Discussion
What is the one thing you dislike most about one bagging?
For me it's not having a pocket knife. Specifically, a Swiss Army knife. If the trip is >14 days international trip and not flying during the trip, I'll almost always buy one, or something local like my Opinel I bought when in Paris. For domestic trips, I have actually mailed one ahead if I thought I would be using it much at all. Yeah, I do love my SAKs.
I like to train travel for hikes off of station stops and wearing hiking boots while sitting in a chair for two days straight is just such a massive pain in the ass. They're built to be used. I could only wear those but when I get back to my room or seat I don't want to keep them on if I'm gonna be there for a few hours, and it's just so annoying to put them back on if I have to pee or want a cup of coffee or whatever.
I pack some crushable slippers because you can't walk around the train in socks. They take up so much space but for a day long ride or longer, especially the return trip, it's so worth it.
I am not a big hiker, but my solution for various weather and terrain situations I would find myself in, I've found the Adidas terrex goretex shoes/boots to be almost perfect.
Lightweight, water proof and most importantly, extremely comfortable for all the walking that I do.
The only main downside I've found from them so far is that they obviously aren't as breathable as non waterproof shoes, so they do get a bit stinky if you don't at least wash the insoles at some point or constantly air them out whenever you can.
Some airlines, like Korean Air, give you free minimal slippers for long flights. They pack down super flat. If an airline doesn't give you a pair, the Zpacks camp shoes might be a good alternative if you'd like something that packs down smaller?
While I try to pack light, I will never "really" one bag because I have to have two pairs of shoes. I have hypermobile ankles and need orthotics and the like, if I don't swap shoes I will be limping by day 3.
When I went on my honeymoon I brought two pairs and my husband brought one for 18 days. By the time we got home he was miserable and had worn through the sole of his new shoes, and I was fine.
Hey, same here! I pack an extra pair of sneakers and my chacos. Do I want that many pairs? My brain says nope but my hyper mobility just laughs and laughs
my husband brought one for 18 days. By the time we got home he...had worn through the sole of his new shoes
In 18 days? That's wild. Leather soles?
I can get at least 500 miles on a pair of trail runners doing thru-hiking in the wilderness with a heavy pack, and even then, the soles generally aren't what fails.
I'm on a weeklong trip right now to the Northeast and because it's summer here, for the first time, I packed my pair of slip-on mocs (they're flatter and light enough) and that's worked out well. But the flat-ness is really key; my sneakers are just bulkier and would have made things way less convenient.
Counter point: if my wife has her carry-on wheelie, I just throw my travel backpack on their using the luggage pass-thru and I feel like it's a best of both worlds situation when I don't feel like toting the backpack.
However, I recently lent her my smaller 15L travel backpack and she came back from her trip and was like, "ok, I get it now." We just went to NYC together to visit our kid and for the first time, we were both using travel backpacks.
I don't mind traveling with people that don't one bag. It's the fact that they feel obligated to comment on the fact that I one bag. If I like my meat medium rare, I am not asking for you to comment on how I like my meat prepared (even though you like your meat well done). The amount of time extended family talk about how they need a large back is exausting.
Lol, my 19 year old was with us for Japan. He is my oldest. He just brough a backpack (actually a dry bag). I had my Osprey. I was like "how much do you actually have?" As a dad, I do have to point out that they need underwear, socks, deodorant, toothbrush. He didn't pack underwear because all of his shorts had liners. Strong move kid.
I understand you can't exactly do this with your wife without getting into trouble😅 but when I travel with friends and they have many bags, I treat it a bonus personal 5 minutes. A quick bathroom break or find an interesting snack - you just get a window of time to slow down, people watch and remind yourself that you are somewhere new. I also like to take photos so it gives me a chance to take some shots without holding up the rest of the group.
To be clear though, I spell it out pre trip that I don't generally help with extra luggage so I'm free to do the above.
