Last weekend of the season!! Ended up having to go down and camp at Goat Flats but still a bucket list PNW hike. Ladders were extra spicy w the ice but fun! Total weekend clocked in at 28 mi and 8k ft gain over Meadow Mountain trail and back.
Image descriptions: Layers, main clothes, all packed, fanny pack, miscellaneous items, electronics, toiletry pouch, bag all packed!
Hello folks. Just coming back from both my most ambitious and probably my most successful onebag trip yet! A few months ago I posted about a trip where I tried to be more fashionable than granola girl, while staying in 40L. It worked pretty well, but I also didn’t really care about weight.
This time, I made a LOT more cuts, and got down to a 25L backpack and around 15lb packed weight. We covered around 30mi and 13k ft of elevation gain in the Swiss alps on a hut to hut hike over a few days, where we carried everything on our packs. We then spent two days in Zurich exploring the city. Here’s what I took, what worked well, and what didn’t!
What I Packed (including travel clothes):
2x pants
1x shorts
1x merino base layer pants
2x merino tops and 3x normal synthetic tops
5x socks
6x underwear
Fleece
Midweight thermal running half zip
Down jacket
Rain jacket plus rain pants
Beanie, gloves, cap
Small silk scarf
Electronics:
Kindle, Various cables, Power banks x2
Toiletry pouch:
Contacts, birth control, ring/necklace/earrings 1x, toothbrush, paste, sunscreen, soap paper, lip balm, lip gloss (used as blush in the city lol), deodorant, hair tie, mini nail cutter, laundry soap and line, comb
Misc:
Sleeping bag liner for huts, headlamp, snack bar (many more were acquired along the way), packable towel from sea to summit
Fanny pouch (fit in bag):
Passport, mask, earplugs, lotion, earphones, mints, advil
Shoes:
Hoka Anacapa Low GTX in black
What worked well:
Bag (REI Trail 25): It was incredibly freeing to have this tiny backpack with me. We had several instances even outside the hiking where we could just easily carry all of it around with us, and didn’t need to look for luggage storage. The bag itself isn’t the most breathable but with proper hip/shoulder strap management it worked ok. We had great weather throughout so I never got to test the waterproofing of the rain cover, but it does come with one. The bag fits a ton of stuff and feels great to carry. I even had space for some small souvenirs on the way back!
Shoes: I love love love these shoes for onebagging with hiking involved! Look pretty neutral, very comfy, breathable-ish, and kept me feeling confident on a wide variety of terrain: everything from slick rock to steep gravel and dust paths to rocky, muddy, rooty trails to class 4 scrambles. They’re not as light as trail runners, but I’m prone to spraining my ankles, and these feel a lot more stable. They’re also not as hefty as a full on hiking boot, but were totally enough for my adventures this time. Love the vibram sole and mesh/suede upper!
Clothes: I wore everything I brought aside from the rain stuff, and did laundry twice (could have gone without the second time, but would have been a stretch). I loved my merino t shirt and tank top, as they truly felt much fresher to rewear than the synthetic stuff. I wasn’t sure if I should make the investment, but it seems worth it now to me!
Fewer toiletries: I cut a lot of stuff (hair stuff, razor, makeup etc) and just bought cheap small toiletries as needed. It was awesome and showed me how little I really need. My lip stain/blush combo was enough for me to feel put together on our city days!
Towel: we used this so so much, and it dried within hours. Almost skipped it but very glad I didn’t. Packs down so small and comes with a case
What I would change:
Clothes: I would probably swap out the merino base layer pants for an extra pair of thin shorts. I did use the merino pants to sleep at mountain huts but could have just slept in my hiking pants there, and the extra shorts would have been nicer than relying on my one pair of shorts which I wore a TON.
Laundry: We did sink laundry once in the evening after checking in and the clothes were mostly still various levels of damp the next morning. It wasn’t super hot or sunny, and we were only staying in every place for one night. Ended up using a laundromat for the second time and the money was totally worth the peace of mind and time saved! I think in future where I have trips like this where we go from place to place, I will plan on using laundromats and only plan on doing sink laundry when needed as a backup.
Overall, I am so happy that I made the Trail 25 work. While I’ll probably still take my 40l for trips where we will not be walking around much with the bag and I want to look a little more stylish, I’m now pretty confident that I can go much smaller when I need to, and still be very content.
