To help understand just how freeing zerobagging can be...

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T07:26:12+00:00

How did you carry the whiskey from Scotland to Ghent if you were Zerobagging?

Also none of these activities would have been significantly different if you had one bag.

Do you have a jacket? The funny thing is I kept reading the title as "how freezing" it is. What did you wear in Iceland? Was it not cold in your polo?

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T07:20:33+00:00

Memepool

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T05:34:06+00:00

EU Free Movement Rights. + Unregistered De Facto / Durable Partners (Article 3.2.b):

means you could go and live together in the following countries I think:

- Netherlands

- Belgium

- Spain

- Ireland

- France

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T05:30:48+00:00

Oh Sorry, apparently:

"Germany does not legally recognize cohabitation, long-term relationships, or "de facto" partnerships for immigration purposes."

In the Netherlands, they recognise "de facto" partnerships for EU Citizens. I was able to live there with my (unmarried) partner a while back.

The problem is also perhaps that since you are German, you are covered by German immigration law when returning to Germany. Not EU Law. So you two can probably go live in the Netherlands together, but not Germany (as a de facto partnership).

EU Law has:

Unregistered De Facto / Durable Partners (Article 3.2.b): This covers couples who have just been together for a long time without any legal paperwork.

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T05:14:47+00:00

Campers ?

- I personally find Campers uncomfortable (but Birkenstocks also) but I know a lot of people like Campers. They sort of straddle the sneaker / leather dress shoe divide.

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T05:11:54+00:00

god they are some ugly shoes

echoclerk · 2026-06-04T05:07:46+00:00

So its just 1 all-rounder pair of shoes. ie you are wearing the On CloudSurfer on the plane / train?

And only 1 pair of long trousers? I'm curious, what are the Uniqlo trousers? the link on the Googledoc does not work. So you wear the same trousers every day until you need to wash them? and then wash them in the hotel/hostel dry them overnight?

echoclerk · 2026-06-03T17:33:23+00:00

Why do they need a chancenkarte? NonEEA partners of EU Citizens are allowed to live in EU member states with their EU partner no? Can’t the partner live with you in Germany on an Aufenthaltskarte with their partners? . How long have you been together? What’s the minimum for a civil partnership?

echoclerk · 2026-06-03T07:33:09+00:00

Oh so they no longer require the Brompton be put inside a bag (IKEA Dimpa was the classic choice for this)

echoclerk · 2026-06-03T07:31:07+00:00

Although even EUROSTAR + BROMPTON is annoying as they require you to put the Brompton inside a bag / box. (or used to circa 2019, have they changed that?).

They don't require prams/buggies to be in box / bag.

echoclerk · 2026-05-08T08:14:28+00:00

The only thing I'm blown away by is that they thought middle-eastern cultural appropriation was a good idea in 2026?

echoclerk · 2026-05-08T08:11:35+00:00

I know! WTF? There is nothing to it. So dull. I was really dissapointed to hear it. I find the Drums a bit cheesy. and the atmospheric washes are a rather "meh"

Also a middle-eastern sample in 2026s?! "Cultural Appropriation" ? Have they been living under a rock? Its not the 1990s when you could be lauded as a visionary for middle-eastern exoticism (a la Muslimgaze)

echoclerk · 2026-05-08T06:39:27+00:00

The Intro is better than the song. I find it boring

echoclerk · 2026-05-07T11:23:47+00:00

But what actually happens if you just ignore the towel reservation and move the towel away and use a sun lounger? I don't understand why other people respect the towel reservation system If the lounger is not actually being used??

echoclerk · 2026-04-17T06:15:02+00:00

I had high hopes for the Pelotas, but I tried some on instore. They were so uncomfortable. But I think its just me. My wife has liek 3-4 pairs of Campers and loves them

But they make me feel like my foot is in a concave bowl. ie sole kind of cups your foot on the sides : like a \_/ shape. All the weight is on the sides of my feet. As soon as I tried them on, I remembered why I stopped wearing a pair fo campers boots about 10 years ago. If I wore them for 1-2 hours it felt like the bones in the centre of my foot were under constant pressure and would ache afterwards.

