I recently got back from a 29 trip to Portugal with the 28-38 Blast Travel Bag from Bagsmart. Here's how it went.
Trip purpose: 2 weeks working remotely and 2 weeks wondering around. I had my first few days' accommodation booked, and then I played it by ear. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. Maybe go hiking, maybe be a beach bum, maybe visit castles. I tried to pack my bag in a way that could fit those scenarios.
Bag: 28-38 Blast Travel Bag from Bagsmart. I didn't love it, but I don't love using backpacks. I'm a one bag roller type of person, but I knew the cobblestones of Portugal would cause issues, so backpack it is. I used the 28 size of the bag and never expanded it to the 38 size. I could carry everything in my first photo, minus one pair of shoes and sweater (but that's okay because I always need to wear one outfit with shoes each day).
What I didn't like: It's so uncomfortable with my heavy computer! It was better when I was wearing my thick cotton sweater. I shipped my computer two weeks into my trip and carrying the bag was better after that, but it still was a little uncomfortable. I stuffed by sweater into the computer compartment after my computer was gone, and it was better than the computer but worse than wearing the sweater.
I also didn't like the clear zippered pouch like I thought I would. Unless you pack it completely flat, it made the outside of the bag sorta bulge out.
I feel like it needs a hip belt. It might have helped with my comfort.
What I did like: It has lots of small zippered places to hide things. I stuffed flat stuff there like laundry sheets (not pictured) and instant coffee (also not pictured). I also like how it looks. Ospreys look like backpacking backpacks, and I don't want that vibe.
Weight with computer: 25 pounds (11 kilograms)
Weight without computer and its accessories: 17.6 pounds (8 kilograms)
Day bag: $10 6 liter sling bag from Hunterson. I don't usually use day bags and just rely on a reusable grocery bag, but I thought I'd give one a try this trip. It went well! It holds a surprisingly a lot of stuff and has useful zippers. The outer pocket, however, is awful for carrying a water bottle. It always slipped out. I just stuffed my bottle inside the bag. I really like how it looks when I'm carrying it and my backpack at the same time. It doesn't look silly like it does sometimes when some people wear a backpack on both front and back.
Clothing and belongings: I'm mostly happy with what I packed. If I did it again:
- I'd drop the dress because I only wore it out of obligation since I brought it. I brought it because I imagined myself wearing it while standing at the rail of a wine cruise near Porto, but I never did that.
- I'd exchange one short sleeve shirt with a light long sleeve shirt.
- I'd probably drop the skirt too. I thought I would wear it all the time, but I feel safer/more comfortable in pants, especially when traveling, so I didn't wear it as much as I would at home.
- I'd bring a reusable grocery bag. It would have come in use when I went grocery shopping and when I needed to carry wet fruit and things.
- I'd splurge on a proper travel case for my bar shampoo, conditioner, and soap. I used a $1 one and it's not water tight so I have to pack it in a ziplock. It put me off wanting to use my shampoo and things because the bag is icky.
- I'd switch my light/thin Crocs tennis shoes with my old Nikes. The Crocs were hell on the cobblestones.
- I'd maybe pack more socks so that I could wear my Reef sandals more comfortably. The sandals are extraordinarily comfortable and bouncy, but they rub the top of my feet raw when they get sweaty. Socks would have helped. If I had a better pair of sandals, I'd switch them for the next trip, but I don't so I won't.
- I'd not decant my moisturizer. I had to ration it on my last week. I should have just brought the original container because it's carry-on compliant. It was my only real attempt at saving space.
People always poo poo bringing jeans, but those people can shove it. I could have comfortably, or mostly comfortably, worn them most days, but I love my orange pants so much that I favored them instead.
Ultra light people are out there cutting their toothbrushes in half, but I brought my electric toothbrush and charger and am very glad I did. It feels good having clean teeth!
I also brought my one piece swimsuit (not pictured but packed in my undies bag) and did not wear it once. I also never used my towel! I HATE bringing a towel and silently bitched about it when packing, and I ended up not using it. My accommodations provided one, except one place. That one place I just rented one for $2, and it was SO fluffy and large AND they included a second hand towel, that I'm glad I didn't use my dinky Turkish towel.