OK first thing to say, I’m neither a style icon or the ‘fashion police’ telling you what to wear! Everybody has different style preferences. Yours might be quite different to mine! I’ve recorded this because I am asked so often, how I travel with so little. I hope this provides the answer to the question! I hope it is helpful to you. Happy Packing!

Here we have my Ultralight Travel Clothes and Footwear choices I would typically bring on a four season trip. If my trip is not 4 seasons, I simply cross off the clothes and footwear I’m not going to need and pack less! It really is that simple! While the actual pieces I pick, may vary a little from the ones shown on the grid, it’s usually a similar formula. This means it only takes a few minutes to pack.

  • Top Row – Some tops and bottoms to form the base of my packing capsule wardrobe.
  • Middle Row – Extra layers, main pair of shoes, underwear, swimwear, extra daywear which can also be worn as sleepwear
  • Bottom Row – Seasonal items (very hot weather, rainy, very cold weather). These are the items, most likely to vary from trip to trip.

The total capsule (Excluding clothes worn on travel days, weighs around 2.5Kg and brings my pack size to around 6kg. For a single season trip, I can cross some things off the grid, as I won’t need everything. This can remove around 1Kg of weight.

Ultralight Packing - A Four Season Capsule Wardrobe to fit in a 6kg backpack
Ultralight Packing – A Four Season Capsule Wardrobe to fit in a 6kg backpack

5 Tips for Packing Light: Clothes and Shoes

  1. Pack for a Week, Wash and Repeat – if you are going for a longer trip, you don’t necessarily need more clothes! Personally I sink wash underwear each night, then possibly another piece as well and do laundry properly around once a week.
  2. Pick clothes that ‘mix and match‘ to increase the number of possible outfit combinations
  3. Pick thin lightweight fabrics which you can launder easily and will dry quickly. Merino Wool is a popular choice for regular travellers. Clothes can be worn in hot weather and layered together in cold weather. It’s also anti-microbial so it shouldn’t collect odour if worn for several days in a row.
  4. Avoid packing bulky sweaters and hoodies, especially if they are made of cotton. Same goes for jeans. If you want to bring heavy items, then be prepared to wear them on travel days, so you don’t need to pack them
  5. Limit your shoes as they are heavy and bulky. I travel with one main pair which is fit for walking in all conditions. For hot weather trips, I’ll bring a second lighter, more packable pair.

Here are some brands I have found which are useful for packing light.

  • I’ve used and rate are Icebreaker and Wool& for merino clothing.
  • Clothing from brands where the weight of each item is prioritised, but with no loud branding shouting ‘hiking’ or ‘travel pants’! These include Rohan and Craghoppers
  • Decathlon for puffy jackets, rain jackets, walking socks, gloves, hats, merino items and Uniqlo for puffy jackets and thermals
  • Rieker – good for ‘crossover’ boots and shoes which you can use for general hiking but also about for town and for smarter occasions. Saves on bringing multiple pairs as shoes are the heaviest and bulkiest items
  • White Stuff – quite a few reversible items, including swimwear and skirts, plus lightweight tops
  • Particular fond of my ultralight padded jacket from UK brand Finisterre which I seldom leave the house without!

My Other Travel Lists for Packing Light!

Ultralight Travel Toiletries
Ultralight Travel Tech
Other Travel Essentials
Small Travel Backpack Recommendations

For trip inspiration start here

If you would like more light packing tips or budget trip ideas across Europe, I’d be delighted if you would subscribe to my newsletter. And don’t worry. I’m not going to bombard you with emails!