There is a wide variety in how people travel with one bag. Some people have bags that weigh almost 20 pounds, while others get by with 13 pounds (or less!) If you are one of those ultra light travelers, what techniques do you use to get the extra weight out? Would you care to share your tips on shaving weight?

To go sub-15 pounds for a trip of more than four days you have to get really picky about clothing (no jeans, for instance), and go easy on the electronics and books. This is usually only possible for leisure travelers. Taking little clothing requires a commitment to doing some laundry as well. And gong with only one pair of shoes for men or two pairs for women can result in serious weight saving. The three or four pounds you save by eschewing wheeled bags can also be huge.

When I fly I use a small carry on made by Ricardo --the bag measures out at 16" long 9"high and 7" width. having a bag this small insures that you can't take to much. In it I pack 5 shirts either two pairs of shorts or an extra pair of pants depending on the weather, two pairs of underwear,a coat and my chargers for phone and camera,camera, bathroom kit and accessories (small multitool,clothesline,salt and pepper shaker). Finally a a pair of flip flops go in.

Against all advice I wear a pair of jeans t-shirt and a long sleeve shirt for boarding

If I need to take my computer I use a small backpack to put it in and then carry the charger for it in the pack.When I get to my destination I use the pack for day trips.

When you are at the check in this set up looks so small that I have never been asked to weigh in.

I bought the bag on sale for $24.00

Forest

I'm about to do my first trip with "travel denim" jeans, made with a viscose, cotton & polyester blend.
http://www.vigilante.com.au/home.html
They're very light, dry quickly, and are cool enough to wear in summer. For winter I'll layer them with a pair of Icebreaker long johns.

My only complaint is that the jeans come in a rather unflattering faded wash. I used Dylon fabric dye in dark brown to make them a little darker (they don't pick up the full colour as they contain some polyester).

After years of traveling, I have perfected the art of less then one bag travel. It isn't for everyone, but if you want to be free of a pack, here is the way to go. I figured instead of bringing different outfits and changing every day, I would wear the same cloths and change location every day, washing items at night as needed (even heavy socks will dry over night when draped over the radiator). With this system, I never check a bag, and going primarily to Europe, traveling by train and bus, I can hop off/hop on where ever I want. Since the bombings in Spain and London, not to mention 9-11, lots of local luggage places where you could dump your bags are no longer available. Museums are also hesitant to check bags now (nothing like climbing the stairs at Warwick castle with a full pack because they don't check luggage!!). As an added benefit, everything is always with me. I never have to go back to a hotel, and add that time into my schedule in order to make a conection, and I always know where everything is. This obviously works better for cooler climates. I usually spend two weeks in Europe in the winter or early spring. I have a Burton sleeper hoodie, but any loose hoodie would work, or if you don't want to alte it,a dad gear vest (diaper bag in a jacket) or scott evest (pricey) would also work. What you need is a loose fitting jacket with pockets and a lining in the back where you can add another larger one. I added a pocket to the hoodie in the back inner lining by cutting a slit and sewing in an eagle creek packing sack. This fits in the small of my back and doesn't stick out too much, hanging down between the inner and outer linings. As an added bonus, it acts as a lumbar pillow when stuck in cattle class for those 11 hour flights. From the exterior you only see a slight bulge if pulled tight, from the interior, only the zipper shows. The sleeper hoodie is unique in that it also has pockets for other items, as well as a hood that unsnaps, pulls down and covers your eyes for those red eye flights and also has a built in neck pillow (looks odd, but really works). An eagle creek simple pouch rounds out what I carry. Add a pair of cargo pants (rei), an ultra dry nylon t shirt, overshirt (ex officio) with hidden pocket for passport (I hate those undercover wallets and waist packs) and I am set. With all the pockets, I can cary extra socks, underwear abd go light jacket. Toiletries, mp3 player and sony e book go in the simple bag. I never have to check a bag, never have to stand in line to leave a bag (the line in Venice took over an hour the first time I was there) and can explore the little towns without feeling like I am trapped by a heavy bag. The amusing thing is that I am a total gear junkie, I probably own 80% of eagle creek's line (my first trip to Europe I looked like a walking eagle creek billboard and my switchback bulged with even more), with rick steves (kiva), patagonia and jansport rounding it out. Magellans and Campmor have me on their Christmas List! yet every year, more and more stuff stays at home, it is so liberating not to have to carry so much. I once read about a guy who claimed a toothbrush was the only thing he had to pack, I am not there yet, but who knows....Happy travels!.

Most of the check-in agents I've encountered are are impressed by my lack of luggage, but their comments suggest they think I'm off to do some serious shopping in Europe. The only negative comment I've had was in Frankfurt a few weeks ago, where the agent asked me three time whether I had any check in bags (no clothes? no food? nothing?) and then said it was very suspicious. I showed her my cabin-sized backpack, separate handbag and small plastic bag of food I planned to eat before boarding, and she repeated her comment about it being suspicious as she gave me the boarding pass. It seemed a little odd, but I just shrugged and walked away. I had no problems at security or at boarding.

If it is any consolation I have had problems in Frankfurt too, even though I had check through bags with me. First, the agent opened up my carry on (which was a total mess at that time) and gave me a look of disgust. Then she grabbed my hair dryer and decided to plug it in to make sure that it really was a hair dryer and not some device of evil. Next I got stopped at the gate and was questioned rigorously about the contents of my check through bag. I had my caving and mountaineering equipment in there, along with some high tech headlamps. I guess all that metal and electronics gave them hissy fits. They questioned me for so long that I had to run down the passenger ramp to make my flight! So... it isn't you - it is them. To be fair though, they had some pretty nasty terrorist problems in the past so maybe they're justified.