Best Travel Bag / Luggage tips?

Tell us which tour you're taking and you may get some helpful, specific advice. Southern Italy or southern Spain would be very different from Scandinavia at that time of year.

Unless you're going to a cold destination, I'd limit my outerwear to one warm outer layer (fleece jacket, merino-wool sweater, puffer jacket--something like that) and a waterproof jacket that fits over the warm layer. My go-to is a lightweight fleece jacket. I've often tossed a packable puffer jacket into my bag as well, but I don't think I've ever actually worn it.

I'm extremely cold-natured and would definitely consider a pair of long-john bottoms. I don't like to be limited to just one layer below the waist. Consider that it might be windy as well as cool. On my one winter trip (to Rome and Naples) I had a pair of fleece-lined pants from Eddie Bauer, and I lived in those things, sometimes wearing the long johns underneath. Most people wouldn't have needed both layers, but I was walking around outside a lot during the 4-week trip, and I discovered it didn't really get up to 40F until around noon. If I'm chilly, I tend to hibernate in my room, and I don't go to Europe to see the inside of hotel rooms.

When going to Switzerland, I discovered Merino wool base layers and I am a total convert.
Some can be sensitive to it of course, but this is not the typical wool. It wicks moisture away and does not smell after one wear like synthetic fabrics.

What bag to take is really personal preference. Some like backpacks, others like two wheeled bags and yet others like spinners (4/8 wheels). Usually, people will say why their choice is best and why the others aren't good. It's all personal preference.

Before ordering a bag here, if you have a TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshalls near you, visit them as most usually have a decent range of luggage.

The key to packing for cooler/colder climates is not heavier clothes but layering. Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane. Then use the pockets of your jacket for some items. Mine have a hat, gloves and a scarf.

I am on my 2nd rolling bag and my sisters like it so much they've each bought one, too. What I love is the Euro bag that fits on top of the rolling bag. If I end up having to check my bag, I can fit all my meds, tour documents, chargers, travel pillow, etc. Plus, I can fit in a pair of leggings, a top & extra undies in case my bag gets misplaced for a couple days. I love the pockets in both bags and how sturdy they are. As others will tell you, the best way to pack for a trip with changing weather is to wear layers. I live in MN so I dress in layers 3/4 of the year. Right now I am waking up to fall and it is summer by early afternoon.

Thank you all!

I will be going on the Munich, Salzburg, Vienna tour on November 26. I live in Florida so layers would be new for me. (Actually - "winter" would be kind of new for me.)

I am looking forward to the Christmas markets, and I am sure I will be doing some holiday shopping. So, I will need a bag that has space for the items to take home.

My husband's plan is to just buy there if he gets too cold. I can totally see him wearing a "Munich 2024" sweatshirt the entire trip. Years ago, I was in UK in July and was very cold. My sister and I went to a "charity shop" to buy warmer clothes because we did not expect the chill in the air during the middle of summer.

Thanks,
Melody

travrlrmel,
I can relate! I’m from SoCal and we just did our third Rick Steves tour in the spring in Belgium and the Netherlands. We had warm spring days and freezing sleet days. Planning for cold weather and layers is confusing for those of us wearing flip flops year round. At the last minute before our trip, I bought a Columbia fleece vest and having that extra layer under a coat without adding bulky sleeves was great. And almost everyone on the tour wore a beanie of some sort. I suggest REI for your travel clothing needs before you go.

Ironically our first Rick Steve’s tour was Munich , Salzburg and Vienna but it was in August and very hot. You’ll love the tour!

Also, just remember you manage all of your own luggage while on the tour so you can bring what you want as long as you can handle it under all circumstances (ie. a non existent elevator, etc) Also, make sure you bring a day backpack or crossbody purse/bag for your daily essentials and to bring inside on the bus with you. Enjoy!

ps. sending our best to everyone in Florida regarding Hurricane Milton.

Hi Melody,

The RS tour bus usually has what is referred to as “deep storage”, so you can leave a box or sturdy bag in it for your Christmas shopping items during the tour. You might want to plan to place an empty lightweight backpack-type bag inside a wheeled suitcase. Then check the wheeled bag at the airport & carry-on your other bag with your shopping items on your way home.

