PACKING LIST
For some people this is the hardest part before going on any trip. But when you know and understand how to pack the right way it all comes naturally and instead of grueling it can be a lot of fun.
A list in constant change
There is no such thing as an ultimate packing list. We would say an ultimate packing list is the one in constant change. The packing list will vary from person to person, where you are going and what kind of trip you are about to do. You can use guidelines and thats what we provide but ultimately its up to you to decide. Our list is a list comprised of items carefully adapted to a trip a full lapse around the world with visits in almost every continent – from beach life to hiking in snow. If you are going to visit for example only south east Asia when the weather is at its peak your packing list would contain the likes of flip flops and shorts. Then a down jacket and thermal trousers would be a waste of space.
Only four categories
Essentially you could break down your packing list to only 4 categories: Essentials, clothes, equipment and personal items. There is no need to make it more complicated. If you find other categories, you also find other stuff to fill it with – equals heavier backpack.
Everything lightweight
Minimalistic thinking is when every gram in your bag becomes equally important. Using the ultimate guidelines then everything should weigh as little as possible. Everything from packing cubes to your laptop. It is also very important to realize that your backpack should weigh as little as possible when empty.
Use high quality gear
Even though you have to spend more cash in preparations for your trip it will be worth it ten times over in the end. If you buy high quality products, not only will it provide you with exactly the level of comfortability you seek but it will also last longer. We use this stuff even back home because it fits a lot of occasions. For example we love merino wool, icebreaker is by far the best product with this material we have encountered. We pick high quality brands because they provide us with a product that fits into our backpacker philosophy and minimalistic thinking. Read more about that below.
Most important
One of the most important things to realize is that you don’t need that much. Layer upon layer will set you free. That you can wash your clothes by hand is a hallelujah moment. Not going above 15 kg will save your breath a thousand times over. But the backpack itself is the single most important item. If you have a bag too big it will punish you, if it doesn’t have good straps it will punish you. If you pick a bag that is too heavy from the start, well you do the math.
Removal process
At the very bottom of this page you will reach a list describing the sometimes painful removal process where you will have to get rid of stuff you really wanted to have with you.
PHILOSOPHY
Before packing your bag for any trip, we recommend you to read the following and then really apply it. This is in short ”backpacker science” and thousands of people traveling around the world every day use these same techniques.
Follow the 80/20 rule – 20% of all your packing should accommodate 80% of all situations
Use layer upon layer technique – base layer, t-shirt, sweater, jacket and remove or add in this particular order
Your backpack is the single most important item – do not pack more than maximum 15 kg. We advocate 10 kg ca 40L
Think minimalistic – the less you have the more freedom you feel. Take with you as little as possible, only essentials
If you might use it, leave it – don’t pack anything you are not sure you will use
Roll everything – t-shirts, pants, leggings, underwear, panties
Use lightweight packing cubes
Wash one, wear one, dry one – with this method you never need more than three of each item, no matter what
Bring waterproof bags, a.k.a. dry bags
Things you like very much can be mailed back home if you don’t need it on the road anymore
Remember – you can still buy it later in most parts of the world
Pack a thin lightweight daypack – for day trips, airports or city tours
Your list should breath, meaning it will change a dozen times down the road
Use merino wool materials – it breaths, dries quick and it is lightweight. Perfect combo
Throw things away on the road – or better yet give it away when you don’t need it anymore
Write a packing list, then cut it in half or more. You never need as much as you think
Wash your clothes on the road – this is important to know when packing. When it gets dirty, just wash it by hand. Save space
Pick shoes and other accessories that can be worn with multiple outfits while still being a good product in the long run. Black pants and black hiking shoes will work in a fine restaurant.
The things you own, end up owning you
MALE PACKING LIST
Packing lists for men differs somewhat from that of women. Following is a complete male packing list with sections such as essentials and equipment that is more or less the same for both men and women and therefore not represented below on the female packing list.
essentials
This is one of the most important sections obviously, without passport and credit card it will be hard to travel anywhere.
- Passport
- Drivers license
- Vaccination card
- Creditcards
- Cash
- Document folder
- Extra photos
- Bank security token
Additional information
Drivers license: It is good depending on where you are going to also have an international drivers license.
