So for our trip to Kenai, Alaska in late August, I’m trying something different: a lean Alaska packing list built around layers, waterproof gear and clothes I’ll actually wear.

I used to have a tendency to pack for imaginary versions of myself.

The woman who goes somewhere nice for dinner every night.

The woman who needs four different pairs of shoes.

The woman who suddenly develops an entirely different personal style upon landing in another state.

The woman who might need a dress. Just in case.

I have never once met this woman on vacation.

This time, I’m packing for the woman who is actually going on this trip.

She will walk. She will hike. She will fish. She will sit around drinking coffee in a matching sweatsuit. She will probably get rained on. She will want to be warm. She will read approximately 400 pages of something while everyone else is doing whatever they’re doing. She might golf.

And every once in a while, she may want to look somewhat presentable at dinner. Read: mascara.

That’s it.

One suitcase. One backpack. No packing for imaginary emergencies.

UPDATE: I’M HOME. HERE’S WHAT I ACTUALLY USED.

Well, I did it. A week in Alaska in August, everything packed into one hard-shell carry-on suitcase, and I am pleased to report that for once in my life I packed remarkably well.

We had basically every kind of weather Alaska could throw at us. Two days of constant rain, damp rainforest-y mornings in the 40s, sunny afternoons in the mid-60s, and one golf day warm enough for a t-shirt.

And after actually wearing all of this stuff for a week, I have thoughts.

If you’re packing for Alaska in August and trying not to bring your entire closet, here’s what I actually wore, what earned MVP status, and what never even made it out of my suitcase.

→ Skip to What I Actually Wore in Alaska

What to Wear in Alaska in August: What I Actually Wore

From EVERYTHING, and I mean everything I have read, late August in Kenai appears to require one very important skill:

The art of layering.

Not a giant winter coat. Not an entirely separate wardrobe for every possible temperature.

Layers.

So instead of packing a bunch of individual outfits, I’m packing pieces that can basically all be worn together.

My formula:

T-shirt or long sleeve + leggings or outdoor pants + fleece + rain shell.

Cold? Add the puffer.

Warm? Start stripping.

Raining?

Well, apparently I’m in Alaska.

My Alaska Packing List for Late August

Clothes

I’m bringing:

• 3 T-shirts/tanks
• 2 sweatshirts
• 1 wool cardigan
• 1 pair of leggings, 2 pairs of sweats
• 2 pair of comfy/travel pants
• 1 comfy/lounge outfit that will double as pajamas
• More underwear than I need
• Exactly 2 bras
• Regular socks
• A few pairs of wool/hiking socks

That is pretty much the wardrobe.

I’m also giving myself one rule: everything has to work with almost everything else.

If a shirt only works with one particular pair of pants, it has no business coming to Alaska with me.

The Layers

This is where I’m putting most of my packing energy.

I’m bringing:

• A waterproof rain shell
• A lightweight packable puffer vest
• A baseball hat
• A warm stocking hat
• Thin gloves

The goal is to be able to go from chilly morning to warmer afternoon to rain to colder evening without needing an entirely different outfit.

Shoes

Four pairs.

That’s it.

• My favorite slip-on rubber boots
• Walking shoes
• Hiking boots
• White sneaks

Shoes are where luggage goes to die.

I refuse.

Outdoor Gear I’m Packing for Alaska

I am not attempting to transform myself into an Alaskan wilderness survivalist for this trip.

But I am bringing:

• A fanny pack
• Water bottle
• Prescription sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Bear spray
• Swimsuit (you never know where you’ll find a sauna)
• Portable travel charger

What I’m Packing in my Backpack for Alaska

My backpack is basically the things I don’t want separated from me bag.

• Wallet and ID.
• Phone.
• Chargers.
• Headphones.
• Laptop.
• Kindle.
• Snacks.
• Water bottle.
• Medications and vitamins.
• Red lipstick.
• Sunglasses and extra glasses.
• Packable puffer vest.

And one clean pair of underwear and socks.

I have traveled enough to know that luggage can go one direction while you go another, and I would at least like clean underwear while we work through our differences.

Also, the Kindle is non-negotiable.

Frankly, everyone else could stay home before the Kindle does.

