There is no shortage of packing guides, but most of them are checklists — passport, charger, toiletries. The thing you actually spend longest on, “how many clothes do I bring?”, gets answered with “enough.”
That number is not a guess. Look at the temperature range at your destination and it mostly works itself out.
1. The temperature range sets the luggage, not the nights
Four days does not mean four tops. The same trip to a steady 25°C and to a place that runs 8°C in the morning and 20°C by afternoon differ in bulk by more than double. Bulk comes from outerwear, and outerwear is set by the low.
- 1Find the low and the high for your travel dates.
- 2Let the low pick your outerwear — this decides bulk.
- 3Let the high pick your base layers — this decides quantity.
2. What to pack by temperature range
| Range on the trip | Outerwear | Base layers |
|---|---|---|
| Low above 20°C | None (one thin shirt) | One tee per day, two bottoms on rotation |
| Low 15–20°C | One cardigan or light jacket | Mix of long and short sleeves, one per day |
| Low 10–15°C | One trench or jacket, plus a cardigan | Mostly long sleeves, add one knit |
| Low 5–10°C | One coat (bulky — wear it in transit) | Two knits plus a base layer per day |
| Low below 5°C | One puffer (definitely wear it in transit) | Thermals and knits; fewer tops, since you layer |
3. Big daily swings need layers, not more clothes
For a destination with a wide daily swing — 8°C morning, 20°C afternoon — the answer is not more garments but ones that stack. Three thin tees plus one cardigan covers more range, in less space, than two heavy knits.
4. Don’t read the forecast at face value
The same 15°C feels far colder by the coast or at altitude, because of wind. If your destination is coastal or mountainous, treat the forecast as 3–5°C lower and step the outerwear up one level. The full correction is in feels-like vs actual temperature.
- Coast and altitude — wind. One windproof shell does the work of two knits.
- Rainy season — once you are wet, the felt temperature drops fast. Prioritise quick-dry fabrics.
- Heavy indoor cooling — even a midsummer trip needs one thin layer.
5. A five-minute check before you leave
- 1Look up the low and the high for your dates
- 2Open the temperature page for the low, pick the outer layer — and wear it out
- 3Count base layers from the high
- 4Coastal, mountainous or rainy? Step up one level
If you are unsure what a given reading calls for, start at what to wear at every temperature. If it is only the outer layer in question, outerwear by temperature is faster.