Image descriptions: Layers, main clothes, all packed, fanny pack, miscellaneous items, electronics, toiletry pouch, bag all packed!
Hello folks. Just coming back from both my most ambitious and probably my most successful onebag trip yet! A few months ago I posted about a trip where I tried to be more fashionable than granola girl, while staying in 40L. It worked pretty well, but I also didn’t really care about weight.
This time, I made a LOT more cuts, and got down to a 25L backpack and around 15lb packed weight. We covered around 30mi and 13k ft of elevation gain in the Swiss alps on a hut to hut hike over a few days, where we carried everything on our packs. We then spent two days in Zurich exploring the city. Here’s what I took, what worked well, and what didn’t!
What I Packed (including travel clothes):
2x pants
1x shorts
1x merino base layer pants
2x merino tops and 3x normal synthetic tops
5x socks
6x underwear
Fleece
Midweight thermal running half zip
Down jacket
Rain jacket plus rain pants
Beanie, gloves, cap
Small silk scarf
Electronics:
Kindle, Various cables, Power banks x2
Toiletry pouch:
Contacts, birth control, ring/necklace/earrings 1x, toothbrush, paste, sunscreen, soap paper, lip balm, lip gloss (used as blush in the city lol), deodorant, hair tie, mini nail cutter, laundry soap and line, comb
Misc:
Sleeping bag liner for huts, headlamp, snack bar (many more were acquired along the way), packable towel from sea to summit
Fanny pouch (fit in bag):
Passport, mask, earplugs, lotion, earphones, mints, advil
Shoes:
Hoka Anacapa Low GTX in black
What worked well:
Bag (REI Trail 25): It was incredibly freeing to have this tiny backpack with me. We had several instances even outside the hiking where we could just easily carry all of it around with us, and didn’t need to look for luggage storage. The bag itself isn’t the most breathable but with proper hip/shoulder strap management it worked ok. We had great weather throughout so I never got to test the waterproofing of the rain cover, but it does come with one. The bag fits a ton of stuff and feels great to carry. I even had space for some small souvenirs on the way back!
Shoes: I love love love these shoes for onebagging with hiking involved! Look pretty neutral, very comfy, breathable-ish, and kept me feeling confident on a wide variety of terrain: everything from slick rock to steep gravel and dust paths to rocky, muddy, rooty trails to class 4 scrambles. They’re not as light as trail runners, but I’m prone to spraining my ankles, and these feel a lot more stable. They’re also not as hefty as a full on hiking boot, but were totally enough for my adventures this time. Love the vibram sole and mesh/suede upper!
Clothes: I wore everything I brought aside from the rain stuff, and did laundry twice (could have gone without the second time, but would have been a stretch). I loved my merino t shirt and tank top, as they truly felt much fresher to rewear than the synthetic stuff. I wasn’t sure if I should make the investment, but it seems worth it now to me!
Fewer toiletries: I cut a lot of stuff (hair stuff, razor, makeup etc) and just bought cheap small toiletries as needed. It was awesome and showed me how little I really need. My lip stain/blush combo was enough for me to feel put together on our city days!
Towel: we used this so so much, and it dried within hours. Almost skipped it but very glad I didn’t. Packs down so small and comes with a case
What I would change:
Clothes: I would probably swap out the merino base layer pants for an extra pair of thin shorts. I did use the merino pants to sleep at mountain huts but could have just slept in my hiking pants there, and the extra shorts would have been nicer than relying on my one pair of shorts which I wore a TON.
Laundry: We did sink laundry once in the evening after checking in and the clothes were mostly still various levels of damp the next morning. It wasn’t super hot or sunny, and we were only staying in every place for one night. Ended up using a laundromat for the second time and the money was totally worth the peace of mind and time saved! I think in future where I have trips like this where we go from place to place, I will plan on using laundromats and only plan on doing sink laundry when needed as a backup. I know this sub is big on dry bag/sink laundry, but it may not be for me lol
Overall, I am so happy that I made the Trail 25 work. While I’ll probably still take my 40l for trips where we will not be walking around much with the bag and I want to look a little more stylish, I’m now pretty confident that I can go much smaller when I need to, and still be very content.
