Packing for Scotland/Ireland and Flying Air France

"What is your best advice for packing light for Ireland and Scotland in August?"

In addition to your waterproof Chelsea boots and some kind of waterproof walking/athletic shoe, I'd also suggest a waterproof (not water resistant) jacket with a hood. I have started taking a waterproof ball cap to wear under the hood to keep the rain off my face. I am so NOT a ball cap wearer but this works for me!

I would say also to go with a couple of short sleeve easy wash tees plus at least 1 long sleeve tee, maybe 2 depending on the last minute weather forecast. I've recently gotten some good long sleeve tees at Fred Meyer/Kroger that are a cotton/modal mix. I took a short sleeve one with me in October and it washes and dries really well. It is the DIP brand if you are looking for an inexpensive but quicker dry shirt option.

I don't think you are overthinking...but I am an over-thinker, hahaha!! I stressed over a similar situation in 2022 when I was going to Italy using Delta and Air France. I got the Osprey Ozone then just to save 1.5# so I completely understand your thinking.

I have the Sea to Summit sil-nylon day pack that I travel with. It's not sturdy enough to really do any hiking but it's great for a day bag to leave in a tour bus or van and carry extra layers. Mine is aqua so it's pretty but there is an orange that I'm not crazy about.

How big do you want your cross-body to be? I know many on the forum have been in to Tom Bihn products for a long time. I just got my first 2 pieces before my last trip in October and am in love. I got the very small Everyday Cubelet that will zip up under my rain jacket on a wet day as well as a Rogue Sacoche for something a little bigger. Both are very, very lightweight. Take a look at their website and see if there is anything that fits the bill for you. Be warned of 2 things...if you see a color you like...get it as it will be gone. It may also start a low-level buying addiction, hahaha!!

In addition to your waterproof Chelsea boots and some kind of
waterproof walking/athletic shoe, I'd also suggest a waterproof (not
water resistant) jacket with a hood.
I should have mentioned, I also have a raincoat that goes to my hips and is rated 10,000mmH2O waterproof (not that I really understand the rating). I got it for Iceland and Alaska and consequently had essentially no rain on either trip!

I got the Osprey Ozone then just to save 1.5# so I completely
understand your thinking.
Someone who understands!

I know many on the forum have been in to Tom Bihn products for a long
time.
I've definitely heard of their products but didn't realize they were lightweight. I'll check them out.

Thanks!

This is a very light weight comfortable backpack that I have taken to Europe many times. It is not designed for a lap top so if you want to take one, this is not the right bag.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DNGEORW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

PS You do not have to have your backpack be the size the airline says. It just has to fit into that sizer. I have taken this back pack not stuffed on Air France twice.

Your jacket sounds excellent! Maybe it will ward off rain on this trip too, hahaha!!

The Tom Bihn crew seems to be in to light packing. On their website they have weights listed for every item and they are correct weights (yes, I weighed my Everyday Cubelet to be sure, hahaha. AND they have weights for each of the different fabrics their bags come in.

This is a very light weight comfortable backpack that I have taken to
Europe many times. It is not designed for a lap top so if you want to
take one, this is not the right bag.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DNGEORW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

PS You do not have to have your backpack be the size the airline says.
It just has to fit into that sizer. I have taken this back pack not
stuffed on Air France twice.

Thank you! I actually looked at this earlier, but looked away because of the extra 5 centimeters on top. I appreciate the suggestion as its hard to gauge the comfort of the straps on a lightweight bag like this. Luckily no computer is needed.

What is your best advice for packing light for Ireland and Scotland in August?

Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane. For example the waterproof chelsea boots you mentioned. And even though it's summer, wear your waterproof raincoat on the plane as well. Since you're on a cruise, I'm not sure you'll need both waterproof boots and waterproof walking shoes. Unless you plan on doing some hiking in boggy terrain (where you might find a puddle or mud that would cover the tops of shoes) I'd bring one or the other. For a second pair of shoes I'd bring comfortable sandals for dinner and which could also be used for walking in towns.

As to a waterproof jacket, I've owned such and it reminds me of being in a sauna with high humidity next to my skin. Given trial and error, my kit has evolved to a lightweight water resistant shell (does very well) with one or more layers of clothing. If cold, then I utilize one to two merino wool products, a thin version next to my torso and then a thicker layer.

