Ultralight packing for 4-season global travel (no more baggage fees!)

In 2018, I was boarding a flight from Kigali, Rwanda to Doha, Qatar when the desk attendant informed me my 36L Osprey Stratos was too big to fit in the overhead compartment and needed to be checked. Frustrated after weeks of traveling without this issue, I paid the $40 baggage fee and watched my trusty travel backpack get carried along the conveyor belt and out of sight.

It wasn’t until boarding that I realized I had left my head pillow and headphones in the bag and wouldn’t see them until my last flight landed in California. After 40 sleepless and uncomfortable travel hours, I delighted to see my bag in the carousel but soon noticed the hip belt had been ripped in half. Needless to say, carrying a 35-pound load flat on my shoulders over the next week had me rethinking my whole approach to travel.

Fast forward a few years, and the flight industry has changed. New “basic economy” packages offer travelers low-cost fares upfront because airlines have discovered they can charge additional costs for bags above 15-20 lbs (7-9 kg), or even just for use of the overhead compartment!

When I decided to step away from the corporate world in 2022 to travel the globe, staying cost-effective and keeping gear safe was a top priority. Repurposing some skills learned during my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail and other backcountry adventures, I found a way to pack a travel bag that weighs only 7kg all in, supplies up to 14 days of clothing without laundry, suits weather conditions from sub-freezing to peak desert heat, and is small enough to fit underneath an airline seat. Extra fees and extra stress, no thank you.

Enjoy 😉