Hi y'all! I'm going to Switzerland in a week (early September) for a mix of hiking and being in little mountain villages, and ending in Zurich for a few days. I have onebagged often before out of my 40l Ruckpack, and feel pretty confident with urban onebagging.
However, this time we will be carrying everything we pack on our bags for 3 hikes (town -> hut 1 -> town and town -> hut 2 -> hut 3 -> town), plus any public transport connections, etc. It will be many miles total, including some with significant elevation gain and mountain passes. The point being, the lighter the better. I don't want to count on having access to laundry, but have a drybag for sink laundry and a clothesline.
Looking for advice on the below points and just in general!
Here is what I am currently thinking of packing, roughly:
In terms of backpack, my two options are the REI Trail 25 and the REI Ruckpack 40. I love the fit and feel of both, but kinda feel like the 25 will be too small and the 40 too big and heavy (it's also not a hiking pack, per se). I could buy a 30ish liter pack but it does seem kind of wasteful when I have these two. Does anyone know what a good liter range to aim for is?
Thoughts on the list, anything I absolutely should take that I'm missing, etc? Please share!
Just want to quickly confirm my understanding here - I am planning a hut to hut tour in September, and will be making several journeys within towns by train/bus. I looked at the most likely route we will take, and the SBB full price for all the trains/buses/cable cars combined comes to around CHF 124 for one person (Zurich - Interlaken - Grindelwald - Murren - Kandersteg - Zurich) . The half fare card is 190 CHF for the card. So my understanding is that we should just pay full price, as otherwise we are paying 190 CHF + (0.5 * 124 CHF), which doesn't make sense.
Is my understanding correct?
Is there any point in pre booking these tickets, or should we just book day off to have maximum flexibility? Seems like prices are the same for very soon tickets vs very far out ones
Does the gut-check price for this itinerary seem right?
I know Switzerland is supposed to be expensive, so just want to make sure I'm making the right call! Thank you :)
PS if anyone has any suggestions or tips for hut hiking in the Berner Oberland please let me know. We already have overnight reservations and we are strong hikers.
I (24F) work in STEM in a manufacturing/engineering firm. Usually one of the few women on any team, you get the gist. It's generally a nice and respectful workplace, and I've truly had no cause for complaints. Until now. A coworker on a different team and I were casually chatting, and the topic of stay-at-home moms came up, as a part of an unrelated discussion. Keep in mind this coworker has 5 kids, a stay-at-home wife, doesn't go into the city without a gun, etc etc. Very nice man, has been nothing but respectful and friendly, but probably has traditional social views, if I had to guess. I mention how when my partner and I have kids (around 5-6 years from now), I will still continue working. I was simply stating my own plans. He immediately goes 'well so and so family member thought the same thing, but she had kids and immediately decided she was going to stay home, so keep in mind that may happen!'.
I didn't know how to respond and just said 'hmm'. On the surface, it sees like a harmless comment because he's just saying what I myself may want to do. But it doesn't sit right with me, for a few reasons. 1. he would never say that to a man, 2. it makes the prospect of having kids and not losing your identity seem even more daunting when we hear shit like this, 3. it contributes to this idea that the path of least resistance as a woman who has kids is just to stay home (and lose your career, financial safety net, and sense of worth and identity beyond being a mother even if that is not what you want), and 4. beyond the first few months of breastfeeding, when you hopefully have maternity leave anyways, there is nothing a child needs from its mom that the father cannot do - so if a woman feels like it's easier to just stay home after having kids, her partner probably wasn't really picking up the slack in housework and childcare anyways.
I don't know, I guess I had just had a better response and subtly called him out for the comment - but I also can't tell if I am just overreacting and should just let it go. What would you do?
I (24F) work in STEM in a manufacturing/engineering firm. Usually one of the few women on any team, you get the gist. It's generally a nice and respectful workplace, and I've truly had no cause for complaints. Until now. A coworker on a different team and I were casually chatting, and the topic of stay-at-home moms came up, as a part of an unrelated discussion. Keep in mind this coworker has 5 kids, a stay-at-home wife, doesn't go into the city without a gun, etc etc. Very nice man, has been nothing but respectful and friendly, but probably has traditional social views, if I had to guess. I mention how when my partner and I have kids (around 5-6 years from now), I will still continue working. I was simply stating my own plans. He immediately goes 'well so and so family member thought the same thing, but she had kids and immediately decided she was going to stay home, so keep in mind that may happen!'.
