Customer Reviews

Fodor's How to Pack, 2nd Edition (Travel Guide)

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Dear Sandra,

Thanks for lending me Fodor's How to Pack book! Having never been abroad before, I had a lot to learn and didn't even know it. I'm going to have to get a copy of this book for myself, especially for the checklists of "Basic Wardrobe Options for Women," ditto for men, and what to put into a first aid kit, laundry kit, sewing kit, toiletries kit, etc. I read the sections on packing for cruises, mountain trips, hot and cold weather, and adventure trips even though I wasn't going to use them for this vacation, just because they were interesting and I kept picking up the stray tip. (Thank goodness I don't have to use their advice on traveling with children!)

The sections on what to wear on the plane, what to pack in one's carry-on (as well as reminders of what NOT to pack), food for the journey, and how to pack luggage that will be checked in were extremely useful. Who would have thought to pack clothes in those plastic bags from dry cleaners to keep items from wrinkling?? I'm trying it and will let you know how it works out. They also talk about the different philosophies of packing -- the "roll" style that is especially good for duffel bags, vs. the "interlock" style where you stack layers and then fold them all together to decrease wrinkling.

On the down side, the book seemed padded and too chatty, when, being the procrastinator that I am, I needed to get the information right away. But I was able to find it, and someone could just use the many helpful checklists and be way ahead of the game, as I was. And there were things I never thought about, such as compiling a "personal documents" file to put in my carry-on, with a copy of my passport and driver's license and a photo of my luggage in case it got lost.

Altogether I found this a must-read for either the procrastinator or the unseasoned traveler such as yours truly. Thanks for caring enough to send me this book!

Best wishes,
-H

This slender little volume is packed--pun intended--with useful information, all the way from advice about buying luggage, to the best way to pack particular garments, to what you should pack for particular kinds of trips, to how to fold clothes to avoid wrinkles and use the least space (these last two goals don't necessarily go hand in hand), to what official documents to take depending on where you're traveling. Reading through this on a plane ride I felt agreeably overwhelmed by all of the advice.

However, this book was last published in 2003 and badly needs an update--a noticeable amount of information concerning carry-on rules and airline policies is no longer correct. For example, you can't buy water in advance or fill water bottles at home and expect to carry liquids on board, because of the "three-ounce" rule. Nor should you lock your checked baggage, likewise for security reasons. I caught other instances of advice that is currently invalid, though rules could very well change again in the future. Ideally, any book about air travel should go through regular updates and there's enough valuable information in "How to Pack" to hope that Fodor's will revise this book very soon.

I was pleased because I am frantically packing for a cruise. Never been and this little booklet gave me some great ideas.

I have traveled a lot and have always overpacked. This book gave me some great tips on how to PLAN TO PACK so that you can avoid overpacking. It also has some suggestions for luggage and a list of resources. Only problem is that it is 10 years old! Would love to see a new edition, but still worth reading.

Why would anyone pay money to buy a book on how to pack? I guess if you have never traveled outside the city you live in you might need advice. Don't waste your money or time reading this book go to [...] and save 10 bucks.