Hi! Want to help me pack? I'm new around here, but have been packing (relatively) light for a while now. However, most of my trips have been to places where I don't need to think much about the "what if" stuff since I can just buy what I need if it comes to it. However, the current trip is a bit different.

Scenario: Four flights, one hotel overnight, and then 8 days on a 16 passenger boat, followed by 12 more days on land. Warm wet weather. I'll be traveling with my husband which means we can pack two bags total and share a few things. Technically we're not allowed to do laundry on the boat, but I'm assuming we can at least rinse out underwear in the shower.

The things we need in addition to typical travel clothes are 8 days worth of sunscreen each, snorkels and masks, one 3mm wetsuit (I'm a cold water wimp), and dslr camera gear & laptop (~8 pounds for the electronics). My question is whether you think it's practical/possible to each carry just one bag and not consider checking anything. The way we would normally pack is two duffels and one backpack with all the electronics, but if we could cut it down even more that would be ideal. Thoughts?

Can you do it with carry on only? It all depends on how much clothing you really think you need. Assuming this is a casual trip (i.e. no dressing up) I think it's feasible - with a couple of changes. First, pick up sunscreen at your destination - that way no need to use your whole quart bag for that. As for fins and snorkel, either pick those up before you board the boat or put them in your carry on - but that will significantly cut down on clothing space. My solution? If you are set on your own snorkel gear pack that and the wetsuit in a duffel and check that - everything else you can easily do carry on.

Thanks! The big thing I'm concerned about is not having any time to buy sunscreen or anything else before getting on the boat, since be basically get on board straight after getting off the 4th flight. We overnight in a hotel between planes 3 and 4 but I have no idea if there will be time or stores around. I've heard rules are lax on that 4th airline regarding liquids, so it's not out of the question to try and buy sunscreen in the airport or somewhere. On the other hand, the only things currently going into our 3-1-1 bags are travel toothpaste and a tiny bottle of moisturizer; everything else is a solid.

Regarding the snorkeling stuff, I don't think we'll even attempt to bring fins, just snorkels and masks and my wetsuit. With 4 flights and then getting on the boat, if a checked bag got lost at any point along the way, we wouldn't have the stuff for the boat portion of our trip (when we need it!). Yet, I'd rather risk that stuff than risk having to check a bag we planned to carry on.

I'm having such a hard time picturing how much space all this stuff will take up -- there should be a virtual packing program to use!

Can the wet suit flatten down into a compression bag? That would save some space.

My 2 cents:

1- Yes, it should be do-able.

2- Start with the basics and build up, rather than starting with a big list and paring down.

3- Make a list and pre-pack as early as possible. If in doubt, leave it out!

4- Make sure all your clothes can be worn with all your other clothes.

Last time I traveled, I even weighed every individual item. So, yes, I'm a geek. But, the fewer things you take, the easier it is to do that!

Here's what my guy-list might look like for a trip such as yours. It would entail doing some underwear and quick-dry shirts shower-style while on the boat.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx start list xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
passport in something waterproof
wallet with credit card and US cash
smartphone w/local sim card
regular glasses, sunglasses in hard case
daypack (should be able to fit this inside the main bag for travel days)
35-45 liter backpack, no wheels (i.e. Osprey Porter 46 or Osprey Farpoint 40)

clothing:
cross-trainer shoes
flip-flops or sandals
dark-colored cotton or nylon long pants x 1 or 2, with cargo pockets and tight weave
shorts (cargo pockets are good) x 1 or 2
belt, if the pants and shorts require one
ex officio underwear x 3 or 4
tight-weaved long-sleeved shirt Oxford-style cotton shirt x 1 or 2
nylon travel shirt, short-sleeved with pockets x 2
coolmax t-shirt x 2
cotton t-shirt x 1
wool socks x 2 (yes, even in hot weather)
black cotton gym shorts for lounging
baseball cap
windbreaker or rain jacket
synthetic buff headgear
swim trunks

packtowl, if no towels are provided on the boat

ibuprofen/aspirin in small container
sunscreen in sufficient quantities (it won't be a quart!- bring it from home rather than running around looking for it!)
various plastic bags (big clear one for clean clothes, big dark one for dirty, etc.)
keychain-sized flashlight (I like the Arc AAA) and bottle opener on a keyring

dop kit:
razor (disposable)
toothpaste
toothbrush
deodorant
small soap in container
lip balm

very small mp3 player and headphones
dense and compact paperback book
guidebooks, only the relevant sections cut out, then stapled and put into ziploc bags

in ziplock bag:
parachute cord
detergent in small container
foam earplugs x 2
a couple of bandaids
antiseptic wound wipe
pen

And then, your particular items:

wetsuit (compressed and bound up)
snorkel
mask
camera gear/laptop

Hope this helps!
John
Boulder, CO

That is a fantastic packing list -- thank you so much for sharing!

And the suggestion to put the wetsuit in a compression bag is a really good one that I'm going to have to do. We're not taking fins so it will just be the one wetsuit and two masks and two snorkels -- light but take up space.

I've done some trial packing and I think with two ~45 liter bags we can make it work. I have an LL Bean Expedition Travel Pack and think I'll be buying the same one for my husband, though I'm checking out other bags as well.

For sure all of our regular clothes and toiletries can fit in one bag, and I think we can fit all of the other "stuff" in the other bag (snorkel gear, pack towels, tiny detergent, sunglasses, phones, laptop, sunscreen & contact solution for 3 weeks, camera gear packed inside daypack, chargers). Hopefully the daypack with camera gear can fit inside one of the larger bags, and also be easy to keep with me at all times (e.g., under my seat on the planes rather than in the overhead).

Sounds like you are well on your way!

I think for the wetsuit you could use a compression bag. But you also might just roll it up, put it in a plastic shopping bag, and then use clear plastic packing tape to bind it tightly to itself. Then, just take spare bags and a bit of tape with you for the return trip.

I find I like drawstring closures for the main bag... it makes it easier to stuff a daypack on top. I think I may be in the minority on that one, though, given how many zippered bags I see mentioned here and elsewhere.

Have a good trip!
John
Boulder, CO