Today I have done my first test pack into the Western Flyer (women's version). Long post alert....

The hypothetical trip - six days in Fiji (we might as well have some fun with this!). It's an easy way to start because of course my clothing for a trip like this would be lighter and less bulky. I have assumed that all equipment for sporting activities would be provided at the resort. I have also assumed the weather would be perfect every day (I would be wearing layers on the flight anyway)!

The gear - Western Flyer with the external rolling luggage handle sleeve, 2 small TB packing cubes (designed for the WF) and one large TB packing cube (ditto), and a TB Absolute shoulder strap.

In putting together the packing list for the purposes of this exercise, I did not apply one bag principles. In other words, I wanted to see what extras I could fit. The short answer is that I could fit in a number of "nice to haves", which I was not expecting.

Here's the arrangement of the bag:

A. In the front compartment (with the internal divider zipped up):

Small packing cube containing FOUR pairs of shoes/sandals (Merrells, two pairs of flat sandals and one pair of rubber flip flops)
Small packing cube containing two spare bras, four pairs of knickers, two pairs of ankle socks (suitable for walking, working out) and one bathing suit
One set of hair straightening irons
3-1-1 toiletry bag

B. In the rear compartment:

Large packing cube containing the following
- two beach coverups
- one lightweight sarong
- three knee length sundresses
- three maxi dresses (for Ron's benefit, this is a long dress ;))

In one of the interior pockets in the rear compartment - one full set of workout clothes AND one set of tennis clothes
In the other interior pocket - a small flat evening purse
Tucked in between those two interior pockets - brush/comb, and a little pouch containing some casual jewellery.

Total packed weight (including strap) - a little over 7 kg.

The bag is firmly packed and looks full but not overstuffed. It has retained its rectilinear form without bulging.

All but one of the exterior pockets are empty and could be used for travel documents, in-flight essentials (iPad, iPhone, charger, wallet/cards, shawl, sunglasses, reading glasses, cosmetics, in-ear noise isolating headphones etc), but personally I prefer to carry these things on me or in a separate personal item, for ease of access and to distribute the weight better. I stuffed a folding sunhat into the large rear exterior pocket - zipped up (this pocket doubles as the luggage handle sleeve when unzipped). If all else failed I could simply wear the hat, but I would strongly prefer not to.

I would not be comfortable carrying the bag any distance with any more weight in it. But I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I really didn't compromise on what I packed. I packed a few less of each item than I would if I were packing checked luggage, and I would need to do laundry during the trip, but I have managed to include clothing to cover all the sorts of tropical island activities that I enjoy (OK, maybe not hiking, but I am not much of a hiker). The only compromise I feel I have had to make is that ideally I would have preferred to put the sunhat inside the bag.

Warning - wheeled luggage discussion follows....

Just for fun, I unpacked the contents of the Western Flyer into my Rimowa Salsa Air IATA carry on. It all fit comfortably (with a bit of room to spare in the top half of the clamshell). Total packed weight about 8.2 kg. Visually, for obvious reasons, it looks like a lot more luggage.

JL

Thanks for the WF packing and the Maxi Dress info. It saved me from a bout of bewilderment.
As I started to read Maxi Dress I wondered, before i read your helpful explanation, if it was like a hoop dress. Obviously it is not.

After having packed it, do you think it will be your goto travel bags for trips of up to 7 days.

Would you be OK with it for that period if you were travelling to a cooler destination that might require a jacket or sweater?

Well, I guess time and experience with the bag will tell (assuming my husband cedes control of it to me, as it is theoretically his). I think 7 days might be pushing it with heavier clothing but we shall see (with test pack 2, stay tuned...) I have a 4 day trip to a cooler climate coming up next month so I will test it out in real conditions then.

Hoop skirts? Not so much, at least not where I'm from. I see there is much more bewilderment eradication to be done! :) ;)

Poor Ron!
Good thing it wasn't a pencil skirt JL!! ;-)

Ron is going to be a fashion maven soon! LOL! JL, I love this list and can't wait to see how you pack for cooler weather. I've been debating between the two bags as to which would work better for me. (I've got to start saving pennies) If you don't mind me asking, about what size clothes and shoes do you wear? Just to get a comparison for my own clothes.

I am 5'6" and of medium build. I wear generally M sized clothes. Most relevantly I have big feet (size IT39.5-40/US9-10). I say most relevantly because you can usually fold your clothes smaller but there's not much you can do about the length of your shoes. I live in a temperate climate in Australia so I rarely have to worry about packing "real" winter clothes unless I am travelling in winter overseas.