For warmer clothing, I bring a couple of 32-degree long-sleeve scoop neck micro-thin top for layering, or I wear two of the contrasting colors with a necklace for an evening dinner, along with my coat. One year for Switzerland, I brought grocery store tights to wear under my pants, plus two pair of knee-high trouser socks. Those didn’t take much room at all in my suitcase and not a big expense. I’m allergic to wool, but I do find it very comfortable to wear a long-sleeve cotton t-shirt with one of the 32-degree tops under it.

I would bring the most comfortable waterproof shoes with sturdy grip soles that you can find, and wear them a lot before bringing them.

Have a great time!

A couple things:
1. I suggest a full set of merino base layer (there are lots of brands out there) if it's not itchy for you. Merino doesn't get stinky, so you can wear it for several days under your other clothes, airing out in the hotel overnight and sink washing it if needed. Get two if you're worried about laundering it.
2. Pay close attention to your feet, as they will draw up the cold from the pavement while you're out at the Xmas markets. The merino socks from Costco are great. If you're inclined to wear compression socks on the plane, get a few pairs of the merino ones from Sockwell and wear those. You can search this site for recommendations for warm, waterproof, etc., shoes. Just make sure you pick a size that will still fit with some thick socks on.
3. Costco has inexpensive puffer jackets with and without hoods. Assuming they are not available in your local store, they should be available online. A puffer and a packable rain jacket make a pretty good combo. Even better is if you can find both items in a "parka" length. You can put your puffer into a travel-size pillowcase (with a zipper or drawstring) to use as a pillow on the plane/bus.
4. Merino hat, gloves (I like the merino "liner" gloves from Smartwool, but they run very large, in my experience. I recently bought another pair at Sierra.), and scarf or neck gaiter. A merino Buff can act as both hat and scarf and is very lightweight and packable (maybe more for your husband than for you). You can buy very thin woven merino scarves at various places online (I like Nordstrom Rack).
Merino, silk, cashmere. All of these fabrics are warm without being bulky. Nordstrom and the Rack offer "fabric" or "material" as a filter and include wool and silk, so that makes it easier. If a site doesn't offer that feature I will just use the search bar to find all the merino products. Sierra is probably my favorite site for travel clothes, but Costco and the Rack are also good. I try not to use Amazon, but they are having big sales right now, and your time is short, so it might be necessary.
Have a great time!

We use TravelPro ultra lightweight 21 inch carry on bags with swivel wheels. They're light and following Rick Steve's packing list with minor changes we can travel indefinitely. My wife also carries an oversize purse with meds, etc.

Travel Pro is what airline personnel usually carry. They're available at Amazon.com reasonably too.

Hi, Melody:

I’m from Oklahoma, and hate being cold. I layer up in temps the other people enjoy as “refreshing.” What gets me through those colder times is silk long underwear. I get it at Land’s End, but I’ll bet REI and Costco have good selections.

It’s very thin, very light, and amazingly warm. Some of the tops are nice enough to wear as outer wear, handy for layering when the temperature varies throughout the day,

I haven’t taken this particular tour, but I have taken quite a few, and I can say you will have a great time, learn so much, and make new friends.

I am sure RS bags are great. Well, I used the backdoor bag for about 15 years. What every you buy, check the carryon size against the requirements of the airline you are taking. Oh, and the weight of the carryon. You dont have to go crazy, but 5 to 6 pounds is a reasonable max empty weight. I wouldnt marry myself to RS products, shop arround.

For warm clothes, down jacket cause it wads down to a small package and weighs very little. Then standard long sleeve clothing and a good pair of long johns. That way the only extra weight and volume if the long johns and the down jacket.

The trick to staying warm while traveling is layers. Next to skin you can go with something synthetic like any running/work-out top or merino wool; a sweater or, light insulted jacket for warmth and/or when the weather isn't wet or, blustery and when the things get wet, you can throw on a light-weight shell.

While synthetic base layers are inexpensive, I'm not a fan of the clammy-sensation you get after wearing a synth shirt/bottom all-day, Merino wool gives you a nice warm layer that doesn't cool-down too fast and the smell-factor with synthetics aren't an issue with wool; something to consider when laundering in your room. The major brands in this arena are Smartwool, US brand good overall value and designs, Icebreaker originally a New Zealand brand, a bit more sophisticated in design and Ibex, US brand out of New England. Uniqlo is a Japanese-brand similar to the Gap, they actually use many materials similar to major technical outdoor brands but at reduced prices, check-out your local mall as they're always worth a visit, particularly for basics/components. I like having a couple of t-shirts (S/S and L/S) made of merino wool, they work as base-layers and look fine if worn alone. A zip-neck or, turtle-neck made of merino also makes for a mid-layer/nice sweater.

