Spent 3 years overstuffing my backpack before a guy at a hostel in Prague set me straight

I used to bring like 4 pairs of shoes on every trip because I was terrified of not having the right outfit. Last summer I'm struggling to zip my 65 liter bag in a Prague hostel lobby and some dude just laughs and points out I'm carrying a full size hair dryer. He showed me his setup - one pair of trail runners, three shirts, a microfiber towel, and that's it. I realized I've been hauling around 20 pounds of stuff I never even touch. Has anyone else had that moment where a stranger made you see how dumb your packing system was?

3 comments

3 Comments

charles_coleman8d ago

Used to be a total overpacker myself before I ran into an older guy in Malaysia who traveled with just a tiny messenger bag. Made me realize I was lugging around a bunch of clothes I never wore and a whole first aid kit for things that never happened. Completely changed how I pack now.

colethomas8d ago

Thought I was fine with my big suitcase until I saw someone surviving with a tiny backpack for a month. Totally changed how I see packing now.

lee6898d ago

Wait, did @charles_coleman say the older guy in Malaysia had a messenger bag? Those things are tiny, I'd argue he probably had at least a small backpack cause messenger bags are rough for any real travel.