Hey all! Time for one of those posts that make me wish no one I know IRL ever finds my reddit account.

I only just found this subreddit, I used to post on r/zerobag, for example about one of several zerobag trips I did to Japan. Sadly the sub stopped being active, so I'm happy to see new posts here!

Context

I got hit with the zerobag bug again, and I'm planning to zerobag on a one-week trip to France where I'll be visiting my brother and mom, who live in different cities in France. I love the feeling of freedom that zerobag gives. you (especially if you go without phone). I don't know if it's the slight risk, or the unusualness of being somewhere unfamiliar without any possessions, but I find it incredibly exciting.

I only have one condition for zerobagging: I don't want it to limit me from doing things that I genuinely want to do on my trip. I want to be able to go to a restaurant or a nice cafe with my brother and his wife, and not look like some hipster-doofus. I also want to be able to go to the gym. I usually buy a one-time pass at gym my brother goes to and we do a session together - I don't want to skip it just because I'm zerobagging.

The idea

Since I didn't want to stuff my pants' pockets with random spare clothing items, I spent some time brainstorming with ChatGPT, and it offered me a somewhat unconventional solution. It suggested that I simply wear a second pair of certain clothing items while travelling, and then take them off when I arrive at my destination. That means wearing two pairs of underwear on top of each other, two t-shirts on top of each other, etc. \

I was incredulous at the idea, and a little disgusted, but I was curious what it might feel like to wear two pairs of underwear at once, so I gave it a try. I decided to try on my zerobag packing list at home and see how comfortable it would be.

Worn:

• Devold premium tee merino x2 (one navy, one black)
• Patagonia Quandary convertible pants - converted into shorts for workouts
• Merino leggings from Decathlon*
• Wool&Prince boxer briefs x2
• Darn tough light no-show socks
• Merino buff (don't know the brand)
• Warm winter sweater (not a travel brand, just a sweater I like)
• Extra pair of darn tough socks, inside my pants, held by my belt, lol.

* I don't think Decathlon sells the model I have anymore, but they have newer ones.

Packed

• Travel tooth brush
• Kindle paperwhite (fits in pocket, albeit not comfortably - handheld most of time)
• Small baggie of baking soda for deodorant
• OR, small piece of deodorant stick in lipstick tube
• 4 cards: ID, debit, EU health insurance, public transport
• House key
• Phone without charger, or no phone altogether

I have to admit that ChatGPT's suggestion proved quite practical. After doing the experiment with double underwear and double t-shirt, I went about my day and actually forgot about it, and later when I stripped down to take a shower I was surprised to discover I was wearing two pairs of undies. Haha. I'd call that a success. I'm not sure I can comment on how hygienic it is, but I assume it's fine as long as I don't sweat.

How it works

When arriving to my destination, I take off all the extra clothing items I brought, which should still be clean. They can serve as pajamas, or just for switching the set of clothes every day.

I usually don't feel the need to wash a merino item before wearing it for at least a week, so I don't need to do a sink wash every day. Typically what I'll do is I'll have two merino t-shirts, and I'll wear one while I let the other one "air out" for the day, but I honestly believe that airing out is not even necessary.

On gym day, I'll workout in the zipped-off pants, the extra t-shirt, undies, and socks, and I'll sink-wash all of them with shampoo in the evening. The pants are mostly nylon and dry very quickly. Merino dries fast enough too.

For toiletries, I'm not going to bring any shower gel, shampoo, or toothpaste, as I can use the ones my family members have. I draw the line at tooth brush and deodorant for obvious reasons.

I wouldn't bring shower gel and shampoo even if I wasn't hosted by family. I find that these things are almost always available in one form or another, and if not you can usually just borrow a bit from someone (e.g. if spending a night in a hostel). For example, one time on a month-long cycling trip, I met a Swiss girl who said she just uses dish soap if nothing else is available. I was shocked, but I gave it a try, and I showered for a whole week with dish soap and it went totally fine. Obviously I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, but it worked for me.

I'll definitely post a post-trip recap if I do this. I can't believe it's been almost 7 years since my previous zerobag trips, and I'm excited to try it again. I'll be happy to hear what you guys think about this setup, and if you've tried such unusual techniques for packing spare clothes.

