Hi there.

I am planning a trip to Germany in late November early December for about 10 days. I want to know--what is your advice for packing light? This is a challenge since sweaters take up a lot of room. Also, when I travelled last year in winter, I wore my goretex wind jacket with a thin fleece underneath--this was sufficient most of the time as long as I wore layered clothing underneath, but a few times it wasn't warm enough. Any suggestions here?

-- jen liem (jliem@idirect.com), September 22, 1999

Answers

Hi Jen;

Val has a good suggestion. These days, there are so many wonderful fabrics that you can use to layer your wardrobe! First off, make sure to pack a set of silk underwear. They are meant to keep you toasty warm so don't go without those. Goretex is definitely a good idea, especially if you've already invested in buying one. As for your "thin fleece," why not try a thicker plush microfiber sweater (or better yet, TWO with an added layer of warm air trapped in between the two)? Microfiber weighs next to nothing, and you can pack it really tightly by sealing it in a ziploc baggie (sit on it to push all the extra air out!). Also, don't forget that most of your body heat is lost through your head, so a warm hat would do wonders to keep you warm. Add a pair of warm gloves, and you will be in great shape. You have a good idea with layering -- you will be amazed at how warm you can stay that way. Best of all, if you layer a lot, you'll only have to wash those that are closest to your skin!

Happy travels.

--Baglady Lani

-- Lani Teshima (baglady@lava.net), September 23, 1999.

Have you tried polypropolyne, polyester, or silk long underwear? they pack to & weigh almost nothing.

-- Val (kvhc@thegrid.net), September 22, 1999.