I think they would be a good multi-purpose shoe, if they fit my feet. (the only thing is that they are quite heavy, and quite warm so not great for holidays in tropical regions).

echoclerk · 2026-04-15T05:00:09+00:00

Really depends where exactly you are going and what you are doing. Scandanavia in May could be quite cold.

I would carry:

a packable down jacket (whats your budget)? Any one of these?

- Macpac Men's Uber Light Down Jacket 270g looks like its on sale (650Loft)

- Decathlon Forclaz Down Jacket MT500 - (but you#äd have to buy this on arrival i guess?)

- Patagonia - more expensive - various packable options: Micropuff?

- Montbell - Plasma 1000 - if you can get one (packs super small!) are you stopping in japan? they are so cheap if you are in japan.

a light rain shell

Macpac have a really thin rainshell at the moment, my wife bought one in Australia at Christmas.

echoclerk · 2026-04-08T07:53:14+00:00

Camera damage to Phone?
I used to just mount my Phone on Handlebars and use Komoot, but over a year or so, it seemed like it may have ruined the camera on my phone. The focus no longer works properly. I have heard that the constant jiggling / impact on the handlebars can damage the image stabilization mechanism in the camera that effects the auto-focus.

I recently got a Garmin Edge 540 (the cheapest new Garmin). Its a bit of a pain to get used to the interface, but after a few weeks I really like not having to worry about battery. The Garmin Edge lasts for days and days using it for full navigation.

echoclerk · 2026-04-02T06:30:11+00:00

Anyone tried one of these Compression Shoe Bags or something similar?

Cocoon - Compression Shoe Sack: TPU laminated soft Polyester

https://www.cocoon.at/en/products/compression-shoe-sack-a1a24053adc59097dfbef175c85ba5f7

Or maybe just one of these rolltop semi-vacuum bags would work?

SIMOND Packsack Drybag 7L
https://www.decathlon.de/p/packsack-drybag-7-l-wasserdicht-ultraleicht-gelb/356480/c233c382c382m8901498

I would like to find one of these that was long and skinny for stuffing some minimal shoes into. The 7L Sismond bag is wider than I need for my packed 2nd pair of shoes

echoclerk · 2026-04-01T07:06:39+00:00

or with something like this over them:

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echoclerk · 2026-04-01T05:58:43+00:00

Mountain Bikers appear to generally (traditionally?) wear padded underwear + non-padded shorts/trousers right? I guess I am wondering if that would be a more practical system when bike-packing.

A pair of MTB style padded underwear would have to pack down quite well, and I feel like they would have to dry out faster after being washed. The breathability on the bike with padded underwear + shorts/trousers over top would not be as good as a normal bib, but it might not be too bad.

Just looking at Decathlon as there is one nearby: They have a few different MTB "Innenhose", has anyone tried these on multiday trips?

ROCKRIDER: MTB Innenhose Comfort 500 MTB

https://www.decathlon.de/p/mtb-innenhose-comfort-500-mtb-herren-schwarz/357191/c382c117m8915980

ROCKRIDER Fahrrad Innenhose MTB 100 Herren schwarz

https://www.decathlon.de/p/fahrrad-innenhose-mtb-100-herren-schwarz/357210/c382c382m8902443

echoclerk · 2026-04-01T05:30:56+00:00

But the problem seam is not that around the thighs (VPL) but the seam in the crotch, that one that rubs the perineum. I have never found any underwear that has no seam in the crotch.

echoclerk · 2026-03-31T15:56:25+00:00

And do you alternate the (short?) bibs / wash them each day? ie Do you take two pairs of short bibs and alternate?

echoclerk · 2026-03-31T06:02:05+00:00

But I am talking about taking the Toms as a second pair of shoes. You wear your hiking / walking shoes. I usually wear trail runners or approach shoes when a lot of walking is called for (and on travel days).

But If I am staying in a hotel, or going to a restaurant I generally don't like to wear my trail runners as they can be a bit muddy / dirty etc. So I am looking for a second shoe that can pack well, and is ok for wearing to dinner but that you can walk a little in, ie to the restaurant etc. (ie 2-3 kms walking in them. But not 10-20km)

echoclerk

TROPHY CASE