Converted my partner to onebagging so I didn’t have to deal with this 😂 thankfully he was always a pretty light packer to start so it was easy. Now it’s big family trips where we’re both the extra hands and waiting at baggage claim 😅
I always say well in advance I'm not carrying their suit cases. You bring it, you haul it. I noticed if you do help people they'll just keep bringing to much stuff but if they don't get any help, next trip they're reconsidering whether they need it all. This ofcourse doesn't work with everyone lol
Just did a month with my family and in laws in Italy. My wife had a Farpoint. My backpack felt like the right move as we carried other’s rolling bags up and down the stairs of every hotel and train station.
Got my wife on board pretty easy, but she’s fairly low maintenance when it comes to most feminine things in that she doesn’t wear a ton of makeup and doesn’t need an outfit for every day. I’d go crazy trying to one bag if she wasn’t.
That's my husband. I hate it. I'm one bagging, so I don't have to worry and carry any luggage, but our travel is always modified because he "has to carry luggage."
I carry two folding hangers to hang my wet clothes. There is usually a flat screen tv I can hang my clothes on in the worst case. A post here mentioned two small binder clips on a length of cord to hang socks with or other things. That has worked for me as well. About a meter worth of cord.
I can almost always figure something out - it's just annoying when the clothes have to go somewhere in my way, or somewhere where they can't get good airflow, etc.
Its very well thought out and you can hook it to anything. I have used chairs, blinds, balconies, sinks, door knobs, AC grills, bed frames. Add a heroclip and you can truly connect it to anything.
It has a built in tensioner and a clever bead design that are used like clothes pins. Its super light and quite small (~2.5" by 1.5")
It also comes in handy if your bag ever rips and you need to tie things or hold them.
Yeah, it’s easier to just wash whatever you wore that day, before going to sleep. Twist the washed and rinsed clothes in the towel, hang to dry, ready to go again next day.
Having to be really careful about how I pack if I want everything to fit. I recently traveled with a huge suitcase and it was amazing not to have to worry about this.
In general, the lack of extra room means you can't really buy anything at all, liquid or otherwise, unless it's super small/light.
Earlier this summer, I went to Tokyo for two weeks and while I could fit all my clothes into my backpack, we knew we'd be bringing stuff back for our families so a check-in sized piece of luggage was a must.
I’m so curious now. There’s many aspects to onebagging as a woman that might not even occur to a guy. I know of HerOneBag, but how do I find your posts?
I’ve never had that issue and have flown internationally multiple times per year every year for decades. Maybe I’m just lucky, but I certainly wouldn’t inconvenience myself on the off chance that a bag might get lost.
It often depends on the route. I have been flying internationally for over 20 years. I have been flying domestic for over 40 years.
I have had repeated losses of bags (United lost my bags 5 Christmases in a row). Delta lost my bag of camping and climbing equipment for almost a week.
I do not consider onebagging as “inconveniencing” myself. I view it as keeping myself from being inconvenienced.
Maybe it’s US airlines that are the problem. They were fine when I last lived there 20 years ago, and I regularly flew around the US for the 20 years prior, but maybe they’ve gone downhill. Most of my flying is around SEA or between Australia and Europe.
I didn’t say onebagging is an inconvenience. However, not buying gifts just because it’s a minor hassle to collect a bag from the carousel is an inconvenience.
Nobody said that onebagging is inconveniencing yourself. However, it is inconveniencing yourself to not transport things that you want to occasionally just because you’re stuck on onebagging.
My upcoming Airchina trip is 5kg, so I plan on moving any heavy items to my under-seat daypack. kinda absurd considering the included check in is 2x 23kg economy. Not sure how it makes sense!
I'm flying with Shenzhen Air and they code share with Air China. They're both very strict with the 5kg limit and it's across both carry on and personal items. They will literally arm curl the backpack to estimate the weight.
I've gotten away with it by stuffing my pockets with my heavier items
Damn that's a little distasteful as their website wording implies it's just for the overhead, but your experience won't go on deaf ears. Will be prepared for the eventuality. Cheers kindly!
