Trying to figure out what items are essential for an extended bit of travel can be a very daunting task. After many months of accumulating things, I finally got my bags packed. I did a practice run over the weekend to see if I could fit everything into my packs and to also see how light I would be traveling. The results were around what I had expected.
My Main Bag: Eagle Creek Meridian 50 liter -- 23.6 lbs
My Daypack/Camera Bag: PacSafe Daysafe 100 -- 24.2 lbs
My main bag will be carrying all of the following, which fits nicely into three packing cubes, making it a chester drawer type set-up that can easily be pulled in and out when items are needed.
My Main Bag List:
Clothes
-2 pair convertible pants (ex-officio)
-3 Sportif Valhalla Shirts (I liked the shirt so much, I got three of the same in different colors)
-1 Oobe Expedition Long-Sleeve Shirt
-1 t-shirt (old and comfortable -- I found it on the street during college)
-2 pair low-cut SmartWool socks
-1 pair regular SmartWool socks
-4 pair quick drying underwear (ex-officio)
-Swim trunks
-Fleece
-Rain jacket/Wind Breaker
-4 bandannas
-Belt (it has a hidden zipper on the inside to stash money in)
Footwear
-Merrell Chameleon II Stretch Shoes
-Merrell Outback Sandals
Guidebooks
-Lonely Planet Southeast Asia on a Shoestring
-Trailblazer Southeast Asia : The Graphic Guide
Eating/Sleeping
-Inflatable neck pillow
-Sleeping mask
-Earplugs w/ case
-Lightweight silk travel sheet
-Rubber door stop/wedge (helps keep unwanted people out)
-Coleman Spoon, Knife & Fork Combo Utensil (looks like a swiss army knife)
Toiletry/Laundry
-Soap
-Shampoo
-Deodorant
-Lotion
-Face Wash
-Mouth Wash
-Toothbrush
-Waxed Floss (serves many purposes)
-Chap stick with SPF
-Razor
-Q-tips
-Anti-bacterial wipes
-Hand Sanitizer
-Small Travel Towel
-Toilet Paper
-Mesh Laundry Bag
-Universal Drain Plug
-Clothesline
-Fingernail Clippers
-Woolite Detergent (small sample pack)
-Tweezers
Health
-Antibiotics
-Multivitamins
-Sunscreen
-Mosquito Repellent with lots of Deet
-Liquid Skin(Band aides)
-Antihistamine
-Cold Tablets
-Imodium
-Prescriptions with copies
-Laxative
-Neosporin
-Probiotics
-Hydrocortisone Cream
-Pain Reliever/Aleve
-Dramamine (Motion Sickness)
-Throat Lozenges
Miscellaneous Items
-Duct Tape (wrapped around a Sharpie)
-Electrical Tape (wrapped around a Sharpie)
-Rain Cover for Packs
-Cards
-Hacky Sack
-Clif Bars
-Sharpie
-Journal
-Pens
-Sewing Kit
-Superglue
-Candle
-Safety pins
-Rubber bands
-Lighter
-Lots of different sized Ziploc Bags
-Twist Ties
-Zip Ties
-Cheap Poncho
-Combination Locks
-Carabiner (Climbing Clips)
-Electrical Splitter
Money Belt Items
-Passport
-International Driving Permit
-Immunization Records/Proof of Vaccination
-Emergency Contact Numbers
-Extra Passport Photos for Visas along the way
-Credit and ATM Cards
-Drivers License
-Business Cards
-Cash/Emergency Funds
-Old Student ID Card
-Photocopies of important documents
-Plane Tickets
My Daypack/Camera Bag will be carrying the following items while traveling. I plan to reallocate some stuff when I get to each destination to make it lighter.
Electronics
-13.3" MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo 2 GHz (2GB of RAM, 80GB Hard drive)
-Rhinoskin MacBook Hard Case
-80GB iPod Video (also used for extra storage of photos)
-Collapsible headset w/ microphone for Skype
-Corsair 4 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (it has Potable Apps installed on it... Highly recommended)
-150 Country Auto-Detecting Travel Adapter and Converter
-Motorola V557 Quad-band Cellphone w/ Explorer SIM card
-Princeton Aurora Headlamp
-Targus Retractable Mouse
-Dane-Elec USB 2.0 Card Reader
-Small Ethernet cable
Camera Gear/Accessories
-Canon EOS 20D
-Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS
-Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM
-Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
-Tamron Di II SP AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 LD
-2 Canon BP511A Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries
-Canon CG-580 Battery Charger
-Promaster Lens Pouches (1-small, 2-medium, 1-large)
-Giottos AA1900 Large Rocket Blaster (for cleaning the sensor)
-Lenspen Sensor Klear (for cleaning the sensor)
-Kenko UV Guard Filters (58mm, 58mm, 72mm, 77mm)
-Kalt Snap-in Lens Caps (58mm, 58mm, 72mm, 77mm)
-Sandisk 4GB Extreme III CF Card
-Hitachi 6GB Micro Drive
-Fuji FinePix F10 (point-and-shoot camera)
-Olympus M1Gig xD Memory Card
What should you pack in your travel bag? Clothes, first aid and of course a comfortable pair of sport shoes! You can find a great selection of shoes online, including dress shoes, hiking shoes and even Rocket Dog shoes.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What's in my Pack
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3 comments:
Hey Rob,
Your pack actually looks very concise . A few things (mostly personal preference):
First off, I absolutely have money belts. Uncomfortable and bulging, and leaves you completely off guard if for some reason you need to get into it in a public place. Plus they just look awkward. If someone really wants what you have, they are unfortunately going to get it. I just carry a wallet (with an expired DL) like I would at home, or transfer it to the front pocket in a sticky situation (you pants probably have zippered pockets). Money is spread throughout my pockets, & one credit card and current Drivers License are always buried deep in my main pack for emergencies.
I have never found need for a candle over just a standard head lamp or flashlight. But who knows, if you meet a special girl, perhaps you can provide the ambiance. Do you really need 4 bandannas? Wouldn't one do the trick? They can be bought anywhere.
You are carrying much more medical supplies that I normally do, I have never not been able to find something I needed somewhere. Although, to tell the truth, If I hadn't had Felicia around in China, antibiotics would have been much more work for me to acquire when my eye got infected. This is primarily a personal risk thing, but most likely you'll be able to help out other travelers in need.
I know its a long comment, but one more thing; WHERE IS YOUR POLARIZER ? It could be one of the most important things in your camera bag! GET ONE (or even two)
Thanks again Rob for the advice. I'll pick up a polarizer as soon as I get to Minneapolis. I'm heading out in a few minutes.
As far as my medical kit goes, I just have small samplings of the items I listed. I combined them into a ziplock to make a handy, hopefully not necessary, first aid kit. If I find I'm not using something, I'll give it away to someone who can. That will probably be the case.
I do have a hidden pouch sewn into my main pack to keep my spare stuff. I guess the money belt is a personal preference. I got used to it on my last travels. Nothings perfect.
Thanks again and when and where is your next trip?? You should venture to Sotheast Asia.
Cheers,
rob
Hey Tripp,
Good luck tomorrow!! I started a class of 98 group on facebook, so you will have to look for it when you have some time. I did post your webpage on there, so all members could check it out and see where you are! Have fun and can't wait to see your updates.
CB
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