I’m not the first person in the world to go backpacking but I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what I’m carrying/how from friends back home so here’s some info on the “gear” and “stuff” I’m carrying. By no means is this a recommendation – I would recommend to travel way lighter than this if possible! But I’m not going to beat myself up over having too much stuff right now, the bag contents will evolve and change to adapt to my new lifestyle.
First Pack
I packed my complete bag only a day before I left so the “first pack” of my backpack was understandably under a bit of pressure. I was conflicted about what to bring since the weather in Italy in April seemed unpredictable. In my first week, there would be 70 degree days and some 50 degree days. Here’s what the pile of stuff looked like:
This obviously did not all fit. I dropped a lot right away and even as I made my way to the airport, I got rid of more. I dropped a pair of shorts (so I ended up with none, boo… going to have to buy some), sandals, reusable water bottle, mini hair dryer (I know, I know), make up bag that took up too much room, 3 shirts, a jean jacket, and some toiletries that I’ll just buy if I need them later. I’ve since dropped a few more clothing items.
Current backpack contents
After packing and re-packing my backpack for the last month or so, here’s a list of what I have. It all fits into my “backpacker” backpack and a small Jansport backpack.
Organization Tools
Since my backpack loads from the top, it’s easy to lose things at the bottom of the pack or run into situations where you have to empty all of the contents to find one thing at the bottom. Packing cubes to the rescue! I have some kind of similar to these packing cubes. I have two different colors in a few different sizes so you can see just looking into your bag from the top which cube to take out. They’re not technically space saving, but playing tetris with my things has been really helpful.
Clothes
- 1 pair of jeans
- These are controversial in the backpacking world since they’re heavy and they take forever to dry. I’ve always liked wearing jeans though so I have one pair of blue jeans.
- 1 pair of quick drying pants from Athleta
- Such a good investment. I bought these a few days before leaving and they’ve been great for hiking and travel days. It was so difficult to find cute travel pants that weren’t cargo pants. :/
- 1 pair of shorts
- These are blue jean material so they go with everything, but I’m on the hunt for a replacement pair that isn’t blue jean material so they’ll dry faster.
- 7 shirts
- 3 of these are quick-drying “athletic” type shirts.
- 2 tank tops
- 1 cardigan
- 1 black skirt
- 3 dresses
- 2 sundresses and 1 day/night dress.
- 1 pair of yoga pants
- 1 pair of shorts to sleep in
- 10 pairs of underwear
- Not something I was willing to skimp on hah. You could easily carry less underwear and hand wash at the hostel, but I hate hanging underwear up all by itself in a room full of people you don’t know! I didn’t have time to get the fancy traveler underwear but I hear Exofficio is the best.
Footwear
- 1 pair of tennis shoes
- These immediately label me as an American because they are more white/neon than black, oh well
- 1 pair of grey Vans sneakers
- Bought these on my 2nd day in Rome to be less american looking
- 1 pair of flip flops for hostel showers
- 1 pair of sandals I bought in Granada, Spain
- 4 pairs of socks
- Smartwool socks are the best thing ever
- 1 swimsuit
Toiletries/Take care of yourself
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- I had to purchase more in Italy since I ran out already. “Balsamo” means hair conditioner in Italian if you ever need to purchase it!
- Face Soap
- Also purchased in Italy – didn’t have internet at the time so I just bought a bottle that had a face on it, I think it’s face soap?
- Eye glasses & case
- For travel days and lazy days
- 3 months of contact lenses
- This looks ridiculous in a giant ziploc bag. Good news from Spain – I stopped in an eye store and it looks like I could get another box or two on the spot for about 20 Euros each if I needed them.
- Contact lens solution
- Mini shaving cream
- Razor
- Hair brush
- Hair ties
- Moisturizer
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Already had to buy a 2nd tube. This one is easier to find as it seems a lot of the same brands are here.
- Deodorant
- Bandaids
- 1 nailpolish – hot pink! This is a total luxury but it helps brighten your day when you need it, so it stays for now.
- Small makeup bag
- Just the basics and only 1 of each: foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeshadow, eyelash curler, lipstick
- Tweezers
- Nail clippers
- Sunscreen
- Travel size lotion
- Allergy medicine
- I was able to get refills without perscriptions in Italy and Spain but Croatia was a little hesitant to dispense without a perscription. When I asked nicely, the pharmacist just said “oh whatever, here you go” and gave me a refill, woo hoo!
Electronics
Since I do photography, I’ve brought along a few electronics that most travelers aren’t carrying. I keep almost all of the following in my jansport backpack and don’t let it leave my sight on travel days. On non-travel days, I keep it in a locked locker.
- Laptop computer
- Canon 60D
- 2 camera lenses – 50mm 1.4 fixed lens and a 18-135mm
- 4 32 GB SD memory cards and holder
- Samsung S5 smartphone
- I currently have a SIM card from Vodaphone Spain that gives me 1.5 GB of data and 60 min of international calling for only 15 Euros a month.
- Headphones
- 2 external hard drives for photos
- 1 500 GB hard drive I’ve had awhile and one 1 TB hard drive that can withstand knocks and drops
- SD card reader
- Plug Adapter
- Multi-plug – amazing at airports so everyone can charge their devices. Mine has space for 2 USBs and 3 plugs. I typically charge my phone, my camera battery and my laptop on this.
Traveling Stuff
- Sleeping sheet – for when the hostel doesn’t give me sheets or when the sheets look a little worse for wear
- Headlamp – Essential when you’re in hostels so you can see your bags in the dark when everyone else sleeps
- Rain jacket – Super useful when you want to go see a city but it’s pouring out!
- Mini umbrella
Random Stuff
- Wallet
- 1 small purse that packs up super small
- 1 large purse that can hide my camera gear in unsavory travel locations
- Sunglasses
- Jewelry
- Hah I know, this is so unnecessary. At this point, I’m holding onto them until I can take them home. I’ll definitely keep some earrings and 2 sentimental bracelets, but for the most part I’ve stopped wearing jewelry because it’s not sturdy enough for my current lifestyle
- Journal
- I’ve been keeping notes on my favorite sites, restaurants I enjoyed, stories from the road, and general thoughts I’ve had so far about my travels.
- 3 pens – two are fun colored.
- Kindle
- At the beginning of my travels, I was reading paper books and this didn’t get much use, but I’ve since switched back to Kindle reading. I love the ability to find your highlights and notes easily. Since I’ve been reading some non-fiction, this is essential to pull all your thoughts together!
How does my bag compare to other travelers’ bags?
Honestly, it doesn’t matter how big your bag is compared to other people’s bags. What matters is – does your bag prevent you from traveling to where you want to go, in the time you want to go? My bags are finally light enough that I can walk for about 30 minutes without stopping, even if it’s a bit hot out. If it’s above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, I have to take a break or two and keep to the shade. Unless you’re hitchhiking (I’m not mom, I swear!) then you don’t need to worry THAT much. Book a hostel relatively close to transportation options and then you’re golden.