Here is the current iteration of my ever evolving packing list for 10 days in Canada and 10 days in Europe. I feel pretty good about this packing list fitting neatly in a Patagonia MLC. The only thing I'm really kind of nervous about is making sure my clothes will dry overnight specifically my pants. I don't like the look or feel of "technical" travel clothes so I am opting for a regular pair of my trusty dark jeans and khakis. I figure if I do laundry the night before, the wet pair will have 1 night + 1 day + 1 night to dry before I have to put them on again.

I also have some items under "optional" that I might bring. Also, does anyone know of a small plier tool that is carry-on compliant?

Two bags: Patagonia MLC + messenger bag (may be packed in MLC)

Bathroom (pack in 1 large ziplock):
- toothbrush + travel toothpaste (3 oz) (repack in shoulder bag)
- safety razor
- baby wash (3 oz)
- ez floss + regular dental floss
- spray deodorant (3 oz)
- hair gel (3 oz)
- tweezers

Clothing (pack in MLC)
- belt (wear)
- jeans (wear)
- khaki pants (pack)
- fleece zip up (wear)
- patagonia rain jacket (pack)
- underwear (pack 3, wear 1)
- t shirts (pack 2, wear 1)
- silk short sleeve shirt (pack)
- long sleeve button up (pack 1, wear 1)
- socks (pack 2, wear 1)

Camera (pack in shoulder bag)
- Canon 5D + 24L (in neoprene sleeve)
- 105mm f1.8 (in domke wrap or soft lens case)
- extra battery + charger
- circular polarizer
- CF cards in wallet
- compact film point and shoot camera + 4 rolls film

On person (pack in shoulder bag)
- shawl/scarf
- iPhone + charger
- blow up neck pillow
- wrist watch (wear)
- sunglasses + case
- hand sanitizer
- stain remover packets
- emergen-Cs
- loafers (wear)
- passport
- tickets + printouts of hotel reservations
- EU voltage adapter
- whistle
- moleskin notebooks x2
- keyring (micro led light, micro prybar, keys)
- zip ties (as many as possible)
- wet ones
- pack of tissue
- candies and gum
- protein bars
- compass
- 1 quart ziplocks (x2)

In small case logic organizer wallet (pack in shoulder bag):
- headphones
- 4gb jump drive (with scanned copies of id)
- lip balm
- painkillers
- nail clippers
- credit cards (in card holder)
- family pics
- screwdriver for sunglasses
- safety pins, needle and thread
- bandaids
- ripstop repair tape (for rain jackets)
- pens x2 + pencil + sharpie

Laundry
- small bottle woolite
- length of nylon cord for clothesline
- viscose towel
- flat rubber drain plug

Optional:
- cologne
- small French and German phrase book
- door stop
- folding pliers multitool (no knife)

Hi Brad, I'm hoping to keep the weight under 20 lbs., but I fear the camera equipment alone will be half the weight. The bulk of a DSLR kit alone makes me want to bring just a point and shoot. I'm not even considering bringing my 17 inch laptop.

I'll weigh everything when it's all packed and update this thread.

Carlo, your packing list is very thorough and well planned. So any advice I could give would really just be to fine tune, but that's what we are all about, no? :)

Bathroom:
Skip the 3oz baby wash. Most likely you will easily and cheaply find soap wherever you stay. It saves you 80g right there.
Do you need two types of floss?
Forget the spray deodorant. Get a mini crystal deodorant. Google it.
Hair gel. 3oz also seems like a lot. For me, 2oz last easily 20 days.
Check out the squeeze tubes by humangear made of silicon.
I didn't see any shave soap or aftershave. Will you use oil? Check my article elsewhere on this great site.

Camera:
You have a 5D so probably you know what you are doing but IMHO packing a camera in neoprene case that only fits that camera with one short lens on it doesn't make sense. Especially not if you have a shoulder bag that can take the camera. Do check out the fantastic Tenba Small Messenger Satchel. It carries all your stuff, incl. camera and lens, doesn't look like a camera bag, is light and can be accessed without opening the flap. This means one hand access while the bag is on your shoulder. Also skip the wallet for CF cards. The usual plastic cases do the job. Or put them in an Altoids (mint) box.

Shoulder bag:
ID files can also be sent to your own email account as an additional back-up though having them on a flash drive is a good first line of defense.
Why nailclippers? Scissors are now allowed in hand luggage with blades up to four inches and pointy. Check TSA rules. In Europe you can now even take a Swiss Army knife. Seriously. The Swisschamp has pliers and a mini-screwdriver for eyeglasses. I love mine.
Skip the extra holder for credit cards. It is better to split them up for security and I am sure your luggage has credit card compartments. So no extra holder needed. Or go super light with the all-ett wallets. Google it, if you don't know it.
Zipties. If short ones are enough you can halve your weight there.
Do you plan on hiking? Otherwise in European and Canadian cities one hardly needs a compass.
I love moleskin notebooks but why do you need two? Do you plan on filling 200+ pages in 20 days? Can't you take just one and create sections if needed?