Document folder:
Copies of your passport: Separated from your passport
Extra photos: For your VISA applications. Its is not often you need it but sometimes you do. And don’t worry about thinking your looks may have changed. If you haven’t don’t something really radical like shaving your head then there is no risk of getting caught even though the photo was taken a year ago.
Wallet:
Credit cards: You should have back-ups meaning at lest 3-4 different credit cards from different banks. You wouldn’t wanna end up down the road with a credit card lost and not being able to access your bank either. We have seen and heard about this while traveling and it is a grueling process for any traveler. Have back-ups just in case and keep the cards at different places in your backpack.
Vaccination card: Without vaccination card you can not enter certain countries, its as simpel as that. Bring it, don’t loose it. And just in case keep a printed copy somewhere else and perhaps also on your external hard drive or USB if you decide to bring one.
CLOTHES
This is perhaps the hardest part for anyone about to travel. To figure out what clothes you need to bring. Remember, just keep it simple and apply layer upon layer technique. Less is more.
- Rain jacket
- Baselayer
- Hoodie sweater
- Thin down jacket
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Underwear
- Socks
- Climbing pants stretch
- Flip flops or sandals
- Hiking shoe
Additional information
Note: If not explicitly stated otherwise in the commentary down below, the above list represents only one item per product. Each item is high quality, preferably merino wool due to its characteristic material.
Hoodie sweater or fleece jacket:
T-shirt: We recommend 2 T-shirts. Not more than 3 – wear one, wash one, dry one.
Shorts: Surfing shorts (Billabong, Quicksilver, Rip Curl) You only need 1 pair of shorts. 2 at the tops.
Underwear: 3 as a maximum
Socks: Same here you only need 3 pair, but you can make sure to have 1 pair a little thicker, 1 merino wool
Hiking shoe: Haglöfs L.I.M. Low
EQUIPMENT
In this section we do not only pack electronics but also gear that might come in handy during your trip.
- Laptop
- Camera + Tripods + Memory cards
- Telephone + Headphones
- USB + External hard drive
- Cables and chargers
- Silk sleeping bag liner
- Neck pillow + Inflatable pillow
- Notebook + Pen + Reading material
- Universal power adapter
- First-aid-kit + Medicine
- Combination lock
- Karabiners
- Daypack
- Sewing kit
Additional information
Drybags: Are very important – both for your telephone as well as your other electronic devices.
Sewing kit: Is not only good for those who like to sew on patch of flags on to your bag but aslo to fix your clothes if its damaged.
First aid kit: A perfectly good first-aid-kit could contain paracetamol, Imodium, malaria pills, adhesive plaster, bandaids, blister plasters and a tweezer.
Action camera:
Silk sleeping bag liner: A very thin lightweight material, not only good as a blanket for those cold airports but also when someone crank up the AC or to simply have as a sleeping bag in a bed with no sheets. This one have saved us to many times to count.
Daypack:
Earplugs: No weight at all. Even though we have never used ours sometimes it might come in handy.
Watch: If you decide to bring one. Wear a cheap one so that it won’t cost you your life in the end.
Wash leaves: When you clean your clothes by hand. However we normally just used regular soap.
Inflatable pillow: Come in hand either in busses, at the airport or when you sleep somewhere without any other pillow to rest your head.
Extra batteries: Goes without saying if you want to make sure you don’t miss out on a once in a lifetime photo.
External hard drive or USB: A backup for all your precious photos and documents. We highly recommend this. On this you can also keep copies of important documents, insurance papers etc.
Brands: Sea to Summit, MacBook, Cocoon, My Passport, Panasonic
PERSONAL ITEMS
Things concerning your personal hygiene. Pack your favorite toiletries in travled-sized bottles to fit neatly in a small toilet bag.
- Toothbrush + toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Soap/shower gel + shampoo
- Towel
- Razor
- Sun screen
- Nail clipper
- Perfume
Additional information
Toilet bag: Buy something lightweight.
Taveled-sized bottles: Fill schampoo, soap and shower gel in small bottles. You never need as much as you think. Whenever you do need it, either you can find it at hostels, hotels or in a store around the corner.
