I’m an overpacker. Whether it’s a quick weekend trip or a multi-week trek, chances are I’m packing for any potential situation — and then some. Recently, I went on a two-week trip to central Europe, where my partner and I biked through rural Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, and also spent some time in major cities like Munich, Vienna and Budapest.
Packing was a challenge — we were packing for fall in central Europe, which meant many days of changing temperatures combined with periods of sun between pouring rain. And while there were several things that made my life easier while travelling, there were a few things that stayed in my carry on bag — as well as a few glaring oversights on my packing list.
Read on for my full list of what I’m glad I packed, what I wish I left at home and what I wish I brought instead.
What I’m glad I packed
Water-repellent windbreaker
Lululemon
The Lululemon Mist Over Windbreaker is backed up by more than 600 shopper reviews.
I snapped up the Lululemon Mist Over windbreaker before leaving for my trip, and I was so glad I did. It has a 4.1-star rating from more than 600 reviews and it’s easy to see why. It’s lightweight, water-repellent and surprisingly warm, and the longer cut kept it from riding up when I was biking. It was also incredibly lightweight, which made it easy to layer under a bigger jacket on colder days — and it took up virtually no space in my suitcase. The best part? The hood was so stretchy it even fit over my toque + bike helmet combo, which was a lifesaver on the worst weather days. FYI – I sized up in this one from my usual 4 to a 6 for a bit of added room.
Opaceluuk
The airplane footrest didn’t change my life, but it was an affordable way to make travel a bit easier.
Amazon shoppers call this smart gadget a “lifesaver” for long-haul flights. While it didn’t change my life, for $16, it’s hard to argue with even the smallest level of added comfort. Read my full review here.
Power outlet extender
Addtam
This outlet extender was an absolute game-changer for charging devices in Europe.
If you’re travelling to Europe, or somewhere you’ll need local power adapters, I’d highly recommend grabbing a power outlet extender (which, BTW, hundreds of Yahoo shoppers have bought in the past month). We only had one European charge converter — so instead of buying another (or rock paper scissoring for who got the charger when), we plugged this outlet extended into the converter so we could charge all our devices at once.
Lightweight athletic top
Uniqlo
These lightweight tops made a great base layer, and also paired well with jeans.
I’ve always gravitated towards oversized shirts for exercise, but it’s no surprise that lightweight exercise shirts made a huge difference. Before travelling, I stocked up on a few Airism stretch cropped T-shirts (in both long and short sleeve) and am planning to add more to my wardrobe now. These shirts were lightweight and breathable, and made an excellent layering piece. Plus, they doubled as great casual wear for days spent in cities.
Lightweight zip up jacket
Uniqlo
This lightweight zip-up has a sleek silhouette and built-in UPF 50+.
This Extra-Stretch Airism Full-Zip Jacket was another last-minute pre-travel Uniqlo find — and it ended up being one of my most-worn items. It boasts a quick-dry fabric, which came in handy on those wet days, and has long sleeves with thumbholes which were great for added warmth. It also had built-in UPF50+, which was great on those days when the weather seemed to change at the drop of a hat. This lightweight piece was easy to layer under a jacket (or two) and also looked cute with jeans.
Kobo eReader
Kobo
The Kobo Ereader took up virtually no room in my backpack — a welcome change from cramming 10 paperbacks in my suitcase.
I used to swear by paperbacks for travel, but I’m a recent Kobo convert — and if you’re on the fence, trust me when I say this is a travel game-changer. My Kobo Clara black and white is lightweight and holds a charge for weeks on end, and it saved so much room in my carry-on bag.
Pocketed leggings
Lululemon
These leggings feature a quick-drying fabric that kept me warm and dry, even after a tumble in the mud.
I packed a ton of leggings, but the ones I turned to the most were the Lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Leggings With Pockets ($138) and Uniqlo Extra-Stretch Airism Leggings ($40). Both of these leggings were long enough to keep my legs fully covered, are made of a quick-drying fabric, had pockets for a phone (or a quick hand warm-up) and could go from sporty to casual. And BTW, they washed wonderfully — after a particularly strenuous bike day that ended with a fall on a muddy, washed-out trail, I sent them to the boat’s laundry service and they came back good as new.
Longchamp backpack
Longchamp
The Longchamp backpack folds into a small square, which makes it perfect for travel.
I love the Longchamp Le Pliage backpack backpack so much, I’m on my second one. It’s lightweight and foldable, which makes it easy to toss into your carry-on, and it holds a surprising amount. Plus, while I wouldn’t say it’s waterproof, its recycled nylon fabric keeps your possessions drier than a regular backpack.
Lightweight packable puffer
Halfdays
I went into the trip thinking it would be in the mid-teens but I got a surprise when temperatures hovered around 7-8 degrees C, with rain, for the bulk of the trip. Biking 40-50 kilometres a day in that weather was not the best, so I’m really glad I decided to pack a lightweight puffer last minute. I splurged on the Nellie Packable Puffer from Halfdays, which is insulated with 100 per cent recycled PET bottles and folds into a travel pillow that snaps to your backpack or fits over your suitcase handles. I ended up wearing it at least 12 of the 14 days, and the travel pillow came in handy for the long-haul flight. If that’s out of your price range, no worries — Uniqlo and Amazon both sell editor-approved packable puffers that ring in under $100.
Cooling sports bra
Halfdays
A sports bra is an exercise must-have, and I recently stumbled upon the Gwen Longline Top from Halfdays. This cooling, rapid-drying bra was essential on days when multiple layers made me sweaty and clammy.
Hoodie
Okay To Rest
I wore this 100 per cent cotton Canadian-made hoodie almost every day of my trip.
It may seem like an obvious one, but a hooded sweatshirt was a necessity. It served as everything from a travel blanket to a rain shield during unpredictable weather to a layering piece for city travels. I wore this grey one from Canadian brand Okay To Rest almost every day — but I also am a fan of Aritzia’s Sweatfleece line.
Wired headphones
JBL
Wired earbuds were an absolute must-have for airplane travel.
Is it just me, or are most planes still stuck in the ’90s? I got a pair of affordable JBL wired headphones from Amazon prior to travelling, and I’m so glad I did. Both my flights had pretty good entertainment — so wired headphones allowed me to kick back, relax and watch My Best Friend’s Wedding.
What I wish I left at home
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Bike shorts: It was just too cold, but I do love this Baleaf pair from Amazon.
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Flats: Planned to wear them while touring cities, but stuck to sneakers for warmth and rain protection.
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Cute sweaters: The vast majority of the time we were on the boat, I was in casual/athletic wear. I could have saved space by prioritizing a few more wear-with-anything sweatshirts or tops instead of fun sweaters.
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Over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones: I planned to use my Bose headphones for travel, but I didn’t take them out of my carry-on at all.
What I wish I had brought instead
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Medicine cabinet essentials (Tums, Advil, eye drops, cough drops): Don’t forget to pack these; they’ll come in handy (and local versions can be costly!)
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Rain pants: Rookie mistake! Germans on our boat came prepared for the central Europe weather in rain pants and boot covers, and they looked so much more comfortable than a lot of us silly North American travellers.
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Gloves (and other cold-weather accessories): If you’re travelling to Europe in the fall, please heed my words and take cold-weather accessories — they take up no room, and they will save you from frozen extremities.
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Padded bike leggings: Padding would have definitely come in handy to stay comfortable on longer rides — I wish I bought these leggings instead of the shorts I got. You live, you learn.
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