Mid-layers for warmth, I like a light insulated jacket. Down is great because it's really compressible but, synthetics are popular due to their near mimicking of down and their price isn't as high as down. Patagonia's NanoPuff Jkt and The North Face Terra Jkt I really like and are quite popular; every outdoor brand has a jacket or two in this category so, there should be one out there for you to choose. Shells, a basic lightweight rain jacket will suffice Marmot PreCip Jkt, The North Face Venture or, Alta Vista Jkt, Patagonia's TorrenShell...all are good, durable and popular styles for travelers that come in a range of colors to fit your style. If you're price sensitive, Uniqlo does a pretty good job, Eddie Bauer and Costco occasionally has a few gems, and don't forget LL Bean and Duluth Trading Company.

As for luggage, really comes down to what you're comfortable with, IMHO I find the RS travel luggage to be very basic and unsophisticated, this helps keep costs down, not the most attractive and a bit lacking in features or details but, it gets the job done. Rollers (2 wheels) and Spinners (4-wheels) are very popular, if you're able to travel with a small backpack and a roller-board you're all good; I'm a fan of Briggs+Riley, others really like TravelPro, Tumi, Samsonite and others. I prefer to pack my clothing in packing cubes, this helps keep things organized; I'll also pack drier-sheets in a ziplock to help manage luggage smells and a small laundry bag and a few clothes pins when its time. Travel packs have seen a resurgence in popularity as the feature set available are more appropriate, and its nice to be hands-free as you roam around a new destination. Osprey is one of the market leaders, Cotopaxi has fun with their colors, Thule, Aer, Tortuga, Peak Design, Evergoods are all really good brands with smart designs and carry options.

I am like Jane. When I used to go to cold places - like especially the Christmas markets -- silk long johns and silk sock liners were my best friends. So light and easy to wear, and they make a big difference.

I agree that silk base layers are great. I have used Patagonia capilene and merino wool base layers too but they don't wick the moisture as well as silk. Silk is thinner, lightweight for packing, but at the same time it's warmer with good moisture wicking.

As others have mentioned, layering is key for cold weather. You can adjust as necessary, but layering with more layers can actually keep you warmer than fewer (i.e. inner top layer, sweater/fleece, than a windbreaker/rain jacket outer layer) as they help to trap body heat and repel moisture. I have a packable Costco down vest that was a unexpected lifesaver during a winter trip through France/Belgium/Germany in early 2019. It packs down quite small, but it's super warm. I have a lighter weight fleece zip sweater from LL Bean (I think it's the Women's Feather Fleece) that is warm without taking up a ton of space. Wearing bulkier clothing items on the flight (if possible) can also help. My mother has a pair of Arc'teryx merino wool glove liners that she uses frequently during the winter and swears by. They're much lighter and thinner that your 'traditional' fleece or knit gloves/mitts but still very warm.

Don't pack your heaviest winter jacket. Instead, wear it and save space in your bag for the other recommended layers.

I take a cloth shopping bag as my personal item when I travel. My winter jacket and hat go into the bag. Also in the bag is my over-the-should messenger bag that I carry for meds, electronics, documents, etc. and my on-board travel cube with slippers, eyemask, neck pillow, etc.

If I don't need the jacket and hat during the trip it can stay in the bag while on the train (or bus). Also very handy to have this bag to do laundry or to shop.

Just back from RS Village Italy tour. Tips: We started out warm and ended up cold. I really wish I had put in my Patagonia nano puff which really squishes down. I would recommend that you put in a down jacket that still squishes down. The lightweight Merino wool sweater wasn’t quite warm enough in the moist cold. I would have liked at least a medium weight. Make sure you have a pair of waterproof shoes because, as several on our tour found out the hard way, spraying sneakers that are perforated fabric does not water proof them and it’s not fun to walk around in wet socks and squishy sneakers. We have the RS rolling carryon Ravenna bag which keeps me limited to packing light but still able to pack what I need. Please be aware that the European airlines have really downsized their carryon bag requirements. For the first time, Swiss made us gate check our carryons between Zurich and Venice. And it’s not just the no elevator hotels you need to worry about for lugging your luggage. As the bus can’t always drop you in front of your hotel (hauling our luggage was common on our tour) there are numerous steps and cobblestones that you may have to navigate.