight is distributed nicely and there are no worries about hitting other people with it or knocking things off of shelves in stores.

Do I NEED the things in my day bag? YES! Do I usually carry them at home? YES and YES and YES! My family claims I could live out of my purse for 3 days (and except for food, I could- I don't carry snacks- just some mints).

Hubby insists on the nail clippers, wipes and lotion; I use the chapstick. The small first aid and sewing kit have been used numerous times (I even mended an umbrella with the sewing kit once). I must have my meds (I take them at various points during the day) and inhairler. A small notebook and pen are handy for writing down directions, sketching, etc. He carries his smartphone (before that an mp3 player) for distraction on trains, I sketch. My day bag is not huge- but is holds all this and our windbreakers and umbrellas. There is also room for small purchases, our documents, etc. It is a matter of organization. The first aid kit and sewing kit and wipes ALL fit in a small ziploc with room to spare- I don't carry the whole medicine cabinet and sewing basket! In fact the sewing "kit" is a piece of cardboard with white, black,red, yellow, green and blue thread, 2 needles, some safety pins and a spare button. It is about 1 inch by 1 1/2 inches.

When I fell in the Brighton train station, I was grateful for the first aid kit- I had a nasty gash on my face and the wipes and guaze pads took care of things until I could get help. The bandaids were used over then next few days.

At work I was known as "Mama" because the staff knew I'd probably have what they needed in a pinch. When we travel- I'm still Mama- in reality. Mamas gave the boy scouts their motto- be prepared.

PS- Hubby's suitcase usually weighs in at about 8-10 lb. and mine (day bag included) at about 12lb.

Toni -- I knew there was a reason I liked you! But... my Mom's got you beat... she could easily survive 7 days out of her purse... food and water included... with guests...

And... >>How many of you walk around every day at home with Band Aids, Plastic Poncho, Moleskin[e], Space Pen, and Hand Sanitizer (Sorry Jim). <<

Well, a MoleskinE is a notebook, and I always have a pen with me here in the states -- I just like having a pen with me when I travel that will not fail under any circumstances.

I travel with kids, and always, ALWAYS have hand-sanitizer with me, and keep things like band-aids and a poncho (or similar) within a 15-minute walk (like in the car if we are at the zoo for the day).

It's pretty easy to tell on a list like this who has traveled with kids and who has not. Those naive to the needs of children travel carry things like computers, those who have done family travel carry things that are hopefully dead weight, but critical to a good trip where children are involved.

With kids in tow -- one "ouchie" that goes without a band-aid is the END of that travel day -- no recourse.

The following items never leave the front area of my day back pack:

Small notepad.

Pen, Sharpie and Sharpie Highlighter.

Travel container of baby wipes and tissue.

Travel bi-focals in case.

Water.

A couple of those small totes that fold up in their own case. We have several different types. They can be seen here:

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog&parent_id=8

Your list sounds about right. Leave out the sunblock if you apply some before you leave your room for the day... unless you are swimming or something.

Don't add an umbrella if you have a good jacket with a hood, or a plastic poncho. Even the small ones take up too much room and aren't really necessary or terribly useful, even in rainy areas.

Ed- My hubby has a similar philosophy- for himself only. He expects ME to have anything he might need or want. " Honey, do you have....(the timetable, the clippers, scissors, etc. etc. etc.)" is a common thing for me to hear. Along with "Honey can you... (fix this, handle that, hold this, keep up with that)". That's why his suitcase will only weigh aobut 8 lb. and mine will weigh at least 10-12lb.

I carry a guidebook, compass, rain shell and small notebook and pen. That's the usual stuff but also anything I need for a particular day, I carry that day.

Hrumph! If it don't fit in your pockets, it don't need to go.

Hey Ed, tell me you have a travel blog of some sort. That would make for some interesting reading!

Nope. Just babble at my wife who pretty much has learned to ignore me.

Toni: right on, Mama! I, too, have the basics most of you have mentioned in my small Baggalini purse, and while my husband "complains" about them ,he's glad I have a bandaid or kleenex or.........

I've already mentioned on another topic that I carry a small laminated map of the US w/ my town marked w/ a red dot. Many Europeans know the location of our big cities, but my small town, and Idaho, are not well known.

Wow! I can't imagine carrying that much all day long!

This year I'm going to trade in my messenger-style day-bag for a RS Civita, or similar weigh-nothing back pack (cervical disc surgery last year, so need equal weight).

Inside:

A smallish water bottle.

Cut up portions of guidebooks, (which can be the biggest weight--why carry around the whole country if I'm in Paris!)

Kleenex
Pen
Small notebook
Small phrasebook, if needed for the day, depending on country/language
Itinerary (this is my own 2-3 page doc)
Coin purse & a few small bills -- spend the coins, though, the 1-2 euros get heavy.
A VERY small pouch with a couple bandaids, wet-wipes, lip balm, advil.

If anyone else out there has advice for back/neck challenged people and day-bags, I'd love to hear.

If you wear your messenger bag across your chest, it distributes the weight far better than a back pack, plus it is on the shoulders, where a back pack will affect your back. Have you tried carrying one around with you to see how it feels?

Jo, the messenger bag does go across your chest, and it's definitely better than putting on your shoulder, you're right.

My injury was to my neck, so the physical therapist says no to anything that would make me off balance in that area. She thought a very light-weight back pack would be the best for my problem (if I want to keep my hands free, which of course, I do).

I'll just have to be very disciplined to not get carried away with my load.

Nice choice. I like PacSafe products.