karisahamock

I will be leaving the last few days in Feb and returning the last week in march. What warm clothes should I take? can I take normal cotton clothing since I more then likely won't be sweating that much? Are jeans a bad idea? Long Johns? I'm totally lost here! I went to germany in may and my clothes were a nightmare, it was unseasonably cold so i was freezing the whole time! SHOES are my biggest concern. I'm sure the snow will be prominent, but i need comfortable walking shoes. Sneakers are no good in deepish snow. And again I am backpacking so I def need to pack light. Are there any other tips to packing for a month trip? I will be flying into Frankfurt Germany and meeting a friend in Ramstein, then we will map our itinerary but I am not 100% on everywhere we are going. Links would be helpful too. I have a small bath towel from REI not sure if compression bags will be good since it will just make it easier to make my bag heavier. But they might keep me more organized. And as bad as it sounds, I would like to look semi-cute :/ haha if at ALL possible. A good coat suggestion would be nice too!

Dukey1

When I've been to northern Europe in the Winter months (I'm talking Stockholm, etc.) the one thing I took which was the best was my light-weight down filled Mountain Hard Wear jacket.

yorkshire

Get yourself to an outdoor store--REI, Patagonia, whatever. Find yourself some good shoes, a coat, and some layering items. Keep in mind you'll be doing laundry at some point, and do a "dry run" with your filled pack.
There are lots of packing lists online, adapt them as needed.

Viajero2

Thermal silk long johns are a must. They pack extremely well and can be lifesavers. A hooded parka-type raincoat at least knee high length. Four (4) pairs of fast-drying wools socks. As far as shoes, invest on a good, weatherproof type; a lot of people swear by Clarks. Not cheap, but then again, few items in your traveling wardrobe are as critical as your shoes.

Viajero2

I forgot to mention: cotton is a bad idea; it wrinkles, gets spottty, not particularly warm clothing. Jeans are horrendous traveling pants unless going to an outdoor, horse-running type of vacation. Jeans are heavy to pack (and carry), take forever to dry, do not "breathe" well, and are not as versatile as many would like to think. One pair max IF you "must " take one. A Black cardigan sweater and two black pants are a MUST; take a couple of warm, solid color scarves. This will be a practical item (warm) plus can dress up an all black outfit.

Cowboy1968

Get some waterproof (Goretex or similar) light-weight hiking boots. Snow is more wet here than in the Rockies, and in the cities you will deal with much more slush than snow usually. You should start to wear the shoes/boots when you are still at home so you don't have to break them in on your first days on vacation.

gruezi

Sneakers are not an option. Seriously. You need light weight, waterproof hiking boots. There are a lot of good ones. And get good socks too.

Also, jeans are not a good option for wet weather or lightweight packing. Get some hiking pants - heavy and lighterweight - these will wash better and be a lot more comfortable than jeans.

Good luck!

ggreen

I know it may be boring, but black clothes are always good and end up looking a lot cuter than other stuff once it's been in your bag a while. A scarf keeps you warm, dresses up your outfits, and can double as a blanket/head rest on long train rides. Jeans aren't great for the reasons Viajero said... but they're also versatile, everyone wears them, and can make you feel more comfortable/cuter than stuff you're not used to wearing! (I'd pack 1 pair.)

I like using compression bags b/c when you're living out of your luggage, it's really helpful to have it organized! I have 2 for my small items and a bit larger one that's "waterproof" for the worst of my dirty laundry.

You mentioned you have a towel. You probably also want to get a sleep sack in case any hostels have iffy beds! REI should have them; they come in their own little compression sack.

While not for backpackers per se, you might find some good information and useful tips on these threads below. Both are from women traveling Europe/the world with as lightly packed suitcases at possible!

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ntries-now.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...pack-posts.cfm

Also, in case you haven't heard this before... do check on the Thorntree forums as well. Some of the backpackers there might be better able to answer your questions re: weight of your bags and such.