Laundry:
I find that some carabiners on the end of the laundry line are super practical.
You could take the small packages of woolite. That would shave some more grams off and is also more leakproof. Otherwise repackage in 2oz Nalgene bottle.

Optional:
Use sample size cologne.
Do you really need a door stop. I have traveled all my life without one and never felt unsafe. Depends where you stay, of course.
I also reiterate my recommendation of the Swisschamp knife. You could send it ahead just for the extra-Euro flights.

Hope this helps.

For the camera, have you considered the Canon G9? It's my go to travel camera unless I am really on a photo journey. Then I use DSLR or even medium format Rolleiflex.

Wow, thanks for the great suggestions Till. It's actually just the kind of feedback I was looking for. I have spent some time thinking about this list but it does need some fine tuning to shave off as much weight as possible.

My rationale for the baby soap was that it takes the place of body soap and shampoo. But you're right, the hotel will provide so I can cross that one off.

Yup, no need for two types of floss. So I'll take the ones I prefer - the easy floss type.

I've still got some travel size hair gel left over from a previous trip so not quite 2 oz there. I do plan on bringing shaving cream in a 3 oz can (one little luxury I suppose), but the shaving oil sounds interesting. I do swear by the crystal rock deodorant but the crystal spray kind works so much better plus I can spray it on my feet! So I think that one will stay on the list.

As for a camera bag, I've used Domke for years and love the non-descript canvas. I purchased a not inexpensive canvas and leather messenger bag that packs flat (unlike my Domke) that will work well with my camera equipment. I know the neoprene sleeve seems inadequate but I've learned through experience that my camera equipment need abrasion protection far more than bulky padding. I will skip the CF wallet though - might even just toss them in without the plastic cases as they are actually very durable.

Thanks for the info about the scissor and SAK allowance! I might just pick one up in Europe and mail it home afterwards.

The compass? Yeah, what was I thinking ;)

The moleskins are the thin kind so at least two is a must.

I'm handy with knots so I'll skip the carabiners (more weight) but that is a really neat suggestion. The small woolite packs are definitely in though!

The doorstop was more an afterthought - I agree that it can probably be left out.

Thanks again for your great suggestions.

Good list Carlo.
I used to take a blow up pillow, now I fold up my fleece jacket and use it instead......it's actually more comfortable.
I would swap the stain remover pads for one Tide To Go pen, they do a travel size as well as the ordinary supermarket size. The little one is all you need.
Re: the jeans......I like wearing mine too regardless that they're not quick wash & dry. I've read in several places that if you have your jeans dry cleaned before you travel, they will last longer before you have to wash them. And no, I haven't tried that yet as I've had washing machines at various places of stay.
Where are you going in Europe....London, Paris? It does help to know your direction in those cities (I am a Londoner and can still get turned round when exiting Tube stations), I have a compass on a leather cord, I wear it.
Scissors.....I have a pair I picked up from Walmart sewing accessories. They fold into themselves, the blade parts are less than 2 inches long. I tried using nail clippers as scissors and gave up.

Actually, I'm with you on taking a dSLR in a neoprene case or sleeve. I find that non-camera shoulder bags (like my Tom Bihn or Crumpler) are more versatile because they are built for carrying all sorts of things, not just the camera. When I get to my destination, we might go out for a night where I want to carry an extra sweater, rather than extra camera gear, and a camera bag's built in dividers just get in the way. I see you're not taking an external flash, which is what I recommend as well unless you have a small one or think you really need it.

When I travel, I'm similar to you: I carry my Nikon D300 or D90 in a neoprene case. To cut down on weight, I almost always carry the D90 now, which can also shoot video and is about a 1/3 pound lighter and smaller than my D300. Although it's not cheap, you might want to consider a smaller Canon camera, or even something like the Panasonic G1. I know it's a different camera system, but you'll be on the road for 20 days, and it's not the weight that just matters, it's the bulk. I think the Canon 5D is full frame right? In my experience being to Europe a couple of times and visiting BC annually (I live in Canada), wide angle is useful. In Canada, lots of room to back up, but huge vistas to see. In Europe, you might want a huge panaroma, but there's less room to back up (think museum interiors). I'm assuming the 24L will be your wide angle, right? I'm thinking the 105 mm f1.8 might be a bit long for some situations, and not long enough for others. I carried a 50 mm f1.4 because it was a bit wider, even on an APS sensor, and because you could go low light. Can you go for a compact travel zoom (18-200/24-300)? Iit coves a huge focal range without sacrificing too much IQ and it saves times swapping lens (especially if your spuose or travel partners aren't photo buffs!). In lieu of an external flash, I carried a Lumiquest diffuser for the onboard flash. It was $10, folded down to nothing, and highly useful.

