My Full Travel Gear List

Everything you need to take with you if you don't know when you're coming back

For all I know, a piece like this makes no sense on a platform like Substack—most articles I’ve seen of this nature have been out in the Wild West of the “real” internet.

And thus I was faced a dilemma: I’m as yet unwilling to launch my own real website, but I also really want to share this information with you—hence, my decision to post it on Substack anyway, and hope against hope it might get two likes or help out at least one would-be adventurer.

First, I’d like to make three quick points about the relationship the truly curious backpacker should have with his gear:

1. Your gear should serve the adventure, not the adventure your gear.

Few things are more shameful than the “backpacker” who becomes so obsessed with buying the perfect gear that the adventure (which provided the reason for buying the gear in the first place) ends up taking a back seat in importance.

Don’t get me wrong, prepping all your gear before a trip can be extremely fun, and I’m even a bit of a perfectionist myself—but seriously, if you’re more excited spending $300 on your new backpack than you are spending $300 on your one-way flight to Kazakhstan, you should rethink some things.

2. Don’t skimp out on the important items, but ignore the replaceables.

When I was preparing for my first trip, I made the right move by buying a really good quality backpack and daypack—but then I got so absurdly deep in the weeds that I literally bought portable detergent flakes for washing my clothes.

Somehow, I seemed to have obtusely overlooked the simple fact that all the places to which I was planning to travel happened, by golly, to have people living in them—which meant detergent and other similar trifles would be readily available at every grocery and convenience store I would pass (which was a lot).

On the other hand, a sturdy backpack that was comfortable and wouldn’t burst asunder after a few months of hard travel was much more difficult to find (and in many places, impossible).

3. Be willing to change out your gear as you travel through different climates.

If you’re starting your trip in tropical southern Africa, don’t lug a parka with you just because you’re planning to end in freezing Nepal. And conversely, if you started out somewhere cold but have since moved on to warmer climes, be willing to ditch your jacket and wool socks without shame (my preferred method is to give them to a homeless person).

You’ll save yourself months of carrying useless dead weight around on your back—and like I said above, you can always purchase a new jacket or socks along the way if you suddenly have need of keeping warm again.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into it.

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Bags

Most backpackers travel with two backpacks: a main bag for all of their stuff, and a smaller “daypack” for little excursions.

Now, don’t be fooled—the concept of a daypack does not give you license to buy a 70-liter main backpack and fill it with 80 pounds of stuff. If you want to experience the true freedom of the backpacking life, you still want your main bag to be portable enough to take it everywhere you go with ease.

Main Bag

I’ve used my trusty Aer Travel Pack 3 for many years and many trips at this point, and it shows absolutely no signs of wearing out.

While a little on the heavy side, it’s extremely comfortable, and at 35 liters, I find it holds everything I need with a little room to spare—which is exactly what you want in order to make room for any extra stuff you might pick up along the way, such as gifts for family and friends.

I also highly recommend getting a few packing cubes, as they’re a game-changer both for keeping your stuff organized and maximizing the amount of space in your pack.

Daypack

Though to my great regret I have since been separated from it, I used the Matador On-Grid Packable Backpack for my first trip. It appears to have been discontinued, but I liked it so much I might consider buying one secondhand for my next trip.

For a daypack, structure and comfort isn’t as important as lightness and packability, since you’ll be using it mostly for single-day hikes and trips.

Finally, I made a point to ensure both my main bag and daypack were more-or-less waterproof, since I usually bring my laptop and a handful of other electronics with me. If you’re planning to travel for a long time, I promise you will get caught in a rainstorm sooner or later—so this feels pretty essential to me.

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Clothes

Clothing is the area where the first-time backpacker invariably commits the most egregious overthinking.

No, you don’t need a fanny pack, or a “money belt,” or a pair of “100% Merino Wool T-Shirts With Remarkable Temperature Regulation Qualities That Keep You Cool In Hot Weather And Warm In Cold Weather And Which Don’t Have To Be Washed Nearly As Often As Regular T-Shirts” like I thought I did.

The same goes for shoes. When I set out on my first trip, I was wearing a pair of Columbia Fairbanks that I had, after agonizing research, ascertained were the perfect blend of hiking and everyday-wear functionality—The Perfect Shoe. After two days of feeling like an ogre walking around Barcelona in these ugly things, I switched them out for a pair of white Converse All-Stars, which stayed with me for almost the entire remainder of my nine-month journey.

And when, during this trip, I decided to do three-days of trekking through the mountains of northern India, guess what I did? I bought hiking boots. In India. Crazy, I know.

5 t-shirts

Or however many you need to put off laundry day for as long as you need to.

1 long-sleeve collared shirt

Nice to have for formal occasions (like nice restaurants or dates), and especially for cafés with overzealous AC.

1 pair of pants

I must confess I did use and very much like the Western Rise Evolution Pant. They’re light, durable, and dry off very quickly.

That said, for my next trip, I’m just going to bring regular pants, probably something cheap and durable like these Dickies Work Pants.

1 bathing suit

These double as my workout shorts as well.

5-10 pairs of underwear & socks

Again, the only real consideration here is how long you want to be able to go without having to do laundry (or how offensive you’re willing to smell).

Jacket (optional)

This really depends on how cold or rainy your destination is. I usually like to bring some type of light rain jacket or windbreaker with me to start since it can useful in all climates, and then purchase a fleece or something warmer if I decide to venture into colder territory.

1 pair of everyday shoes

Not terribly important, as long as they’re comfortable.

1 pair of running shoes (optional)

For me, these are not optional. I actually first became a runner while backpacking, and it’s since become one of my favorite ways to explore a new city.