In terms of using the packing cubes for each of the WF and the TS, I find the smaller WF cubes suit my folding better. In the large TS packing cube I have to either consciously fold things "larger" or fold them much smaller than usual in order to fill the space efficiently. The length and width of the WF cube doesn't require this for me. (and the depth of the compartments in the WF and the TS is basically the same). Could be relevant for people with larger clothes, I suppose.

For me the most interesting thing about this exercise was that until yesterday i guess I assumed the WF would be suitable either for very short trips or for very hard core light travellers only. What I think my packing list showed me is that these assumptions are not necessarily true. I mean seriously, what light traveller packs four pairs of shoes, straightening irons, an evening clutch and extra jewellery?! Turns out, it's me! I must be a lighter packer than I thought.

The cool climate test pack will be a good comparison. I still plan to pack two pairs of shoes (and wear one) so I intend to make the WF really prove itself! Then I will do the same packs in the TS.

Paula

People are wearing pencils? Isn't it hard to sit down?

Darbi,

Maven? That will take a while.

JL

Good packing info. I will be interested to hear your futher evaluation of the two bags.

Motivated by my limited understanding of women's clothingI decided today to pierce the fog and pay some attention to what women were wearing. I was amazed at the variety of women's wear among a relatively small group of women

I was tempted to go up to each one and ask "What are you wearing"? I thought about it, but figured the response would be something like: Duh, what does it look like i'm wearing, Bozo? So I scrapped that.

Later I was listening to a radio interview with the women who founded Spanx. I mean who knew. Then she said to the male interviewer, who was almost as confused as I am, "No it's not a girdle and yes we make a product for men. Run for the hills boys they are coming for us.

I guess I shouldn't expect any calls from Parisienne designers for my thoughts on design.

You want to design a what.?

My path to Mavenship is steep and rocky. But I kind of like thinking about being greeted by, Welcome your Mavenship.

Pencil skirts indeed, what's next bumpers?

I despair... The point of Spanx, Ron, is that you are not supposed to know! :)

Speaking of Spanx . . . . When my son got married last September, I considered the clothes that I wore a personal victory:

First, I didn't wear Spanx. (I got a dress that was roomy enough to look o.k. without requiring a restrictive undergarment.) Second, I didn't wear pantihose. (My pale legs weren't visible under my long dress.) And, third, I didn't wear high heels. (I wore dressy ballet flats instead.)

I was comfortable from the afternoon wedding ceremony through the evening reception and then through the after-party that ended in the wee hours of the morning. :-)

And, relating this back to travel, when I'm on a trip I always try to wear and pack equally comfortable clothes and shoes.

Jl

The founder of Spanx answered yes to a question from the interviewer about whether itwas now OK for women to openly discuss Spanx. I'm so confused.

kris
Congratulations on the wedding.
Based on my research the long dress you wore may have been a maxi dress.
I agree with your thoughts about comfortable clothing, unless it has a funny name.

Maven in training!

Kris, I admire your self discipline! One of my packing list rules is the inclusion of a pair of high heels, with the exception only of the list in this thread, funnily enough (but that list is aiming for tropical island chic, where heels would be out of place - fashion maven studies 201).

Ron, it's not as confusing as it might seem. We can quite happily talk about Spanx, but if you can SEE them there's a deployment issue.

JL

So it wouldn't be a good idea for me to tell a woman, pardon me but your Spanx is in view? Or nice Spanx you've got there?

I didn't see Spanx on anyone's packing list now that you mention it.

Not a really strong plan if your aim is to make a good impression! Make eye contact, listen to her, and admire her earrings (not her necklace): much safer.

I will include a new "unmentionables" category in my next list so you will know that the Spanx have been duly accounted for.

JL
I am learning so much. I wasn't necessarily thinking about making a good impression, just letting someone know what had not been suitably deployed. (No I wouldn't really do that unless asked to comment).

By the way do you think an iPad would fit into the WF top outside pocket? Also is it big enough for an iPad in a case or sleeve? Could you get more stuff into the WF by bundle wrapping into a cube?

I can fit an iPad unsheathed or with the Apple magnetic cover in the top exterior pocket. YMMV with bulkier non-proprietary sleeves and cases (by no means certain that they would fit as it is on the snug side).

I am not a bundle packer so am probably not the best person to comment on whether this is a more efficient way to pack into these bags. I have read commentary suggesting that the compartments are not really deep enough to facilitate bundle packing.

