Packing Light: Carry-On Only Guide

The checked bag is a tax on disorganisation. Baggage fees on Indian carriers alone add ₹2,000–5,000 per flight. International routes are worse. Beyond money, checked bags mean waiting at carousels, risk of loss, and the logistical drag of wheeling a large case through streets not designed for wheels. Here's how to travel for two weeks — or two months — with a single carry-on.

The Right Bag

Most airlines allow a carry-on of up to 55 x 40 x 20 cm (the IATA standard). Budget carriers like IndiGo and SpiceJet are stricter on weight (typically 7 kg) — weigh before you arrive at the gate. The bags worth knowing:

• Osprey Farpoint 40L — the backpacker's standard. Comfortable carry, fits most overhead bins
• Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L — expensive but brilliant organisation for photographers and business travellers
• Aer Travel Pack 3 — the best-looking carry-on backpack; professional enough for meetings
• Away Carry-On — hard shell, built-in lock; best for shorter trips with formal clothes

The Capsule Wardrobe Method

Five days of clothing, worn in rotation, using a dark base colour (black or navy) to hide wear:

• 3 × merino wool T-shirts — odour-resistant, dries overnight, can be worn 2–3 days between washes
• 2 × merino long-sleeve shirts — formal enough for restaurant dinners
• 2 × lightweight trousers / 1 trousers + 1 shorts depending on climate
• 1 × lightweight down jacket (compresses to fist size)
• 3 × underwear (merino or ExOfficio) — 1 worn, 1 drying, 1 clean
• 2 × socks (merino wool)
• 1 × versatile shoes (e.g. Allbirds Wool Runners or Veja sneakers)

Merino wool is the single most important fabric discovery for carry-on travel. One T-shirt, worn for three days in humid heat, and you can't smell it. That's not marketing — it's the protein structure of the fibre.

What You Don't Need (That Everyone Packs)

• A towel — every accommodation provides one; pack a microfibre only for camping
• Hair dryer — every hotel room has one
• More than 2 pairs of shoes — one walking, one smart. Done.
• Full-size toiletries — buy locally or use refillable 100ml containers
• Travel pillow — only worth it on 8+ hour flights, and most airlines provide them

The Toiletry Solution

Solid toiletries (shampoo bars, solid conditioner, deodorant bars) bypass liquid restrictions entirely and are lighter. For a two-week trip in India or Southeast Asia, buy shampoo and conditioner at your first pharmacy — it's cheaper and saves the liquid allowance for sunscreen.

Once you've done a two-week trip with carry-on only, you'll never check a bag again. The freedom — of moving fast, skipping queues, and knowing exactly where everything is — is worth every trade-off. More packing and travel tips on JustCheckin.