"*As to a waterproof jacket, I've owned such and it reminds me of being in a sauna with high humidity next to my skin. *"

To me this is dependent on the jacket fabric. The less expensive ones tend not to be breathable so can sometimes indeed feel like you've wrapped yourself in Saran Wrap. The more expensive ones made of GoreTex are breathable and in fact I think they work because the heat from your body pushes out thru the membrane and that is what helps to keep water from seeping in. (I am happy to be corrected if I've not understood the function right!). The expensive ones also have pit zips so you can regulate temp better.

Your bags are pretty light and fit the size requirements of the airlines, so I don't think they are the issue. And unless I'm reading wrong, you have packed these two items to within the weight limit. So you might well be overthinking it.
OTOH, it may be the 19.5 pounds of clothes, shoes and toiletries. You don't need two pairs of waterproof shoes in August. I would skip the boots in favor of sandals (or ballet flats). I am a light packer, but I also use packing cubes for organization and to maximize space. I weigh all my clothes and have found extremely lightweight packing cubes.
I have the Peak Design Packable Tote in a kind of army green color. I like it quite a lot as it has a zip top and lightly padded shoulder strap (not cross body). REI only has the grey/black one right now: https://www.rei.com/product/241404/peak-design-packable-tote
If I were you, I'd make my life easier by checking the TravelPro and using the Hynes backpack as my carryon.

I recently returned from a trip to NYC. I tried to pack what I was thinking of bringing for this trip, using the luggage I referenced above. As so often happens, in some ways it went well and in other ways, it brought up some additional questions and considerations (which is not a bad thing, especially given the time I have before the trip).

Clothes:
4 bottoms
6 tops (long sleeved)
2 cardigans
1 warm jacket
1 scarf and fingerless gloves
6 underwear
2 bras
5 socks
yoga ankle socks (I wore these as slippers)
1 sleep tee
2 shoes (1 ankle boot and 1 sneaker)

Misc:
This is where I typically go off the rails in terms of stuff. I really tried to limit this
1 quart liquid bag (maybe half full)
1 Sea to Summit small toiletry bag (contains non liquid toiletries, emergency kit, jewelry, first aid, make up and hair stuff)
1 small mesh nag with OTC meds
2 decks cards
1 small packing cube with electronic misc items
1 iPad (for work)
1 Kindle
Travelon messenger bag
1 small (18 oz) insulated water bottle
1 small (18 oz) insulated water bottle with frozen ice sticks for meds
small rectangle zip lock with syringes and alcohol wipes
10 sanitary pads.

My bags are the IKEA VÄRLDENS which is 34x20x54cm or 21.25x13.5x7.75 inches and a cheapo Amazon tote that is 16x12x6 inches. It does have a trolley strap.

At virtually the last minute, our travel plans changed and I ended up having to change plans as we needed to attend a funeral. So we flew to one location, stayed a couple of days and then went to NYC for a slightly shorter stay. I added dress black pants, patterned top and black cardigan plus a pair of black pumps. The clothes fit in the suitcase and I added the pumps to my personal item tote. I probably could have redone my clothes and not just thrown in what I needed for the funeral. But I was already packed, I was having to make a lot of last minute adjustments to our trip (rebooking flights, hotels, etc) plus a last minute work obligation, so it was just easier to add the extra items. I’ll also admit I was struggling a little. While the death wasn’t unexpected, it was a huge loss for me. I was having a hard time focusing and didn’t want to add redoing my packing. I ended up leaving the extras at my sisters when I went for the funeral, as I knew I’d be back there in a couple weeks to help when she has surgery. That way my packing and unpacking in NY was more like what I’ll be doing for my big trip.

