How to pack for any trip Lonely Planet book review

Are you looking for Lonely Planet travel packing lists to help you pack for a trip? Lonely Planet may have you covered with their new book “How To Pack For Any Trip”. I take a look and give you my thoughts on how useful it is, along with some packing tips of my own.

How To Pack For Any Trip

Before I go any further, I should mention that Lonely Planet sent me a copy of “How To Pack For Any Trip” to review. I want to assure you that no money changed hands, and that all views are my own!

You will probably get that quite clearly from the review.

The book is available via Amazon, and I have put two links below. If you buy the book via those links, I will receive a small commission. If 10 of you buy it, I may earn enough to treat myself to an ice-cream!

How To Pack For Any Trip via Amazon.com

How To Pack For Any Trip via Amazon.co.uk

On to the book review itself then, and what I thought to its layout, design, information, and travel packing lists.

Lonely Planet Packing List Review

Layout – The book has a rather weird 17.8 x 1.3 x 12 cm (it is wider than it is tall). In effect, it makes it almost half the size of a regular Lonely Planet Book.

After thinking about it, I believe the reason for this, is that 160 pages would have been reduced to barely 80 pages if it was regular size. This would probably have not been enough to sell.

As it is, the book has an almost ‘novelty' feel. In fact, if this had been released around Christmas, I would have called it a ‘stocking filler'. Perhaps this is the point of it.

A book which makes an ideal, inexpensive gift for a friend or relative planning to travel.

Design – I do like the design. There is a great combination of useful information, (including those travel packing lists which I will talk about later), photographs, and graphics.

It is split into sections, so you can skim over it, and find parts which are relevant to you. As a result, I get the impression this is a quick read book. A book to read at work on a coffee break. Should I say book to read on the loo?!

Information – There is no denying that the information inside “How To Pack For Any Trip” is useful for novices and experienced travellers alike. From explaining the different types of luggage available, to how to pack clothes by rolling them, everyone can learn something new. The chapters include

Well thought out packing lists
Different packing methods
How to choose the best carry on backpack for a trip
Where are you going (different types of travel)

I felt the ‘Where are you going?' section was a bit fluffy and light on information. I was also disappointed that there was not a section on what to pack for a bicycle tour. (The title of the book does say ‘Any Trip', right?).

Perhaps I am being a little harsh though. I know that this subject is easily worth a book on its own!

By the way, if you are interested in what to pack on a bicycle tour, take a look at my video below. It has become one of the most popular bicycle touring gear videos on YouTube!

Travel Packing Lists and Packing Bundles

My favourite part of the book was to do with travel packing lists and packing bundles. Now in all honesty, this is information you can find on the internet without too much hassle.

I did like the way it was presented though, along with reasons why you should include certain items. And there is no such thing as too many travel packing checklists, right?!

I do actually have a series of travel bundles prepacked and ready to go at any one time. It might be my toiletries for a hand-luggage only plane trip, a bicycle tool kit, or clothes for a weekend at the beach. Generally speaking, I pack these bundles in packing cubes, which I find to be THE essential travel packing item anyone can have. You can read more about why I think so here >> Packing Cubes For Travel.

Conclusion in a few words

The conclusion is short and sweet. A little like the book itself! “How To Pack For Any Trip” strikes me as a gift you buy for someone else.

If you know someone who has caught the travel bug or is planning a trip, this book would make an ideal present. In my opinion, the travel packing lists are extremely useful, but the book may also serve as travel inspiration.

If you are looking for an inexpensive but useful travel gift for Christmas or a birthday, the how to pack for any trip lonely planet book ticks all the boxes. By comparison, if you are looking for a read that will keep you absorbed for days, then this is not it!

Interested in buying it? I have included the links to Amazon again just below.