What to take traveling/backpacking, what to leave out, and why
“Pack everything you think you’ll need, leave half of it behind, and bring twice as much money”
You can never know exactly what to pack before you leave. No matter how hard you try, you will nearly always forget something, pack something you don’t need or your pack weighs too much. It’s an inevitability that something will go wrong, and unfortunately the best time to pack is right after you come back. There is also no definitive list of what to and what not to pack, because this will all depend on your circumstances, your personal preferences and standards, amongst other things. But this (extensive) list will try to cover everything you could ever need, and explain when you need to bring it, when you shouldn’t, and why. Don’t just go to your local supply store and ask the attendant what you need, they’re paid to sell you their products, not tell you that you really don’t need this or that product.
This page may seem extremely long and extensive, and it’s worth while for you to read it all, but if you want to skip to a certain section, click a link below:
- Backpack (And Why To Pack Lightly)
- Clothing
- Footwear
- Equipment
- First Aid and Toiletries
- Photography Equipment
- Other Electronics
1. Backpack (And Why To Pack Lightly)
When choosing a backpack there’s nothing more important to take into account than what you’ll be bringing, so read the rest of this page before choosing a backpack.
Choosing a backpack is a very important part of traveling. You need a backpack that is big enough to hold all your stuff, comfortable enough to carry around all day, and not too heavy when full of all your belongings. If possible, try looking for a backpack that..
- Isn’t Top-Loading. Top loading backpacks are great, and probably the most common backpack you’ll see around, but it means that you have to pull stuff out to access things at the bottom of your pack. this usually means people pack their most commonly-used items at the top (Toiletries, Underwear, Camera) with their less-often used items at the bottom (heavy jumper, raincoat) which isn’t very helpful in a sudden downpour of rain. What you’ll want to get is a backpack that zips all the way down, so you can open it up and have full access to all your belongings. Some of these backpacks also have handles on the side so you can carry them like a suitcase, rather than on your back.
- Is Padded And/Or Breathable. You’ll want the back of your pack (the part that comes into contact with your back) to be, if possible, padded and/or breathable. Padding helps to make carrying your pack around all day much more pleasant and comfortable and means you won’t feel in jabs in the back from some pointy piece of equipment in your pack. More importantly, though, the back of your pack should be breathable. Depending on where you’ll be going, you’ll spend a lot of time whilst carrying your pack, sweating like a pig. It’s natural that spending a lot of time in a hot and humid location, doing a lot of physical activity (walking around all day) and carrying a (hopefully not too) heavy backpack will result in a little bit of sweatiness on your behalf. A pack that is padded with breathable material, will help stop some of that sweating, which can lead to uncomfortable chafe that can come with that.
- Has Hidden Pockets. If you’ll be carrying anything important (passport, flight tickets, etc.) you’ll want a secret, hidden compartment/pocket on the inside to keep these things in, just in case a thief comes a-knocking. Of course it’s recommended to keep these things on your person, but sometimes some of these things just don’t fit into a traveler’s wallet.
- Isn’t too big. Whilst it may be tempting to bring a sleeping back, camp stove and nearly everything else you could ever possibly need on any adventure, you shouldn’t. The benefits of carrying so much stuff, simply do not out-weigh the benefits of traveling lightly. If you keep your pack size to a minimum, that means less weight to carry, less things to make sure you don’t forget, plus you’ll look less conspicuous and less like a foreigner. (More on why to get a smaller backpack and pack lightly later).
- Has Metal Zips. We’re talking about the little tags that you pull up and down to zip something up. You want these to be metal, so that when you padlock them together, as you’ll inevitably need to to safe-guard against thieves, the thieves won’t be able to simply cut a little cord that you’re padlock is attached to. Also more durable than the cord-type zips.
- Is Padded Inside. If you’re going to be carrying anything delicate like a SLR camera, laptop computer, video camera, etc. or anything else that could get broken if knocked around on the floor of a third-world bus, you’ll want your pack to be padding on the inside. If you’re bringing a laptop computer, you may consider one with an in-build laptop sleeve, or buying a separate, removable sleeve.
- Is Water-Proof. This is pretty much a no-brainer, but if you can’t figure out why you’d want your bag to be waterproof, then we’ll explain it to you. When you’re traveling, chances are it will rain at least once, and you’ll somehow find yourself stuck in that rain looking for shelter. During that time you’re in the rain, you won’t want that nasty water getting inside your bag and, say, making all your clothes wet, or destroying your camera or mobile phone.
