Packing differences in weight - Winter vs. Summer

I find that I can bring less tops and bottoms in the winter, or even cooler weather cause there is no sweating involved, this allows extra wears. Your coat covers it all up anyway. (Picture wise).
My bag is usually around 20lbs which is fine for me.

Good point, Barbara! There were days in Croatia where I took a quick shower late afternoon and switched into a different summer dress.

Jean, you are an inspiration!

It would be interesting to know your winter trip destination, Jean, to see whether i’d also cope with just a raincoat.

Jean, I’m already checking weather history for our September trip. We’ll be walking the last 100k of the Camino then going on to Portugal for 13 nights. I’m thinking of purchasing 2 merino wool t-shirts to alternate for the 7 day walk. Maybe 2 pairs of leggings also.
My point, I am the same, always thinking how to reduce the weight although it always seems to be around the 20lb mark.

AmandaR, we will be along the southern coast of Spain in three cities. Then we head to Sevilla and our coldest location will be Madrid. Fortunately, Madrid is our last three days of the 3-week trip.

CanAmCherie, this level of light packing has morphed over the years. When we took our first RS tour in 2003, and the info at that time said we could only bring a carry on suitcase, we both wondered how we could do it! ; ). We learned so many valuable things from that trip!

Barbara, you are ambitious!

I’ve heard great reviews about the merino wool. Unfortunately, I’m allergic to wool, so it’s not an option for me.

Last June I was going to be traveling for a month, so I made some major changes. I switched from a nice 2-wheel carry on suitcase to a Cotopaxi backpack. That change immediately dropped some pounds. And the 35L size reduced the amount of stuff, too, and literally had me weighing my choices! I was so much more nimble through train stations, etc. that I am very happy to continue with the Cotopaxi. In May I will be riding 17 trains - solo trip so it’s exactly what I love! It sure helps with decisions when I can think, “Do I want to carry this through 17 train stations?”

Well done Jean!

Oh Jean, you inspire me once again! Now I want to start weighing all my stuff, even though I don't leave for another 2 months!

Jean, you’re a light packing inspiration! Food scale and luggage scale are musts. It’s amazing how ounces add up.

Horsewoofie, for my final weight, I stand on our bathroom scale with my bag and then subtract the weight when I’m not holding the bag on the scale. My own “holiday ounces” wouldn’t show up if I bought a luggage scale! ; )

Mardee, it’s good to have a baseline weighing day! I thought most of my shirts I pulled from my closet as possibilities were fairly lightweight. But, I found a couple of surprises, so those were dropped out of the first cut after I weighed each of them.

Are you thinking the Cotopaxi or suitcase this time?

Thanks, Trotter! For fun, I may weigh my husband’s suitcase as we walk out the door. He’s not at the level of weighing anything but is mindful of just taking a basic amount. And he’s able to easily lift more than I can.

Well, for Madrid in winter I’d be taking one of my Uniqlo thermal tops as it weighs 4.8 oz (you’ve got me doing it now! Interesting experiment, I may do that on my next trip).

Are you thinking the Cotopaxi or suitcase this time?

Definitely suitcase, Jean, as I recently fractured my upper humerus in a fall. It will be at the 10 week mark when I leave and I don't want to put any excess stress on my shoulder (especially since it's my dominant arm). It seems to be healing well (I go in for another x-ray when I get back from Florida in a week) but better safe than sorry.

Just a comment on leaving Columbia fleece jacket out.

We were in Sicily in May and had unseasonably cool and rainy weather. I had brought a very lightweight denim jacket that I was able to wear under my rain coat. I have since bought a couple 32 degree scoop shirts. I don’t think that under a rain coat would have been enough to keep me warm.

We had weather in the 50s.

But then I am from Florida.

Jean--Ever since you bought that Cotopaxi bag, I have been wanting it. I finally bought two of them, but the 28, for me and my daughter. I don't think we can get by with that for our trip next week to Iceland and then Amsterdam, but I am hoping we can manage with just that for Norway this summer. The bag is just so darn cute, but also so functional, so I am excited to try it out! I may stuff it into my suitcase for next week just for shopping. I am planning on doing some retail therapy as my mom would like that, so why not;)

Since Jean really likes her Cotopaxi backpack, I thought I’d let people know that Cotopaxi has a sale on packs, accessories and clothes. https://www.cotopaxi.com/collections/sale

Horsewoofie, I could really accessorize with a matching coat! The 35L backpack isn’t on sale, but if you sign up for email or text (and later drop it), I saved 15% when I bought it last Spring.

Mikliz97, oh, I hope you have a wonderful trip to Iceland & Amsterdam and fill up that new colorful pack with fun treasures to enjoy! Some retail therapy with fond memories of your mom, too, would be perfect!

”But then I am from Florida.” That does make a difference, BethFL, doesn’t it? We have seen locals walking in Arizona wearing winter coats, hats, etc., and we are wearing short-sleeve shirts.

If it’s rainy & cold, that does make me feel chilled.

Instead of a Columbia fleece jacket I usually pack a fleece vest instead. It's much lighter and keeps me as warm worn over a shirt or sweater. A 4 oz. base layer of silk is also a good option for winter travel.

I purchased a few Light weight vests from Uniglo. I find that a vest adds warmth but no bulk under my coat. And they can be rolled up and stuffed in a corner if need be. I pretty much have given up on sweaters because of this.