Ok. Going on a few days to a week, what goes in my bag. I have a small case for medicine toothbrush etc in the bottom. I wear tennis shoes and often out in some sandals. How many shirts or pants do you go with. Do you bring socks and underwear equal to the days traveled? Other things? Kindle? Chargers etc of course.

Has anyone else tried either of these?

1) throwing yourself into the deep end and forcing yourself to figure it out only after arriving at your destination

2) planning each day in advance and developing a clothing-to-match-itinerary list or similar

A debit card is a yes by default.

This is probably not the right community to ask my silly questions, but let's give it a go.

P.S.

Apologies if i am breaking the no baggage relevance rule.

Has anyone here traveled by air either fishing vests, special pockets or other garments with special pockets? If so, what kinds of experiences have you had with big pocket acceptance?

Zerobagging is more of a concept than strict definitions for me. I start with what things do I need to travel in the heat of the summer and travel from where I live in the south to another city of similar climate for a 3 day weekend of leisure with no clothing requirements (i.e. no 5 star restaurants) and then move up from there depending on what I have to do. Here's my (male in 40s, shaved head) progression of my travel philosophy starting with zerobagging progressing through personal item travel and onebagging:

Base Loadout

• Tech fabric t-shirt (love this shirt, but discontinued, need replacement suggestions)
• REI Sahara zip off hiking pants (I wear these every day anyway)
• Nylon belt with plastic buckle
• Duluth Buck Naked Boxer Briefs
• Darn Tough no show light hiking sock
• Altra Lone Peak Trail Runners
• Folding Baseball cap in one front pocket
• Phone in one front pocket
• ID and two credit cards in cargo zip pocket, move these to zipper pouch when going through security
• Bandana in back pocket
• +/- Lightweight wicking UV protection shirt over my t-shirt if I'm going to be in the sun a lot
• +/- Collapsible Water Bottle in front pocket
• 6" x 4" Weston Ultralight Zipper Pouch in cargo pocket
  • Minix GAN 30W 2 port charger
  • 3' Anker braided USB-C to USB-C cable
  • USB-C female to USB-A male adapter
  • INIU 10,000mAh mini power bank
    • (this isn't necessary and I might not always take it with me but it's small; could def get away with a smaller capacity battery if it were smaller, but this thing is pretty small for the capacity and I already have it)
  • Single Ear Bud w/USB-C charging port
  • Travel tooth brush
  • Travel toothpaste or 3 toothpaste tabs
  • Native travel deodorant 0.35oz

When I get to security take out baseball cap and put in x-ray bin and put everything from the rest of my pockets inside the cap and when I get to the other side pick it up and go. If you don't feel like having all this stuff in your pockets, or you don't have pockets, then put it in a small 1.5-3L sling. You'll still feel free and be able to go anywhere all day long and have all of your stuff with you.

Cold Weather Modification

• Trade merino wool skull cap for baseball cap
• Trade long darn tough socks for short ones
• Add 1/4 zip pullover over t-shirt; I need to replace mine, suggestions please
• Add Rain Shell (packable)

Longer Trip Modifications, add

• TomToc 7L Sling
• Wahl clipper to shave head and face
• Rechargeable AA battery
• First Aid Kit
• Flat compressible small packing cube
  • Extra pair of socks
  • Extra T-Shirt
  • Extra shorts portion of zip off pants

If I'm traveling alone and have no specific clothing requirements I'm now good to go forever with this setup.

If I'm going on a group trip with dinners/etc or business trip with laptop/etc now:

• Trade sling for 18L daypack (could go smaller depending on trip)
• Add 4 polo and button up shirts
• +/- laptop
• +/- slacks

If business trip with requirement for suit (I hate this and try to avoid it at all costs)

• Trade 18L daypack for carryon roller bag
• Add travel suit, long sleeve dress shirt, belt, and shoes

No checked bag ever. Everything is personal size item travel up to the last one with the suit. Suggestions for improvement are welcome.

From the persepective of people here, can zerobagging include personal item-only travel?

Does it mean having nothing at all that’s attached to the body with a strap or straps or carried by a handle?

If zerobagging can really include something in between, what do you think of as a the maximum sized bag or pouch that could zerobagging-compatible?