1 pair of flip flops or slides (optional)

These are nice to have if you’re in a warm and beachy place like Thailand.

Belt

Ever since my leather belt started growing a mold culture and smelling like a dead animal in the humidity of Sri Lanka, I’ve leaned away from leather belts while traveling.

Sunglasses

Unless you’re going to northern Alaska in the winter, the sun will probably be bright.

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Technology

The necessity of the below items is very subjective, as it all depends on what type of trip you’re planning to have and to what degree you like to coddle your technology.

Laptop, case & charger

While technically optional (especially in the age of the smartphone), I find that having an actual computer with you is extremely handy for conducting research into the next country on your list, and just for hedging against any uncertainties that may come your way.

For example, I ran out of money a little sooner than I expected and would’ve had to come home early from my first trip if I hadn’t been able to kickstart a freelance writing gig from Bangkok.

That said, on the same trip I also ended up having to buy a new laptop in Delhi—so even laptops can be sourced along the way if need be.

iPhone & charger

No-brainer—Google Maps has saved me so many times I can’t even count them.

Kindle & charger

If you’re a reader like myself (and you should be), a Kindle or some other type of e-reader is an absolute essential.

If you’re traveling for months at a time, you’re likely to go through a lot of books—and though I admit there’s a certain quaint appeal to finding that one special book in a used bookstore, devouring it, and then leaving it at a hostel for the next traveler to find, I view a good book as a permanent possession that should be kept forever for future reference.

If you feel the same way, a good e-reader is a non-negotiable.

Garmin watch & charger (optional)

Again, as a runner, this is not optional for me (how else would I be able to monitor my heart rate zones?)

Flashlight & charger

While it may sound superfluous, a good quality flashlight can actually do wonders in making you feel safe on sketchy night-time streets. I once used the strobe mode on my Olight Warrior 3 to scare off a stray dog that wouldn’t leave me alone on a dirt road in Tanzania at the ripe hour of midnight.

That flashlight is now in the possession of a Maasai man named Meleo in rural Tanzania, so I’ve since replaced it with the Warrior Ultra.

World outlet adapter

If you’re going cross-continents, this is a must.

AirPods

My AirPods Pro with noise cancellation are one of the great pleasures of my life.

Disposable camera (optional)

I had the idea to buy a cheap Kodak disposable camera for my first trip, snapping a single picture during what felt like the most special, memorable moments of the trip.

While it did take up a fair amount of precious backpack space, the thrill of viewing the physical print-outs after my return home made it more than worth it.

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Miscellaneous

Journal & pens

I feel strongly about this one. People love to talk about journaling as a way to stay mentally healthy, but for me, it’s so much more than that.

Journaling allows you to relive the most profound moments of your trip (or your life) over and over again in perfect detail, throughout those later years when memory alone would customarily make a big murky mess of things. I truly cannot explain to you how many times I have, while re-reading old entries I made during my trips, sat back, lost in a resurfaced memory, and said to myself, “Remember that?”

This is tremendously important. It’s not merely good fun. We all have a fixed number of days, weeks, months, or years to live, and remembering your most precious moments through your journals quite literally allows you to extract more value and meaning per unit of time lived.

The non-journaler and I might live the same number of years and even have the same number of amazing experiences—I’ll just get far more out of them than he ever could.

So, bring a journal.

Wallet

Passport

Passport photocopies

These are nice to have in case your hostel or hotel asks for copy, and especially if you lose your passport and need to prove to your home country’s embassy that you actually are who you say you are.

Vitamins

Sunscreen

Towel

This is an area where I’ve found it really does pay to get a “travel towel.” Any light, quick-drying, packable towel should do.

Combination padlocks

Good for when you’re forced to shove your bag into the undercarriage of an overnight bus.

Earplugs & sleep mask

This may be the best $10 you’ll ever spend.

COVID mask

Thank God these have become essentially no longer necessary, but good to have in case.

Ziplock bags

These can of course be purchased anywhere, but they’re immensely helpful for organizing smaller items, such as the pills mentioned in the “First-Aid Supplies” section below.

Emergency contact list

Pray that this will never need to be utilized, but it’s a good precaution to write up a short list of close contacts and keep it in an outside pocket for easy access in case you wind up in a hospital bed in the middle of nowhere.

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Toiletries

I’m pretty sure you don’t need any help from me to assemble your toiletries—the below is just standard fare.

One thing I highly recommend is to get a toiletries bag that can double as a medical kit (see the next section). The Aer Dopp Kit 2 is perfect for this, being just roomy enough. I think it’s since been discontinued, but the new-and-improved Dopp Kit 3 should work just as well.

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss

Deodorant

Razor

Nail scissors / clippers

Tweezers

Chapstick

Soap

Shampoo

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First-Aid Supplies

Band-aids

Antiseptic towelettes

Alcohol prep pads

Povidone-iodine prep pads

Neosporin

Gauze pads

Gauze roll

Surgical tape

Anti-itch cream

Laxatives

For when you’re blocked up.

Anti-diarrheal tablets

For when you need to be blocked up.

Advil (ibuprofen)

Tylenol (acetaminophen / paracetamol)

If you’re in a tropical area where dengue fever is a risk, this is recommended over ibuprofen.

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I said at the beginning that your gear should serve the adventure, and not the other way around. Put another way, the best gear is the gear you never have to think about.

Invest in the pieces that matter, be willing to improvise on the replaceable stuff, and your mind will be wonderfully free to take in this world in all its glory, and to give of yourself in return.

To know, and to be known.