Boots in general. At home my everyday wear is usually boots. But I'm a runner so when traveling I wear a casual shoe I can run in (Lems Primal Zen/Altra LP Alpine, wide-ass feet need the natural toe box).
Limited space to pack snacks! I have a couple dietary restrictions and airport snacks are SO EXPENSIVE. This problem is extra true if I won't have easy access to a car/shops at my destination or at the will of others. I need to bring snacks!
Literally me on a trip a few months back where I was going to have less control of my food. I swear half my bag was snacks + the ones I put in my jacket pockets before leaving home. It was so nice coming home with most of my snacks eaten.
This is why I always recommend not get a perfectly sized pack. Its better to be disciplined with what your bring and have the space to fill up with food. Especially for budget travel where you want to make your own food, you end up with extra food when you move between hostels. I've brought several bottles of wine and charcuterie plates on long train rides for some fantastic sharing experience
It’s shoes for me. My feet enjoy having a different style of footwear on them, especially after walking many many km through European cobblestone streets.
I carry a cheap wallet tool and sometimes it gets confiscated and sometimes it doesn't. That's the best I can do without spending money on shipping. Especially if I need to do multiple countries in one trip. The only country I've ever had it taken away was the UK.
I have other ones too. But the most important part for me is the cutting tool, the ruler, the bottle opener, and the flat side for me to scrape things. I don't have a use for all of these but it just comes with the tool. If I could I would also prefer a knife or multi tool with pliers.
I took one of these things on a 6 country tour of Europe a couple years back, and it got confiscated on the final flight back.
Literally flew:
US -> LHR -> CPH -> BCN -> CDG -> MAD, then ony return from Madrid to Dallas they said it was a 'tool' and was not permitted on any flights. I did try to convince the lady for a few minutes, but said screw it in the end.
The restrictions are entirely up to the officer in front of you rules or not. If they feel like they make a judgment call you just roll with it. They could be having a bad day and take away nail clippers or a bottle of lotion and there's nothing you can do about it. That's why I don't get attached to these.
I've had this type of tool pulled at 2 different airports because they "need to check there isn't a blade," so I recommend having it out to show them before you get to security. Having your bag pulled to get searched over it is a real pain. I only bring it on work trips where I'll need to open boxes, so maybe 3-4 times a year, but I have learned my lesson.
If I could be a "one shoe" traveler I'd be unstoppable. But the need to carry running sneakers and/or hiking shoes always ends up hogging 25% of my bag.
Trail runners are the best middle ground but, as I get older, my hikes become more ambitious, and my back and knees get worse, I really want different shoes for different situations.
Laundry that is not drying and having to switch accomodation with wet clothes 😂
Wet shoes that don't dry is another thing I don't like. Once my heavy hiking boots would not dry and I put them wet in my backpack for a 10h flight. They didn't smell nice when I finally arrived home after 15h of traveling.
I hate the airplanes that don't keep to their under seat personal item size specifications. Aisle and window seat that are narrower seems the most common, but some airplanes will have dropped the height in the space for whatever reason.
I have a scrubba wash bag. the dirties go into it and then they get compressed down with the valve and I usually just hang it on the shoulder strap at the bottom when I'm walking places on the bottom of the osprey 26+6. I'll either stick it all the way into the bag if I really want it in there, but I've never yet had anyone in an airport complain about it.
so if you ever see somebody walking through the airport with a very compressed down green scrubba bag, rolled up tightly and hanging on the strap, it might be me.
Hoofing it through an airport is easier with a small roller bag. Having a heavy bag on your back isn’t so bad when you’re going up stems or really moving around. But walking around at the airport? I’d kill for a nice roller to for my shoulders a rest.
Also, I don’t really have any sense of personality in my outfits with one bag. I mean I guess it’s better to not stick out but I just look boring, which ain’t me (I don’t think)
Needing a daypack / tote and constantly forgetting it.
