We have clothes for every season waiting for us in Illinois. Before we come, Tiffany will haul down boxes of the appropriate season so we don't have to pack clothing when we go for our visits. That gives us more room to pack goodies from Hawaii.
This winter, we were going to visit our son and his family in Maryland. Since they now have a home of their own, we asked if we could leave some clothes with him too.
On another trip to Maryland, I'd found an excellent hooded packable black (32 Degrees Heat) down coat at Costco for just $20. It was too good to pass up and has worked beautifully for our trips to Japan and Europe.
I love how you can squeeze the coat into a small pouch for packing and yet have it keep you nice and warm for cool days.
I'm wearing the coat here in front of the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands.
On this trip to Maryland, there was another packable down coat at Costco! The Eddie Bauer coat cost $29, but was just what I was looking for because we were planning to take mom to Japan this year and I was going to have her use my black 32 Degrees Heat coat.
Tiffany had told me that she would give me a brand new coat that she'd bought from UNIQLO that her husband said had her looking like she was wearing a sleeping bag.
I told her she could send it to Maryland if she could find a cheap way to send it. Even flat rate boxes aren't that cheap.
Would you believe my very smart son-in-law, Eddie discovered ZONE flat rate boxes? They're a little smaller than the regular small flat rate boxes and it cost them under $8 to mail it from Illinois to Maryland. Eddie used a vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of the long down coat and had it stuffed in a zip lock bag. It was incredibly tiny. I could hardly believe it. They fit the coat and even some winter hats and socks for my grandsons in the small zone box.
OK... I know. I look like I'm wearing a sleeping bag too, but it was very comfortable for the cold Maryland weather.
Did I bring it back to Hawaii with me? Nope. I left it in Maryland for our next trip. It's not exactly easily packable. I'm still not sure how Eddie managed it.
This winter, we were going to visit our son and his family in Maryland. Since they now have a home of their own, we asked if we could leave some clothes with him too.
I love how you can squeeze the coat into a small pouch for packing and yet have it keep you nice and warm for cool days.
I'm wearing the coat here in front of the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands.
Tiffany had told me that she would give me a brand new coat that she'd bought from UNIQLO that her husband said had her looking like she was wearing a sleeping bag.
I told her she could send it to Maryland if she could find a cheap way to send it. Even flat rate boxes aren't that cheap.
Would you believe my very smart son-in-law, Eddie discovered ZONE flat rate boxes? They're a little smaller than the regular small flat rate boxes and it cost them under $8 to mail it from Illinois to Maryland. Eddie used a vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of the long down coat and had it stuffed in a zip lock bag. It was incredibly tiny. I could hardly believe it. They fit the coat and even some winter hats and socks for my grandsons in the small zone box.
OK... I know. I look like I'm wearing a sleeping bag too, but it was very comfortable for the cold Maryland weather.
Did I bring it back to Hawaii with me? Nope. I left it in Maryland for our next trip. It's not exactly easily packable. I'm still not sure how Eddie managed it.
If you feel as warm as if you are wearing a sleeping bag, then no problem that I can see. I really don't like being cold.
ReplyDeleteIf i can be a honest i dont like this type of jacket.
ReplyDeleteAlways good to have a great coat.
ReplyDeleteIt looks warm and comfortable, most important.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. Think I'd better check out Eddie Bauer.
ReplyDeleteYou look wonderful in that coat. How great your kids have room to store your clothes for a visit. Wonderful idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, not just the packable winter coats/jackets --but especially being able to leave clothes at your children's homes when you visit --in any season.... AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
I'm from an outdoors community where we have learned to use layers. We have a layer for wind, a layer for insulation and when needed a layer for rain. These layers can be light . But you didn't need to know this.
ReplyDeleteI have the short packable (32 Degrees Heat) down jacket from Costco to get me to SFO on my visit home this winter! Packable! Enjoy your visit
ReplyDeleteIt looks so warm, I flew to SLC north of us abotu 300 miles and took alight rain coat. Well, it's freezing and snow up there I about froze...next time I'll dress warmer. Great coat.
ReplyDeleteThat vacuum cleaner business is pretty neat. I watched my sister in law use it to make her American purchases small enough to get back to England. "Air costs money, too," she informed me.
ReplyDeleteLooks perfect for northern winter wearing, and you certainly don't need that in Hawaii. The vacuum trip is a good one. We have a few vacuum packing bags that hyou fill, seal and the squeeze.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a good idea to leave those winter things with the winter kids. I have a similar coat for the coldest days here in Kansas. Don't care if it looks like a sleeping bag; I get very cranky when I'm cold. I've even slept in it! (The 24/7 nurses can actually stay in my private duty patient's spare bedroom if the roads are dangerous. That room is very cold with a dumb bay window alongside the bed. So, the times I've stayed, I changed into my long sweats and slept in that long down coat.)
ReplyDeleteI remember packing once and actually sat on the clothes I was bagging up in order to get the air out, then sealing it. Flat, compact.
Stay warm! Linda in Kansas
Great idea and what an amazing shipping rate.
ReplyDeleteI wish I took my down jacket when I went to visit my son in Oakland last December. It was a little cold and I wasn't really packed for it - he gave me a couple of days notice, letting me know that he was getting married at a courthouse in Martinez (county by Berkeley)!
ReplyDeleteI found a great deal of heat guard (32 Degrees) top and pants at Costco - $4.97 for the set in children's size! There was one XL in black left, and it fit - though the arms were a tad bit too long. I plan to go back and get a L in the children's size and keep it for a future trip to the Mainland so I can stay warm under my outfits.
You have to dress for it!!! What a great idea. When my kids went around the world, after their safari, they sent their boots home this way!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great traveling coat and this is certainly a sensible way of cutting down on luggage.
ReplyDeleteI have a packable down jacket from REI, and I simply love it. I don't pack it away, though. Instead I wear it. You look pretty and I don't think it looks like a sleeping bag! :-)
ReplyDelete