I didn't know how to respond and just said 'hmm'. On the surface, it sees like a harmless comment because he's just saying what I myself may want to do. But it doesn't sit right with me, for a few reasons. 1. he would never say that to a man, 2. it makes the prospect of having kids and not losing your identity seem even more daunting when we hear shit like this, 3. it contributes to this idea that the path of least resistance as a woman who has kids is just to stay home (and lose your career, financial safety net, and sense of worth and identity beyond being a mother even if that is not what you want), and 4. beyond the first few months of breastfeeding, when you hopefully have maternity leave anyways, there is nothing a child needs from its mom that the father cannot do - so if a woman feels like it's easier to just stay home after having kids, her partner probably wasn't really picking up the slack in housework and childcare anyways.
I don't know, I guess I had just had a better response and subtly called him out for the comment - but I also can't tell if I am just overreacting and should just let it go. What would you do?
Possibly the hardest thing I’ve done physically/mental willpower wise, but also incredibly enjoyable.
Got to South Climb trailhead around 11:45 pm Friday 7/17, started climbing at 3 am Saturday 7/18. Summit around 1 pm with lots of stops (lunch counter, false summit before Piker’s, and Pikers). Definitely felt the effects of thinner air but thankfully did not face sickness, although some members of the group did. Loved using crampons and an ice axe, and felt it was a great level of adrenaline without feeling in over our heads at all in terms of steepness. Glissaded the whole way down Piker’s, the chutes were magical and the conditions slushy enough for it to not feel sketchy. Got back to the car by 5 pm.
Being from Portland (I moved away but would visit often) I always saw Hood in the distance and have a deep love for PNW volcanoes, but I never thought I’d one day stand on one! Definitely planning on tagging Helens next spring, and Hood and Rainier eventually (with prep).
Recently went to Spain with a 40l carry on backpack. This is my third time onebagging a 10ish day trip in this pack and I’m happy to report it was the most successful one yet!
Itinerary: City exploring in Valencia for a few days, 2 days wandering north up the coast, 3 days in Barcelona.
Worn on plane: Cargo pants, sports bra, t shirt, fleece, Keen Vented low top sneakers, and REI fanny pack for on plane essentials
Packed:
1x pant
1x leggings
3x shorts/skort
4x tanks
1x t shirt
1x pajama
1 dress and bike short
1 light cardigan
1 raincoat
2 bras, several pairs socks and underwear
Teva Hydratrek
Toiletries + makeup
Electronics (chargers + iPad)
Packable backpack, little crossbody
What worked well:
My onebag posts inevitably get a comment that I’m bringing too much. But all the clothes fit in two medium packing cubes, and I wore every item but one (more on that later). I wanted to look put together and fashionable on this trip, and I felt I achieved that. I did laundry once on this trip because it was in the Airbnb and my travel mates were running a load anyways, but could easily have gone without. My pack was light enough that I could walk for long distances without fatigue, and I had lots of extra room.
I also really liked the tevas! I walked upwards of 20k steps everyday, and a lot of the time they were wet because I also used them as shower shoes and we went on the beach a lot. But I was super comfy and had no issues. They’re not everyone’s style but I’m usually a granola girly / efficient tactical kind of aesthetic so they were great for me.
I also got a little silk scarf off of Amazon and it was great! Helped spice up and vary my outfits while being very very light and packable.
The crossbody - I debated just using the fanny pack but this felt more fashionable (at least for my personal style) and I am glad I didn’t constantly have the fanny pack. However if I had less space or wanted lower weight i definitely could have just used my fanny pack.
What didn’t work:
I never wore the leggings. I thought I may get cold under the cargo pants because they feel so lightweight but they held up amazingly. That’s the only thing I would change next time - trust in the cargo pants and don’t bring leggings!
Image description: Some outfits, Clothes i brought, Fanny pack, makeup and toiletries, back all packed
Trip Report: 9 days in Spain!
Recently went to Spain with a 40l carry on backpack. This is my third time onebagging a 10ish day trip in this pack and I’m happy to report it was the most successful one yet!