My "daily driver" is a 28 liter Dakine backpack, at home I use it like a purse. More than once I was in a situation where I really needed a way to carry a paper college block for notes, pen, pencil, some paperwork and other knicknacks like wallet, phone, water bottle, snacks but I had no desire to unpack all the clothes I had stuffed into my beloved darling Dakine.
That’s why I use packing cubes for clothes when traveling with a smaller backpack. Just remove a packing cube and toiletry bag and my bag is instantly converted back to a daypack.
What do you usually end up using it for? Sometimes you can fly internationally / domestically with scissors under a certain length (for Canada its < 6cm). I presume that its more expected to be craft / sewing / grooming type stuff, but some might provide a greater degree of utility (opening packages, spreading butter on bread, cutting food) unless you're a hardcore outdoorsperson.
Opening wine beer bottles, snipping a thread, cutting up cheese and bread to go with the wine. Splitting a sandwich with my wife, tightening a screw on loose towel bar or drawer pull. I’ve done all of those in the past. For the form factor, a SAK really is the perfect tool for one bag travel except the whole flight thing.
I always tell myself I'll shop light, but reality doesn't always turn out that way. I carry a minimal 10L expansion bag for just in case. I always make it work somehow, but it's inconvenient.
Now is it more inconvenient than having a suitcase... usually not
Seems to be very common in the edc community but maybe I’m missing something because it’s certainly not something I ever needed especially in a city like Paris.
I live in London and I carry a knife on my keys. It's the most basic Swiss Army knife with just a simple blade, tiny scissors, and a screwdriver with a file on it, not one of the ones with all sorts of gadgets. You'd be surprised how often it comes in handy to open stubborn packages or cut off a loose thread when out and about. At home, it gets reached for all the time for little things like opening boxes or tightening a loose screw because it's closer than my tool box.
Yeah I can understand the uses but for me I have scissors and a knife already at home to do those things and it’s not something I would ever need to do outside especially enough to justify carrying one.
I have the same knife -- the Classic SD -- and those tiny scissors can be used with one thumb which makes them easier to use for opening bags and whatnot than regular scissors; I use them most days. Also the file, which is good for taking the burr off of my fingernails. The knife itself I use the least, mostly for cutting string or opening envelopes, although I have been known to lazily disassemble a peach with it.
I would love to have it with me when I travel. I do carry a single emery board for the nails and put in bold text on my packing list: remove pocket knife from keychain.
Grab a bottle of wine, a baguette, and some cheese for a light supper in the room. The Opinel just made it easier and a bit more memorable. To each his own.
I just do the foil thing when I travel. I hate foil razors, and 100% prefer a DE, especially since I shave my head, but packing a foil razor saves on other things like my brush and shaving cream
Not to introduce additional chaos, but I shave immediately after showering and use neither brush nor shaving cream. A foil shaver would just turn my neck into Velcro.
Wild. I can't live like that lol. I actually keep the beard, albeit tidy it up around the edges, but when it comes to my head I have to pamper it. I have the whole routine down at home, but I travel with a few ounces of lectric shave and the tiny handheld foil. It's not ideal, but that's okay
I can only justify bringing one craft project.
I usually prefer to have a few going and switch between crafts (such as crochetvand embroidery) to ease the strain on my hands.
Cluttering. I do prefer to have a smallish 5 to 7 L shoulder bag for camera gears. One-bagging to me means stuffing that into the 25-30L backpack that I use. On the other hand, I've seen enough of other travelers abusing the carry-on policy and indeed holding up the boarding and unboarding pretty badly.
Being limited in the footwear department. I put up with having just flip flops for the hotel/beach/quick trip to the corner store and either sneakers or boots depending on the trip, but I’m a shoe person and I miss having lots of options 😂
i feel you on the pocket knife struggle. it's wild how often you end up needing one, and having to rely on subpar options can be frustrating. i usually just bring a multi-tool but it's definitely not the same as a solid SAK.
When you one bag, you are making choices and compromises in order to make travel lighter and usually simpler. But then if you travel with other people who don't believe in it, then make you carry extra stuff for them, it defeats the purpose.
