We’re ready to get down to the nitty gritty and share all of our travel knowledge to help lighten your load while traveling.

1. Finding the right carry-on luggage.

    There are many great lightweight rolling suitcases that conform to the cabin baggage policies of most airlines.  The company known as IT Luggage claims to have made “the world’s lightest rolling carry on.” Are they right?

    After comparing many different lightweight rolling suitcases from across the industry, we have concluded that IT Luggage is correct:  They have produced the lightest 22” rolling suitcase that we can find. Weighing in at just 1.59 kg (3.5 pounds), the IT Luggage Los Angeles 2 wheel 21.9” carry on is the lightest of its type.  (You can see the full specifications of this model HERE.)

    There are several other lightweight rolling suitcases we like as well.  The ultra-sleek and stylish Zero Halliburton ZRL polycarbonate rolling carry-on weighs in at just under 5 pounds.  Both the Samsonite Lite-Shock Cabin Spinner and the Samsonite Cosmolite Cabin Spinner weigh under 4 pounds. The American Tourister Herolite weighs just a hair more than IT Luggage’s Los Angeles model, at 1.6 kg (3.52 pounds).  Out of all of these, however, the IT Los Angeles model is the only rolling suitcase that can be purchased for under $75.

    Why does it matter?  Because if your rolling suitcase already weighs 12 pounds, then you won’t be able to put many items in it without going over your air carrier’s strict weight allowance for cabin baggage.  

2.       Finding lightweight clothing.

    One of our favorite areas of discussion is lightweight clothing.  There are several companies which produce wonderfully light yet refreshingly contemporary clothes.  Mountain Khakis makes some very forward-thinking lightweight clothing for both men and women. Arcteryx makes polo shirts for men and tops for women which are very attractive and which weigh as little as five ounces.  With regard to footwear, Mizuno used to make the lightest running/walking shoes in the world: The Wave Universe Five. Each shoe weighed around 2.8 ounces. Unfortunately, the company stopped making them several years ago, but you can still find them in various sizes for women on Amazon and other places.  Sadly, it’s nearly impossible to find new Wave Universe Fives for men. Meanwhile, Toms makes some of the lightest casual/dress shoes available for both men and women.

    Why does it matter?  Because lightening your load to the tune of multiple ounces per item of clothing really helps.  What would you rather do, lug around a suitcase that weighs forty pounds, or casually roll a 12-pound valise down the sidewalk, smiling with the realization that you packed as light as humanly possible?

3.       Finding lightweight toiletries.

    Another of our favorite topics of conversation is the neverending search for better, lighter toiletries.  The best place to find lightweight toiletries is in the trial/travel section of most pharmacies. But even in that section, there will be some decisions that need to be made.  Should you go for the 3-ounce mouthwash or the 1.2-ounce mouthwash? Skin cream or vitamin E oil? Or both? 3-ounce toothpaste or .75 ounce toothpaste? Of course, if you forget to bring a certain toiletry, you can always buy what you need when you arrive at your destination. Or ask the front desk at your hotel.  

    Wahl produces a 4 ounce rechargeable razor for men that can last several weeks on one charge.  No need to bring that annoying charger along. And Eunon has created a small, stylish, lightweight electric razor for women.  Gilette seems to be the go-to source for lightweight disposable razors for both men and women.

    As previously mentioned, lightweight restroom items can be found at the pharmacy or supermarket most of the time, but this isn’t always the case.  Colgate makes an incredibly light travel size dental floss that’s only available for purchase on the internet. It weighs .19 oz. Earlier we made mention of a .75 ounce tube of toothpaste, which is the industry standard for travel size in this category.  But tubes of toothpaste which are even lighter – just .6 oz – can be found on Amazon or Ebay quite easily. And if you think .6 oz is light for a toothpaste tube, how does .18 oz strike your fancy? Yes, there really is a toothpaste tube that weighs .18 oz.  Of course, you have to buy it in bulk which makes it a little pricey. But hey, if you’re really interested in lightweight travel, a .18 oz tube of toothpaste might just be for you.

    Why does all this matter?  Carrying around a half gallon bottle of mouthwash and a footlong tube of toothpaste on a two week trip seems foolish, given that only a tiny percentage of these items will actually be used while traveling (And yet we know people who do this, don’t we?).  Packing light saves our guests time and energy that they can invest in sightseeing.

5.       More Lightweight Odds and Ends

    Here’s a list of miscellaneous objects and the lightest functional versions of them that we were able to find:

Laptop:   Fujitsu Lifebook UH 75 – weight 1.71 pounds

Samsung Notebook 9 – weight: 1.8 pounds

Compact Camera:  Sony RX0 II – weight:  4.6 ounces

DSLR Camera:   Canon Rebel SL2 – weight:  16 oz, with card and battery

Tripod:

Eye Drops: Visene miniature bottle, available at Walgreens – weight: .28 oz

First Aid Kit (DIY):  It’s easy to create a small first-aid kit with multiple bandaids,

gauze pads, tape, antibiotic ointment pouches, Visene miniature

bottle, tiny scissors, and Medi-First 2 oz bottle of rubbing alcohol

and have the entire kit take up very little space and not exceed

5 ounces.