What to pack is an essential and popular topic among travelers – especially backpackers, since everything you own will literally be in a bag on your back. It’s also a bit crazy and overwhelming to imagine packing for an entire year! We slowly gathered our list of items over the course of a few months. Packing lists out there on the web helped, but at the end, it came down to what we thought we would realistically use on the road. There are tons of cool gadgets out there designed for every aspect of travel; however, if we’re not going to use it regularly, it’s not worth bringing.
Here is the complete list of items we packed into our backpacks split by category:
Electronics
13” Macbook Air laptop with USB ethernet adapter and charger
Acer C720 Chromebook and charger
iPhone 5 and charger
Canon T3i with 32GB SD card and battery charger
Headphones
Seagate 1TB portable external hard drive with USB cable
WD My Passport portable external hard drive with USB cable
Universal adapter
3-outlet extension
Timex men’s sports watch
Fitbit Flex wireless activity tracker plus accessory wristbands
Flashlight
USB stick
Medical Kit
Sunscreen
Bug repellent
Hand sanitizer
Band-Aids
Ibuprofen for pain
Dayquil / Nyquil for colds
Cepacol for sore throats
Azithromycin for diarrhea
Dramamine for motion sickness
Dorilen for fever and pain
Carverol (activated carbon tablets)
Miscellaneous
Microfiber towel
Dry clothes rope
Scissors
Combination locks
Passport pouch
Ziploc bags
Sunglasses
Earplugs
Eye mask
Caps
His/Hers Toiletries
HIS
Deodorant
Razor
Razor cartridges
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Nail cutter
Loofa
Face cream
Toiletries bag
HERS
Deodorant
Razor
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Comb/mirror set
Sewing kit
Shampoo
Conditioner
Face lotion
Face wash
Balancing softener
BB cream
Headband
Hair clips
Hairbands
Lip balm
Nail cutter kit
Diva Cup (great for female travelers!)
His/Hers Clothing
HIS
North Face Men’s Venture Jacket
North Face Men’s Venture Pants
1 long-sleeved shirt
1 dress shirt
7 t-shirts
1 pair of jeans
3 pairs of shorts
7 pairs of socks
Underwear for a week
HERS
North Face Women’s Venture Jacket
North Face Women’s Venture Pants
2 thin hoodies / cardigans
1 long-sleeved shirt
1 nice shirt
5 t-shirts
4 tank tops
1 pair of jeans
3 yoga pants / capris
3 pairs of shorts
6 pairs of socks
1 dress
2 bikinis
Underwear for a week
His/Hers Shoes
HIS
Merrell Men’s Hilltop Ventilator Hiking Shoes
Dress shoes
Men’s Havaianas
This is how it looks like packed in our backpacks:
So far we’re pretty happy with everything we’ve brought with us! Still getting used to the weight of the backpacks, though.