One bag, no checked luggage, nothing you will not use. This list works for a week in Lisbon and a month in Bali; the notes say which items change.
A carry-on only trip is a decision, not a packing trick. You give up a few comforts and get back the hour at the belt, the lost-bag risk and the fee. The list below is in the order you pack: bag first, then what goes in it, then what stays home.
Every pick has a trade-off written next to it. If an item has no downside we could name, it is not on the list.
For one week: skip the merino, take one shirt per day, and the filter bottle stays home.For a month or more: merino earns its price, add the travel insurance, and plan one laundry day a week.
Pick the bag by the airline you fly most, not by the biggest allowance you have seen. European low-cost carriers measure smaller than US ones.
mood photoFor you if you walk between stations and hostels and want a bag that opens like a suitcase.
Trade-off it is at the top of most carry-on limits, so a full pack can be gate-checked on strict airlines.
mood photoFor you if you carry a laptop every day and want a padded, structured bag.
Trade-off heavier empty than a soft pack, and the price is at the high end.
mood photoFor you if you repack more than twice a trip.
Trade-off compression cubes save space but crease shirts; use them for underwear and socks, not for the one nice outfit.
This is where most people overpack. One charger, one bank, one adapter.
mood photoFor you if your phone is your map, ticket and camera.
Trade-off 10,000 mAh is the sweet spot for cabin rules; a 20,000 mAh bank is heavier and some airlines ask about it.
mood photoFor you if you carry a laptop and a phone and want one brick for both.
Trade-off a 65 W charger is enough for most laptops, not for a 16 inch MacBook Pro at full speed.
mood photoFor you if your phone supports eSIM and you want data before you leave the airport.
Trade-off a local physical SIM is usually cheaper per gigabyte once you are in the country; eSIM wins on convenience, not price. Full comparison in our connectivity guide.
mood photoFor you if you visit more than one plug region a year.
Trade-off universal adapters are bulky and not grounded; for one country, a small single-region adapter is lighter.
Count outfits, not garments. Seven days of clothes covers a month if you wash once a week.
mood photoFor you if you want to wear a shirt three days without it showing.
Trade-off merino costs three to five times a cotton tee and wears through at the shoulders under a heavy backpack.
mood photoFor you if you want to skip a second pair entirely.
Trade-off one pair means no backup if they get soaked; sandals or foldable flats are the lightweight second.
mood photoFor you if you travel for more than a few weeks or do not have cover from a card or employer.
Trade-off it is medical cover, not full travel insurance: trip cancellation and lost luggage are limited or excluded, so read the policy before you rely on it.
mood photoFor you if you pay in more than one currency on a trip.
Trade-off it is a prepaid account, not a credit card, so there is no credit line and some car hire desks will not accept it.
They weigh 600 g and dry slowly. One pair of trousers plus shorts covers it.
Buy shampoo where you land. Carry a toothbrush, a small sunscreen and any prescription.
Under five hours, a rolled jumper does the job.
Lists change as we swap out items that stop earning their place. The pin always points to the current version of this page.
