I really like equipment that can do more than one thing as a way of reducing what I carry. I have always tried to travel as lightly as I could, but there is no escaping the need for gear that works well once you get there.
I can keep the clothing to a minimum with a few well chosen items. Colleagues lug a large overnight bag or bursting wheeled carry-on as I feel quietly smug about my lightweight backpack as we are sprinting for a connection.
Let’s park the whole business laptop thing for a moment. Right now the centre of my universe is the phone. Especially now I have started to use it as an e-reader.
I figured out years ago that books are bulky and awkward. The obvious Kindle alternate is a great reading experience – size, weight and screen are all well tuned. It’s just another piece of kit (plus another charger) at the security scanner. I like it a lot but just couldn’t persuade myself to add extra items.
The iPad worked well for many years with the Kindle app and became my book of choice. It is slightly bigger, slightly heavier and a bit more obvious on a crowded subway train. Almost but not quite brilliant.
Lately, I have been trying the iPhone 7 as an alternate. The Kindle app still works fine, it is compact in the hand and discreet when everyone is thumbing theirs on the subway. I also love the accessibility on a plane – I can grab it from my back pocket without having to climb up to the overhead locker. Not even the Kindle can do that. But it doesn’t have the paper-wight screen…..
Early signs are good. I’ll see how I go for a couple of trips on the super-light packing list that is now an iPhone 7, an iPad with remote desktop app (in lieu of the laptop) and a charger cable. Minimalism sounds great but can I make it work? Watch this space.