How to Pack a Backpack for Travel

After nearly a decade of traveling I have learned that packing small and light is the way to go; I stick to a carry-on sized backpack for the majority of trips I do now. The only time I pack more is if I am planning to camp, visit extremely cold places, or perform other “gear intensive” activities where it does not make sense to rent or borrow the equipment after arrival.

The benefits of packing small and light including not incurring additional baggage fees, being able to carry your bag on public transport, having the ability to walk great distances, and being able to live simply and travel simply without the need to worry about your stuff.

Live Simply. Travel Simply.

The below packing check list is my reference for when I pack my carry-on backpack. The list includes clothing for both warm and cold weather, making it possible to travel around the world in normal city conditions with a backpack that is carry-on sized. It is amazing what long-underwear, middle layer (zipper hoodie), down jacket, wool hat, and gloves can do to keep you warm for a small and light pack weight.

Some people think I’m crazy to travel with this little, including immigration officials who often ask a few additional questions, but I swear that after years of trial and error across ~100 countries, this is the only stuff I need.

I see a lot of travelers pack for every possible medical incident or situation whereas I just plan to borrow or buy the ‘exceptionals’ when I need them. I also occasionally rent, buy, or borrow clothing or equipment for exceptional weather conditions or activities, but since I do most wilderness adventures in foreign lands with the assistance of a tour agency or guide, this is easy and usually expected.

Without further adieu, these are the packing essentials that will get you through most countries and conditions with ease.

Travel Packing Check List

	Clothing			Miscellaneous
◊	Long Pants	x1	◊	Phone / Charger	x1
◊	T-Shirts	x3	◊	Kindle / Cable	x1
◊	Collared Shirt	x1	◊	Laptop / Cable	x1
◊	Shorts / Swim Shorts*	x2	◊	Travel Towel	x1
◊	Sleeveless Shirts*	x2	◊	Pen / Writing Pad	x1
◊	Zippper Hoodie*1	x1	◊	Universal Adaptor
◊	Packable Down Jacket*	x1	◊	Packing Cubes	x3
◊	Long Underwear*	x1	◊	Packable Daypack	x1
◊	Underwear	x5	◊	Tissue	x1
◊	Socks	x3	◊	Condoms/Meds	x2
◊	Dark Shoes for Hiking and Formal Attire	x1	◊	Headlamp	x1
◊	Flip Flops*	x1	◊	Packable Daypack	x3
◊	Hat or Baseball Cap	x1	◊	Travel Guide / Dive Cert	x1
◊	Sunglasses	x1	◊	Toilet Paper	x1
◊	Beanie & Gloves*	x1	◊	Packable Daypack	x1
	*Weather Dependent		◊	Travel Lock	x1
	Camera Gear			Toiletries, Liquids, and Gels (<100ml)
◊	Camera / Lenses	x1	◊	Toothbrush	x1
◊	Batteries	x2	◊	Toothpaste	x1
◊	Charger & USB Cord	x1	◊	Deodorant	x1
◊	Memory Cards	x1	◊	Dental Floss	x1
◊	Back-Up Hard Drive	x1	◊	Body Wash / Shampoo	x1
			◊	Razor / Shaving Cream	x1
	Administrative		◊	Facewash / Soap	x1
◊	Passport	x1	◊	Sunscreen	x1
◊	Flight Tickets	x1	◊	Bug Spray	x1
◊	Flight Itinerary	x1	◊	Hand Sanitizer
◊	Airline Points Card	x1
◊	Photocopy of Docs	x1
◊	Emergency #s	x1
◊	Backup US$ / Euros	x1
◊	Debit Card / Credit Card	x2
◊	Scuba Dive Cert	x1

After reading this list you may be thinking that there is no way all of this gear could fit into a 55cm x 40cm x  20cm carry-on backpack. The below photos show the things I took for a 6-month Around the World trip, including how it all packs down. My laptop and Kindle are not shown in the photo but I did carry them in the special laptop sleeve on my backpack.

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