Itinerary: City exploring in Valencia for a few days, 2 days wandering north up the coast, 3 days in Barcelona.
Worn on plane: Cargo pants, sports bra, t shirt, fleece, Keen Vented low top sneakers, and REI fanny pack for on plane essentials
Packed:
1x pant
1x leggings
3x shorts/skort
4x tanks
1x t shirt
1x pajama
1 dress and bike short
1 light cardigan
1 raincoat
2 bras, several pairs socks and underwear
Teva Hydratrek
Toiletries + makeup
Electronics (chargers + iPad)
Packable backpack, little crossbody
What worked well:
My onebag posts inevitably get a comment that I’m bringing too much. But all the clothes fit in two medium packing cubes, and I wore every item but one (more on that later). I wanted to look put together and fashionable on this trip, and I felt I achieved that. I did laundry once on this trip because it was in the Airbnb and my travel mates were running a load anyways, but could easily have gone without. My pack was light enough that I could walk for long distances without fatigue, and I had lots of extra room.
I also really liked the tevas! I walked upwards of 20k steps everyday, and a lot of the time they were wet because I also used them as shower shoes and we went on the beach a lot. But I was super comfy and had no issues. They’re not everyone’s style but I’m usually a granola girly / efficient tactical kind of aesthetic so they were great for me.
I also got a little silk scarf off of Amazon and it was great! Helped spice up and vary my outfits while being very very light and packable.
The crossbody - I debated just using the fanny pack but this felt more fashionable (at least for my personal style) and I am glad I didn’t constantly have the fanny pack. However if I had less space or wanted lower weight i definitely could have just used my fanny pack.
What didn’t work:
I never wore the leggings. I thought I may get cold under the cargo pants because they feel so lightweight but they held up amazingly. That’s the only thing I would change next time - trust in the cargo pants and don’t bring leggings!
Image description: Some outfits, Clothes i brought, Fanny pack, makeup and toiletries, back all packed
Image description: photos of clothes I am bringing.
(I promise my clothes don't look this wrinkly in person lmao)
I am going to be in Valencia and Barcelona for 4ish days each starting next week, and ending the week after. Valencia first, followed by Barcelona. Weather looks to be low 60s - mid/high 70s in Valencia, and low 60s to low 70s in Barcelona (18-26/18-23 C). We will be mainly doing city and beach exploring, with one night in Tarragona and potentially day trips to places like Montserrat. Some biking, maybe very light hiking.
This is my current packing list for clothes, without including underwear, socks, and bras/sports bras, and one tiny cotton short and tank for bed time. Details below. Curious if anyone has any suggestions or comments.
Main questions: Will I be chilly and need more than the black cardigan for evenings? I have nicer/warmer jackets but they are bulkier by far.
Should I swap out another one of the tanks for a more active one? I am usually a very active person on trips and take lots of clothes I can hike and run and rough around in, so this is new territory for me and I feel a little uncomfortable with only having one active tank. However, I do want to look fashionable and put together on this trip.
Pants:
Prana Stretch Zion Cargo Pants (worn on plane) and Black Linen Pants
Shorts:
Blue denim (my go to despite one bag hatred, just so versatile and can wear multiple times), Brown linen tailored shorts, Green suede skort.
Dress:
Yellow mediterraneanny dress lol
T shirts:
Super soft white modal, dressable up or down, and black cotton t shirt. (worn on plane)
Tanks:
Black halter (so versatile, have worn rock climbing and can wear on a night out), Brown boatneck, White chiffony halter, Orange/peachy floral tank.
Pretty much every top goes with every bottom with 1-2 exceptions (black on black) which I am super proud of.
Layers:
Purple Lands End fleece (worn on plane) - can wear to a dinner in the USA, but would rather not in Europe I think. Active and warm.
Black cardigan - lightweight but pretty warm, looks nice. Cottony, so not the most dressy but works in a pinch.
Footwear:
Keen vented hiking shoes (Worn on plane) and Teva hydratrek
Backpack:
REI Ruckpack 40 (have onebagged in this before and love it) and REI sling.
