Packing can be a seriously daunting task, especially when traveling without an end date or set itinerary. From predicting weather conditions to choosing the right clothing/shoes/gadgets to bring along, the seemingly endless number of decisions and possibilities to consider can make your head spin. If I have any glimmer of wisdom to impart from my own escapades, there’s one thing I can say for sure: whether it be a week, month or year on the road, when it comes to the art of packing - light IS right. I’ll admit, it took me a while to fully understand the weight of these words, but after lugging around a monster backpack (85 liter) + wheelie carry-on around Europe for 6 weeks, I learned this lesson the hard way. Here are some tips and tricks of the trade that can help when packing for long trips.
Suitcase Vs. Backpack
Backpack…suitcase…backpack? Suitcase?! Deciding what to pack is hard enough, let alone choosing what to pack in. On past travels, I had always opted for my trusty suitcase. With easy mobility and lots of space to bring the perfect shoes for every occasion, I would casually throw things in without much thought. On a trip to India, I recall zipping past my poor friends trying to lug their massive backpacks onto trains and rickshaws. These trips usually ranged from 3-4 weeks and always had an end date so when a wheel broke off from rough-handling or my case began overflowing with souvenirs, it was already time to head home before hell broke loose. When Beard and I decided to travel full time, I immediately knew my old careless ways were not going to cut it. With no end date to our travels and no official plans beyond our initial flight booked, any terrain or timeframe became a possibility. Due to our unpredictable schedule and rustic travel style, I had no doubt that a backpack would be the most reliable and foolproof option and after 11 months on the go, I can honestly say that we’ve never once looked back.
Choosing The Right Backpack
Top vs side loader
When it came to choosing the right backpack there was one detail that was non-negotiable - NO top loaders. I had traveled with friends in the past with top loading backpacks (bags with a zipper opening only at the top) and remember their constant struggle digging from the top to the bottom of their bag to find anything. Ain't nobody got time for that. While many argue that for overnight camping trips top loaders are the bee’s knees, when it comes to long term travel, a side loading backpack (zipper opening on the side, like a suitcase) would help with organization and allow me to see all my things easy. After lots of browsing we decided on the Opsrey Farpoint, a great side loader with a detachable day-pack!
Monster Packs...#neveragain
Size matters
Next question was size. As I mentioned, in the past we made some packing decisions that I'm not proud of (see photo evidence above) and quickly realized we'd have to change our ways before the big trip. Luckily, REI has a killer return policy and we were able to return our 85L bags of shame hassle free. I started reading lots of blogs about minimalist packing and it sounded glorious: super light backpacks (some travelers packing in a 30-40L backpack for years of travel) with only essentials. This options meant great mobility, no potential back problems and the best part: meeting airplane carry on luggage requirements, aka never paying extra baggage fees or waiting at baggage check. The cons were constant laundry (small bag = less clothes = laundry city), rebuying contact solution and liquid toiletries after flying (depending on airline carryon rules) and no picking up souvenirs along the way (with limited space comes great responsibility). Though I longed to live the minimalist life, I also know myself and a baby bag just wasn't gonna cut it. I love picking up new things from the countries I visit and knew I'd get sick of wearing the same threads everyday. With the changing climates over our trip, I also wanted space to pack some winter layers. For these reasons, I went with the 70L (13L daypack and 54L backpack). We were thinking to go with the 55L, but after seeing both bags and reading THIS blog post, we decided to go with the 70L and under-pack to get more space.
What To Pack?
I would definitely recommend investing in a set of packing cubes for keeping things tidy and organized. We bought - THESE and they’re fabulous. My Initial packing list was as follows (see image below if you can't read):
Tops – 12 Sweater Dresses – 2 Bottoms - 6 Bathing suits - 2 (now down to one) Undies – 15 Light Jacket Hiking boots Flip flops Teva sandals Walking shoes – ditched these bastards mid-trip Make-up Toiletries Microfiber towel – THIS towel is essential. Quick dry + compact = perfection Epilade Selfie stick Book – started with one book, which continues to be exchanged at 2nd hand bookshops Laptop Fork-Spoon – Loved THESE steel titanium fork-spoons are we ended up using them all the time. I’m not pointing fingers but someone left them in his carry-on and they were sadly confiscated at security check #RIP Camera Sour sticks (obviously)
I ended up buying and giving away many things throughout our trip, so the content of my bag now looks quite different then when we left. This time around, I have few regrets. My only advice would be to start with less clothing and maybe lighter hiking boots. It’s easy to forget that you can always buy anything you may need during your travels (many times for cheaper than at home), so no need to stress. You GOT this. Now go pack!
Comments