Bag size

[izzy]

I'm a pretty small girl, and I travel really light....is 40 liters enough for a 2 month trip?

[Lyra]

It could be, but it could depend on what type of clothing you'll be bringing too (summer vs. winter wear). For my 2.5 month trip, I used a 50L pack to give you a comparision.

[me]

izzy said:

I'm a pretty small girl, and I travel really light....is 40 liters enough for a 2 month trip?

Thanks, Izzy! now i've got the song "I Feel Pretty," from WEST SIDE STORY running in my head.

I feel pretty,
Oh, so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and bright!
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me tonight.

(those Sondheim lyrics tend to stick with you)

[Jules80]

my friend took a 40 litre. it was stuffed to capacity and obviously she ended up buying stuff along the way and she ended up carrying extra bags around. its natural to want to buy souvenirs along the way after all. we were gone in late summer early fall so we packed pretty light. i would recommend a 50 litre so you have room.

Jules

[me]

i would suggest that you not overload yourself. you can have some things mailed to you "general delivery" at specific places, and mail some things home.

or, if you have a friend in Europe you wish to visit, you can mail what you will no longer need on your trip to that address, have that be the final stop on your trip so you can collect it for the flight home.

[kena]

My bag is a 45 L one, and it's perfect for summer/early fall travelling (I'm also a petite woman).

But I have to be a bit "frugal" on clothes, use small containers for toiletries, don't bring back large souvenirs, read cheap paperbacks and leave them in hostels as I travel, etc... And I have a separate messenger bag for my day stuff (which is, basically, my camera, journal, guidebook + snacks for the day).

How long I travel is not really an issue, since I wash my clothes as I go (mostly handwashing, with maybe one washing machine load every two weeks), but getting bored to death with my clothes is, especially if the weather differs from what I expected (on my last trip to London, I had fantastic weather for the whole trip, and ended up wearing almost exclusively the summer skirt I'd brought "just in case").

In my experience, being able to use a bag as carry-on or to carry it without suffering is worth the limited wardrobe, but your mileage may vary.

[izzy]

thank you all so much for the feedback, it really helped. i was thinking of bringing tshirts that i'd be all right parting with. that way, if i get bored with it and don't have extra room i can just toss it and buy a suvenir tshirt to replace it
i'm going shopping to get my bag next month, so we'll see how this works out.

[izzy]

Well, the other day I got fitted for a pack......now, I knew that I was short, so I had been looking at small size packs, possibly mediums.......turns out I have a 14 inch torso, an x-small Now I've had a little trouble finding a pack that's got enough room, but small enough for my little frame. Any suggestions? Any other wee people have experience with good packs?

[Eagle]

izzy, what kind / brand of Pack did you have fitted? Something like the Eagle Creek Continental Journey or Explorer Woman's model might fit, as I believe that 14-inch is within or close to the torso range for those packs (if my memory is correct?). They don't really specify the torso ranges in their adverts, but I've found they'll usually provide the information via E-mail.

As far as how much kit to bring, remember the #1 rule - pack light! Once you've bought a Pack, try a "test run" with everything you plan to bring. Load the pack and wander around your neighborhood for a few hours. You'll soon know whether you've packed too much. As one well known travel writer frequently states, you should pack the same for a two week trip as for a two month trip.

Good luck!