How do I fit two weeks of city sightseeing and hiking into a carry-on?

[Edward_G]

I’m trying to pack for a two-week trip that includes city sightseeing and a few days of hiking, but I can’t seem to fit everything into one carry-on backpack. I’m worried about being weighed down, but I also don’t want to end up without the right layers or gear.

[Robert99]

I did a similar two week mix of city days and a few hikes once. tried to fit everything in a carry on and kept ending up with a bag stuffed full. I swapped in packing cubes, rolled clothes, and trimmed to a light down or a thin shell instead of a bulky fleece. I also made socks and underwear fit in small pouches and wore the same hiking boots on the plane and in town to save space.

[Elizabeth2]

Maybe the bottleneck isn’t the bag at all. I once tried to cram extra gear and ended up washing a load in the sink mid trip. It was revealing; the weight felt worse than the actual need. A simple routine that helped was sticking to two tops, two bottoms, and laundering when convenient.

[Paul_H]

I tried to plan outfits by color, which helped me decide what to leave behind, but I still found a heavy jacket sneaking back in. It’s weird how the urge to be prepared creeps in even when the plan is simple.

[OliverC]

Are you sure the problem is the luggage and not the itinerary, like how many long hikes vs city days you actually have?

[Aubrey.S]

I did a test run with a smaller bag and realized a light rain shell plus a compact fleece was enough if I swapped layers and did a mid trip wash.