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I have carried the same 38-litre backpack for four years. It fits in the luggage rack above a regional train seat, under the bottom bunk of a couchette, and on my lap on a crowded bus. This list is what went in it for six weeks this spring: two weeks in Lisbon, a slow rail leg across Spain, two weeks in Lyon and a final week in the Alps.
The route shaped the list
| Leg | Days | Weather | What it demanded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon, rented flat | 1 to 14 | 18 to 24°C, some rain | Light layers, sandals, a laundry plan |
| Lisbon to Lyon by rail, two nights on the way | 15 to 17 | Mixed | Day-pack access, snacks, one tidy outfit |
| Lyon, rented flat | 18 to 35 | 15 to 22°C | Work kit, walking shoes |
| Alpine village | 36 to 42 | 2 to 14°C | The warm layer, finally |
Planning for the coldest week, not the average one, is what made the list work. Everything else is a layer.
The list, with weights
| Category | Items | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Clothes | 4 T-shirts, 1 long-sleeve merino, 1 shirt, 2 trousers, 1 shorts, 5 underwear, 4 pairs of socks | 2.4 kg |
| Layers | Light fleece, packable down jacket, thin rain shell | 1.1 kg |
| Shoes | Walking trainers (worn), sandals | 0.5 kg packed |
| Wash bag | Solid shampoo, soap, razor, toothbrush, small sunscreen, basic meds | 0.6 kg |
| Tech | Laptop, charger, phone cable, power bank, adaptor, earbuds | 2.3 kg |
| Sleep and train | Earplugs, eye mask, inflatable pillow, silk liner | 0.3 kg |
| Admin | Passport, cards, a little cash, printed rail reservations | 0.2 kg |
| Bag and packing cubes | 38 L backpack, 2 cubes | 1.4 kg |
| Total | about 8.8 kg |
What I cut after week one
- A second pair of trousers. One pair of travel trousers and one pair of jeans was enough with a weekly wash.
- A paperback. I read two chapters. Everything after was on my phone.
- A full-size towel. Every rental had one. A small quick-dry cloth covered the beach.
- Three of the five charging cables. One multi-head cable does everything.
I posted the cut items home from Lisbon. It cost less than I expected and lightened the bag by nearly a kilo.
Laundry, the real packing strategy
Six weeks with five days of clothes only works if laundry is part of the plan. Both flats had a washing machine; I checked before booking. On the rail leg I washed a T-shirt and socks in a hotel basin and hung them on the bag overnight. Merino helps: one long-sleeve top went four days on the Alpine leg without anyone stepping away from me.
What I would add next time
A light pair of gloves for the Alps, a second merino top and a tiny bag of clothes pegs. Everything else earned its place, which, after six weeks of carrying it up station stairs, is the only test that counts.