Remember, you should look at how each of these points affect you. If you’re not carrying fragile equipment, you might not need a padded bag, and if you’re only traveling in your own country, chances are you won’t have a passport to keep safe. But try to think to the future as well. What if you decide to go overseas some time in the future? You’ll need a passport then, and you won’t want to be buying another bag. You might want to bring a camera on your next holiday, or a laptop - you might as well prepare for the future, to save the cost of an extra bag.
The most important thing, though, is try to to minimize the size of your backpack. This usually involves packing lightly, so you’ll have to re-consider taking that extra jumper with you. You may, however be convinced that you need all that stuff and you simply couldn’t live without it, but chances are you are wrong. Most of this stuff you could borrow or buy along the way, or don’t really need. The benefits of traveling lighter with a smaller pack, far outweigh those of carrying everything. Here are a few reasons why a small pack is better:
- Your bag is with you wherever you go. The smaller and lighter it is, the easier and more comfortable it will be to carry.
- If you can really get your pack-size down, you can bring it on-board as hand luggage, rather than checking it in. This means you can keep it with you at all times, and you don’t have to wait for your luggage after you arrive.
- Taking less clothes means there’s less clothes to wash, and you can always pick up new (cheaper) clothes on-the-road.
- Carrying a small pack can eliminate the need for a day pack. If your normal pack is small enough, you won’t need to carry around another pack to use during the day. This means you also won’t need to leave your pack inside a hostel where you can never know if those cleaners are trust-worthy or not…
- When you catch buses in foreign countries, which is likely to be one of your most common forms of transport, you will be able to bring your pack in with you, instead of lumping it on the roof.
- Buses are usually a bit short for room, so you will often hit people with a big bag when moving around on buses. Sometimes you even have to pay for a seat for your bag - and you often don’t even get to use it!
- You will stick out less and be less conspicuous in foreign towns if you don’t have a huge bag on your back. People can spot a backpacker from a mile away.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you need a bag small enough to take on a plane as hand luggage. You will likely want to bring back a few souvenirs and having a slightly larger bag (with some room, so don’t fill it up) will let you bring those souvenirs home without having to post them. It can also be useful to leave some room for clothes you pick up along the way.
What clothes you pack and bring will depend largely on where you’re going, when you’re going, and what you’re doing, but I’ve tried to cover everything here, so everyone should find this section useful. You should pay particular attention to this section, because the clothes you bring with you are likely to be the only clothes you have for the next two weeks, two months or two years (or more, or less!). You need to be comfortable in them, and they need to be suitable (or adaptable) for the places you’re going. Here’s a relatively complete list of most things you could need, and why or when you’ll need them…
- 2 T Shirts
I think it’s pretty obvious why you need to bring T shirts, in general. But I only recommend a maximum of 3 (2 ideally) because honestly, you can wash often enough on the road, and if you’re one of those people who wears a new t shirt every single day, then travel isn’t really for you anyway. Try to bring looser-fitting shirts that won’t cling to your body too much or aren’t so tight. White is usually better than black because it reflects more light, but black can be more appropriate in conservative countries. - 1 Shirt (Button Up)
For those occasions where you want to look a bit “posher” or less like a tourist, a button-up collard shirt is perfect without being too heavy or too expensive. If you really want another, consider swapping a T shirt for an extra shirt. - Jumpers / Sweaters / Hoodies
These are not really needed (but often still useful) in hotter climates, so consider not brining one, but for temperate-to-cool climates, you’ll need a jumper/sweater, preferably zip-up and with a hood. Hoods are useful to protect against sudden rain showers without having to get a rain coat out of your bag, and a zip is much more convenient than having to pull it on/off over your head. If going to a cooler-to-cold or freezing destination, you should seriously consider bringing a second “warm” top that can go underneath, such as a skivvy, or “undershirt”. You can pile on the layers as well, such as an undershirt-shirt-jumper combination. - 1-2 Pairs of Shorts
Try to make sure you get one or two pairs of comfortable shorts that aren’t too short. Try to keep them as close to or below the knee whenever possible, as it is very inconsiderate to show too much skin in societies where this is looked down upon. If you want you can go for “zip-off” or “convertible” pants that zip off into shorts, but I find these impractical and ugly. If you’re a girl (or a so-inclined guy), you may want to consider a skirt instead, but only for less-conservative countries. I wouldn’t suggest skirts (particularly on the shorter side) in strictly religious places. You might be comfortable with wearing swim shorts or “board shorts” as normal shorts. - Trousers
