As airlines crack down on luggage fees and carry-on restrictions, minimalist travel is moving from niche to necessity. One experienced traveler's complete 20-liter packing breakdown for a week in Taipei offers a masterclass in light travel for urban destinations.
Total weight: 5kg including the pack itself. The setup uses a Cotopaxi Allpa 20L as the main bag, with an unbranded EDC sling and a Black Pongo packable bag both fitting inside for travel, then deployed separately for daily use.
"It's Taipei, so if I need anything, I'll just pick it up," the traveler noted, highlighting the key philosophy for onebag urban travel: pack for essentials, leverage your destination's infrastructure for everything else.
The clothing breakdown reveals strategic minimalism: four t-shirts, one long sleeve, two denim shorts, one stretchy denim pants, three pairs each of socks and underwear, and a hat. Everything from budget brands like Uniqlo, Decathlon, and K-mart, proving that expensive technical fabrics aren't required for successful light packing.
The clothing choices emphasize versatility and quick-drying materials over specialized travel gear. Stretchy, lightweight denim serves double duty for varying temperatures and activities.
Tech and entertainment occupied significant space but justified their weight: a PS Vita ("the GOAT for travel"), Kindle, tablet for work emails and comics, foldable keyboard for the spouse's work needs, power bank, earbuds, and charging cables. The inclusion of both Micro USB adapter (for the aging Kindle) and USB-C cables shows attention to actual device needs rather than idealized packing lists.
What's notably absent: toiletries beyond basics. "Toothbrush & toothpaste (my wife packs that, or I pick up at a 7-11)" demonstrates trust in Taiwan's ubiquitous convenience store infrastructure. No shampoo, conditioner, or extensive grooming supplies clutter the pack.
The philosophy extends to arrival: the couple went straight to bars in San Juan after a long trip, changing clothes in the car without showering. "No shower, just went with it." This isn't slovenliness but rather understanding that sometimes the experience matters more than perfect grooming.