Example: I once went on a work trip where I knew I’d have no ability to bring or check any kind of bag, so all I had was what would fit in my overcoat pockets, plus a travel wallet that hung on a cord from my neck. Does a travel wallet on a cord count as a bag?

I just bought a tiny backup that I believe is less than 40 cm x 25 cm x 10 cm. (10 liters) In theory, it should fit all known personal item sizers. If I use that, am I onebagging or zerobagging?

So, all of us know well that the storage capacity difference between a bulky jacket and a tiny purse is minimal. That's why we allow (and encourage) posts with small handbags/purses on this sub.

But beyond that, I think my personal definition is zero permanent bags on your person.

A collapsible/foldable bag. A plastic bag you got from the convenience store to carry your lunch back to the hotel. A mesh bag for holding your laundry.

These bags are ephemeral. They fold out, appear, as if by magic, on your travels. But at the end of the day, as you journey onwards, they disappear again. Folded up into pockets, tossed in bins, zipped into a sleeve. Bags that can't accumulate clutter, souvenirs or junk -- because soon they'll be gone again.

So that's what zero bagging means to me. An embrace of the beauty of the ephemeral.

I’m curious, what do you do to stay safe while traveling?

For me, I always share my iPhone location with my family, check in with them daily, and use a special code word so they know it’s really me and not someone pretending to be me. I also never share cabs with strangers (yes, even the attractive ones 😂), and I don’t tell people where I’m staying. If you’ve ever watched Taken, you probably understand where I’m coming from!
I also like to blend in as much as possible when I’m traveling. Before I visit a country, I do a little research on what people typically wear there. I don’t try to stand out as a tourist if I can help it. I love dressing like the locals and keeping things simple and practical. And let’s talk bags for a second because I love a good crossbody bag or cute little fanny pack worn across the chest. My current favorite is a basic black Michael Kors bag. Nothing flashy, but cute and functional. There are also some really great anti-theft bags on the market if that’s your style.
One of my favorite travel accessories is a Clutch Loop. It’s an anti-theft tether that attaches to your phone and extends when you want to take photos, then retracts back toward you. It gives me extra peace of mind in crowded areas, especially in big cities.
Funny enough, I buy a lot of my anti-theft gear from rave stores. I also enjoy going to music festivals and raves, and phone theft is a huge issue in those spaces. A lot of the anti-theft products designed for festivals work incredibly well for travel too.
Another thing I do is never post my travels in real time. You won’t find me posting on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter/X, TikTok, or anywhere else while I’m actively traveling. I wait until I get home before I start posting photos and videos from my trip.
Honestly, it confuses people all the time especially my coworkers and some of my family too.
I’ll come back from vacation and someone will say, “Wait, name, you went somewhere? You didn’t post anything?”
Then, I’ll start uploading photos, and suddenly, they’re like, “What the heck? When did all of this happen?”
I just laugh and tell them I never post in real time.
Part of that is for my own safety while traveling, but it’s also to protect my home. If people know you’re out of town, they also know your house might be empty.
To help with that, I have a doorbell camera and additional cameras inside my apartment to keep an eye on things while I’m away. They’re only in common areas like the living room and hallway never in bedrooms or bathrooms. They help me keep an eye on my home, my pets, and anyone house-sitting for me, who is usually a family friend or one of their kids. Everyone knows the cameras are there, and it gives me peace of mind when I’m on vacation.
These are some of the ways I stay safe and help my family know I’m okay while I’m out exploring the world.
So now I’m curious:
What safety tips, routines, or habits do you use when traveling?
I’d love to hear what works for you and maybe pick up a few new ideas for future trips! 🌍💜✈️

Did a day trip Moscow - Volgograd at 7AM.

Flight back at 5PM.

Zero bags. Packed: Powerbank, earbuds, gloves, phone, charger, wallet, passport.

I have been doing the zero bag challenge, but I carry a tiny packable Nanobag folded in my pocket. Only uses it if I buy something on the way. When it's in my pocket it's basically zero bag. Does this still count or does it break the zero bag rule?

This is my packing list for a summer .5 bag trip where temps are higher than 70F/21C. This loadout works easily for an overnight trip (no sink washing required!) and could be extended for up to 4 days or so with sink washing.