Toiletries

I’m trying very hard not to bring my entire bathroom.

The basics:

• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Moisturizer
• Mascara and lipstick. That’s it.
• Hairbrush and hair ties
• Travel-size shampoo and conditioner
• Medications
• Ibuprofen/Tylenol
• Band-Aids and blister patches

I do not need seventeen serums to visit Alaska. And my hair will be au natural.

We will survive.

What I Am NOT Packing

This might actually be the most important part of the list.

I am not bringing:

Any dressy outfits. I know my audience. And if Alaska requires cocktail attire unexpectedly, I will simply have to disappoint Alaska.

More than three pairs of shoes. Absolutely not.

A giant winter coat. It’s still August.

A pile of sweaters. They take up approximately 94% of a suitcase and somehow I always wear the same one anyway.

An umbrella. Rain shell.

Jeans. Just not necessary for this trip.

Full-size toiletries. I am going away, not relocating.

Anything that only works with one outfit. This is perhaps my new packing philosophy in general.

What Is the Weather Like in Kenai, Alaska in August?

Late August in Kenai can mean cool mornings, mild afternoons, rain and temperatures that change quite a bit throughout the day. Rather than packing for one specific temperature, I’m planning around layers I can add and remove, plus waterproof outerwear and shoes.

Honestly after the scorcher of a summer, I’m not mad about 60s.

The Real Goal: Less Stuff, Less Managing

The older I get, the less interested I am in managing things.

And luggage is just another collection of things to manage.

Things to pack. Things to unpack. Things to find. Things to keep track of. Things to haul through an airport. Things I brought because maybe I would need them.

I want enough.

Enough clothes to be comfortable. Enough layers to stay warm. Enough gear to do the things we want to do.

And then I want to stop thinking about my stuff and go experience Alaska.

Which, now that I think about it, is probably the whole point of packing lean in the first place.

Less stuff. More room for the actual trip.

And When I Get Home…

I’m coming back to this post.

Because packing lists written before trips are really just theories.

I want to know:

What did I actually wear?

What did I never touch?

What did I wish I had?

What earned its place in my suitcase?

And what did I drag approximately 3,000 miles for absolutely no reason?

I’ll report back.

And I have a sneaking suspicion next time I’ll pack even less.

What I Actually Wore in Alaska in August

The biggest lesson: layers, layers, layers.

Not particularly revolutionary advice for Alaska, I realize. But I also don’t think you need 47 specialized outdoor garments to accomplish it.

My basic uniform was barrel pants, a t-shirt or sweatshirt, and my puffer vest. I could add or remove layers depending on what Alaska decided to do in the next 20 minutes.

And I wore the puffer vest constantly.

PACKING VERDICT: MVP.

Honestly, looking back through the pictures, I’m wearing it while fishing, hanging around outside, and doing basically everything except golfing.

The vest I took is from Lands’ End like 20 years ago, but here is one of my favorites.

I keep a running list of the things I buy, use and genuinely love over here.

The Barrel Pants Were the Surprise Winner

I brought two pairs of barrel pants and would absolutely bring them again.

Comfortable enough for travel and hanging around the cabin, cute enough to wear out, easy to layer, and they worked for almost everything we did.

These may have been my most-worn actual clothing item of the trip.

The Barrel Pants →

The Rubber Boots: Do Not Skip These

Okay, these were the actual MVP.

We had two days of pretty constant rain and Alaska is just…wet. Damp. Muddy. Rainforest-y. There were plenty of times when putting on tennis shoes would have been annoying because I knew I’d immediately get them wet.

Rubber boots? On. Done.

I wore them around the cabin, outside in the rain and anytime I didn’t want to think about what I was stepping in.

If I were packing for Alaska again tomorrow, the rubber boots would be the first shoes in my suitcase.

LFH Rubber Deck Boots →

And yes, they took up valuable carry-on real estate. Worth it.

PACKING VERDICT: 10/10. WOULD ABSOLUTELY PACK AGAIN.

The Shoes I Actually Needed

I originally had an entire internal debate about shoes because apparently this is where my brain likes to spend its energy.

Final verdict?

