Since I became an adult, I’ve always set out to travel with just one backpack so I never have to wait at that stupid baggage carousel thing. It’s never been a problem.

My ten-year-old 28L Patagonia Refugio

I recently completed a four month trip around Southeast Asia and Europe lasting from February through June. Prior to this, I traveled around the USA pretty extensively for some months. I’ve traveled a lot over the past few years, but this was by far the most travel I’ve ever done in a one-year period. I probably spent most of the year living out of my backpack, and I learned a lot of lessons while doing it. The main one being, it’s a hell of a lot simpler than what the majority of things I see on the internet claim it to be. As with most things in life, the phrase “Keep it simple, stupid” (KISS) helps a lot when determining what to bring! So much of the information that’s currently out there is based on consumerism and consumption first and foremost, and actual travel wisdom sometimes doesn’t even make it into the recommendations. That being said, there were some resources I found that actually inspired me, so thank you to Rob Greenfield and his earth-first minimal possessions list, Kenny Flannery from HoboLifestyle.com, and anybody else who espouses the classic wisdom of KISS and use what you have. There’s already enough waste in this world, no need to buy some stupid plastic knick-knack that you won’t ever really need.

I’m still baffled by all of the packing lists I see online. People seem to always overcomplicate life, and packing specifically. No travel packing list has anything to do with food, water, or shelter, and those were always my three main worries each day while traveling. You don’t need any gear to make friends, go for a run, or see the sights (okay, besides clothes). I just had to buy food or use kitchens at my accomodation, find water fountains (Rome is amazing for this) or buy water, and sleeping is pretty easy once you have a hostel/hotel. Really, it just takes money. Save your money for experiences and good snacks, not useless travel gear that some stupid blog is trying to sell you. Don’t forget your passport, any prescriptions, and probably your cellphone, and everything else just kind of falls into place. Most likely, you don’t need to buy anything new. Don’t give into the hype!

Packing

  • Patagonia Refugio 28L. I have the 2015 28L version, it still looks brand new after almost a decade of school use and travel. It’s not optimized for travel, but whatever, it works great.
  • Rains Pencil Case. Technically a pencil case, I use it to store my toothbrush/paste/floss, contact case/solution, deodorant, and a first aid kit.

Tech

  • iPhone SE 2020. With stick-on wallet, a smartphone is the best travel companion, and probably the only essential tool for traveling the modern world, along with a debit card. When traveling, this thing is my map, translator, travel tickets, and accomodation finder, so pretty crucial.
    • APPS: Google Maps, Google Translate, misc airline apps, Hostel World (to find hostels), Spotify, Venmo, etc.
    • CARDS: generic Visa debit card, generic Visa credit card. My credit union had a $6 international ATM fee, so I wasted a bunch of money on that, but whatever. My credit card worked randomly in random countries, I don’t get it, but I didn’t do much research on the whole situation.
  • Dell XPS 13 9370. Purchased used on ebay for $300, this is the best laptop I’ve ever owned. Super small, super light, I barely notice I’m carrying it around.
    • APPS: Obsidian, Firefox
  • Panasonic Earbuds. I spent $9 on these five years ago and they’re still kicking, and the sound is awesome. Never have to charge these puppies.
  • Charger. A USB brick, 1 meter lightning cable, 1 meter usb-c cable to charge laptop and phone. Pretty easy. I brought a universal travel adapter, but I lost part of it. USB bricks are like $5 in any country.

## Clothes

  • WORN: Tshirt, Shorts, Boxers, Socks, Sneakers
  • PACKED: Tshirt(2), Tank top, Shorts(1), Boxers(2), Socks(1)
  • EXTRA: Ballcap, Rainshell, Hoodie, Hawaiian, Swim Trunks, Flip Flops

This is where most people go overboard, but again, KISS. You wear one outfit at a time. Bring two spares of that same outfit, and whatever layers you need to keep warm. It’s not hard to pack light, but most people seem to think they need an outfit for everything under the sun. I did what I wanted while traveling, which included absolutely zero formal occasions, so no need for anything more than a tshirt. I wash my clothes in the shower everyday, so they stay pretty clean. It’s not perfect, but I’m willing to make the tradeoff to pack lighter.

Next time, I would ditch the boxers and shorts and just wear a nice looking dark-colored swimsuit (or pata baggies) since it was so hot that underwear was a miserable idea. Plus, swimsuits are easier to wash in the shower and dry on a line. I brought a tank top, but lost it. I would rather have had three tank tops and two hawaiians (to dress nice) than three tshirts (which don’t look nice). The hat and rainshell worked well, but I needed an umbrella because my rainshell lost it’s waterproof feature, so it’s now just a shitty jacket. I should have brought my packable puffer instead of getting a bulky hoodie from a friend in Austria, but oh well. Maybe a nice pair of pants to dress up on occasion.

As for shoes, I had to buy a cheap pair of flip flops my first day in Thailand to get me through the heat. And those floppers got me through damn near everything, including day hikes, beach trips, pickup soccer, and getting lost downtown in Naples during a city-wide celebration. I also brought trail runners and socks for serious activities, which was a great idea. I like to run, so they’re pretty non-negotiable.

Toiletries

  • Prescription Glasses and Contacts (essential)
  • Contacts Case, Solution, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss
  • Hair Trimmer, Dr. Bronners Soap, Deodorant
  • Coleman First Aid Kit (minus the razor blade)

Don’t overcomplicate this, bring the absolute bare minimum that you need. Unfortunately my eyes are bad, otherwise I wouldn’t take glasses (sunglasses are a necessity though, but I went through four cheap pairs because I’m prone to losing them). The only thing that is irreplaceable are prescriptions, so prioritize those above all else. Everything else is easily replaceable anywhere in the world, so don’t stress about this stuff. I brought soap to clean my clothes, but most showers where I stayed already had soap. The hair trimmer is good enough for shaving and haircuts . A first aid kit was clutch, helping me deal with all of the random scrapes, cuts, and minor things that come from being drunk in a foreign land.

Misc

  • Passport/ID (essential), Sunglasses
  • Umbrella, Towel, Lock, Earplugs, Water Filter
  • Notebook, Pen, Waterbottle

A great category to go overboard when packing is everything else. The only thing that really matters here is Phone/ID/Passport/Sunglasses. The second line is good stuff to bring so you don’t have to buy a new phone charger at your destination, or take the shitty plastic earbuds they hand out on the plane. An umbrella and towel come in handy for rainy/beach days. The lock is a necessity for hostels, and the earplugs got me through nights where drunk idiots come barging into the room or some asshole decides to call his friends at 3am. I brought my laptop and notebook for writing, which are the only real luxury items I brought, besides a pack of playing cards that I gave away because I never used them. Also, I lost my waterbottle on my first flight to Thailand, so that was a bummer. I brought a camping water filter that I never used, silly. My small universal travel adapter worked everywhere flawlessly, what a great $12 purchase, probably the only thing I would recommend buying that you don’t already have. I would have brought a small pocket knife, but those are notoriously illegal to fly with.