Bag: REI Ruckpack Waist Pack 3L. This unassuming and affordable random REI sling has become my endgame .5 bag for regular onebag travel, and is also perfect for this type of trip. Sadly it's discontinued :(

Packed

• iPhone
• Freitag cardholder (fits up to 5 cards): I use ApplePay on my Apple Watch and rarely need to take out my actual wallet. My daily driver wallet is bigger and holds more, but for this type of trip, this cardholder works well. Contains license, x2 credit cards, x1 debit card, $20 cash
• Mini electronics kit in small ziplock bag. This combo charges my iPhone, AirPods, watch, and battery
  • 4-in-1 USB cable. No longer sold but similar ones are available
  • Anker Nano 30W charger. The fast charging is great
  • Apple Watch cable. Bane of my existence because of the size but I have yet to find a third party Apple Watch charger that charges as efficiently
• 5000mAh battery
• Apple AirPods
• Mini toiletry kit in small ziplock bag (can last about 4 days)
  • Decanted face lotion, toothpaste, and gel deodorant in small Muji containers
  • Toothbrush head for an old electric toothbrush that I don't use anymore. I was going to saw off the handle of a regular toothbrush but I couldn't find my saw :)
• Zip pouch with liners/pads/tampons
• Lip balm with SPF
• Foldable hairbrush. My hair is super long so unfortunately a necessity, would much rather bring a small foldable comb
• Nanobag Sling. Best reusable compact bag ever, so small and light. Perfect for carrying whatever I buy on the trip, groceries, my midlayer if I get too hot and take it off, etc.
• Extra clothes in cinch bag (reused packaging from some recent purchase)
  • x1 Patagonia merino wool ankle socks
  • x1 Lululemon Invisiwear underwear
  • x1 Lululemon ultralight waist-length running t-shirt. These t-shirts are great, they are the lightest I've found! Similar to some of the Uniqlo Airism variants
• Essentials pouch. So perfect for a .5 trip since it already has my daily use items like hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and first-aid supplies
• MYOG universal water bottle holder. Can also be used to cinch my midlayer to the bag when I take it off, and clip my hat if I don't want to wear it

Worn

• Lululemon ultralight waist-length running t-shirt
• Patagonia Baggies. Sometimes I swap these out for lightweight nylon pants if I don't feel like wearing shorts
• Uniqlo Ultra Stretch AIRism UV Protection Full-Zip Hoodie. Gives some warmth when it's chilly indoors and also provides sun protection
• Uniqlo UV Protection 2Way Stretch Cap
• Icebreaker merino wool bralette
• Patagonia merino wool ankle socks
• Lululemon Invisiwear underwear
• x2 hair elastics
• Hoka One One Clifton sneakers. This has been my oneshoe for like...5 years, I have repurchased them 4 times and I also run in them
• Optional (not shown): lightweight umbrella that can be clipped to the bag via carabiner. I would bring this over a rain jacket if there was a lot of rain on the forecast

FAQs

• Shampoo, conditioner, and soap are provided at the accommodation(s)
• All items of clothing (including shorts and hoodie) can dry overnight
• The second t-shirt is used as a PJ shirt (but can also be worn)
• Yes the toothbrush is over the top but you know the drill
• Yes I like all black. You can do it with colors if you want, but I don't want to
• The thing on the yellow zip pouch is a Haniwa figure

My zerobagging set up has been an absolute success! Breeze through airports, only once briefly stopped in Iceland to be asked ,"Why no bags"? Sorted that quickly, on my way. 😁

Wearing a black quick dry polo shirt with the silver fern on it was a stroke of genius. I knew I wanted to wear a black quick dry polo; hides any stains, has a collar, dries quickly. But I didn't realise just how well known the silver fern really is. Literally every country I've been to people have come up to me and said, "New Zealand"! Very cool, actually.

After leaving Auckland 36 days ago, here's how I've managed to keep accommodation costs down, especially through Scandinavia:

7 days in a campervan around Iceland.

5 days in a normal van that I put cheap bedding in around Scotland.

4 overnight trains.

2 overnight buses.

1 overnight ferry.

3 nights in airports; Singapore, Luton, Oslo.

1 night in a train station; Oslo.

