What to pack for San Francisco in February

Lows around 46°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Wind at 24 km/h cuts through a bare head on the waterfront.

The UV index hits 4.6 and water reflects glare onto your eyes.

Urban parks near the coast hold mosquitoes even in February.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

City walking on pavement for days turns small cuts into problems.

Daylight ends by 5:30 p.m. and one outlet per room means the phone dies before dinner.

Dark by 6:45pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Fits overhead on every carrier that serves this route.

Golden Gate Park and Muir Woods sit close enough for day trips.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Coastal wind cuts through a t-shirt fast.

Eight rain days in February mean wet neck and shoulders without coverage.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Tap water is potable, so a bottle saves money and plastic.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Urban transit and hostels make bag tracking worth the weight.

Humidity at 78 percent makes damp clothes breed mold in bags.

Rain eight times this month soaks everything, including your socks.

Lows around 46°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Lows of 46°F require a layer that packs small for variable mornings.

Ten hours of daylight with sun overhead calls for eye protection.

Tap water is safe but your hands touch transit rails constantly.

Insect bites itch worse when sunburned skin is already inflamed.

One outlet per room and three devices means cables stay short.

Domestic travel still requires locks on shared hostel lockers.

Bathroom mirrors fog at 78 percent humidity without ventilation space.