>>>"Paula

People are wearing pencils? Isn't it hard to sit down?"<<<

No Ron sitting is easy, ascending stairs is fraught with dangerous potential.
Of course it does help that the eraser around the hem does a wonderful job erasing the wrinkles made when sitting. ;-)

I have a pair of Spanx, I only wear them in the winter now, sod the invisible panty lines, they are nice and toasty on the legs when it's chilly outside.
Congrats Kris you must be the first mum I know/or heard about, in a wedding party, that was actually comfortable for the whole event. Well done!

I'm a retired Pastor and I performed a wedding once where the bride wore running shoes under the long, white dress. No one knew and I wouldn't have known except that she came up some steps to the platform.I think comfort is nice. Some Pastors , who wore robes, wore shorts underneath. No one knew.

I am a one bag type person. My wife needs three pieces of luggage for a weekend trip. We fly spirit out of Atlantic City. It costs more for luggage on spirit than the plane tickets. Is there some reading material available or help classes for my wife. She really doesn't need 5 pairs of shoes for the weekend does she? Also has anyone looked into the cost of shipping luggage beforehand to your destination?

I looked at the Western Flyer but not sure I am comfortable with it.

Thanks
Lladro

The best site I know about is http://www.onebag.com/ another one is http://www.travelite.org/archive/admin.html Maybe they'll help. Good luck.

Lladro

I am a 75 year old woman and love traveling with only one bag! Last year my 3 daughters and myself traveled from US to France for 2 weeks with only one bag each. This made train travel, metro travel and car traveling easy for all of us. In May I have another 3 week trip planned to England and France, again using only one 19 inch wheel aboard. My age excludes a back pack for me. Tell your wife to read up on it and hopefully she will join the "club"

Lladro

As the resident women's clothing expert I thought i would comment.
Most people can cover a 3 day weekend with three outfits and undergarments.
Example a shift, pencil skirt, yoga pants , maxi dress ; pick any three plus tops etc.

OK down to business.

I was a consumate over packer, even for weekends. My packing routine always included a garment bag stuffed with clothes that got checked and a rolling carryon.

I always assumed that when I saw others with a small bag that they had checked the big bacg. This was confirmed, so I thought when i would wait with lots of others at the luggage carousel.

On one trip I was asked by an important person in my life, Do you really need all that stuff. My immediate answer was of course I do.

But it got me thinking. I began to ask others what they travel with and many travelled with lots less than I did. I couldn't figure out how you shrank 4 pair of jeans and 7 shirts and all the accompanying stuff to fit in one carryon.

This site has been immeasurably helpful in understanding the one bag concept. Onebag.com also has some good info.

But as I began my search for info the first site that made any sense to me was packinglite.com also packing light.net. The owner John Holloway has lot of packing lite videos. I watched amazed as he packed the equivalent of about 16 women's outfits into a singlr small rolling carryon, using the bundle wrapping technique that I was totally unfamiliar with. Thta is what allowed me to believe it is possible. I recommend those videos to anyone wondering about the bundle wrapping technique and the concept of packing lite. One could argue that 16 outfits is not truly packing lite but it does give credence to the concept. I highly recommend the videos to her if she is willing to explore the possibility.

I next discovered onebag.com and then OBOW.

So in my opinion 2 things are required an aweness that it could be done differently and the willingness to change.

Since I carry my own bags the idea that I could travel with less was for me an exciting concept.

I suppose on a lighter note on your next trip, after you put your wife's purse and pocket book in your bag, you could have the taxi drop you off a quarter mile from the hotel. Get out unload the luggage pick up your bag give her a kiss and say i'll go checkin, see you at the hotel Honey. Pick up your bag and walk to the hotel.

Of course if you were thinking that the weekend might be like a second honeymoon, you may need to go to plan B.

I am far from perfect at this but I am a one bagger. And yes I was an overpacking dude.

Thanks Ron, I was frying my brain trying to remember the guy in those videos to recommend to Lladro.

There are also loads of 'how to pack lightly' videos on youtube' and I second onebag.com as well as this site. If those don't help your wife Lladro, she may need an intervention! ;-) Not sure I agree with Ron's suggestion of leaving your wife with her bags..........could be a suicidal move on your part, if you know what I mean!

Lladro

Here are 2 great videos for her to watch

I think Chritina in the first video is great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1VUjdrG_oc&feature=youtube_gdata_player


Packinglite.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDn9l20NlWw&feature=youtube_gdata_player