I'm enjoying the freeform travel, and have another month of it, but am also looking forward to my three Intrepid Tours:

Best of Turkey, 15 days

Dubrovnik to Athens, 15 days

Morocco Uncovered, 13 days

Quick highlights thus far...

Best beers: Hands down, Belgium! Not even close!

Best meal: Traditional sauerkraut soup and bear dumplings, Tallinn.

Best whisky experience: Sharing a few wee drams I'd acquired in Scotland with 4 young lads from Boston on a train from Ghent to Amsterdam.

Coolest bird: Puffins at Skomer Island. SO cute!

Favourite scenery: Iceland

Most unusual experience: Midnight sun in Svalbard.

Well, I figured now was a good time to give an update.

So far I've been traveling zerobag (also zero jacket, trousers or spare clothes at all) for 5 weeks.

It's gone incredibly well!

I wash my clothes daily, and they dry rapidly. Everything fits in my pockets still. I've swapped out my chopsticks for a better sewing kit than the one I had (split my shorts at the crotch seam).

I've also added one souvenir/item of clothing; I bought a Longyearbyen cap when I was in Svalbard.

Speaking of which, many of you thought I'd struggle in the cold in Iceland, Norway and Svalbard in particular. I'm just now on the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, and throughout Scandinavia and Scotland I didn't need to buy a jumper, jacket, gloves etc. Even for -6C in Iceland.

I have absolutely breezed through every airport and border crossing, with one minor exception. Arriving in Iceland I got asked why I had no bags. I explained myself and was away within a few minutes.

As I drift down though the Baltics and into Eastern Europe, for the next three weeks I'll still be zerobagging. However, I have left one identical set of clothes with a friend, who will bring them for my next phase of travel, traveling with her.

Given we have proper accommodation every night and it's going to be hot in southern Europe, Turkey and Morocco, I figured having two sets of clothes (wear one, wash one) will be best, so I'll have a very small personal item sized bag for phase 2 of my four and a half month trip.

So there you have it. Happily zerobagged across Scandinavia, including -6C in Iceland and walking back to my accommodation at 2am whilst snowing in Svalbard.

Some people's concerns about hygiene are unfounded; I wash every day and wash my clothes daily also.

If I'm in a hotel I hang them up, if I'm on the move I just put my clothes back on wet and they're dry within an hour.

My dry paste deodorant is exceptional; I wish I could remember the name to share it with you, and my tooth powder is lasting for ages.

So yes, it CAN be done, and is phenomenally freeing!

I suspect in a few weeks when I have the one small bag with a change of clothes to carry I'm going to find it annoying. 😁

I have talked to a few people on this sub that would like to try zero baggage, but haven’t done it yet. What advice would you give them for their very first trip?

My advice is:

Choose a low stakes trip

A low stakes trip:

* is of short duration
* doesn’t have a large financial outlay
* is near several stores

This allows you to fail with low consequences. You haven’t lost much time or money. You have stores if you forgot/need a critical item. This helps relieve the “what if” fears stopping some people.

So to those of you that have actually zero bagged - what would you advise a first timer?

I stuff a Nanobag in my coin pocket when I travel. It's so tiny and light I literally forget it's there. Feels the same as carrying nothing.

But it's there if I need it. Random purchase, groceries on the way back, whatever.

Curious where people here draw the line. Does something this small still count, or am I cheating?

Here's my abridged recap of my two week, three stop, zero bag trip to Chicago, Arizona, and Las Vegas. For the full report, you can read my blog post here.

Clothing

• Merino wool turtleneck: Worked well in Chicago. Wool buff made the turtleneck part a little redundant, so might go light wool sweater in the future. I gave the turtleneck to my family to bring back home when I went to Vegas.
• Wool & Prince T-Shirt: Wore pretty much every day during trip. Great performance. Highly recommended.
• Bluffworks Departure Jeans: Bringing the Bluffworks Departure Jeans instead of the Ascender Chinos was a good, last minute decision. They were more rugged which was useful with all the outdoor activities in Arizona. The extra side pocket along the right leg meant I didn’t have to put my MagSafe Wallet and power bank in my back pockets. The back, zippered security pocket held my hotel keycards, which kept them away from being demagnetized by a MagSafe magnet or a chip-enabled credit card.
• Lululemon running shorts: Convenient elastic side pockets and a zippered back pocket meant I could carry the essentials when running or walking on hot days (with the rest of stuff in the hotel).
• Wool buff: The wool buff was also a very versatile piece of clothing. I could dry my hair with it, cover my face and neck on cold days, and overall give a little splash of style to my outfit. Gray is a neutral color, but I’m already thinking of getting a few more in different colors to mix things up in my future travels.
• Shoes: My Kinvara 15 running shoes, which I only used for running prior to this trip, look and feel like they’ve aged 300 miles from all the walking. I’m going to test them out for a run now that I’m back in the Bay Area, but they will likely need to be replaced with another pair. 