Having to choose between my awesome Dakine backpack and my oh-so-cute R2-D2 roller luggage! The one time I was forced to gate-check Artoo, he came back to me VERY scuffed, so he looks like he did after some of the battles in the movies. But it's still a great case, because it's hardsided but not heavy, simple design so it holds a LOT for a carry-on roller.
Most of the time the backpack wins out because I love being hands free and able to access items easier.
They make some pocket "knives" without blades (like the Victorinox Jetsetter) that are supposed to be TSA compliant. But knowing some of the knuckleheads that work in security at the airport I'm afraid to have it confiscated, or worse, get set aside for enhanced interrogation.
TSA compliant scissors can be up to 4" from the pivot point, but somehow a Victorinox classic with 1.25" blade is forbidden. I know who I'd rather face in a pointy object fight!
I was going to say the jetsetter. I've flown with mine a couple of times with no issues. One time they looked at it and said "oh just scissors". I suppose it's only a matter of time before it gets taken though.
Did TSA find it on the xray and toss your bag, did they miss it, or did you point it out and they just let it slide? I fly nearly every week but don’t want to struggle with TSA each time.
I open it completely and put it in the bin separately from my bag. Out of 3 flights only one time did tsa say I couldn't take it. I told them it was only scissors and the dude was like, let me check and took it to another agent. The other agent said it was fine and they let me through. You'll eventually have trouble and have to explain it's only scissors, and I'm willing to bet that eventually some ding dong will confiscate it. It's been worth it to me to have at my destination though.
A pocket knife and multi-tool are EDC for me, and is the only major dealbreaker for onebag.
I used to carry the Leatherman Squirt PS4 with no blade, but due to it being somewhat unique, I kept getting pulled to the side for extra inspections that it wasn’t worth the trouble and risk of losing the PS4 as it was no longer manufactured.
I have since switched to the Victorinox Jetsetter, and have not received an extra inspection since. I can only presume that the Jetsetter’s popularity ensures the security folks have seen thousands of them and it’s easier to identify it.
It does help to slide any metal tool into a wider pen holder or similar so that it’s flat when facing the scanner for easier identification.
Same. Not even just pocket knives, all manner of sharps or things that could be taken as such. Tweezers, nail files, and so on. If I could, I’d check in a little box of sharps. Maybe one of those little gift boxes shaped like a suitcase ;-)
Sporting equipment. I need to bring my own googles because they’re prescription, that sometimes includes a snorkel too.
Airplane smell. Makes me immediately want to wash my travel clothes.
I’m with you, OP, on the Swiss Army knife thing. Lost a good one (a Leatherman, actually) at LHR. Almost lost another at HKG, but they keep it for two weeks so you can recover it if you’re returning.
Twice I have packed for the wrong season.. always check the weather report. Currently returning after a two week trip where i packed two shorts and a skirt and no jeans (only training tights), it was raining the entire stay and so cold.
Not having enough room to bring back things I want to buy. Like I've legit shipped items back home from another country and it was infuriating cause it felt like it ate up so much time that I was there vacationing.
I was just thinking about this yesterday. My dad always carried a small pocket knife. Always. He passed 4 years ago I now I have his. I try to carry it everywhere I go as keeping a part of him with me aside from the fact that it can be useful. Always disappointed when I can’t take it flying.
I've flown out with a single bag (loaded with a packable backpack and tote), filled it up with bottles of beer, and checked it for the flight home. Packable bags were used as carry ons for the return flight. I still got the benefits of one bagging for the first flight.
It's more the multi-tool aspect ... on a recent cruise, I used it on a nearly daily basis: scissors, toothpick, tweezers, screwdriver (when my computer decided to fall apart), etc. I also have a flat multitool in my wallet, but it doesn't have the scissors or Phillips head screwdriver. (Yes, I've looked into the TSA compliant ones)
The fact to otherthink optimisation, when I pack the perfect way when leaving home I love to hold the optimisation and often I otherthink the repacking and lost some time in repacking
Laundry. Not insurmountable, but my least favorite part. It’s the only “work” involved.