Bring 1 (2 max) pairs of trousers for cooler days, and places where it is inappropriate to wear shorts. Some people chose to bring trousers that “zip off” into shorts. Whilst these may appear to be practical, they are sometimes unreliable and always unattractive. Some light, cotton “hippy pants” are sometimes good for warmer climates where it is still not appropriate to wear shorts. - 5 Pairs of Underwear
While some websites will tell you that you can survive on two or three pairs of underwear, we don’t recomend traveling with less than 5 (max 7) pairs. Remember to always was these whenever possible, as often as possible. If you have a little bit of backpack real estate spair, it’s sometimes worthwhile putting in an extra pair or two of underwear or socks. If doing any intense hiking/mountaineering/etc it may be worthwhile investing in “thermal underwear”. - 5 Pairs of Socks
Mostly the same as underwear. Wash as often as possible. Thicker for cooler climates, thinner (but not too thin) for hotter climates. - Undershirts / Wife Beaters
If you wear these at home, consider bringing 2 or 3 to keep the sweat off your t shirt, and simply because you’re used to it. - Hat / Cap
Always bring some type of hat or cap. Beanies for cooler climates, the snow, etc. Brimed hats are good for hot/warm/sunny climates. Something that warms your head, and keeps it safe (protected from the sun) is good. - Swimming Clothes
This will clearly depend on your gender, so you’ll be thinking about either swimming shorts, or a two-piece/one-piece. Please don’t wear speedos. This is really just my preference, but many cultures also don’t approve of showing too much skin, and speedos might be taking it a bit too far. In the same way that wearing a bikini top/bottoms instead of a one-piece might be inappropriate, so consider at least wearing swimming shorts on top. Keep in mind, this all depends on the local culture and how accepting they are of tourist cultures. - (Rain) Jackets
Obviously useful for when it’s raining. Try to get something that is pretty light (and compact) but also keeps you warm.
Often, when you go traveling, you’ll be doing activities that require certain clothes and/or “gear”, such as hiking, camping, etc. Often you’ll find that you can rent these things at the place you need them, but some people prefer to take their own stuff. Sometimes what’s for rent won’t be of the best quality (or higene). So, clearly only take what you think you’ll really need, as these things can take up a lot of room in your bag[s].
- Hiking Clothes
Some people prefer clothes (Jackets/Pants/Boots) that are specifically designed for Hiking. There are many brands that claim to be superior to each other, such as the popular North Face - be warned, if buying on the road, lots of people sell what are known as “North Fakes” - you can guess why. - “Skins”
For those that don’t know, you probably don’t have any need for these, but “Skins” are often used to regulate blood flow during sporting activities (and during flight). These are worn under normal clothes, often by people such as cyclists, skiers/snowboards, etc. I don’t wear these, so don’t know too much about them, but click here to find out more. - Wetsuit
Mostly just for surfers/snorklers/divers, but many swimmers like to wear wetsuits aswell, particularly in cooler waters. - Hiking Boots
Clearly, these are only neccessary if you’re hiking, and can likely be bought on the road, but beware of fakes. It may be best to bring a pair, especially if you’ll be doing a lot of hiking. Bring some that you find comfortable and that you’ve worn in for a few weeks at least. Go hiking somewhere locally to wear them in and make sure they’re suitable. - Ski Gear
It’s only really practical to bring ski gear (pants/jacket/boots/skis/gloves/stocks/etc) if you’re driving. Chuch your gear in the back and your skis on some roof racks (or in the car, if you can). Else, you’ll have to hire some, but don’t worry, ski-hire places are numerous anywhere around ski-friendly mountains, and even small hills.
Footware is, understandably, a major thing when you’re traveling for extensive periods of time. Depending on where you’re going, and personal preference/comfort, you may need different things, but here’s an outline:
- Take At Least One Pair Of Comfortable Trainers/Joggers/Shoes
These should be comfortable, quick to get on, good-soled and if possible, good-looking. Something that wil last long and you’re comfortable to be wearing. Bring something that’s already worn-in for at least a month or so. For example, my Vans Slip-Ons Classics have lasted me two and a half years of hard slogging. They are comfy, come on and off quickly (slip-ons, no laces) and they look good. Of course you can go with some plain vanilla New-Balance, or splash out on some Nike’s or Adidas’, but it’s all up to your personal preference. - Plastic Thongs (Flip-Flops)
These are important even if you’re not going to the beach. You should wear these in all shared/public showers/bathrooms/etc, to protect from things such as tinea, which thrive in places such as swimming pool change rooms/showers. - Hiking Boots
As mentioned in 2.1.4 - Ski Boots
Only appropriate if you’re skiing, and you’re driving there, else hire. Read above (2.1.5) - Smart Shoes
If you are going to do anything requiring a “smarter” look (wedding, business things, etc) then you might consider taking a pair of smart (or at least “smart-casual”) shoes with you. Of course you could probably pick some up a lot cheaper on the road, when you actually need them.
Footware is, understandably, a major