Packing Strategies vs Airlines' Ever Decreasing Weight Limits

A snowHead

In order to remain within ever decreasing baggage weight limits it seems to me that packing must become a finely honed skill rather than a last minute 'stuff-it-all-in' chore. If anyone has perfected some good strategies please post them.

One presumably has to do something like the following:

Create a pile of indispensables, i.e. things one has that one cannot do without (enable skiing/avoid hypothermia), e.g. skis, poles, gloves.
Create a pile of essentials, i.e. things make the holiday bearable rather than unpleasant, e.g. underwear beyond that currently worn (unless one is into overnight laundry).
Create a pile of usefuls, i.e. things that one could do without, but would be really useful to take or might come handy in an emergency.
Create a pile of niceties, i.e. things that make the trip more enjoyable, likely to be used.
Create a pile of luxuries, i.e. niceties that one isn't entirely sure are worth taking, that may not be used.
Create a pile of disposibles, e.g. newspapers, magazines, spare carrier bags, food, drinks, etc.

Gradually create a set of luggage and weigh it as each pile is packed in order.

The disposibles are a free bonus and can be kept in a separate carrier bag that isn't weighed - as theoretically it's not going on the plane.

Disposibles can also include anything heavy you want to take, but will bin if you're threatened with excess luggage charges, e.g. old moonboots you've snuck into the ski bag.

Let us assume one has a miserly 21st century limit of a 20Kg hold bag, a 5Kg cabin bag, and a 10Kg ski bag (skis/bindings/board/poles).

Don't forget the weight of the luggage bags themselves - a holdall is probably lighter than a suitcase
Soft snowboard boots can be worn on the plane (check with your airline).
One's ski jacket (including fleece/down inner) can be taken on the plane (you don't have to wear it).
Consider taking a nylon fisherman's waistcoat, i.e. something thin/cool with umpteen pockets that can be worn in addition to the ski jacket.
Manmade fabrics are often lighter in weight than wool or cotton equivalents so consider fleeces before wool stuffed cotton jerkins from Scandinavia.
Dispense with unnecessary bags, e.g. put boots in a polythene carrier bag, rather than using a boot bag.
Instead of taking booze buy it in 'duty free' and don't expect to bring any home.
Remove batteries from all devices. And buy new ones after security.
Don't take books, sandwiches, suncream, etc. buy them after security or in resort.

Effectively, the ski jacket is the second item of cabin baggage with no weight limit. That means keeping all the small, high density items like transformers, mains adaptors, walkie talkies, goggles, hip flasks (empty), tools (non bladed), wax, etc. for jacket pockets. And perhaps ski socks, gloves and so on if weight in other luggage remains an issue. When you run out of pockets in the ski jacket use others. Consider small belt mounted bags (for cameras, etc.).

Beware of damp clothing/equipment increasing baggage weight on return.
If you still have weight problems (and cannot level weight out among the rest of your group), then obviously you may have to consider renting some equipment, e.g. ski boots.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I really don't have a problem with a 20kg luggage limit. But this might be because my holdall is very light weight (less than 2kg empty). Even with my ski boots I can stay under 15kg without a problem. Any more and I'd struggle to lift it in and out of the car.

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I can usually get all I want in 20kg plus a ski bag, but BMIBaby's limit of 18kg means somethings will have to go or go in the ski bag. Twisted Evil

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nice post crosbie,

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pam w, obviously, if you find the typical luggage allowance ample for your needs, you can adopt the 'just stuff it all in' strategy. Confused

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

crosbie, Managed those precise limits for 8 days skiing last week including taking skins, harness. helmet, boots, fairly heavy AT skis and airbag with cylinder.

As you say - one key issue is the weight of the bag itself. I have wheelie bags which weigh 4.5kg and a Eagle Creek holdall which will take almost as much and weighs about 1kg... so guess which I use for 20kg limits.

Using merino or smartwool or high quality baselayers and socks reduces the number you need too.

After all it is free

Easy... drive........ home to Geneva Airport 8hours last time I did it... no obnoxious airline staff, no silly weight limits, no crap food.... great music, great friends and very pleasant!!

(probably not much help at all so

)

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Photographer/Hunter Waistcoat with lotsa pockets plus large overcoat with similar plus poacher pockets. Cargo pants and special forces belt with pouches. Who need a luggage allowance? wink

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When cycle touring with a friend on a regular basis a few years ago, we honed keeping it light weight and got down to one saddle bag each.

1. Put out everything you want to take.
2. Get rid of everything you don't need.
3. Get rid of 50% of whats left!

After that 20kg is very easy.

snow reports

You know it makes sense.

marcellus, I'm right with you! I'm driving out to the Pyrenees this March for a two weeker - and carrying the skis & luggage of my other half who'll fly out carry-on-only via Ryan air for just one week. It's far more convenient and the same price as two flights+xfers anyway.

Trouble is I'm going to Canada next week and the ferry ain't that cheap or quick. Confused

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I must say that travelling with an infant makes these baggage limits almost completely unachievable. Due to an infant not having a "seat", they're not entitled to any luggage either, and a baby needs nearly as much as an adult...

A snowHead

I scraped the 20kg limit the other day (19.7kg)! All I had was my ski boots , one (yes one) set of clothing for the week, ski (and non ski) socks, and lot's of dodgy stained y-fronts.

A snowHead

pam w, things have changed at tad. Last year was a squeeze but doable. I had 23Kg hold luggage and ski carriage was unlimited and included a boot bag. Now, hold luggage is 20Kg and I must pack my 5Kg hard boots. That's an 8Kg reduction, and I was only just within limits before. Last year I also snuck my soft boots in my board bag, but as my board+bag weighs 10Kg, I'm now looking at having to wear my soft boots.

Something is telling me that the TOs are very keen to create their own 'airlines' so they can make money on the side via excess luggage charges. At £15-20 a kilo each way, that quickly mounts up to the price of another ski holiday. I worry about people who find they have to remove their boots from their ski bag and pay £200 (2 x 5Kg x £20) in excess fees.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Mr Technique, I've gone for the Gelert Cargo Bag.

I think the metal frames, handles, and wheel mechanisms of 5Kg wheeled holdalls are going to cease being quite so fashionable. As stoatsbrother observes, it's worth paying £15 to lose the wheels and get 4Kg back for essential luggage.

Next they'll start charging for airport trolleys of course...

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Dr John, WHAT?! Evil or Very Mad

And that's not just a deposit?

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..and Bristol. £2 non-refundable per trolley.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I've never had a problem.

After all it is free · Last edited by After all it is free on Thu 3-02-11 17:14; edited 1 time in total

jtr, B4STARDS! Shocked

I'm going via Manchester next. Anyone know if they've started this racket?

I entirely agree that travelling with an infant with no baggage allowance is pretty well impossible. It's also very annoying to have to pay full fare for a skinny 3 year olds, sitting next to someone ginormous who paid the same price and has the same baggage allowance However, all this "baggage allowanc" is just a hangover from the olden days when everyone paid for 44 lbs of baggage, even if they had none at all. Clearly, every kg costs money to carry, and somebody has to pay. So, just decide how much stuff you want to take, then pay for that number of kilos when you book.

It's on its way. Mark my words. wink

and the sooner the total weight of passengers and luggage is taken into account, the better.

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30KG a few weeks back with boots, 2 pairs of skis, one pair of bindings, skins, clothes etc etc....

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pam w, A 100Kg adult would cost £4,000 for a return flight at £20/Kg.

Now if it was something reasonable such as £1/Kg whether flesh or luggage, then a 100Kg adult plus 30Kg bags could be looking at £200 for their body and £60 for bags.

I think that's more reasonable than a standard £200 return fare plus £400 for 30Kg luggage (10Kg excess @ £20/Kg).

But, anyway, the market will probably sort things out - unless, of course, there's a cartel underlying the current excess baggage scams/schemes...

snow reports

crosbie, yup. £1 (or €1) to release the thing, which you don't get back. The staff visibly blushed when they told us. I'm not sure which is worse, charging for trollies, or charging for the clear plastic bags to put ones toiletries in. Both blatant profiteering.

You know it makes sense.