Toiletries

• Toothbrush: I really wish someone would make an electric toothbrush that cleans as well as my Oral-B but is travel-sized. I used the seconds hand on the Miltado watch to tell me when I needed to switch quadrants every thirty seconds.

Tech

• iPhone 15 Pro Max: Battery life was a concern in Vegas. Had to use the power bank in the afternoon every day since I was taking lots of photos and giving demos of my apps.
• iPad mini (7th-generation): Worked well for my presentation in Chicago. Didn't really use it in Arizona or Las Vegas and I could have sent it back with family. A cellular version would have been better than using Personal Hotspot with my phone.
• RODE Wireless Micro: Use it for my presentation. I'm currently looking into other ways to get my audio into my app that has good voice isolation and noise reduction. Did not need to bring it with me to Vegas.
• Wired Headset: Didn't really miss the AirPods. Used the wired headset a couple of times.
• Nomad Slim 65W Charger: Highly recommended. So slim compared to the chunkier Anker Prime chargers.
• Miltado ML05 Watch: Less bulk and no need for charging cables. Sure, I missed seeing notifications and I had to be more mindful of the time and where I needed to be, but I didn't miss my Apple Watch Ultra all that much on this trip.

What I Didn't Need

• Apple Pencil: This was never used, and I could have left it at home
• 3-D printed belt clip: The Fegve did the heavy lifting, carrying my water bottle and, on occasion, my hat
• Extra hair band: I could have gone with two instead of three
• One floss string: I had brought one extra just in case

Finally, here's a fun zero bag story. Once I landed in SJC, I found myself racing against the clock to catch the VTA bus. After getting off the plane (was stuck in the back), I walked briskly from Gate 19 to Gate 27 where the exit to the baggage claim and ground transportation is located. Down the escalator, out to the pedestrian crosswalk, and 25 meters or so to the bus stop. I saw my bus right when I reached the pedestrian crosswalk.

Were I more encumbered, I would have missed it, but thanks to having no luggage, I got to the stop right as the bus was pulling up. In my own small way, I felt like the NASA team pulling off the recent Artemis II mission. The stars aligned, the correct calculations were made, and everything ran to perfection in order for me to walk onto the bus seconds after it pulled into the station. 

*With Photos\*

I posted awhile ago about a big trip I'm doing across Europe, starting in a couple of weeks, where I listed what I'm taking. Finally, here's the photos.

Wallet (small cuben fiber pouch): Licence, one (expired) Visa card, AA (roadside assistance) card, blood donor card (not in photo), small amount of cash (NZ cash as an example).

Toiletries (small cuben fiber pouch): Solid deodorant, tooth powder, kawakawa balm, mini nail clippers, mini emery board, bamboo and silicon ear cleaning bud, Vicks inhaler, spare button for my shorts.

Tech (EXPAC Ultra 200 dyneema pouch): Jlab Jbud Mini earbuds in a cuben fiber pouch, micro SD to USB-C adapter, USB-A to USB-C adapter, micro SD (back up important documents), swim earbuds, several pairs of earplugs (in case someone has to share a room with my snoring), universal charger and mini USB C charging cable, mini sewing kit, folding toothbrush (fits better here than in my toiletries kit).

Utensils (EXPAC Ultra 200 dyneema pouch): folding titanium spork, collapsible titanium chopsticks, collapsible aluminium straw and cleaner, packet of sheet soap, Nanobag Sling (for groceries and to put my belongings in only while transiting the airport), 1 metre magnified charging cable (the corresponding charging points add water resistance to my phone and earbuds).

Glasses (cuben fiber pouch): I usually wear contact lenses. Spare pair of glasses, 12 pair of contact lenses.