Towel: Don’t bring that giant towel you love so much on your trip. You might loose it and when packing your bag your gonna go nuts when it takes to much space. Use for example Sea to Summit Drylite Microfiber towels – these are so lightweight that you don’t even notice it. With qualities like lightweight, soft, super absorbent, dry fast, don’t smell etc your gonna have a love affair with another towel.
Perfume: Yes, there will come times when you wanna smell good also when traveling. But in advance you can pour perfume into a smaller bottle. However, be sure you buy a perfume bottle that you can open.
FEMALE PACKING LIST
A packing list for a woman of course differs somewhat from the male packing list, especially when it comes to clothes and personal items. However the concept is exactly the same. Therefore we choose to highlight only these two particular sections. The backpacker science and philosophy from above is the same no matter gender.
CLOTHES
This is perhaps the hardest part for everyone about to travel.
- Rain jacket
- Baselayer
- Hoodie sweater
- Thin down jacket
- Tank tops or T-shirts
- Shorts
- Panties
- Socks
- Climbing pants stretch
- Flip flops or sandals
- Haglöfs L.I.M. Low hiking shoe
- Leggings
- Sarong
Additional information
Note: If not explicitly stated otherwise in the commentary down below, the above list represents only one item per product. Each item is high quality, preferably merino wool due to its characteristic material.
Hoodie sweater or fleece jacket:
Tank tops:
T-shirt: We recommend 2 T-shirts. Not more than 3 – wear one, wash one, dry one.
Shorts: Surfing shorts (Billabong, Quicksilver, Rip Curl) You only need 1 pair of shorts. 2 at the tops.
Panties: Considering panties actually are very small it is easier for a woman to bring more underwear. Somewhere between 5-10 should be enough however.
Socks: Same here you only need 3 pair, but you can make sure to have 1 pair a little thicker, 1 merino wool
Sarong: Some people like to buy this already back home, but part of the charm is buying it in the country where you are going, that way you really fit in. Besides, its cheaper. But it is a highly versatile piece of clothing that you can use everywhere and we highly recommend it.
PERSONAL ITEMS
Things concerning your personal hygiene. Pack your favorite toiletries in travled-sized bottles to fit neatly in a small toilet bag.
- Toothbrush + toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Soap/shower gel + shampoo
- Towel
- Razor
- Sun screen
- Nail clipper
- Perfume
- Tampons
Additional information
Toilet bag: Buy something lightweight.
Taveled-sized bottles: Fill schampoo, soap and shower gel in small bottles. You never need as much as you think. Whenever you do need it, either you can find it at hostels, hotels or in a store around the corner.
Towel: Don’t bring that giant towel you love so much on your trip. You might loose it and when packing your bag your gonna go nuts when it takes to much space. Use for example Sea to Summit Drylite Microfiber towels – these are so lightweight that you don’t even notice it. With qualities like lightweight, soft, super absorbent, dry fast, don’t smell etc your gonna have a love affair with another towel.
Perfume: Yes, there will come times when you wanna smell good also when traveling. But in advance you can pour perfume into a smaller bottle. However, be sure you buy a perfume bottle that you can open.
Tweezer:
Nail polish:
REMOVAL PROCESS
Every backpacker needs to go through with this painful removal process. Sometimes it is very hard to leave things back home. But believe us, you can always find it on the road and it will be worth it in the end.
Below is a list of the things we have come to an understanding with that we do not need on our travels, but also what any backpacker could stay without depending on what kind of trip you are about to do. These are also some of the things we took away from our original packing list.
Survival kit
Even though you might be the person who wanna be prepared for a worst kind scenario, a survival kit is really not necessary. Fredrik learned this the hard way having Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Kit stuffed down his backpack for 8 months without, fortunately, ever using it.
Respectable clothes
Well, of course there will come times when you wanna go out and have a nice dinner but when this occasion shows up just buy in in advance. Keep it for a while and then throw it away if you don’t use it. This way you can also adapt better to certain customs and culture depending on which country you are in and actually fit in. Thats more fun.