BethFL, I get it about the cold. Southern Italy was so cold, windy and rainy in May 2019 that the locals were complaining and I was cold even with clothing layers.
Phoenix has rain again today, for past three days. It’s barely 60* outside; so cold. Reminds us why we left Washington state.

Jean, yes to color coordinating a rain coat to your pack. Cotopaxi has great colors. And we can always tell who are tourists and snowbirds. They are not wearing coats.

Ok Jean I am going to be a total spoilsport and niggle here : you can't post about the weight of winter packing and then post about packing for Spain in March !!! And still taking sandals ?!!

🤣🤣🤣

I do appreciate that in the text of your post, you referred to this as "off-season" travel. That seems to capture what is happening here better than the moniker of "winter." I was waiting for sweaters and beanies and scarves and sock liners and boots !!! 🧣🧤🥾🤠❄️🎒

Carry on, everyone, and pay no mind to my crabbiness !! Thanks for another fun packing post Jean (and yes I still covet one of those backpacks).

The different in your bags is less than 2 pounds but my bag in summer is about 5 pounds lighter than my bag in winter.

I sure would like to be able to pack like Jean does! My next challenge is coming up-full winter skiing conditions, to later full on spring conditions on a 5 day through hike with a follow up of early summer warmth in Bologna for 4 weeks!

My mind is more than fully boggled for this one!

I guess a large factor is where a traveler lives! It’s 37 degrees F at noon here in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and my husband just commented that it feels like Summer!

I actually did bring my Keen sandals one year for a couple of brrr! cold days in Switzerland, Kim! We had a Switzerland/Italy trip, and I didn’t want to bring a lot of heavy stuff. I wore my Keens with a pair of tights, layered with a couple of pairs of trouser socks, pants, the 32-degree micro-thin top, a long-sleeve T-shirt and my same Columbia raincoat, plus a pair of gloves. I was fine because we kept moving on hikes and walking.

Leslie & Barbara, the vest is an excellent idea!

Kim, we have a tight connection in CDG to reach Malaga, so I may be thinking about you if we’re stuck in Paris…..”stuck in Paris”, aaaah, that sounds really funny! ….with a cold overnight and out having fun!

SJS, start a new post with your locations, month of travel, and that you’re wanting to ski, etc. People on the forum will come up with helpful packing ideas for you!

Jean, sounds like a great trip coming up. Thanks for the packing process report. I’m currently in very cold Fairbanks visiting my daughter and family. This is the first time I’ve packed a pair of jeans and even though it isn’t a typical kind of trip, I was curious about weight like I am for my overseas travels. My Lands End jeans were 8oz more than the black yoga style pants I also packed. Half a pound is sort of a lot in my book! Totally worth it for this sort of sit around and stay inside kind of visit however. (It’s -30 today)

I do have a question about the backpack in your travels…… does shrugging it on and off never get annoying? Especially over coats or jackets? The rare times I’ve used a backpack it has seemed an inconvenience even though being hands free is very nice I do admit.

Hi Lyndash, stay warm up there! Brr! We were at -15 F two weeks ago and feeling very balmy this week at 37.

I have only worn a raincoat with my backpack- nothing bulkier. When I place my backpack on my shoulders, I lift it slightly above and out from my shoulders and angle it down…if that makes sense. So gravity is helping place it in position. Then it’s just aligning the waist belt into its supportive position.

My ideal spot to remove it is sitting on the hotel bed or a chair. Otherwise, I avoid casual twisting and make purposeful movements.

Lyndash--Our cousin texted a photo yesterday of their thermometer saying -40 in Fairbanks.

Thanks Jean. I know they will, but trying to only use what I have-might be an interesting experiment though!

I packed yesterday and we leave tomorrow. We are headed to Iceland and Amsterdam this time. I am using the 21" rolling Rick Steve's bag, and I have an empty 28L Cotopaxi bag inside it as well. I weighed it yesterday on the bathroom scale and then ordered a luggage scale (my old one died) that arrived overnight, just to be sure. The entire thing weighs 14.7 pounds, and I only need to add my hairbrush and toothbrush tomorrow morning. I usually only take one pair of shoes, the ones I wear which will be boots for this trip, but I may throw in my OC's for a change of pace.

I am taking my hiking daypack with me since one of our first stops in Iceland is the lagoon, so I need my swimsuit etc with me. My purse will slip into that to be used on a daily basis vs the pack.

Have a wonderful time, Mikliz97. Our route yesterday took a crazy turn. Fog in Spokane prevented the smaller plane from coming into Spokane from SeaTac the night before. Our morning flight was delayed because of the fog, too. My husband watched it on the flight tracker coming near Spokane and then circling & circling, and then flying back to SeaTac because it couldn’t land. There went our carefully selected plan out the window!

Since we’re retired, and I had added some buffer days in Malaga before heading west along the coast of southern Spain, our attitudes were calm & pleasant. We’re chilling in Minneapolis right now with a late checkout and will be moving on this afternoon. The Delta counter staff were glad we were thankful they could just find seats to get us there eventually. : ). Hopefully your trip is smooth all the way!

Oh Jean, that sounds like a mess, but you have such a great attitude about it and that makes all the difference. Normally we do carryon only both directions, but I plan on doing a lot of retail therapy on this trip, thus the extra room and extra bag;)