If you remember, I was thinking about the possibility of using a carry-on for my trip to Iceland instead of my usual 25″ Samsonite suitcase. See Query re luggage size for Iceland trip
So I went ahead and got a 20″ hardshell carry-on from Traveler’s Club (via Amazon) to see if I could pack the pared-down wardrobe I plan to take with me to Iceland in June. I really did not want to lug my big 25″ suitcase around on the trip, which would not only have to be checked in as baggage, but which I would have to heave into buses and up and down steps and around Reykjavik streets and sidewalks.
Tonight I tried out putting most of what I want to take on the trip into the carry-on (minus underwear, socks and sleepshirt, none of which take up much room). And it all fits, with room to spare!
I did jettison a lot of things that I had been thinking of taking last fall when I first planned the trip. For example, not only will I not take lots of multiples of things (I’ll only be there 6 days), but I will rent towels at the hostel and the Secret Lagoon, and also a bathing suit there, instead of packing those things. So that will save some space.
Here’s what it looked like tonight in my carry-on:
On one side, I’ve got my rain pants and 3 pairs of leggings, including fleece-lined ones, plus four tops. There’s still a big empty space for undies, socks, and my sleepshirt.
On the other side is just a lot of stuff, like a blackout mask, flip flops, a converter for European electricity, my Canon Elph camera, which will be my backup to my smartphone camera, my tiny binoculars (“opera glasses”–don’t tell my birding friends, they would be aghast that I’m not taking my big bins with me. But the big ones are just sooooo heavy and bulky!) a laundry bag, spare batteries and chargers for my camera and phone, etc. And there is still room to spare.
Some of these miscellaneous items will go in my backpack, which will be my “personal item,” and which will also carry my small amounts of shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer, as well as my meds and my puffer jacket stuffed into its tiny bag and my raincoat.
I plan to wear my hiking shoes, jeans, a T-shirt, and a warm fleece hoodie on the plane.
My carry-on is from Traveler’s Club’s Chicago Collection. I like the fact that it has a handle on the side as well as on the top, and it also has feet on the long bottom side. If it doesn’t meet the carry-on measurements for Air Canada (it might be an inch too wide), that’s OK, because I’ve already paid to check a bag! 🙂
Let Us Live Like We Mean It! 