Lets say you are going from New York to San Diego driving your friends car since they moved there... All you can bring is small backpack that has to include your change of clothes as well. Now you will be coming back on a plane. While in San Diego you may want to make a jump over to Mexico. So... Any ideas on a packing list? Especially since the space is limited and plane and foreign country is involved as well?

I do a bit of traveling and have a couple of suggestions. To begin with, I do not know anything about the Mexico part, but the following is good for the drive out / fly back part.

I have a lighweight nylon windbreakers that came with a small stuff sack. (usually easy to find in hiking/backpacking stores). It is small and light and usually I include it any time of the year when I pack for a trip. It has come in very handy when the weather has changed. If you want to pack light on clothes, lighter garments that can be layered are a better bet than a light shirt and a heavy coat. (Don't know what time of year you are leaving NY.)

Second, I have gone on trips and decided to bring more stuff back than I left with. On the other end, buy a small cheap duffle bag. Wrap whatever you cannot include in the carry-on backpack in your dirty clothes and check the duffle on the airplane. Of course, before you leave check on the airline webpage to see what cannot be included in carry-on baggage, but what can taken in checked. That way, at least in the US, you could take a knife or multitool as long as you shipped it back as checked baggage. (Do not check anything that you would cry over if it was lost.) I assume that you cannot take more because the car is packed to the roof with your friend's stuff? If so a empty duffle can be squeezed in even if you have to sit on it.

Plan B: I have done this before too. If you really want to take something on the drive, like a knife, that you cannot take to Mexico or on the plane, mail it back home from the other end. Again, check before you leave on what is acceptable for shippment. Do not walk into the Post Office and try to mail a Glock.

Final suggestion for travel, always stash away a little cash in small bills and some change.

Multi pocket vest and pants for additional storage space. Don't take anything that you can't stand to loose to the TSA.
Dave

You are not kidding about don't pack it if you don't want to loose it. Little brother just made it back from a trip to the frozen north, his E2e Surefire dissapeared out of his checked luggage. He did manage to bring back a really wonderful case of the flu though. He didn't like it when i told him that was a fair trade.

hmmmm would security have a problem with my flashlight (surefire l2)?

hmmmm would security have a problem with my flashlight (surefire l2)?

humm.... a problem, I would say no.... but maybe they will like it a bit too much ....
<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Polak187:

Are you inferring the TSA agents would be too dumb to turn it on if they "procure and retain" it? <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Here's a solution, pack the body and the batteries in the luggage and take the head and tailcap on your carry on. If TSA asks you why you did that, tell them you didn't want it to be confiscated by anyone selling TSA confiscated items on Ebay, or any baggage handlers mistaking it for anything but a flashlight. The TSA searcher won't take it because it is incomplete and the baggage handlers won't take it for the same reason, and you will have saved a FedEx shipping charge.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

who thinks that the TSA goons will steal anything shiny, just by saying that it is a safety issue.

People, people ... don't you understand??? When something turns up missing, it's because it was a NATIONAL SECURITY issue!!!! Not simple common greed and/or theft. NATIONAL SECURITY. We should be glad to pay this small price for being made perfectly safe. *gags*

Greetings,

I have a meticulously created packing list that fits in a standard rucksack. I pretty much use this for all air travel. I hope you find it useful.

http://www.roblester.com/travel/travel_packing_list.html#annotated

Hey Rob,

you work for Kronos (saw a bc over in the EDC thread)? The time managment system? If yes than you are the most hated man in NYC EMS <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Matt

Ha ha. Sorry, dude! <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />