I believe that I was the ONLY person on our thirty-two person congregational trip to Israel who packed with one carry-on (roller) bag and one personal item only, the latter a Tom Bihn Co-Pilot whose back pocket zips open to allow it to be slipped over the roller bag handle. Virtually everyone else for the two-week trip had a large carry-on bag and a large checked bag AND a personal item! Coming home I think many ended up paying some overweight charges.

Yet I actually found myself slightly overpacked, a few too many shirts, as well as one item used for just twenty-minutes, a pair of watershoes for a Dead Sea float, something I would take for a future trip. Essential to the overall scheme was the use of "adventure" wear, i.e., ventilated nylon shirts and nylon pants and shorts, and taking seriously the advance notice from our rabbi that more formal clothes were not really needed; let's just call him....Rabbi REI. The basic list of what I PACKED included:

- 4 Ex Officio briefs
- 4 nylon-polyester V-neck shirts, two white, two black
-4 pair wool-nylon-spandex dark grey socks
-1 pair Clark sandals
-1 pair watershoes (wouldn't take again)
-1bathing suit (used ONLY at the Dead Sea)
-1 pair REI gray nylon pants
-1 pair REI gray nylon shorts
- Eagle Creek Specter shirt folder (see below)
-1 lightweight gray wool pullover
-1 ultralightweight Arcteryx running jacket
-1 Kangol cap
-1 pr spare glasses
-1 electric shaver and recharger cord
-1 plastic box of laundry soap leave
-1 kippe/yarmulka (hey, this WAS Israel!)

NO sports coat, true dress shirt, or...TIE!

As for shirts, I packed two long-sleeve and six shortsleeve, which is TOO MANY; I would have been fine with one extra ExOfficio shirt and maybe four SS of various solid colors

I traveled in a second pair of the REI pants, darker shade of gray, and a nylon outdoor shirt, plus some older black New Balance leather coaches shoes, plus a nylon Tilley hat...that proved to be identical to the one worn by one of our guides!

The NB shoes nearly caused a disaster when the soles delaminated on about the fourth of fifth day! Do NOT take really old shoes that have a glued on sole! Thankfully, my wife was that evening able to find and purchase for me some Merrell Proterra light trekking shoes, not quite long enough and too wide for me, but close enough to save the trip; I can recommend these if you can get a proper fit in them; they're about $100 in the US....MORE in Israel.

My Co-Pilot was worth the investment, comfortable enough even on the one we walked around eight miles including a 650 descent/ascent into Petra in the Jordanian desert. It held 10 x 28 binoculars, my Coolpix P7700, a Kestrel windmeter, sunglasses, iPhone in case, bladeless small Leatherman utility tool, house keys, my passport, various pens and penlights and a plastic water bottle (or my REI travel pillow on air transit days.) It also held various small items including adapters and during air transit days, my Ipad in a TB Cache, as well as my small digital scale, and a small tape-measure (which reveals that the seat pitch on our tour bus was a knee-crunching 28 inches.)

The Co-Pilot packed including the water bottle must have been about 9 lbs.; the Antler New Size Zero 22-inch case probably about 21 lbs. (it was much heavier when on the return my wife had to shift various items from her over 50-lb. checked bag into mine out at the airport, which my use of the REI mini luggage weight detected a...problem.

Regardless, what I packed as above was PLENTY for our second half of April trip, a wonderful venture, with particular thanks to our two superb guides, Doron Bookshtein and for the latter part of our trip, Roni Winter, not to mention additional insights from our trip leaders, Rabbis Rick and Laura Winer. If anyone has any questions....nu, ask!

I one bagged it to Israel 2 years ago. It definitely can be done.

Not only CAN it be done, I think it's PREFERABLE, given the vagaries of moving luggage in and out of tourist buses, airport security lines, and the rather small elevators in the hotels we used. My wife kept appologizing to the REST of the group that I was one-bagging as some sort of GAME, which really it was NOT! With a slightly trimmed gear list, I'd figure 25 lbs. total. I do favor a small wheeled bag over a backpackable bag mainly related to the issue of dealing with what can be LONG airport security lines. It's very convenient to perch the TB Co-Pilot over the handle of the small roller.

I do plan to consider a Wi-Fi only iPad Mini for future travel, to allow for more space in my Co-Pilot; our second guide was using one throughout the day; this alsowould save more than a pound of weight. Our rabbi was also using one to hold liturgy for services, music, etc. I would also note I was much happier with a relatively compact camera than trying to deal with a DSLR with one or more lenses, particularly in tight quarters. The "panorama" mode worked well on my Coolpix P7700.

I bet the rest of the group secretly envied you!

I downsized to the iPad mini last year and can't imagine buying another full-size iPad. Definitely worth considering for the savings in both size and weight.

