Do you shred your guidebooks?

[gamegrl1]

I did a search of the whole board but didn’t find this: does anyone shred their guidebooks before they go? That is, rip out pages/sections on the places you’re certain you’re NOT going, to make the book lighter? I’ve got guides for France & Italy and will probably only use half (or less) of each book. They’re fairly sizeable! My sister & I are not backpacking – we’re taking a medium-size wheeled suitcase and small daypack apiece, but I have backpacked & I know that every ounce counts – and we’ll be hauling those suitcases to 6 cities! Whaddya think? Thanks.

Oh, and I read that “shredding” tip years ago in a cool book called “The World Awaits”. While I’m at it, I’ll recommend this book. Although it’s a few years old, I’d say read it for the general travel principles. Plus it’s just plain interesting!

[paint]

I lugged 4 intact guidebooks to Europe and used sections of them I didn't think I'd use (such as "What not to do if invited to a local's home for dinner in (insert country name here)." I would think that "shredding" a book would make the whole binding useless... which wouldn't be a problem if you were only planning on using the pages you ripped out... but if that's the case then I'd probably just write down the information from those pages into a small notebook and sell the used but whole books online.

[Eagle]

I've thought about tearing the relevant sections out of my Guidebooks on several occasions in the past, but I really have a strong personal dislike about destroying something that I've paid for with my hard earned money! I will most likely take my RS "Italy" book with me on my trip next month, and perhaps the "France" version as well. I should be able to get by in the other countries without a Guidebook, as I have most pertinent details listed in my Itinerary.

Cheers!!!

[jt426]

Just a thought, but instead of ruining a perfectly decent book, why not photocopy the pages you would want and clipping them all together in one packet to take with you?

Personally, I'm going to take the whole book, because as previously mentioned, you never know what opportunities you will find yourself faced with... could always come in handy

[gamegrl1]

Thanks for the comments! Let me clarify: I’d only consider ripping out info on regions we’re not going to and taking the actual cover with the relevant pages inside. I certainly would not rip out the general info. sections. So, since we only have time for Paris, the Rhone Valley and the Riviera, I’d consider ripping out the pages on Normandy, Bordeaux, etc and leaving them at home. By the time I could afford another trip I’d need an updated book anyway.

Does the book actually fall apart if you rip some of the pages out, or will it hold together for the week and ½ trip? Maybe this is a dumb way to save weight – just thought I’d ask.

[MuvverRussia]

No way. You'll never know if you'll go back to that region. Most of the more generic (say main sites etc) info doesn't change - my version of LP Western Europe is a good few years out of date, yet it's still worth having.

Personally, it's a dumb way to save weight. You really won't notice the extra weight, it's also a good ice breaker in hostels (say if someone wants to have a look at a different region), as well as being good reading material on long journeys .

That said, overall you'll be best off literally shredding the let's go books . That said, I am pretty much the biggest Lonely Planet fan there is .

[rchua]

instead of ripping up my guidebook i gave it to a traveler in my hostel. she was very greatful since the book had a lot of good information. i personally would never rip up a good book. i'd rather give it to a fellow traveler/friend or donate it to the library. that's just me.

[herrbert]

A good travelbook is worth it's weight in gold. I love the Lonely Planet. I even collect ones I see on a bookfair (about places I would never go), I would never tear up a book. If you would like to have only a few pages with you, you can always make a copy of those pages, and save weight that way.

[paint]

muvverrussia said:

it's also a good ice breaker in hostels (say if someone wants to have a look at a different region)

One of my roommates at a hostel in Prague only had one general "Europe-overview" guidebook, so she borrowed mine which were all on the Czech Republic. She discovered that the castle she had planned on day-tripping to was always closed on Mondays, so she and I went to the Jewish quarter together and did the whole 2-hour tour. She would have gotten to Kunta Hora and been disappointed if she hadn't read through my book that morning.

[Jocelyne]

I took chunks out of my one guide book and then chucked it before I went ot egypt except my boyfriends Rick steves....as much as I thought I didn't like him and made fun of my boyfriend in the end it was my favourite guide book

[gamegrl1]

With 8 days to go, I've copied pertinent portions of 3 of Rick Steves city guidebooks so I can toss/recycle those when I'm done & not be sad about mangling a book. Then we'll just bring a country guide for France & 1 for Italy for more general info.

[rhea]

i made my own from my own research. It was just a small notebook, with dividers for each place and had all the info I needed for each place, including some things from the real guidebook