TIPS FOR TRAVELLING LIGHT

People take far too much gear with them anyway. Having only a tiny cabin luggage allowance means you have to plan even more carefully but the rewards in terms of ease of travel are enormous. Current cabin luggage allowances differ from airline to airline, and even from airport to airport, so check with BOTH the airline and the airport you're flying from. All items will be x-ray screened and should not exceed a specific size and weight and this can differ from airline to airline.

Our tips are:

Choose your cabin luggage carefully. I now use an Aarn Peak Aspiration and can get all I need in it for anything from a weekend in the Lake District to a 6 week visit to New Zealand.

Clothes:

Make sure everything is multipurpose and reasonably lightweight. And yes, this is where merino gear comes into it's own in spades. Synthetics may be lighter but few actually look good or feel good against the skin, and of course, they can start to stink after only a few hours of wear. Also synthetic mid layers can be surprisingly bulky. A lightweight merino shirt can be smart enough for city/conference/meetings/dining out, and because they don't get smelly and sweaty like synthetics or cotton, you only need one.

In the pack we suggest:

• One Taranaki T-shirt
• One Taranaki zipneck  
• One spare pair of merino socks
• For women the addition of a merino cami will take you out for the evening as well. I find a few accessories in the way of a silk scarf and the odd bit of bling will dress things up more than adequately.
• One pair of smart/casual pants - Rohan linen travel pants are good, and no, they don't need ironing - just roll them up!
• Spare underwear - 2prs is enough.
• One pr lightweight shoes or sandals
• For women (or men), a cotton kikoy or sarong is very useful. It packs up to nothing and can be shoved in a pocket. It can be used a skirt, a wrap, to lie on, as a towel, or drape it over a bush as a sunshade. In an emergency you could wave it like a flag or hide from the Dreaded Bugblatter Beast of Traal! You can get great ones (along with other nice stuff) at Kikoy.com

Remember, rolling up clothes is better than folding. They pack  up smaller and come out of your bag looking good.

To wear to travel:

•     If you're heading for the Great Outdoors, wear your boots instead of packing them. I now use a pair of Inov-8     400 GTX - superbly lightweight for a walking boot that also looks good if you need to look smart.
•     Good fieldpants like  Rohan or IcePeak. They’re great for the field but look decent enough for the city.
•     A lightweight jacket or shell that has loads of pockets into which you can stuff spare clothing, and any electrical     devices that are allowed (see below).
•     Merino T or zipneck
•     A down gilet like those from PHDesigns that comes with its own small bag can be put in a pocket.

Toiletries:

Leave them behind and buy at your destination. If you must take deodorant and shampoo, buy a solid version from LUSH One of their solid shampoos, like Trichomania can be used for washing hair, body, and for shaving, and leaves you smelling good. These products come without packaging and can be carried in clear plastic resealable food bags. Take only a travel size of toothpaste. Buy more once you’ve arrived.  

Ladies, if you need cosmetics, try "Id" mineral powder-based cosmetics as solid or powder cosmetics are allowed in cabin luggage.

Men, take a battery shaver or cultivate that designer-stubble look for a while.

Electronic Stuff

Kindle, ipod and camera can all go in the pockets of your jacket.

Towels, extra underwear - anything as basic as this can be bought at your destination.

My minimalist gear has taken me up mountains in the Pyrenees, Southern Alps, Snowy Mountains, and Swiss Alps; kayaking down the Dart River, rafting down the Rangitikei; and over the Tongariro Crossing. To fado restaurants in Lisbon, art galleries in Paris, conferences in San Francisco and Florence, meetings at universities, and to posh dinners in all sorts of places. It's even seen me through a prime-ministerial reception for Peter Jackson & the LOTR cast and crew in Wellington! It has protected me from the cold of winter, and with a uv protection factor of 40+, the hot sun of summer. And no lost luggage, hanging around airport carousels, or extra taxi charges for luggage. Try it.

Backpackers have always travelled light, but you can’t escape the stink of synthetics.  With merino gear you can travel in style and comfort without offending the noses of all around you!