How to Pack Like a Pro for Your Next Trip

Before I started COR Surf, I was working in the corporate world traveling quite a bit. While I love traveling, it can get frustrating going from airport to airport...even worse when your luggage is lost!

I also travelled a lot internationally and one thing I hate the most is waiting for your luggage when you land. I love to hit the ground running and have all my bags with me. This also reduces the risk of the airline losing your luggage. There’s nothing worse than being in a new place without any of your clothes.

When I would travel to Asia, it would normally be a two-week trip. This meant, if didn’t want to check a suitcase, I had to learn how to pack like a pro. This is also when I started working on the Island Hopper Travel Backpack. This backpack has been designed to make airline travel easy and allow you to bring all your essentials with you so when you land you can hit the road!

To Fold or to Roll?

Now I have definitely tried both and I am a firm believer in rolling. This goes for any shirts and pants with the exception of dress shirts, rolling is the way to go. You’ll be shocked just how much you can can fit when you roll. Some people will say rolling makes more wrinkles but honestly, most your clothes are going to be wrinkled. Don’t worry thought there’s an easy fix for this: Hang the clothes you want to wear in the hotel bathroom. Before you get in the shower turn the water up as hot as it will get and get the bathroom nice and steamy. The steam will get the wrinkles out so you don’t need to waste time ironing.

Packing Cubes can also help. If you roll your clothes, then place them in a compression sack, you can shrink the space even more. The New COR Surf Compression Packing Cubes are great for this and come in four different sizes. We also incliude a free laundry bag to separate your dirty clothers. As you get deeper into your trip, you’ll want to know which socks are used…trust me.      

Bring only essentials

Now here comes the part where planning is key. Will you be able to do a quick load of laundry at your destination? If I knew I was going to be somewhere, and had access to laundry, that’s a game changer. Most hotels provide laundry service, and virtually everywhere in the world has laundry mats. I would much prefer to pay a little extra to have laundry done than packing a massive suitcase around the entire trip. If you can do a little laundry, you can reduce how much you bring in your bags by nearly half!

You also need to travel smart and be prepared for any weather situation, even tropical climates can get chilly. I was recently on a surf trip in Costa Rica and ended up using my rain jacket quite a bit. Here are some key travel tips that will make your next trip a breeze

• Planes are freezing cold. Especially on red eye’s. Always bring a long sleeve shirt and a sweater, even if you are going somewhere tropical. The planes cool-down the cabin on long flights and it can get extremely cold. Make sure to have a layer of clothes in your carry-on bag. The Island Hopper Travel Backpack is perfect for this as you can have several changes of clothes in your bag just in case you want to change or add layers during the flight.
• Bring a rain-jacket. Always bring a rain jacket and extra layers wherever you go. By having multiple layers, you can avoid bringing a bulky coat. The layers serve the same purpose as a big fluffy jacket and keep you just as insulated.
• Bring Your Own Towel: You never realize how essential towels are until you travel. Some hotels charge for extra towels and some hotel towels just aren't good to taking to the beach or on a day out. That's why we made the COR Surf Travel Towel. It packs up super small and is made from soft micro-suede so it dries fast. You can use it as a beach towel, yoga mat, or emergency back-up towel in case your hostel or hotel runs out. 

• Bring your own snacks. Sometimes after a week or two on the road, you can get a little tired of the local cuisine. Most other countries don’t have fancy protein-bars and snacks like we do. Having some of your favorite snacks in your backpack can save your trip. There can be moments during the trip where you aren’t able to find a restaurant and need the extra calories. Trader Joe’s snacks are my favorite as they provide just the right amount of protein and sugar to give you that little boost you need to keep your mood upbeat.
• Keep Your Toiltry Bag Organized. If you are traveling internationally, you'll be surprised how challenging it can be to find those creature comforts we are all used to like deoderant, toothpaste, nail clippers, etc. Of course you will be able to find something after an exhausting search, but some things just aren't the same as we are used to. The new water resistant toiletry bag by COR Surf has all the pockets and organization you need to keep all your essentials organized. Coming Christmas 2022!

•  Bring copies of your passport. You always need to be prepared for the worse. If for some reason you do lose your passport, always have photo copies of your passport in the case you need to go to the embassy. We designed the Island Hopper to have 2 secret pockets on the back-panel. The zippers are difficult to see and when you are wearing the backpack, there is no way for a pick-pocket to access these pockets. Also, make sure to have the credit card companies’ customer service number in case you card is stolen or frozen. In fact, it’s a good idea to call them before your trip to let them know you are leaving somewhere. It’s painful when you finish a nice meal only to find out your card has been declined because they think your meal was fraudulent.

I hope these tips help you plan for your next trip so you can travel with ease and not make a lot of the mistakes I made when I first started traveling!