One bag travel is a lifehack that’s becoming popular with smart travelers everywhere. The convenience of having only one bag to deal with makes travel a lot simpler. This is something you might be familiar with if you’ve been in the military. Boots often carry but a single backpack wherever they go, and nothing more.
Very experienced travelers like to travel light. They’ve learned that it’s rarely necessary to bring a lot of stuff along on a trip. In most places, you can find whatever you need in your hotel room, and if you can’t, there’ll be a store where you can get it. So you don’t have to pack such things as sunblock, shampoo, toothpaste, over-the-counter medicine or even casual clothing.
With one bag travel, you’ll be paring down your packing list to include only the key essentials. It’s a matter of deciding what are the most important things you must pack.
What’s the Most Important Thing To Pack In Your One Bag?
What do you absolutely need to bring in your bag? The answer depends on what kind of trip you are going on.
If you’re doing an adventure trip in the wilderness, then the most important thing to pack is an IFAK pouch. While you might not need it, you’ll be glad you brought it in case you have a medical emergency.
If you’re going on a business trip, then the most important thing would be your laptop.
If you’re a leisure traveler taking a flight, then you’ll definitely want to pack your documentation (passport, visa, insurance, etc.).
It’s still a very good idea to pack an IFAK pouch even if you’re traveling for business or leisure. You may not be out in the wilderness, but it’s good to be prepared wherever you go. A medical emergency can strike anytime, anywhere. Readiness means never be without tactical gear essential to the scenario you’re getting into—and in the case of travel, that means bringing an IFAK pouch.
Why You Shouldn’t Pack Too Much Stuff
Traveling light means less hassle and less waiting. It means fewer bags to scan at the security checkpoint, so that you can get through it faster. You won’t need to check in your luggage (or pay the checked baggage fee) and you won’t get stuck waiting for your bags at the claim area.
More stuff also means more time packing. You get to your hotel room and unpack. It’s time to leave and you pack. The less stuff you have, the less time that’s gonna take you. Besides, packing and unpacking isn’t very fun for most people.
The more stuff you pack, the more you can add to your stress. You’ll have more things to keep track of, after all. And having more weight to carry would be both stressful and tiring!
Now here’s the best reason of all: the fewer non essential items you pack, the more room you’ll have to bring your tactical gear!
One Bag Advantages
“One bag travel” offers the same advantages as traveling light, only even better!
Lighter load. The most obvious advantage is having less weight dragging you down! That can save you from having aching shoulders, arms and back! Assuming that your one bag is under the weight limit for carry-on luggage, you can avoid paying for checked bags and avoid waiting to claim the bag at the arrival terminal.
Less hassle. You’ll have less difficulty climbing stairs. You’ll take up less space in an elevator, taxi cab or other compact area. You won’t have to squeeze yourself and your bags through tight spots. The list goes on.
Better mobility. Too many bags will limit what you can do and where you can go. With one bag, you can easily go to the restroom without leaving anything behind! You can give yourself more options at the airport. Since you don’t have checked luggage, you can easily switch flights or connections. You have more flexibility.
Greater security. You only have one bag to keep an eye on. The risk of forgetting or losing items will be lower. Theft will be less of an issue. Your bag will be in your control all the time. No need to hand it over to someone else for safekeeping (as when you check in a bag at the airport).
Greater peace of mind. Having one bag helps reduce the stress of travel. You’ll be less stressed over packing, keeping track of stuff and securing all your things. You’ll also know that all your essentials are close at hand. That’s comforting.
Sharper focus. When you practice one bag travel, you’ll find that it gets easier to focus on the things you really want to do!
Why It’s Easier to Focus on the Things You Really Want to Do with Just One Bag
One bag travel means you can stop worrying so much about your stuff and focus on what really matters: enjoying the travel experience!
You have so many things to think about while you’re traveling. Where to stay, where to eat, what to do, where to go, when everything needs to be done and how you can stay on schedule! Keeping organized will let you manage these concerns effectively—which will help your trip go smoothly.
One good way to keep organized is to reduce the number of things you have to deal with. Baggage should be at the top of the list! With one bag travel, you’ve removed one item from your list of travel concerns!
One bag travel also grants flexibility. You may have more options for what to do if you’re not dealing with a lot of baggage! You’ll be less limited in the places you can go to, the types of transportation you can take and the schedules you can meet.
That means you can do whatever you want to do. And focus on making it happen without being hampered by your baggage.
How to Choose the Right One Bag for You
Thinking about adopting one bag travel? Then the next step is to look for the one bag that’s right for you!
Actually, you don’t have to limit yourself to one type of bag. You might employ a different single bag depending on what your travel needs require from you. Change your one bag out according to need.
For an outdoors camping trip, you can’t go wrong with tactical gear. A bag like the 14erTactical Backpack would be ideal. It’s designed to withstand rugged conditions and harsh weather, it’s water resistant, and it’s customizable. The bag’s built-in MOLLE system lets you attach or remove extra compartments. Make adjustments until the tactical backpack configuration is to your liking!
If you’re facing a long day of running errands in the city, you can be more flexible about the bag you carry. A tactical backpack might not be the most appropriate bag to use, especially if you’ll be visiting offices or formal events. You might look less informal if you carry a range bag. The 14erTactical Range Bag has a professional style that’s just as suitable in the workspace as the rifle range.
For the most part, you’re better off with a tactical backpack due to its multi-functionality. It can serve you well in trekking, business travel or leisure travel. You can bring it on a plane, train or taxi. You can bring it to the beach, forest or mountains. Best of all, you can get a backpack that’s designed to carry tactical gear—like the 14erTactical Backpack!
How to Make a Perfect Checklist
Now that you’ve chosen your one bag, it’s time to get packing! You’ll want to start by making a packing list.
First, list down the most important items. Let’s assume you’re going on a business trip. Your list should include your laptop, charger, necessary work materials and appropriate clothing. Will you need business attire? How many items of businesslike clothing will you need? Add each of those items to your list.
Also add any essential medication you may require. Especially medication that requires a prescription to purchase.
If you’re going abroad, add these travel essentials: passport, visa, travel insurance documents.
Next, add an IFAK pouch to your list. As a tactical minded person, you definitely don’t want to go on a trip without an emergency kit! Readiness demands that you bring an IFAK pouch with you.
What’s next? Consider what activities you’ll be having on your trip. Is there a good chance you’ll go swimming? Then add a swimsuit to your list. Maybe a pair of flip-flops. Also, a small day pack you can use while leaving your one bag at the hotel. And a camera, if you want to capture photos and don’t want to use your phone to do it.
Anything else? Company giveaways might be a good idea, if you’re gonna be doing a lot of networking. Try to bring small giveaway items like pens or gift certificates.
What about soap, shampoo, toothpaste, sunblock and similar items? Those are either provided by the hotel or easily purchased from shops. Such items are optional.
What should you not pack? “Just in case” items. Things that you’ll only need in very specific situations. The exception here is the IFAK pouch. That’s the one “just in case” item you should pack.
Once you’ve made your list, lay out everything in front of you. Select the bag you plan to use, whether it’s a range bag, tactical backpack or something else. Can everything fit in the bag? If not, start eliminating items until you know that everything will fit.
Simple enough, right? Now you’re ready to travel smart with your one bag and nothing more!
