Packing List, Male, 65 years, 14 days, Scotland

[Bogiesan]

Male, 65 years
Destination: Scotland
Length of journey: 14 days in early spring
Packing list includes items worn on the plane but not toiletries

2 Royal Robbins Active Traveler shorts, gray and khaki
2 Royal Robbins Active Traveler long pants, gray and khaki
2 Degree-32 short sleeve shirts, poly, purple and blue
1 REI long sleeve t shirt, poly, gray
1 REI long sleeve 1/4 zip shirt, poly, fluorescent orange
1 light cashmere pullover sweater, purple
1 Costco merino wool sweater, 1/4 zip, red heather
1 set REI silk sleep wear
4 underwear, briefs, poly
1 Showers Pass waterproof sox (did not use)
2 Smartwool calf-high sox
1 REI cycling sox, poly, fluorescent green and orange
2 cotton bandanas
1 Arcade stretch belt, fluorescent orange
1 Altra Paradigm shoes, blue and gray
1 Lems Primal shoes, red
1 Eddie Bauer travel blazer, nylon, gray
1 Eddie Bauer down coat, red
1 Marmot rain jacket, orange
1 REI sunhat, khaki
1 Smartwool buff, orange
1 Smartwool gloves, purple
1 Blunt umbrella, orange (did not use)
1 REI rain pants, black (did not use)
1 gym shorts/swim trunks, orange (did not use, did not need)

Bags for this trip:
REI Big Haul duffle, 40 liter, fluorescent orange
Patagonia Refugio backpack, 28 liter, bright red

Post-trip observations:

The REI Big Haul was an inexpensive ($90) and compact unit, ideal for one-bagging, that easily held all my stuff. The Big Haul series has absolutely no frills; they are just soft duffles with flimsy shoulder straps and therefore not suitable for long portage. The Refugio easily held all of my daily carry items and needs for plane and coach travel: munchies, water, binoculars, extra clothing, and all supplies for self-contained excursions. I have since acquired a Bihn Aeronaut 30.

Your capsule wardrobe: I often see advice given, and personal preferences noted, that travelers should wear drab and dark colored clothing while visiting Europe so as to fit in or become invisible. I find the rationalizations for this advice to be baseless if not complete nonsense. In Scotland, I saw locals and folks from all over the world wearing whatever the heck they wanted. Anyway, I don’t do drab. And I fit right in with everyone else. I wore my shorts and sunglasses 11 out of 14 days and got a tan.

I deliberately brought along a few items I could discard toward the end of the trip such as old short sleeve shirts, underwear, and sox.

Temps ranged from 34 at night to 70F. The down coat was worn most days. The Marmot rain coat was worn often as a jacket but it’s completely waterproof, no pit zips, so needs a layer or two to ventilate. I had fog, haar, on several mornings but had to cope with heavy or horizontal rain on only two brief occasions.

I debated right up to the last moment to bring the travel blazer. So I brought it. Turned out to be a classy splash for three fancy dining occasions.

The set of four matched Royal Robbins bottoms allowed me to standardize on a single configuration of pockets and security features. My daily carry items were always in the same locations so the pat-down became habit. Royal Robbins makes excellent lightweight travel products. They rinsed easily and shed wrinkles if hung in the bathroom while showering.

I did not use some rain gear items but only because an island excursion was canceled due to insanely horrible weather. Had we made it to Iona, I’d have been glad for the umbrella and rain pants. Might not take the waterproof sox next time.

I could have brought merino but I didn’t. Everything that needed to be washed rinsed quickly and thoroughly and dried overnight.

[Cristina]

Male, 65 years
Destination: Scotland
Length of journey: 14 days in early spring
Packing list includes items worn on the plane but not toiletries

2 Royal Robbins Active Traveler shorts, gray and khaki
2 Royal Robbins Active Traveler long pants, gray and khaki
2 Degree-32 short sleeve shirts, poly, purple and blue
1 REI long sleeve t shirt, poly, gray
1 REI long sleeve 1/4 zip shirt, poly, fluorescent orange
1 light cashmere pullover sweater, purple
1 Costco merino wool sweater, 1/4 zip, red heather
1 set REI silk sleep wear
4 underwear, briefs, poly
1 Showers Pass waterproof sox (did not use)
2 Smartwool calf-high sox
1 REI cycling sox, poly, fluorescent green and orange
2 cotton bandanas
1 Arcade stretch belt, fluorescent orange
1 Altra Paradigm shoes, blue and gray
1 Lems Primal shoes, red
1 Eddie Bauer travel blazer, nylon, gray
1 Eddie Bauer down coat, red
1 Marmot rain jacket, orange
1 REI sunhat, khaki
1 Smartwool buff, orange
1 Smartwool gloves, purple
1 Blunt umbrella, orange (did not use)
1 REI rain pants, black (did not use)
1 gym shorts/swim trunks, orange (did not use, did not need)

Bags for this trip:
REI Big Haul duffle, 40 liter, fluorescent orange
Patagonia Refugio backpack, 28 liter, bright red

Post-trip observations:

The REI Big Haul was an inexpensive ($90) and compact unit, ideal for one-bagging, that easily held all my stuff. The Big Haul series has absolutely no frills; they are just soft duffles with flimsy shoulder straps and therefore not suitable for long portage. The Refugio easily held all of my daily carry items and needs for plane and coach travel: munchies, water, binoculars, extra clothing, and all supplies for self-contained excursions. I have since acquired a Bihn Aeronaut 30.

Your capsule wardrobe: I often see advice given, and personal preferences noted, that travelers should wear drab and dark colored clothing while visiting Europe so as to fit in or become invisible. I find the rationalizations for this advice to be baseless if not complete nonsense. In Scotland, I saw locals and folks from all over the world wearing whatever the heck they wanted. Anyway, I don’t do drab. And I fit right in with everyone else. I wore my shorts and sunglasses 11 out of 14 days and got a tan.

I deliberately brought along a few items I could discard toward the end of the trip such as old short sleeve shirts, underwear, and sox.

Temps ranged from 34 at night to 70F. The down coat was worn most days. The Marmot rain coat was worn often as a jacket but it’s completely waterproof, no pit zips, so needs a layer or two to ventilate. I had fog, haar, on several mornings but had to cope with heavy or horizontal rain on only two brief occasions.

I debated right up to the last moment to bring the travel blazer. So I brought it. Turned out to be a classy splash for three fancy dining occasions.

The set of four matched Royal Robbins bottoms allowed me to standardize on a single configuration of pockets and security features. My daily carry items were always in the same locations so the pat-down became habit. Royal Robbins makes excellent lightweight travel products. They rinsed easily and shed wrinkles if hung in the bathroom while showering.

I did not use some rain gear items but only because an island excursion was canceled due to insanely horrible weather. Had we made it to Iona, I’d have been glad for the umbrella and rain pants. Might not take the waterproof sox next time.

I could have brought merino but I didn’t. Everything that needed to be washed rinsed quickly and thoroughly and dried overnight.

Welcome to the forums, great trip report! I love that all four pairs of your pants/shorts had the same pockets. That is the sort of thing that can make a big difference, especially when traveling.

Happy to hear you had great weather. I lived in Scotland for nearly a decade and I hope I can visit the Highlands soon, it is so beautiful there.