With techy travel apparel becoming more multipurpose, downsizing to carry-on luggage is easier than ever. Here’s how to carry it all on your next trip.
Rohan is a U.K.-based outdoor and travel wear brand that’s already a solid choice among adventurers across the pond. Now, as Rohan expands to the U.S., Americans will have some smart new apparel and footwear solutions for work and play.
Rohan’s classically styled crossover pieces mean one exciting thing for the savvy traveler: space saving. It doesn’t matter if you’re on a work trip with some adventure on the side or a full-on holiday. You can ditch your checked bag. Here’s how.
Packing Tips for Downsizing Your Luggage
Maximize All the Tech in T-Shirts
These days, brands like Rohan are building apparel around fabric technologies that let you wear clothing longer without laundering it. Invest in tops and bottoms made with stink-blocking, wrinkle-preventing fabrics. Depending on where you’re traveling, you could also look for T-shirts with protection from sun and insects built right in.
Either way, this approach will help you simplify your “hand luggage” down to two shirts and two pants or skirts, even for a weeklong trip. Just hang them up to air out each night, and you’re good to go. Even more helpful, choose technical shirts for travel in neutral colors. You’ll be able to mix more apparel combinations — and blend in better as a tourist.
Scout Travel Toiletries From Your Favorite Brands
Downsizing your toiletries is not only mandatory for airport security, but it’s also a brilliant way to free up space for other stuff that’s more important to you while traveling.
But micro-sizing doesn’t mean you have to buy dimestore throwaways or even sacrifice your favorite skincare lines while away. Most major hygiene brands and even savvy startups make 3-ounce versions of whatever you use at home.
Easier on the environment, load some reusable travel tubes or bottles from your existing industrial-size lotion bottle or pack a shampoo bar, a surprisingly effective, packaging-free way to save space.
Pack Multipurpose Pants
There’s nothing more practical than a sleek-looking pair of pants that can go from day to night. Rohan has mastered this functionality in most of its trousers for women and men. We just wanted to say “trousers” with a British accent.
But seriously, plenty of these Rohan bottoms (38 for men and 48 for women, in fact) are comfortable enough to hike in but smart enough to grab dinner and drinks in after. And for those traveling for work, look for dark-colored pants that can survive the boardroom and a complete circumnavigation of London on foot.
Take the 2-Shoes Challenge
It’s always tough narrowing down shoes for trips. But you can do it. Try to pare down to two pairs of shoes: one pair of go-anywhere walking flats that you could dress up a bit if needed and one pair of “kickarounds.” These could be sandals for a hot-weather or beach trip; slip-ons for the airport, flight, and around your hotel; or some other easy-wearing footwear choice like trail-running shoes that fill the gap left by shoe No. 1.
If your flight’s not too long, wear the beefier pair on the plane to free up space or hang them outside your bag.
Use Compression Sacks to Maximize Space
Last, but certainly not least, is the packing itself. How you fold or roll your clothes matters. Filling up each little corner of your hand luggage can be critical. If you’re not the folding type, a set of travel compression sacks or a complete travel system will take away the stress of packing.
Shoot for a highly compressible yet still sturdy collection of zippered pouches. Then, separate your pants, shirts, and intimates into larger-, medium-, and small-capacity bags. It’s also nice to reserve one for your shoes, which can get dirty and muck up loose items or the pack itself, not to mention become odor-ific on your adventure.
This article is sponsored by Rohan travel and outdoor adventure clothing. See how you can travel the world with just your hand luggage.
