His Packing Guide for (Long-Term) Travel

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In this post, we describe what Jon packed in his 40 liter backpack for our 18-month-long trip.

We split the trip into six month segments and refreshed our gear along the way.

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Also check out our guides for preparing for long-term travel:

Part One: You Might Want to Travel the World. Now What? Considerations for Long-Term Travel

Part Two: The Logistics of Travel Planning — What You Need to Do Prior to Departure

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About the trip:

• Weather averaged 50-70°F/10-21°C
• We were mostly in cities, with day trips for light hiking out to the countryside
• We walked an average of 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) per day over an 18-month period
• Many in bigger cities we walked on average 7-10 miles (11-16 kilometers) per day
• We “one bagged” during this trip — packing for no more than seven days even though we were on the road for six months at a time

Gear

• Kelty Redwing 3100 Hiking Daypack 50L
• Quecha Arpenaz 10L Daypack
• TSA Approved Bag Lock – for backpack security
• Masterlock Padlock – for hostel lockers

In flight outfit

• UNIQLO shirt
• Patagonia pullover sweater
• Lightweight jogging pant
• Waterproof Rain Jacket
• Balega Mohair socks
• Merrell Turbulance Performance Footwear

Eight in-flight essentials to bring on your next trip

Packing in-flight snacks

Packing cubes

• 1 Eagle Creek small packing cubes for socks and underwear
• 1 large packing cube for bottoms
• 1 small packing cube for tops
• 1 Eagle Creek dopp kit

Since our return from the trip we now exclusively use Eagle Creek packing cubes.

Every day carry items

• Wallet
• Identification (passport only in countries that require it)
• In-ear headphones
• Notebook
• Pen
• Fork
• Wet wipes
• Eye mask
• Sunglasses
• Reusable waterbottle

Toiletries

• Deodorant
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Earplugs
• Razor
• Razor Blades
• Lotion
• REI Light Multi Towel

We purchase and share a full size shampoo, conditioner and body wash upon arrival.

Outwear

• (See In-Flight Photo) Patagonia pull over
• Nike quarter zip pullover
• REI quarter zip pullover
• Not pictured: rain jacket

Tops

• 5 Uniqlo Shirts – blue, black, light gray, dark gray, white
• 1 sleeveless light weight beach shirt

Bottoms

• 1 pair of cotton shorts
• 2 pairs of athletic shorts
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 2 pairs of board shorts

Jon lost a pair of board shorts along the way and we did not replace them.

Underwear

• 7 Uniqlo Airism Boxer Briefs
• Balega Mohair socks
• Smartwool socks

Shoes

• Merrell Turbulance Performance Footwear – a year and 2,000 miles of walking later, he switched out his Merrell’s for New Balance
• Teva Hudson sandal
• Not pictured: shower sandals for the hostel

Tech

• Nikon Camera (shared)
• Sandisk Extreme Pro 32GB memory cards (shared)
• iPhone
• Universal plug adapter (shared)
• 32GB external USB
• MacBook Air 13″
• Aqua Quest Storm Waterproof Laptop Case
• Assorted charging cords and cables

Identity, insurance & money

• Passport (with relevant visas)
• Driver’s License
• Charles Schwab Debit Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• World Nomads Travel Insurance

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What do you pack for when traveling (long-term)?