As I was returning from a trip, I was surprised to find that my checked luggage weighed in at 58.2 pounds. When I was unpacking, I weighed everything as I removed it. To easily tally heavier things that was measured in pounds and things in ounces, I converted everything to ounces for the calculations. It was converted back to pounds and ounces to compare the results.
|
Description
|
Qty
|
Pounds
|
Ounces
|
Weight (Ounces)
|
| Suitcase |
1
|
12
|
13
|
205
|
| Network Kit |
1
|
4
|
8
|
72
|
| Toiletries in Case |
1
|
4
|
8
|
72
|
| Brand Show Shirts |
6
|
0
|
9
|
54
|
| Tripod |
1
|
3
|
5
|
53
|
| Show Magazines (3 Total) |
1
|
2
|
8
|
40
|
| Dress Shoes |
1
|
2
|
1.5
|
33.5
|
| Undershirt |
5
|
0
|
5
|
25
|
| Jeans |
1
|
1
|
8
|
24
|
| Jeans |
1
|
1
|
7
|
23
|
| Jeans |
1
|
1
|
5
|
21
|
| Portable Scanner, Cable, Case |
1
|
1
|
4
|
20
|
| Underwear |
6
|
0
|
3
|
18
|
| Photo HD (Case & Cable) |
1
|
1
|
0
|
16
|
| Canon Camera Flash |
1
|
1
|
0
|
16
|
| Slacks |
1
|
1
|
0
|
16
|
| Slacks |
1
|
0
|
15
|
15
|
| Scrubs Top & Bottom |
1
|
0
|
15
|
15
|
| Leatherman & Bits In Holsters |
1
|
0
|
13
|
13
|
| Slacks |
1
|
0
|
13
|
13
|
| Golf Shirt |
1
|
0
|
11
|
11
|
| Extension Cord |
1
|
0
|
10.5
|
10.5
|
| Dress Shirt |
1
|
0
|
10
|
10
|
| Golf Shirt |
1
|
0
|
10
|
10
|
| Dress Shirt |
1
|
0
|
10
|
10
|
| Dress Socks |
5
|
0
|
2
|
10
|
| Golf Shirt |
1
|
0
|
9.5
|
9.5
|
| Work External Hard Drive |
1
|
0
|
9
|
9
|
| T Shirt |
1
|
0
|
8.5
|
8.5
|
| USB Headset |
1
|
0
|
8
|
8
|
| Gorillapod |
1
|
0
|
8
|
8
|
| Bp Cuff in Carrying Case |
1
|
0
|
8
|
8
|
| Digital Name Tag (Gift) |
1
|
0
|
8
|
8
|
| Mini-tripod |
1
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
| Dress Shirt |
1
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
| T Shirt |
1
|
0
|
7
|
7
|
| Power Strip |
1
|
0
|
6
|
6
|
| Athletic Socks |
3
|
0
|
2
|
6
|
| Cat 5 Cable 2 Meter |
1
|
0
|
3
|
3
|
| Handkerchief |
4
|
0
|
0.75
|
3
|
| Hat |
1
|
0
|
2.5
|
2.5
|
| Usb (A To Mini B) |
1
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
| Ipod Cable |
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
| Shoehorn |
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
| Laminate And Lanyard |
1
|
0
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
|
Total
|
58 pounds 3 ounces
|
|||
Then I tried to figure out what I could leave out. In retrospect there are things I did not use, tripods, camera flash, but that is about it. I also did not know that going into the trip. The same goes for the networking troubleshooting kit, but once again I was not sure if it would be needed or not. I used part of it, but not all of it. Six show shirts came as a result of starting with three irregular shirts and then having three more shirts provided. I did however use everything else in there at least once, some things twice even. I could travel lighter with the toiletries, such as using the more expensive travel sizes and not bringing the electric razor.The question becomes to pack lighter what does one give up? Any suggestions? Oh yeah and this trip was a work visit to Las Vegas with some time spent doing physical work setting up the show booth.
Funny that I JUST saw this. I would say that luggage prices are a complete sham! If I’m going to pay you to get my luggage somewhere, you’d better have a damn near close to 100% success rate or I’ll have an 85% pay-my-fare rate! Either way, it’s a crime the way luggage is handled in this day and age of technology. I think that you might be able to do without the shoehorn and possibly the extension cord (maybe in the long run a lighter bag to begin with, although that’s a long shot). Either way, should you pack these items on a trip to, say, California…drop me a line, we’d love to see you![dr. nick]
The shoe horn is well worth it. And it is really small.
Coming home from the trip to Moab for the dgrin shoot out a couple years ago, the gate agent at McCarren did the standard questions about if anyone placed anything into your bag without your knowledge etc and I gave the pat “nope” without thinking. Then I put it on the scale and it was way over weight. My wife’s bag was under weight (and much smaller) so we quickly opened them up to shuffle some heavier items from one bag to the other. It’s at this point I pull a rock about the size of a cantaloupe out of my bag. I’m sitting there looking at this thing and all I can think to say is “what the hell?” 12 lbs. The gate agent has the sense of humour to ask again, “So… did someone place something in your bag without your knowing?” We both turn to look at my wife. Beet red. I wanted to leave the darn thing right there. But she managed to cram it into her purse… and TSA didn’t take it away. (Unlike some other rocks she had on another trip that “looked funny” on the xray.)Yeah, she shoulda been a geologist.So what would I leave out? the wife’s access to my bag while on the road!
In all honesty though, jeans are usually what I pack fewer of, they’re some of the heaviest clothes, and they’re also some of the most “re-wearable”. It looks like you had three pairs, plus 3 slacks, for a 5 or 6 day trip (just a guess based on the underwear count) that means each pair of jeans only got used for one day? that wouldn’t cut it in my suitcase.
I agree with the re-wearable idea on most trips, however during trade show set up, tear down, and client visits all on this same trip I learned from previous experience having a dedicated pair of jeans for each task can save some embarrassment. I did re use them for nights out and plane flights back home, and this time I didn’t rip anything.Now as to your rock, where is it now?