Image description: List of clothing items along with photos of each item
(I promise my clothes don't look this wrinkly in person lmao)
I am going to be in Valencia and Barcelona for 4ish days each starting next week, and ending the week after. Valencia first, followed by Barcelona. Weather looks to be low 60s - mid/high 70s in Valencia, and low 60s to low 70s in Barcelona (18-26/18-23 C). We will be mainly doing city and beach exploring, with one night in Tarragona and potentially day trips to places like Montserrat. Some biking, maybe very light hiking.
This is my current packing list for clothes, without including underwear, socks, and bras/sports bras, and one tiny cotton short and tank for bed time. Details below. Curious if anyone has any suggestions or comments.
Main questions: Will I be chilly and need more than the black cardigan for evenings? I have nicer/warmer jackets but they are bulkier by far.
Should I swap out another one of the tanks for a more active one? I am usually a very active person on trips and take lots of clothes I can hike and run and rough around in, so this is new territory for me and I feel a little uncomfortable with only having one active tank. However, I do want to look fashionable and put together on this trip.
Pants:
Prana Stretch Zion Cargo Pants (worn on plane) and Black Linen Pants
Shorts:
Blue denim (my go to despite one bag hatred, just so versatile and can wear multiple times), Brown linen tailored shorts, Green suede skort.
Dress:
Yellow mediterraneanny dress lol
T shirts:
Super soft white modal, dressable up or down, and black cotton t shirt. (worn on plane)
Tanks:
Black halter (so versatile, have worn rock climbing and can wear on a night out), Brown boatneck, White chiffony halter, Orange/peachy floral tank.
Pretty much every top goes with every bottom with 1-2 exceptions (black on black) which I am super proud of.
Layers:
Purple Lands End fleece (worn on plane) - can wear to a dinner in the USA, but would rather not in Europe I think. Active and warm.
Black cardigan - lightweight but pretty warm, looks nice. Cottony, so not the most dressy but works in a pinch.
Footwear:
Keen vented hiking shoes (Worn on plane) and Teva hydratrek
Backpack:
REI Ruckpack 40 (have onebagged in this before and love it) and REI sling.
What are everyone's fav semis (mainly boulder but standout lead ones too) to rewatch from previous years? Could be good setting, dramatic scoring changes, unexpected underdogs, overall vibes - whatever the reason. Looking for something to take me through the gaps between comps now that the season is on again :)
I have been searching for my unicorn trail runners for a while now, after hearing rave reviews about hiking in trail runners instead of hiking boots. I finally bought the Topo Mtn Racer 4 women's shoes - and thought I'd share my impressions since it's hard to find too much info about these online.
Fit: I have a wide mid and forefoot and either an average or narrow heel (unsure tbh) - and these fit perfectly for that. Love the roomy toebox, it is rare for me to get no blisters or hotspot on the forefoot, but these suckers do it. The midfoot may potentially be a tad tighter than ideal, but I like the locked in feeling it gives me and prefer it to having my feet slide around like they did in any Altra I tried. The arch support does feel a tad... aggressive? on my flattish feet - but after a few runs and hikes they do not give me trouble.
Breathability/temperature control: So far I have only worn these in fall and winter - my feet never got cold, but also I do not know how breathable they would be in hot weather. They do, however, dry quick, so I have hope.
Cushion: They do not feel as plush as, say the Hoka Speedgoats felt. I did, however, choose them for the balance between still providing some cushion while not feeling like a platform, as I want to use them for scrambling, and prefer the feeling of being closer to the ground. While my first time wearing them I was worried the cushion was too little, after multiple wears they do now feel pretty comfy.
General performance: I have not yet abused these extensively - however I have taken them on several trail runs (3-8 mi, rocky, muddy, lots of tree roots) and day hikes (mud, rocks, some scrambling). The vibram sole is wonderful - I have not slipped once including on one steep scrambly granite area where everyone around my was having to use all fours - I simply walked my way across. Curious to see how well the sole holds up. They feel decently supportive and locked in, are comfy, and I feel confident to take them anywhere. Obviously, no ankle protection, but I am yet to roll one (and I am prone).
Overall, I'm happy with the shoes and enjoy them! I think for narrow/avg heeled, wide mid/forefooted folks who are looking for a comfy, grippy trail runner with moderate cushion, this is a great show both for hiking and trail running.
