I recently invested in a new piece of luggage and after months of careful deliberation, I decided to go with a 22″ Load Warrior by Eagle Creek. I chose the Eagle Creek Load Warrior because it is adventurous and fun looking, has some cool features like a porter key, equipment strap, and top grab handle, plus it is much lighter than my previous carry on (it’s less than six pounds). I have been a fan of packing cubes for years after I received some as a gift before my first trip abroad. I wanted to go full Eagle Creek, so I selected two sets of compression cubes and half cubes, two shoe sacs, and the On Board toiletry kit.
I recently tested out all of my new gear on a four day train trip to New York City. I actually enjoyed packing this time! I even over-packed a bit because the weather was looking unpredictable and I had so much room in my new bag.
I started by folding my shirts and bottoms in separate large cubes. We normally recommend rolling your clothes, but I decided to fold since I was not worried about space on this trip. I used the half cube for undergarments and a bathing suit. I packed one extra pair of sandals in the shoe sac and wore my flip flops on the train. Finally, all of my toiletries and cosmetics fit perfectly in my new toiletry kit that is lined to protect bottles and has a hanger inside.
First to go in the suitcase are the two large cubes. The one with my shorts and a pair of jeans goes in the bottom half with the wheels because it is heavier. The other cube contains several shirts, a sweater, and a rain jacket. Two cubes fit perfectly in a 22″ carry on suitcase.
The next layer is my toiletry kit, half cube, and shoe sac.
Finally, I added a travel umbrella for bad weather, my jewelry roll, and a pouch containing a couple of chargers, a camera, and a few other loose items.
I am ready to go! I was only traveling for an extra-long weekend this time, but I had plenty of extra room in my suitcase and will pack essentially the same way for my three-week trip to Spain later this year. Happy packing! – Ellen, September 2015
