North Face Flyweight Duffel
BUY @ AMAZON
This North Face Flyweight Duffel folds up into itself and fits in your pocket. I always take this thing with me and have found countless uses for it. If you end up bringing more back home with you than you left with, you have something to pack the extras into. You can also use it to carry around airports will your jacket and other such items in it. Then when it is time to board the plane where you have to conform to “1 piece of baggage only” you can put your jacket on and fold the bag into your pocket. It also make a good laundry bag on longer trips. It only costs around $50 and weighs next to nothing. North Face actually make a whole range of these bags in the form of backpack and totes too. Multipurpose usefulness at its very best, and great build quality from TNF.
Outdoor Research Stuff Sacks
BUY @ AMAZON
Organization is key when you are living out of your bags for a few weeks moving from location to location. I often have case of camera gear as well as ski equipment and all the usual personal items. Because of tightening baggage restrictions this stuff is often mixed together in bags in whatever way I can fit it in. To stay somewhat organized I use several of the ultralight stuff sacks from Outdoor Research to keep things a bit tidier. Their main advantage is they weigh only a few grams so you can use as many as you like and it’s unlikely to affect your weight. I use one for ski gloves, one for power cables, one for long underwear, one for ski socks etc etc. It might seem a bit anal but trust me, it can be a real time saver when you need to find something in a hurry.
GoLite Adventure 3-Season Mummy
BUY @ AMAZON
A good sleeping bag is a must have item. Sometimes I’m in a hotel and sometimes it’s far easier to stay with friends. Either way I like to be prepared for whatever comes my way and a sleeping bag has been very useful on a number of occasions. Also very handy if you get stuck in an airport overnight….. I use the Adventure 3 from GoLite because it only weighs just over 1KG and packs down incredibly small. If I never need it on my trip, I don’t fell like it was such a waste to bring it because I barely notice it. It’s not a cheap bag by any means but the more you spend the lighter they get.
Eddie Bauer First Ascent Duffel 120
BUY @ Eddie Bauer
This thing is MASSIVE. I make no joke when I say that I can actually get into it. A good quality weather proof duffel bag is a great thing to have. Your gear isn’t going to get wet if its left sitting on the snow and it allows you to pack a simply enormous amount of gear. The First Ascent lineup from Eddie Bauer delivers expedition quality gear at a much lower price point than most other companies. It comes with backpack straps if you need them and is very light when it has nothing in it so you suffer very little even if the bag is bigger than what you need. I do also like bags with wheels on, but it adds a lot to the empty weight so if I’m traveling light then the duffel comes with me.
