How The "OneBag" Community Is Creating A Revolution In Travel

“Pack less and experience more” –  it’s the philosophy behind Unbound Merino, and there is no group of people that embrace this more than r/onebag on reddit.com

To us, packing light is an art form but to r/onebag, it’s an Olympic Sport.

This is a community of  thirty thousand and growing individuals from all over the world who describe themselves as:

“anyone who temporarily or permanently lives out of one or two bags”

If you’re an experienced ultra-light traveler, or just planning your first trip with only a carry-on, this subreddit is a gold mine of insight, discussion, and guidance. The feed updates daily, and the group is usually discussing  the pros and cons of the latest travel backpacks, dissecting and debating packing lists for every kind of trip, and field testing the best minimalist travel gadgets.

In this way, they’re creating a revolution in travel. The group is united by a mutual desire to make travel a more minimal affair, one less bogged down by the everyday possessions and distractions we normally surround ourselves with. Traveling out of a single bag, you’re able to take in more of the experience.

It also allows you to sidestep the exorbitant fees levied on checked bags, and ensures that you don’t have to worry about dragging around a weighty piece of luggage. A minimal wardrobe of some well-fitting Merino underwear and shirts, as well as a trim selection of toiletries in small containers, a camera, laptop, flip-flops and reading material (in the form of a single book or e-reader) are often all you need to enjoy yourself on a trip, no matter the length.

Take for instance their top post of all time (at the time of writing). A OneBag member by the username u/jonsimo was heading off for a 2 month work and travel stint in Nicaragua and Ecuador, and posted photos – one of which you can check out below – of his one backpack.

A sparse, lean collection of comfortable and breathable Merino wool t shirts and other amenities were all he needed for two months – A testament to how little you actually need when you travel abroad. He even went so far as to weigh each item, with his gross weight coming to under 15 pounds, including the backpack.

It’s really exciting to see this community taking off. Like-minded people are coming together to share their stories, their photos and their advice on how to live minimally, how to travel freer and lighter, and how to look good while doing it.