Interesting - thanks for sharing your experience!
Which Co-Pilot did you use? (ballistic or dyneema)?
Were you ever afraid they would make you gate-check your small roller board on any of the flights? This is my concern when I travel, and sometimes pushes me to take a non-wheeled carryon over my little eBags roller, even though it can get heavy walking around the airport.

I traveled 1800 km in a car (no GPS, only road maps) all around Israel for seventeen days and only carried an Air Boss with eighteen pounds and a Gator personal bag.

Would have taken my Co-Pilot instead of the Gator but in 2010, the Co-Pilot wasn't yet available.

Was able to wash in the hotel sink and air dry almost every piece of clothes in mid-May's heat and wind. Went light and enjoyed the experience immensely.

<<Which Co-Pilot did you use? (ballistic or dyneema)?>>

Steel Ballistic. I will be continuing to use it not just for travel, but also as an everyday carry bag.

<<Were you ever afraid they would make you gate-check your small roller board on any of the flights?>>

No, though I did see that some of the last passengers boarding couldn't find bin space. It would not have been a major issue for me as everyone else in my party had checked bags. We did make some purchases, so on the way home we off-loaded all of our laundry into a Patagonia Lightweight Travel Duffel, 6 kg worth, while packing new acquisitions into our primary bags.

BChaplin - when I flew to Israel last year, I had to gatecheck my bag all the way because of no overhead space. Whatever bag you fly with, if it's too big to fit under the seat, make sure it's sturdy enough to survive being checked, just in case...

AlanB - mazel tov on your trip :) I felt a little over-packed too when I went, but I think that's because the weather changed so much, I had some things I didn't wear for the 2nd half of the trip since it got too warm.

I am replacing the New Balance shoes with the Clarks Un.Ravel sports Oxford. I have another older pair of Clark's, very similar, but their brown does not match my black-gray-blue-purple-maroon travel clothing palette. My Lowa gray Renegade low Gore-tex trekking shoe would be an alternative or supplement, Alternatively a Rockport slip-on when one dressier pair is needed. The Clark sandals remain great for warm weather especially with shorts. So any trip TWO out of these four, one worn, one packed.

With that "adventure" themed clothes you sure don't need as many. Good job.

The complementary color palate also extends to my URBAN travel choices, which includes a medium gray sportscoat worn with black and charcoal gray slacks, or a black blazer worn with charcoal gray and medium gray slacks, either in conjunction with one pair of the "adventure" pants, which I use as needed and also, for the actual travel days. However, when I return to Paris, likely I will take one dark gray suit, a pair of black slacks and the dark gray "adventure" pants. As I may have noted, I have a pair of longer gray shorts that I can use when needed...NOT in Paris, for sure!

Thank you for the info Alan! I've been working hard to get my husband to do carry on only and your posts are very helpful.

I prefer to go wheeless however a shoulder injury has prevent doing so. I have an old 20" Travelpro that I want to replace because of its weight. It has been a real workhorse and a lot of travel miles including as checked baggage. It works well on cobblestone walkways. What is you view of the Antler New Size Zero 22-inch bag as far as durability and ease of rolling on uneven surfaces? Would it hold up to being checked?

Thank you!

<<What is you view of the Antler New Size Zero 22-inch bag as far as durability and ease of rolling on uneven surfaces? Would it hold up to being checked?>>

I find the bag very adequate on moderately uneven circumstances, and would point out that almost any TWO-wheel bag will do better than a "spinner" bags with four pair of very small wheels, just begging to get caught between two cobblestones some dark night in Transylvania.

As far as durability for checking, I should mention that for every trip I carry/roll my Antler New Size Zero onto the plane, its "big brother" a 30-inch version of exactly the same bag gets CHECKED by my wife, with loads of up to fifty pounds. So far it has held up.

That said, at about the same price as the Antler, there are other bags you might want to consider, weighing 6.0 pounds or less, one bag mentioned recently on this board being the Osprey Shuttle 22, with a double pole handle allowing one to fit a Co-Pilot or the like onto it. They also have an Ozone 22, but that has a single pole handle, and lighter construction, the latter an issue if the bag ever has to be checked.

Check Moosejaw and REI on the Shuttle 22. Reviews are favorable as are current prices.

...and Amazon lis some cloeout Antler NSZ 22's at $90....I would guess the Osprey Shuttle 22 is a sturdier bag.

Thank you Alan for the info. I was looking at the one on Amazon. Good price! I like Eagle Creek's quality, but their suitcases tend to have a rounded top. I prefer square tops so I can set a tote on the top of it. Just my own personal quirk (one of many LOL). I completely don't understand the 4-wheel spinners. Guess too many years using the other type. The wheels look very fragile to me. Thanks again!

Correction: Confused Eagle Creek with Osprey. I shouldn't reply when half asleep!