I needed three pairs:

Rubber boots: MVP. See above.

Tennis shoes: For hiking and general walking around. My favorites →

Slip-on clogs: Easy, comfortable, and perfect when I didn’t need an actual outdoor shoe.

My flip-flops?

Never left the suitcase.

I could have left them home entirely.

What I Wore Fishing in Alaska

This is probably my favorite part because I somehow caught an actual salmon.

We fished from the bank very close to our cabin, so this wasn’t an elaborate guided expedition where we needed to bring a bunch of specialized gear.

We brought our own fishing gear, and waders were available for us to use.

For clothing, I wore layers: my fave vuori joggers, hoodie, puffer vest and a stocking hat when it was cold.

And then I caught a humpy.

Which I realize is a pink salmon, but I’m going to continue calling it my humpy because obviously.

If you’re bank fishing in Alaska: check whether your accommodations or outfitter provides waders before buying or packing your own. They take up a ton of room and I was very happy not to have them in my suitcase.

What I Wore Hiking

This was wonderfully uncomplicated:

Tennis shoes + barrel pants + layers + puffer vest + fanny pack.

That’s it.

Unless you’re planning a substantially more technical hike than we were, I don’t think you necessarily need to turn yourself into an REI catalog to go walking in Alaska.

The fanny pack was especially useful because I could keep my phone, sunglasses and whatever other little crap I apparently need at all times on me without carrying an entire bag.

One Thing I Completely Forgot: A Baseball Hat

How?

HOW?

I packed three pairs of glasses, multiple bags, vitamins, a stocking hat and eight pairs of underwear, but somehow did not pack a baseball hat.

I would absolutely bring one next time.

If You’re Golfing in Alaska, Read This

We golfed.

And this is one place where my minimalist packing cost us some money.

We rented clubs, which we expected. But then we also had to buy golf balls, gloves and tees.

DUH.

If you know you’re golfing, throw those things in your suitcase. They take up approximately zero room and you can save yourself the expensive golf-course-pro-shop tax.

Or go to Walmart when you get there.

Learn from us.

Also, our golf day was legitimately t-shirt weather. Alaska in August is not necessarily cold all day, every day.

Things I Packed and Never Used

This is always my favorite part of a packing post because apparently I need documented evidence that the world will continue spinning if I don’t bring everything I own.

Shorts: Never wore them.

Flip-flops: Never took them out.

Rain poncho: Never wore it.

Regular bra: Never wore it. Sports bras won the week.

And yet…

Eight pairs of underwear: No regrets.

I brought eight pairs because I found underwear I love, bought a bunch of the exact same pair and threw basically everything else away. I will also always overpack underwear. This is a hill I’m willing to die on.

There are minimalist packing people who will tell you three pairs are enough.

Those people can live their lives.

I will be over here with clean underwear.

THE UNDERWEAR TO END ALL UNDERWEAR

My Actual Alaska Packing List After Spending a Week There

If I were leaving again tomorrow, this is pretty much exactly what I’d bring:

• 8 pairs of underwear, because I am who I am
• 2 sports bras
• 2 t-shirts
• 2 tanks
• 2 pairs of barrel pants
• 1 pair of pajamas, although maybe two because mine was getting a little questionable by the end 😂
• 1 puffer vest
• 2 sweatshirts
• 1 cardigan
• 1 hoodie
• 3 pairs of socks
• Rubber boots
• Tennis shoes
• Slip-on clogs
• Stocking hat
• Baseball hat
• Fanny pack
• Tote/purse
• Backpack

For toiletries, I kept it really simple: mascara, lipstick, facial oil, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, Invisalign retainers, medications and vitamins, Aleve and ibuprofen.

And then the technology situation because apparently I need to charge half my body now: computer, charging cube that charges my phone, airpods and watch, Oura Ring charger, glasses and sunglasses.

Plus snacks and candy for the plane because I am not paying airport prices for a bag of gummy bears if I can help it.

Everything fit in one hard-shell carry-on suitcase.

And honestly?

I wouldn’t change much.

This is pretty much what I write about every Monday: what I’m doing, what I’m learning, and whatever I’m figuring out in real time. Join Love Monday ❤️ →

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