How to Pack for Multiple Climates
Having recently traveled to Argentina where the temperature was in the 80s and then to Antarctica where the temperature was in the 20s, I had to be creative with my packing. Many times when people travel they go to more than one location. Even if you're geographically in the same area of the world, the weather can change drastically from location to location. This post is aimed at offering tips on how to pack for multiple climates in the same trip.
1. Layers
Layers are your friend! Even if you're only going to one location that is relatively warm, it is always a good idea to pack a lightweight jacket or sweater. In the event of a cool evening or being inside a building where the Air Con is on full blast and you're freezing, you'll be glad you have something to put on and keep you warm.
I always start with a few camisoles to go under my tops. Even if I'm going to somewhere warm, if I'm going to be sweaty from walking around all day I like to have a camisole to catch the sweat! There's nothing worse than walking around in hot, humid weather and feeling the sweat rolling down your back. Camisoles can help prevent that from seeping through your top. For men, a tank top or undershirt works the same. The other great thing about camisoles is that they're very easy to pack as they don't take up much room. Just roll them up and you're good to go.
If you're going to a location that will be cold, having a nice pair of thick tights or thermal underwear to put under your pants is a great option. When I went to Iceland a few years back, we took a night tour to watch the Northern Lights. None of us in my group wore anything under our pants and we deeply regretted it! When you're standing in the middle of a snowy field at 1:00 am and the wind is blistering cold, your legs essentially become icicles. Likewise, having a nice fleece zip-up jacket is a lifesaver when traveling in cold climates. On our Antarctica cruise, I had a camisole under a long sleeve shirt, under a fleece zip-up, under my jacket. It was nice to not have to worry about being cold when cruising around the freezing waters.
Packing clothes that can be layered is also a great move when traveling to different climates because you will get more outfit choices!
2. Multi-functional Clothing & Accessories
If you are traveling to more than one location and will be in multiple climates, pick clothing and accessories that can be worn in both. If you love wearing jeans, pack a pair that can be rolled up a few times when you're in the warmer climate. If you like cargo pants (I know there's a lot of you out there that do), pick a pair that has detachable legs and turn them into shorts when you get to the warmer climate. Removable lining coats are also a brilliant choice when traveling to cold and warmer locations. I have a London Fog trench coat that comes with a removable thick lining. It is a perfect coat when the weather is cold, but if you remove the lining it becomes a great rain coat.
Multiple climates doesn't always mean hot and cold. For instance, I was in Ireland in June of last year and then spent two weeks in France, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands. The western coast of Ireland has temperatures in the 50s...chilly, but not cold. However, when I got to Paris, it was in the upper 70s. So while most of my every day clothes were applicable to both, I definitely needed a jacket in Ireland. It was also quite windy on the coast of Ireland, so I packed a scarf to tame my hair while exploring the Cliffs of Moher. Scarves are a great option for a multi-functional accessory. When you're in a colder climate, you can use the scarf to keep your neck and face warm. When you get to the warmer climate, use your scarf as a head wrap or use it as a shawl when entering a cold building or strolling in the cooler temperature at night. Similarly for men, any jacket with a detachable hood will come in handy. You may need the hood to keep your ears warm or shield you from rain/snow in one location, but not need the extra weight in some place warmer. Often times umbrellas take up a lot of room when packing, so having a hood can also come in handy for that.
You might not think about sunglasses when you think of traveling somewhere cold, but even in the gloomiest of days, sunglasses can save your eyes. Have you ever gone out without sunglasses when it was just cloudy and suddenly found yourself squinting from the brightness of all the white? If you have lighter colored eyes, this can be even more annoying. In addition to brightness of clouds, when you're in a snowy location you can actually get snow blindness! No matter the climate of your destinations, it is always smart to pack sunglasses to protect your eyes.
Like sunglasses, sunscreen is also extremely important when traveling. You may not think you need sunscreen unless you're going somewhere where you'll be at a pool or beach. However, no matter where you are or what the temperature is, if you're outside for an extended period of time and the sun is out, you will get sun. If you ride on the upper deck of a hop/on-hop/off bus for a few hours in the sun, you may end up with a nasty sunburn (yep, recently happened to me in Buenos Aires). Skin cancer is no joke, so we should always do all we can to protect our skin from harmful UV rays.
3. How to Pack It All
As mentioned in my "Carry On Must Haves" post, travel space saver bags are essential. If you're going somewhere cold (even if that is your only destination), the clothes you'll pack for that location are going to be thick. Thick clothes = less room to pack. However, with space saver bags you can easily squeeze even the puffiest of clothing into a small space. I took two puffer vests to Antarctica and had no problem fitting them and several sweaters into a space saver bag. When having to pack more clothes than you normally would because of multiple climate destinations, you want to shrink your packing into the smallest space possible. Get those space saver bags and start squeezing!
If you're planning on checking your luggage and space saver bags are not needed (although even then I highly recommend them), be creative in your packing. Layering is not only great for wearing your clothing, but it is also great when packing. Think about your smallest items and how they can fit into the pockets of larger items. If you're packing shoes or boots, ALWAYS cram as much as you can inside the shoe/boot to maximize space.
It is also important to pack with your itinerary in mind. If you are going to the warmer location first, pack all of your colder climate clothing in its own space saver bag or at the bottom of your suitcase. Keep on top those things which you know you're going to wear first. Often times when traveling you are not at a hotel for enough nights to fully unpack and hang everything up, especially when traveling to more than one location. Having the ability to leave the clothing that is not needed in your luggage is a time saver and leaves you more ease in picking out what to wear each day.
*NOTE: Always ask your hotel if they have an umbrella you can use. Most times they will have loaners, so you don't have to worry about packing one.
4. Research Weather in Advance
While weather forecasts are not always accurate, you can always get a sense of what the general climate is going to be at your destination. By researching ahead of time what the temperature will be, whether it will be sunny/cloudy, whether it will be rainy/snowy, whether it will be windy, or weather it will be humid, you will know exactly what to pack. As always, be mindful that even the best meteorologists get it wrong sometimes so have a few backup options in case.
I always check The Weather Channel online or the app, but depending on where you are traveling, they might not be your best bet. Other helpful resources are Accuweather and Weather Underground. Be mindful that pretty much only the United States uses Fahrenheit for temperature, with the rest of the world using Celsius. I've traveled a lot and even lived in London for a short time, and I still can't do the conversion easily. I highly recommend downloading a conversion app for your phone to use while abroad. I use an app called "Unit Converter" by RV AppStudiosLLC. You can find more info in the iTunes store here. This app is great because not only does it convert temperature, it also converts measurements, weight, mass, etc. That can also come in handy since the rest of the world prefers the metric system.
Happy Packing!!!