(con't)

Con't

Changes for Ireland and Scotland:
1. I will need to add to my toiletries, but not by much. I decant everything and am very good at knowing how much to bring. I only bring the amount I need and use small containers (contact lens cases & 12 grams and generally the largest size is an ounce for hair spray. I don’t wear much makeup…just foundation, blush, mascara and under eye concealer.
2. I won’t have an iPad for this trip
3. I've lost a little over 50 pounds and I hope (expect?) to be down another 20-25 pounds, which means smaller clothes. That may help a little with space.
4. The only additional clothes items I will need is a bathing suit & tights (I meant to pack the tights and forgot & wished I’d had them for the earlier colder days). I didn’t need tights when the weather was in the 50’s, but really wanted them when it was in the 40’s. I also may bring a second scarf…I swear, all my photos are in the same jacket with the same one scarf.
5. I will also tweak the tops and cardigans. I’ll probably reduce the tops to 4 or at the most 5 and vary the other layers more. Like a sweatshirt cardigan, a sweater and maybe a shirt blazer style? (Something more fitted).
6. I’d planned bring a Sea to Summit packable zippered crossbody (weights 3 ounces), so if I do decide to shop I can ship through my carryon home and have two cabin bags. The Sea to Summit can hold up to 50 pounds and fits a surprising amount of stuff. I do not typically buy souvenirs (I’m trying to get rid of stuff on my house, not bring in more!) but I like to be prepared, just in case. (Link to bag description: https://www.adventurebase.com.au/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-sling-bag). But, on this trip I found an adorable NYPL duffel (https://shop.nypl.org/products/nypl-michael-storrings-foldable-duffle-bag?srsltid=AfmBOoomHbvPILVi1ZqYvWKzpBEZFSWVw8wxEoHykVjn8vrMaC1QhWTb) that is 15" x 11" x 7". So an inch smaller in length and width but an inch too high in height. I may bring this instead. Bags are really a weakness for me!
7. I just need to figure out the jacket/coat situation. Half the days we’ll have a private driver. The other half we’ll be exploring on our own. A puffer coat? Plus packable raincoat? I’m really not sure what to do.
8. I’m wondering, will I end up having to gate check my carryon anyway? I’ve noticed on domestic flights, if you’re not in the first (or maybe 2nd) boarding groups, you have to check your carryon anyway. In this case, I might as well bring the slightly bigger 22” Travelpro and check it. It would give me the ease of a smaller bag for me to manage once I’m there. We’re flying Premium Economy both ways. I don’t know if there is the same issue when flying internationally. My husband will almost certainly pack a 24" roller. So maybe I should just check a bag? Thank goodness I have time to think about it!

"I just need to figure out the jacket/coat situation. Half the days we’ll have a private driver. The other half we’ll be exploring on our own. A puffer coat? Plus packable raincoat? I’m really not sure what to do."

Even though you are going in August, I'd go with a waterproof rain jacket that is roomy enough to layer either a puffy jacket or vest under. Is the packable rain jacket waterproof?

What ports does your cruise call in to? I'm asking because I was in Orkney and Shetland last July. I am pretty cold tolerant and there were a few days I needed the puffy vest under the rain jacket. It can be windy as heck and suspect on the ship it will be windy as well.

You may have windy and rainy conditions in Normandy as well.

PandaBear, I'm sorry for your loss.

I gree with Pam. You definitely want a waterproof rain jacket. My raincoat is very lightweight and packs into its own pocket. Being waterproof also makes it windproof. I would bring a down vest to wear alone or under the raincoat as needed.

In your original post you said your flying Premium Economy. Check with Air France to see if you get priority boarding. I usually fly American Airlines and premium economy is in an earlier boarding group than regular economy. You shouldn't be required to gate check your bag.

From personal experience, waterproof over water resistant is the way to go on a coat. Make sure it’s roomy enough to layer.

And for packing, layers are the way to go. You’ll want an option for a cold day (think temps in the 40s, windy and wet for Scotland; Ireland trends a bit warmer but can still be variable). But check the weather before you leave, however. Both countries have had heat waves in recent years. If you can wear wool, I’m a merino wool convert as the sports-wear type fabrics get too stinky for me too quickly. But however you pack, you’ll want a short sleeve shirt or too, a long sleeve, a sweater/light fleece, or puffer coat, and the waterproof/wind proof layer. You may not need 2 pairs of waterproof shoes - totally depends on what you are doing. Hiking in the highlands is going to be quite differential visiting towns and cities or taking day trips to distilleries and castles. If the latter only, waterproof sneakers or similar with good tread would probably be fine.