Mosquito net
Yes, we walked right into that trap, thinking we might need it. But as a general rule in places where you might actually need it the accommodation usually provide it. It is a waste of space in your backpack.
Money belt
You don’t need it, trust us – you are better off without it.
Jewelry
Don’t be flashy. You’ll only risk getting robbed. We didn’t even where a watch. And you know what, not knowing what time it is, day or even what date it is will set you free. Hallelujah!
Luggage scale
Unnecessary weight. You can sometimes borrow a scale at hostels or hotels. Otherwise it is possible to weigh your bag at the airport etc.
Clothesline
It doesn’t take up much space but thats beside the point. We brought this item with us but then ended up not using it even one single time on a trip 15 months around the world. Imagine that. Why? Because, your fellow backpackers like yourself will simply hang your clothes on the bed, a chair or whatever is close by. You don’t need it.
Platypus water bottle
This seemed like a very good idea from the beginning but when you travel often times you buy your water in a store so that you won’t get sick drinking contaminated water. And you will rarely stand on the street and pour water from a plastic bottle into your Platypus water bottle. Of course some people do but I think you can go without this item. However, if you determine to go hiking this might actually be a good item to bring. You can simply hang it on the outside of your backpack.
Sleeping mattres and sleeping bag
Again, it depends on your destination and what kind of trip you are doing. If you are only going to hike and camp out on your trip it might be a good tip to bring your own stuff but for the regular backpacker – don’t even bother. Any tours you might do when this come in handy you can borrow for a cheap sum of money.
Towel
When we say towel we mean these big comfortable towels that you use back home.
Suitcase with wheels
We feel a bit ashamed even needing to put this on the list but we have actually seen people while traveling using suitcases in environments where it is not such a good idea. For a true backpacker this is sacrilege.
Amazon kindle
As much as we agree on this being an excellent product it is an extra weight in your backpack. On top of this is one more extra thing to keep a closed eye on so that no one will steal it. Besides you miss one of the charms of traveling, at least if you stay at hostels, which is the possibility of exchanging your book to another.
Journal/diary
We did bring along a diary from the beginning but it didn’t take long before we actually stopped writing in it. This is pretty common especially if you have a blog also. We ended up with our diary the whole trip and it was nothing but waste of space and an extra weight. So, think once or twice before bringing a large notebook.
Hiking boots
Just heavy and not comfortable. It depends on your trip. A lot of unnecessary extra weight.
Spork
You don’t really need it. But again, are you doing a lot of hikes in the mountains then of course this might come in handy.
Sunglasses
We put sunglasses in this category for one reason only. If you buy and bring RayBans, chances are someone will steal it. Besides, there are tons of places to where you are going where cheap sunglasses are sold. People walking down the beach or street and selling. Some people make a living this way. And you know it is fake, but you will loose your sunglasses 10 times over on a very long trip. Don’t spend your money on expensive glasses.
Plus you always worry you are going to break them.
Sea to Summit X-bowl
Depending on what kind of trip you are doing this item might actually come in handy. However, if you travel around the world you will not eat out of a plastic plate like this. Either you eat at a restaurant or you adapt to the current situation where a plate like this would come in handy. There is always a solution. But, if you know that you are going to be hiking most of you trip, well then this might just ”save” your life.
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Knick-knax
This list could simply go on and on. To make it easier for you, we have also excluded things like:
Baby wipes
Playing cards
Mosquito repellent
Sarong
Vacuum Bags
And we have excluded them for a good reason. It is an attractive feeling to bring these things. But whenever you need it, it is available down the road, and maybe even at a better price. Never forget this. Because it is better not to bring something than to bring it and then just wanting to get rid of it. Find a solution whenever a problem occurs – thats better.
CONCLUSION
There are still plenty of things other backpackers would argue definitely should be in your backpack and they might be right. But it varies from person to person, trip to trip and in the end you decide. However we think minimalistic and with this kind of philosophy we would rather get rid off another product on our current packing list before adding a new one. We only add products that fill multiple purposes.
We hope that this has been helpful for you in preparations for your trip, whatever kind of trip you are about to do. If you have any questions whatsoever about our packing list, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
contact@vagabondsofsweden.com
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