Dukey1

How much room do you have? The reason i mentioned the down-filled jacket is

1. it is very COMPRESSIBLE
2. you do not need to carry along a BUNCH of layers

november_moon

I've had a lot of good luck with Athleta.com - cute clothes that work great for active stuff. I just got their winter cataloge and they have a ton of stuff for cooler/cold weather.

Here is a link to their Dipper Pant - I have a pair of long pants and a pair of shorts in this style and I love them both. I haven't been too hard on the pants yet, but I took the shorts on vacation last summer - boating, hiking, etc. - wore them a ton and they stayed looking fresh and clean and they dry really fast. They come in cordoroy and a jean too - but not standard thick cord or denim fabric that takes forever to dry.

http://athleta.gap.com/browse/produc...d=1&pid=683761

Here is a link to a travel wallet/handbag that I bought for a recent trip to Spain. I like it because it is small for security - can keep my hand on it easily or wear under my coat, small enough that I can comfortably wear it while eating, drinking, and hanging out. Also, it fits easily inside a larger bag. It has a wallet section with a spot large enough for a passport and then spaces for cards and cash. It also has a small compartment that was perfect for a mobile phone, pen, lip gloss, folded map.

It might work for you - have a small bag that can fit inside your backpack or that you can wear seperately.

http://athleta.gap.com/browse/produc...scid=710392002

karisahamock

WOW Thank you guys so much! This is VERY helpful! I am more then likely taking a hiking pack I asked for one for xmas so hopefully santa pulls through I will probably take one pair of jeans for my Party Clothes haha

The links are amazing! If anyone finds some boots that would be great too! and the scarf thing is GENIUS scarfs happen to be one of my favorite things, so i'll probably take one and buy some while im over there b/c i love getting them as souvenirs

when washing clothes in sinks, do you use hand soap/shampoo/whatevers handy or do you pack something? I want to wander around the camping section of REI but i'm afraid i will end up with tons of gadgets that i'll end up not using.

november_moon

Scarves are great - I just started wearing them a couple years ago and wonder how I lived so long without them And buying some when you are on your trip is a good idea - my "souvieniers" are usually things like that. Today I used the umbrella I got at the Prado museum in Madrid It happened to be raining the day I went and I didn't have an umbrella - so now I have a reminder of Spain to use whenever it rains.

For washing clothes, I used to bring some detergent, but have since started just using whatever soap is available - usually shampoo or liquid handsoap. I always take a gallon-sized zipplock bag to act as a washing machine - add water, soap, and clothes, zip up and then agitate the bag. Repeat with fresh water to rinse. Works great for socks, undies, and other small things. I don't usually wash bigger stuff in the sink though - usually I take it to a fluff and fold service. It is a cost, but it is a trade off. You can also find landromats and do your own.

Gadgets are tricky - there are so many things that you could get that might be useful. In general, keeping it simple is best. Outdoor stores are a great resource though, just have to stay focused. One thing that I would definitely get from an outdoor store are plastic containers for your toiletries - any shampoo, conditioner, etc. that you will be taking. I have tried a lot of different types of containers and the ones specifically marketted to wilderness backpackers are the best - lightweight and very tough.

ggreen

I also just use whatever soap for hand laundry - even bar soap will do in a pinch. If you wait to buy your soap in Europe, whatever you have leftover at the end of the trip will be another "souvenir" - when you use it back home, the scent will bring you right back to your trip! Just avoid colored soap because it can actually leave a mark on your clothes... november_moon, I love that trick about the ziplock bag! Wish I'd known it when I was handwashing delicates in India for 2 months, talk about hand cramps LOL.

IMO, better to spend the $$ on good clothes than on gadgets! I have succumbed to their cool looks and purchased way too many in my day, but most remain unused. A few I do carry:

- In addition to the organizer bags I mentioned before, I recently got another small bag for all the darned cables I need for camera, phone, etc. A bunch of velcro straps would would do just as well.

