We had an interesting comparison of packing styles at our meeting today. One of our regulars had asked to see how I pack my backpack, and Kim brought along a demo of her technique.
I carry an Appenzell backpack, and compressing my clothes in 2-gallon zip freezer bags works great for me. I brought my bag today packed with about what I usually take for a trip to Europe. I had 2 pairs of slacks; three tops (2 ss, 1 ls); comfy/sleep clothes, consisting of a pair of flannel pants and a heavy t-shirt; one pair of shoes; two pair of socks; three panties and a bra; a long skirt; a lightweight jacket; and a windbreaker. The backpack was not full, and weighed under 9 lbs. On an actual trip I would probably have had one more top, another pair of socks, and more underwear. I wore a cardigan that would go with me as well, and of course pants, one top, shoes, socks, and undies. I did forget to bring a hat, which I would take on a trip.
Kim uses garment folders, or packing envelopes. Hers are from Eagle Creek, but they're available from other - probably cheaper - sources. She demonstrated neatly packing several tops in one folder, and said she's packed as many as five at a time. In her second folder, she showed how she packs pants. She deftly packed two pair of slacks, quickly and neatly. The resulting envelopes, when placed side by side, exactly fit into her suitcase, with plenty of room left for other items.
We decided that her technique works better for a suitcase - she uses a roller bag, while mine works better for backpacks. At another meeting we'll play with packing cubes, which I have just started experimenting with. My early judgment is: I love the organization, but they take up too much room for my 23 liter backpack. So for now, it's zip bags for me, and garment folders for Kim. Whatever works!
A fun meeting. We had a newcomer, Kim's former colleague Linda, but the woman who had requested the packing demo wasn't there!
