Weighing Travel Clothing Options in Grams

Laurinda

I'm planning a 10-day trip next month, and I may have a day or two when I will need to schlep my baggage while sightseeing. Ultralight packing for backpackers is great for inspiration, but I need conventional clothing for this trip.

Since I am somewhat data driven, I used my kitchen scale to weigh my real life possibilities, i.e.:

1) Should I take an extra sweater (250g, 10oz), or would another scarf (20g, 1oz) give me enough of a different look?

2) Should I take slippers (570g, 20oz) or thick wool socks (80g, 3oz)?

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In case these are helpful to anyone else here are the weights I came up with (I wear size XL tops/14 bottoms).

Blazer or Jacket, 600g (1lb 5oz)
Jeans, 600g (1lb 5oz)
Sweater, 250g (10oz)
Cotton blouse, 300g (11oz)
Chiffon blouse, 130g (6oz)
T-shirt, 200g (7oz)
Camisole, 85g (3oz)
Silky scarves, 20-80g (1-4oz)
Thick wool socks, 80g (3oz)
Hard soled slippers, 570g (20oz)

11 years ago

General

8 replies

Latest reply was from Laurinda

Anonymous

Are you bringing only one pair of jeans? I think I would leave the extra sweater and bring an extra bottom. I like having slippers in hotel rooms. I like to bring the soft soled isotoners.

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11 years ago

Anonymous

Laurlinda, if your feet don't run terribly cold (and you won't be staying in icky places) I'd take the wool socks as they are lighter. Do you have some cheap plastic shower shoes? As far as the sweater, I don't know how many you are taking to start with. If you think you'll get it dirty, take another one, if not, the scarf will do.

Thank you for posting the weights of things, it's great for comparisons. I've never weighed my stuff, but I've always scratched my head a bit when I read the advice to "take a bunch of costume jewelry and belts to vary your look" when traveling light. My costume jewelry and belts are some of the heaviest things I own, and I doubt they take up any less space than packing another lightweight blouse.

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

Those isotoners look like a great slipper for travelling!

Those are per-item weights, to help me decide on quantities. I will wear one jacket, and pack two, and I plan on wearing one pair of jeans, and packing two (Black and Dark wash jeans are formal enough for this trip). I will wear one sweater, and will pack at least two - or maybe four others, four or five T-shirts as my base layer, etc... I'm still deciding.

11 years ago

Kim

Veteran

Laurinda, this is a genius idea! I want to travel with a carry on to London UK next year and weighing things before I decide what to stuff in my suitcase is a great way to cull before I even start!

I plan on bringing 3 complete outfits (wear one and pack two) for 10 days that mix and match. I'm also thinking that I *might* do a little shopping while I'm there (wink, wink) so I'd better leave room in my bag for a few fab purchases! Should be fun to see if I can make do with 3 outfits. If not, oh well, it's not such a hardship to have to shop in London....LOL

Thanks for the great idea, I'm off to weigh my flat iron now...LOL

11 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I use a pair of foldable Dr. Scholl flats for the hotel rooms and airports (useful if I have to take off my regular shoes to go through security.) You probably wouldn't want to walk on cobblestones because the sole is very thin, but, for smooth or carpeted surfaces, these flats work just fine and weigh just a few ounces.

Your list reminds me of my backpacking days; the funniest tip I ever received (and this was given in earnest) was to cut the strings off of my tea bags to save weight. Somehow I still managed to carry my pack even with my teabags intact.

11 years ago

Mander

(website)

Veteran

That is a pretty good idea! Having gone on a trip recently where I had to schlep everything around all day, I'd say that everything you can do to make your bag lighter is probably worthwhile. Unless you are travelling with super snarky people I image that nobody but you will notice if you re-wear items.

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You are thorough! Wow!

I have never gone to this amount of work but i definitely do an intuitive sort of calculation of the weight of various items. For example, when possible (and it's not, always) I tend to travel without jeans, even though I wear them every day (almost) in my regular life. Why? Because they are considerably heavier than my other trousers. I aim to wear my heaviest footwear on the plane. I generally wear the heaviest and bulkiest jackets. Etc.

You are going to be very well prepared indeed!

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

I knew I would get great inspiration here!

@Claire: My favorite glass bead necklace weighs 70g (3oz), and may be worth it but I would probably limit myself to that one.

@Kim: My electric toothbrush is non-negotiable ;-).

@Gaylene: Foldable Dr. Scholl's flats are another great idea. Sounds like they would work in public too. My goal is not to go as light as ultralight backpacking; no sawed off toothbrush or using Dr. Bronner's for everything from laundry to mouthwash. They do have some interesting ideas. I like the suggestion to dry down pellets of toothpaste (not gel type), not so much for saving weight, but for getting through TSA, or including with a compact toothbrush in my purse.

@Mander: I'm travelling solo, and will have 5 days each in two separate states. I'd like to look good on five separate days, but can repeat those and I have laundry at stop #1.

@Suz : I need data to make up for my lack of intuition.
I never realized that a pair of jeans is roughly equivalent to a blazer, or two sweaters, or seven lace camisoles. I find the weights helpful for making choices and trade-offs. I have a tendency to just throw in a T-shirt or five. Now I have data to compare a camisole vs. a t-shirt when both will suit my need for an under layer.

I ask myself if a swimsuit (200g) is worth it for the 5% chance I will use it? (But I always pack a swimsuit!) Nor did I know there was such weight variation among similar items, a thick tank top is about double the weight of a thin one. My three pairs of leggings weigh 105g, 125g and 175g, so if they all would be fine there is one clear winner.

11 years ago

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