- A small flashlight can always come in handy, and personally I like to have one of those TSA locks on my bag, both in transit and occasionally in a hotel room.

- A swiss army knife / camping cutlery set is great to have too: need a way to slice cheese and baguettes, eat yogurt purchased at the grocery, and of course open wine bottles!

Ackislander

Are you a guy or a girl? Everyone seems to think you are a girl, but I don't find any concrete statement. It matters for recommending what to take.

Cowboy1968

For hand-washing clothes in the sink you can get a special paste-like detergent in a tube in Germany. The brand name is "Rei", and you get it (also in travel size) for 1-2 euros in any drugstore.
It looks like this:
http://www.fit.de/rei/produkte/rei-in-der-tube/

BlueSwimmer

Soap: I use Dr. Bronner's peppermint for washing me and washing my clothes.

Shoes: I also love Clarks. The Clarks Artisan line is funkier/dressier but still includes good walking shoes. Buy some Nikwax and waterproof them.

Jeans: I have read the "don't take jeans" advice for years and disagree. I always take one pair and end up wearing them often, interchanged with black stretch wool dressier pants. I took a pair of lighter weight, stretch dark denim Joe's to Italy last year and they fit right in. Be sure they are hemmed to work with the shoes you take

Cold Weather Gear: I swear by a cashmere turtleneck in a color you love. So warm, airs out nicely, wears like iron, wicks sweat so you can wear it hiking but also looks classy in a nice restaurant with a scarf. A great travel investment- but get a good one that won't pill. I've even slept in mine in a freezing hotel room!

Also bring a pair of jogging pants or yoga pants that packs small but you can wear around the hostel and even as PJ bottoms.

A fleece can come in handy if it's cold but can also be stuffed into a small pillowcase to make a pillow if needed.

I like compression bags or just extra large ziplocks to keep things organized.

Jean

I don't see packing a backpack that much different than packing a rolling suitcase, but it would be helpful if you and your travel-mate had a basic idea of where you're going or at least the types of places you'll be exploring. Do you need to be prepared for snow or just cold and generally dry? Mostly countryside, small towns, mountains, etc., or medium-to-large cities?

I agree that REI would have most of what you'd need. I'd stick to high-performance synthetic fabrics. They usually have a warmth-to-weight ratio that's better than natural fabrics and are usually easier to wash and dry quickly. (Don't put that cashmere sweater in the dryer!!) I myself wouldn't bring jeans because they aren't warm enough for me and aren't easy to wash and dry while traveling, but if you wear a warm base layer under jeans you might be comfortable. In addition to a warm scarf, take a warm hat and gloves.

I don't think you need a lot of gadgets unless you plan to be out in the boonies where you would have a hard time buying something you need.

lavandula

You might consider taking a second pair of footwear in case the first pair becomes sodden. This suggestion may of course be redundant depending on the kind of boots you buy. It's sometimes nice to give your feet a rest from the same shoes all the time.

Lavandula

cheapboxofwine

Great tips! I wish I was going on a backpacking adventure! Less is more and definitely to keep warm and dry is key. I second the lightweight down jacket (however it is not a good rain jacket is it?), silky longjohns and cashmere sweaters. They are thin and good for layering. A fleece jacket? Could double as a cover up as you use the restrooms at the hostels. I have seen those cute ballerina type shoes that roll up...could double for the hostels or if you need a quick change of shoes for indoors or the partying with your cute jeans. Skip buying fancy organizer bags. Go for Ziplock! One scarf is good and don't forget a hat and gloves.

ggreen

I'll just add that in my own experience, I personally don't like ziploc bags for those things where I'll be in and out of the bag a lot; they get kind of nasty with a lot of use. I find the top-loading, zippered organizer packs easier and more durable.

If you have room, you might want to include a pair of flip-flops for bathrooms down the hall, etc.