As for pants, check out Tilley Endurables (www.tilley.com). I own several pairs that don't look "technical", but they definitely dry overnight after being washed in the sink! (e.g., Urban Traveller Metropolis Pants). Their stretch jeans are super comfortable and do dry very fast.

Hi Paula, Thanks for suggesting a sweater bundle instead of a blow up pillow - another few ounces saved! I'm staying in the latin quarter in Paris so I intend to mostly walk around, though I might opt for the subway to get to the Eiffel tower.

Hi Ozone, 24mm is as wide as I need for my shooting style and I am not averse to stitching a few shots for the occasional pano. The 105mm works for me for portraiture, candids, compressed landscape and architectural details. I prefer primes over zooms. When I used a 24-105mm zoom, I used it 95% of the time at 24mm and 105mm hence my choice of primes. If I had to bring only one lens, it would probably be a 50mm f1.4 as you suggest.

As for a strobe, I don't think I will miss it for this trip. This is my first time to Paris and while I want to indulge in photography, I don't want to be slowed down with lots of gear. I am still toying with the idea of just bringing my little pocket Olympus Epic 35mm but deep down I think I will regret not taking my dslr.

Thanks for the super suggestions.

Hey Carlo... given that you had decided on the 24mm and 105mm, I'm not surprised you prefer primes over zooms! I know what you mean - sometimes, you just want that big aperture for that nice bokeh or low light situations.

I agree - you will regret not having your dSLR! I'd probably go for a small digicam rather than a small film camera - being able to record the occasional video is nice.

You know what my wife and I used when we were in Italy last year? The QuikPod to take self photos. It's this almost cheap feeling plastic monopod with a tiny mirror so that you could aim at back at yourself - and it worked!

By the way, you might want to bring a really small tripod or Gorilla Pod: I found myself using it occasionally - I can't recall if you were planning on bringing one.

Have fun!

Carlo, glad you found my fine tuning tips helpful.

I like the idea of the crystal deo spray for the feet. Fortunately, I don't need that, but that is a smart idea. Since it is anti-bacterial and the smelly shoes/feet come from bacteria, it might actually give an additional layer of protection if you were to spray it in the shoes.

For the Paris trip (I lived there for five years): WALK to the Eiffeltower. It might take an hour but it is a nice walk along the Seine. You will also come by the very impressive museum of African and Oceanian Art on Quai Branly. Plan two hours for that if you are interested. Once you visited the Eiffeltower, cross the bridge to get to the Trocadero and have a refreshment there in one of the cafes. The museum terrace and cafe offers a great view, too.

Walk down the stairs again to the Seine embankment and take the bus back that take you all along the river to the Louvre. There you get out, cross the Tuileries gardens, walk over the Pont des Arts and you are back in St. Germain. You walk straight up through the Rue d'Ecole des Beaux Arts with all the art students, cafe and antique dealers. YOu come out at Place St. Germain. There you can have another coffee at Deux Magots or Flores or Napoleon. From there you walk down Blvd. St. Germain until you are back in the Quartier latin.

All in all this periple should take 6-8 leisurely hours, no stress.

In Paris, when you see young guys (less than 25) in jogging suits and expensive sneakers with dark skin and eyes (Maghreb origin), watch out. Sounds like a bloody racist cliche but unfortunately it isn't. They are the guys from the not so good suburbs and guess why they come to the city center. There are lots of them in the touristy quartier latin.

Actually, I'd suggest adding the compass back to the bag. I frequently find that I can find my location on a map, but not figure out easily which direction to go next. "Hm. I'm at the intersection of X and Y streets, and the map says I want to follow X three blocks west. Um. Which way is west?"*

I can follow X in one direction until the cross streets either match or don't my expectations, but it's really less of a pain to pull out the compass and check. I have a little cheap one clipped to the inside of my shoulder bag.

*This is even more embarrassing with the iPhone and Google Maps. "I know exactly where I am! Where do I go?"

That makes a lot of sense especially when you get out of a subway and you have no bearing. I think I can find room for a small compass. I do have an iphone and a GPS but decided to leave the GPS at home.

I leave in a week and half, really looking forward to it.

Great thread, everyone!

Carlo, please be sure to give a trip report when you return, so we can benefit from your impressions of what REALLY worked, and what was not necessary.

Have fun!