Traveling light and packing carry-on-only can be a challenge. Trying to pack a second pair of shoes is the most common problem. The other is complying with the TSA’s carry on rules for liquids. Bringing fewer clothes in your carry on backpack is one thing. Cutting your toiletries down to the right size of bottles that fit in the right size bag is a whole other challenge. Some people simply don’t try. They pack their normal toiletries in the wrong kind of bag and hope the TSA agents don’t notice. That strategy sometimes works. But not always. I’ve had more than one bottle thrown away because I ..read more

How do you use your personal item? Is it your carry on overflow plus in-flight essentials bag? Or is it your basic economy “one bag” for your trip? For most travelers, a personal item bag is the former. A “catchall” bag for stuff that didn’t fit in their carry on or that they’ll need in-flight. Your personal item doesn’t have to be your traveling junk drawer. With a bit of planning, you can use your personal item as an important part of your packing toolkit. Let’s start with the basics of what is a personal item and what you can pack in it. Tortuga Carry-On-Sized Travel Backpacks 4.5 Pack f ..read more

Travelers often ask us if nylon or polyester is the better fabric for backpacks. People wrongly assume that nylon is tough and durable while polyester is cheap and low-quality. The short—but unsatisfying—answer is that both fabrics are perfectly suited to travel backpacks. We’ve used both in different products over the years. The truth is that nylon and polyester are more similar than different. Both are lighter, stronger, and more durable than traditional fabrics like cotton or leather. Other factors like fabric weight, quality, sustainability, or look and feel will determine which fabri ..read more

Fanny packs go by many names. Waist bags, bum bags, hip packs, slings, or crossbody bags. Whatever you call them, these bags are back and a must-have for travelers. Like a purse, a fanny pack carries all the small stuff you need for a day of sightseeing like your keys, external battery, and lip balm. With a few exceptions—noted below—most fanny packs don’t carry a water bottle and aren’t large enough to pack extra layers of clothes. If you want a bag to carry a water bottle and a jacket, size up to a daypack. For all the smaller stuff, a fanny pack is a great option. In this guide, you’ll find ..read more

Whether you’re heading out on a last-minute, overnight business trip, or a five-day conference abroad, packing for business travel is always different than prepping for a fun vacation. Your work trip packing list will likely include more electronics and gear. So you’ll need to plan around the extra items and weight. Also, traditional business clothes are notoriously delicate and wrinkle-prone, so they can be difficult to pack. This article will break down how and what to pack for your business trip. We’ll cover men’s and women’s business clothing, advice on managing your electronics, and more ..read more

Even light packers sometimes need a second bag. You don’t “one bag” every trip you take. Just because you need to bring a bit more stuff doesn’t mean you’re willing to pay for or deal with checked luggage. So you bring a personal item to supplement your carry on travel backpack or suitcase. While personal item size restrictions vary across airlines, most airlines consider a small backpack, purse, briefcase, or laptop bag to be a personal item. These must always fit under the seat in front of you. Many airlines restrict passengers to one personal item and one carry on bag.  Underseat Bag ..read more

Weekend trips seem like they should be the easiest ones to pack for. But they always end up being the hardest. Weekends should be simple. The trip is short, the weather won’t vary much, and you probably know what you’ll be doing. But packing light for a weekend trip can pose a challenge. We all tend to pack as much as we can fit, not just what we need. Whether you’re traveling for a weekend or a month, you’ll probably fill your backpack or suitcase. When you have the space, you start adding stuff you’ll never need, like an extra pair of shoes or a just-in-case outfit. Your stuff will expand to ..read more

The fewer electronics you pack, the less you have to charge, carry, and organize. When it comes to traveling with a computer and accessories, less is more. By now, everyone travels with some electronics whether that’s just your phone, a tablet for watching movies on the plane, or a full-on mobile office. In this article, we’ll cover what you’re allowed to bring plus a recommended packing list. Tortuga Laptop Backpack 4.5 Protect your laptop when you fly. Pros: Personal-item-sized Easy to pack Comfortable to carry Built to last Shop at Tortuga TSA Laptop Rules Neither the TSA nor the ai ..read more

Getting past the ticketing agent, the gate agent, and the flight attendants can feel like running a gauntlet. Will your bag fit? Will you have to check it, pay for it, and hope that it shows up at baggage claim? We’ve all been there. That’s why you should only carry on and never check your luggage. The first step to traveling light is to learn rules. The second step is to get the right carry on luggage. Carry on luggage sizes and weights differ by airline, fare type, and region. In this article, you’ll learn the rules: what qualifies as a carry on, size and weight limits by airline, and what b ..read more

You can’t show up to a meeting or a wedding looking like you slept in your clothes. Even the most rugged backpacker wants to look good sometimes. Packing clothes so they arrive at your destination wrinkle-free is tricky. No one wants to iron on a trip. Which materials are the best at avoiding wrinkling? Does rolling clothes prevent wrinkles? How can you keep clothes from wrinkling in your backpack or suitcase? Keep reading for the answers. Wrinkle-Free Travel Clothes The easiest way to avoid your clothes getting wrinkled is to buy clothes that don’t—or even better, can’t—wrinkle. Wrinkle-free ..read more