I've never had a problem keeping under the 20kg limit, but I reckon if pushed, I could wear most of my week's clothes onto the plane - probably could do 4 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of socks, 6 layers of base and midlayers, and a ski jacket. It might get a bit hot on the plane, though.

I wonder whether I could wear a helmet onto the plane too? In case of an emergency landing.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Rental bindings that slide off: We took 3 pairs of skis in a kite surf coffin bag ( It helps to have short fat Icelantic Nomads) with all our clothes packed in as well. The bindings and ski boots went in our hand lugage in an un marked bag which the security guys at Milan airport found amusing !

A snowHead

http://www.onebag.com/

A snowHead

bum, I've seen a few helmets hanging off the back of rucksacks get onto Easyjet flights without any problems.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I put my ski boots into my roll aboard carry on. I don't use a separate boot bag. I am able to stuff two pair of socks into each boot. Toiletries and goggles, along with base layer go into roll aboard. I also bring my ski backpack on board too as my second item. Carries my avy gear, which I do not check on the outbound flt. At least it has not been an issue while flying in the USA, or to South America. Wear the ski jacket on the plane, take it off and stuff in the overhead after boarding plane.

The problem arises with these weight limits and a two ski wheeled bag. I weighed my ski bag and two pairs of skis w/o the poles and it was just below the 20Kg limit. Can't stuff anything else in the ski bag, which is a shame because my Dakine Concourse bag has pockets galore, and I could stuff countless ski paraphanalia into that thing! But it is a wheeled and padded bag that already has a tare weight of 4kg. I do have a very light weight non-wheeled, and unpadded double ski bag. But for int'l flts don't want to chance damaging the skis. I was able to stuff the heck out of my Dakine on a ski trip to South America when flying buisness class because the airline allowed for an extra weight limit. I know BA does allow an extra checked bag and higher weight limit of 30kg when traveling Club World or First.

I have yet to take the large hard sided 4 wheeled suitcase and packing to see how much we can put into it before it weighs out. Usually bring one pack of powder or liquid detergent to do laundry on a two week ski trip.

And as bum mentioned, I have seen skiers going to Denver or Salt Lake City wearing all sorts of layers, and straping their helemt to their backpacks. Normally the gate agents don't bat an eye for this popular winter ski destinations.

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20kg is not an 'ever decreasing' weight limit. This has been the standard charter flight luggage limit for as long as I can remember, and I'm definitely middle-aged.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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queen bodecia, you may remember those days in which a boot bag was included with 'ski carriage', and where ski carriage was without weight limit (and many bought combined snowboard/boot/suitcase bags for everything). Now that ski carriage is strictly for one person's single snowboard/pair of skis (<10Kg), the 5Kg ski boots come off the hold luggage. And also transatlantic limits were often higher than 20Kg (and still are on some airlines), e.g. 23Kg.

Adrian, that's quite an interesting site. Smile

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

crosbie, as far as I can remember (over 20 years) boot carriage has always been part of the overall weight allowance, i.e. 20kg. Many people take boots but not skis after all so would not want to have to pay extra to just take boots. Ski carriage was always a separate issue but it's only been in the last 6 or so years I remember having to pay for it.

After all it is free

queen bodecia, I don't dispute that if you're just taking boots that their weight comes out of your hold allowance (and this has always been the case). However, ski carriage used to include boots as well as skis. If you've got used to this, then boots being recently excluded from ski carriage represents an effective decrease in hold allowance.

I don't have a problem with the 20kg bag limit - and that includes helmet, boots, shovel and probe. I do take a book (and a netbook) with in my backpack I use for carry on. I do take suncream, batteries and so forth - buying in resort is a tad expensive these days. Why do some folk make such a meal of the baggage weight thing?

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achilles, these are just strategies and tips for those with their own ski equipment who now find 20Kg not as much as it used to be, especially if they now have to put 5Kg ski boots in their 5Kg holdall and are looking at just 10Kg left where before they had 18Kg (out of 23Kg).

Some people haven't yet achieved zen master level packing skills.

Help!!

Packing Strategies vs Airlines' Ever Decreasing Weight Limits

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