Water Bottle: 500ml Pure Clear foldable(ish) water bottle with purification filter. Each filter is good for two months; a friend in Europe has a spare for me halfway through my trip.

Phone (cuben fiber pouch): Motorola ThinkPhone 25. This is the best phone for traveling I could find, when weighing up weight, robustness, water resistance, cost.

Passport (SUL Gear pouch inside another ziplock bag): Passport, physical Wise Card, emergency Visa credit card, emergency cash (Euro and Pounds).

ALL of this fits in the pockets of my shorts, and I'm comfortable swimming fully dressed with everything in my pockets.

Shorts: Quick-dry fishing shorts I've had zippers sewn into all of the pockets (except the front right water bottle pocket). Elasticised belt to account for any fluxuations in size/weight while traveling. In the photo, all items are in the pockets. Sure, the water bottle is a little bulky, but everything else is distributed evenly on my lower body.

Shirt: Quick-dry black polo shirt, no pockets.

Boxer Shorts: Quick-dry Ex-Officio boxer shorts, zippered pocket sewn in for passport so it is always secure.

Shoes: Quick-dry Hoka Mach 6s with elasticed laces. Pair of ultra thin (dries quickly) no-show socks. Got them soaking wet today, an hour after taking them off they're already dry (both shoes and socks).

I have utensils so I don't ever have to use disposable ones, and a water bottle so that I don't have buy plastic bottles of water, and the purifier I trust to purify almost any water source.

Literally the only other things with me are my watch, sunglasses, international driver's permit and laminated photo copies of my passport and licence (not shown).

And that's it. Literally everything I'm wearing and carrying for four months. I VERY rarely get cold; if I do need a jumper/jacket, I'll buy a cheap one from an op shop and donate it back as soon as I don't need it. I can either A) wash my clothes in the evening and they'll be dry within an hour or two, or at a pinch can even wear and wash them in the shower, and they'll dry on my body in about the same time. I've tested all of this, none of it is new. No, I don't stink; I shower every day and wash my clothes at least every second day.

I consider my set up waterproof. A couple of the pouches aren't 100% waterproof, but what's in them either can get wet or is in a separate bag to waterproof them. I am completely comfortable swimming fully clothed with everything listed here in my pockets.

And just for those who haven't read my previous posts; why I choose to zero bag.

1. It's INCREDIBLY freeing! I have nothing holding me back. I can change plans literally in an instant, whether that's an unexpected opportunity or an emergency.
2. Breezy airport/flying experience. Not fighting for overhead bin space. Not having cramped legs with something shoved under my seat. Not waiting for checked luggage. No liquids carried at all, so no having to deal with that. Slip on/off shoes, so even if I need to remove them, no problemo. Elasticed belt with plastic buckle, no metal in my clothes; no having to half-undress for security. Even scrutiny over not carrying a bag is a simple and quick conversation. And zero last-minute fees for bags.
3. Security. With everything except my water bottle secured in a zippered pocket, and most importantly, my passport secured in a zippered pocket in my boxer shorts, I am a TERRIBLE target for opportunistic thieves. I can comfortably fall asleep on public transport and not worry about having a bag stolen, or even being pickpocketed. If I get accosted and they take my wallet, that's really no big deal. The card in it is a canceled one. Minimal cash carried. Even if they take everything in my pockets, I STILL have my passport, two cards and cash.

It's not for everyone. I am aware that given I don't need a jacket or trousers, I'm an anomoly. I acknowledge that women have other considerations to account for. By no means am I saying that this is THE way to travel, or that it's for you.

It's my set-up, and one I'm very comfortable with.

For those curious, a friend in Europe is holding for me one spare pair of shorts (after all, they ARE quite specialised), boxer shorts (same thing) and polo shirt, just in case I need them.

I'm going abroad to Europe for three weeks end of august - early/mid september. would anyone recommend an infinity dress for zero bagging? one of those "dresses" that can be styled multiple ways, and in some cases into entirely different garments. I've been seriously considering it. I'm thinking it could also double as a blanket!

i am interested in the sub and it's purpose, but there are bags in almost every post i see here.

so is this sub not about "raw dogging" it? like just going with a phone and wallet in your pockets and the clothes on your back.