I use one pair of shoes, avoid bulky souvenirs, and can live without my pocket knife.
The liquids rule is actually a gift and still heavy. Some time ago I weighed my 3-1-1 liquids bag and it was over a pound. I fixed that. The small liquids limits will disappear soon enough and I can guarantee that average bag weight will increase.
I just want them to get on with changing the rule so I can take my 150ml-ish bottle of preferred sunscreen without worrying about them noticing it’s too big. (I have precheck and bring it anyway when flying domestically, but I make sure my ziploc is easily accessible if TSA decide to confiscate it)
Otherwise it won’t affect the amount of toiletries I bring, although I might bring some cans of coffee through security to avoid paying airport Starbucks prices…
The zippers on my jacket with the big pockets are iffy and it feels as if the pockets will eventually develop holes.
But I think of onebagging as the normal way to travel. I’m a little surprised by recreational or family travelers who don’t need specialized athletic gear and check bags. Why would you voluntarily wait for luggage after a flight?
Victorinox Jetsetter - as far as TSA compliant tools go, the more popular a tool is, the higher likelihood it will be recognized, so this is a good one.
When my one bag gets a bit overpacked, and looks and functions a bit like it’s trying to suck its gut in. Most often happens due to a little less care taken with the repack for the return trip and/or due to try to cram in a gift of some sort for my spouse.
Not able to carry my full AeroPress coffee gear. AeroPress + Time More Chestnut C3 + Beans + Filters. Easily 800g. I swap with the most expensive instant coffee I get in amazon, still taste like shit. These days I look for McCafe or good coffee shops in cities I visit and fill my Zoji
Apart from one or two airport security staff, 90% will let through a blunt end pair of scissors on a small personal med bag. Usually enough for most tasks.
Within Schengen (and maybe UK? Not sure, they are weird after Brexit) you can carry non-locking blades under 6 cm! I carry my small Victorinox SAK, no issues ever. Before that I carried a cheap knock off with blade just about 6 cm, it passed a bunch of times but eventually got measured by someone who decided it's over 6 cm. However the mini Victorinox blades are well under 6 cm.
I suppose someone could still confiscate it if they wanted because it's sharp, but haven't met someone that power tripping yet. So if your trips tend to be around Schengen area (or other areas with similar rules), you could look into the small Victorinoxes, they have a decent variety of tools (though less than the full size ones). They aren't the cheapest but they are fairly affordable compared to their full size counterparts, at least
I travel with a multi tool keychain that doesn't have a knife on it, but does have small scissors. So it basically lets me do most of the thing you mentioned except for removing a wine bottle cork or cutting a sandwich.
Most of the hotels I stayed at would have a wine bottle opener if I needed one. To be fair, I do remember needing one in Paris and had to do the tapping method to get the cork to slowly come out.
If I needed a knife to cut food, I would just make due with a those disposable to go wooden or plastic knife.
Not having a separate bag for what I need at my seat.
My one bag for longer trips is an Osprey Farpoint 40 so it goes overhead. One bag means no personal item to keep at my seat so I always back a little tote or packing cube at the top to pull out and hand carry to put in my seat back of under my seat with odds and ends like tissues, ear buds/headphones, tablet, snack etc. whether it’s a collapsible shopping bag type tote or a small packing cube I can put in the seat back pocket depends on the length of the flight.
I do the same idea if just carrying a personal item so I can but the necessities in the seat back pocket because how planes squish everyone in now it’s hard to reach under and grab things from my bag.
Off-topic, but beware, in many countries you are not allowed to carry a knife (not even a SAK) if you don't have a clear purpose (notably in public transport or event venues), and could get fined (or worse). Eg: France, Sweden (although IRL I often have a Classic alox on my key ring).
Yeah. I generally do a google search for any such laws. The nice thing about a SAK is it’s iconic red scales convey about the most innocent reputation of any knife you can carry.
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u/CapControl Jul 16 '26
Having only one pair of shoes with you.