Backpacking Packing List – continued

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Backpacking Packing List – continued

Go back to What to pack backpacking – part 1

Backpacking Packing List Misc:

Book – for inevitable delays. Just bring one, it can be traded with other travelers or in bookshops for something new. If its new, leave the price tag on it for a bargaining advantage later. Put a rubber band around the book to keep the cover from being bent inside your bag.
Journal – for recording your adventures of course
Small notepad – separate from your journal to keep in a pocket for recording other travelers’ emails and also writing bus schedules, directions, and things you don’t need in forever in your journal.
Sink stopper – for doing laundry, get the big floppy universal kind from a home goods stores or drug stores.
Alarm clock – If your watch alarm isn’t loud enough, get a small travel one to help you avoid running to catch early buses and trains.
Toilet paper – take it off the cardboard roll so it takes up less space. You will DEFINITELY need this in all parts of Asia. Put it inside something waterproof.
Anti-bacterial hand gel – Public transportation and airports are germ-havens. Also, a majority of places in Asia will not have ways to wash your hands after using the toilets.
Sewing kit – good for repairs. Stick some fishing line in it for making serious backpack or shoe repairs. The safety pins are good for keeping things together and your clothes on the dry-line when its windy.
Clothes line – parachute or military 550 cord is available from surplus stores, its light and works great. It will be used for hanging up laundry and maybe for hanging items off the ground.
Torch – flashlight, LED, headlamp, whatever you decide to bring should be reliable, water-resistant and use regular batteries (nothing proprietary or hard to find).
Sleep sheet – Silk is lighter and protects you better than cotton – bedbugs can still bite you through cotton. This is invaluable for dodgey beds and to keep warm at night. It should be wide enough for two.
Hat – It doesn’t have to be stylish or Derby-quality, just something to keep the sun off while on the beach or in the field. Comes in handy to sleep under too. A bandanna can substitute.
Duct tape – No explanation needed for this one. Break a piece off of a pencil and wrap some duct tape around it to save room.
Compass – You do not need a huge survey-quality one, just something small and simple for knowing which direction to turn at an intersection when you are looking at a map. The small round ones with the pin found in the camping section of department stores work great.
Knife – You don’t need a 37 option Swiss Army knife, just something small, light, and sharp for cutting tape, cord, fruit, etc.
Small Waterproof bag – Put your electronics and journal inside of it in your daybag in case you are caught in the rain. It can be used temporarily for fruit, garbage, laundry, etc as well.
Guidebook – only buy and carry the one for your first destination. The others can be obtained from travelers or shops for cheap once you are there. Feel free to rip out huge sections for places you will never visit to save weight and room.
Sunscreen – If the locals are brown skinned, they probable don’t use it and it will be expensive / expired.
Lip Balm – hard to find locally sometimes and a must for hot places. Don’t get the round kind that requires a dirty finger to be stuck in it!
Insect repellent – You can buy small bottles of 100% DEET to save weight, just be careful with it. You can usually find mozzie coils locally.
Condoms – Brands are extremely limited and the local ones have a failure rate that is frightening due to the hot weather and poor storage techniques.
Ear Plugs – Get the small kind that you stuff in your ears. They come with a case to keep them clean. Good for noisy rooms above pubs and bus rides
Sunglasses – Don’t take anything over $10! They will most likely get broken or lost along the way.

Batteries – they are heavy so just bring a couple. Try to make all your gear use the same battery type.

Optional luxuries to put on your backpacking list:

Things that you can live without while backpacking but are nice to have along sometimes!

Sharpie marker – Use it for marking CDs, gear, or to make a sign if you run out of money!
Lithium batteries for your camera – If your camera uses AA style batteries, the life-span of the more expensive Lithium batteries is definitely worth it when compared to regular alkalines.
Headphones splitter – Great if you carry an MP3 player. You will be surprised how many times you will be sitting with a new friend on a bus, train, or on the beach and wish that you could share the same music together.
Chem light – glow sticks, light sticks, whatever you want to call them. Can be used as a lifesaving light source if you are caving and your light fails. Also can work as an emergency signal in the dark, and might even come in handy at a rave or party. Way cheaper to order from a surplus website.
Memory stick – (USB flash drive) Good for grabbing pics quickly from other travelers, as well as MP3s, and maybe backing up your own pictures on the fly.
Whistle – carry in your pocket for peace of mind when walking dark beaches and streets. It gets attention which is exactly what an attacker does not want.
Bandanna – the Army ones are large enough to use as a sweat rag, emergency bandage, cleanup rag, filter over your mouth for dusty roads, you name it.
Travel towel – the small ones roll up very compact and although it takes a while, will dry your entire body. NOT good for running down the hostel hallway because it won’t cover your bum!
Item for hiding emergency cash – don’t buy a false rock. Get creative and make your own from some common item like a dental floss box or makeup container. Fold up currency and hide it inside, then put it in your regular backpack in an unexpected place in case your daybag is lost or stolen.
Additional passport photos – will save money, time, and headache when you cross borders and apply for visas on arrival. You can get an entire sheet made at printing shops for cheap.

What NOT to pack for backpacking:

Travel pillow – An empty pillow case can be stuffed with laundry or whatever to form an instant pillow rather than carrying a bulky “travel pillow”. You can also put it around dodgey pillows that are provided in guest houses to keep the bugs out of your hair.
Camping gear – You don’t need camping gear unless a big part of your stays will be camping. Gear can be bought or hired at almost all national parks or from other travelers that are finished with their camping.
Water bottle – Although SIGG bottles are nice, just refill plastic bottles once you are finished with them. You will not cry as much if it gets lost or left behind.
Water purification – Water is a necessity of life, so it is guaranteed that wherever you are going, the locals have already figured out a way to make water safe. You can purchase very cheap bottled water almost everywhere, pumps and filters are expensive gadgets.
Camping Stove – Expensive, takes up room, and it can be difficult to fly with the fuel, or to buy it at your destination. Even on an extended trek, your guide will provide a way to cook food.
Snorkel gear – You can hire it at your destination for cheap on days that you want to use it.
Laundry detergent – use shampoo or buy it at your destination for cheap.
Hammock – these will be available in the islands to use or to buy for cheaper than they are available in the West.
MP3 player speakers – Nice but takes up space. Let someone else bring them.
Laptop – unless you plan to do some serious daily travel writing, this will be a heavy and expensive liability that could be mishandled and maybe stolen. Internet shops are abundant, you will have no problem finding access. Carrying and having to care for a laptop will change your trip.
Mosquito coils – In any area that has a mozzie proglem, you will be able to buy coils cheaper than at home.
Weapon – including pepper spray, will only get you busted at some checkpoint or screening when you least expect. Dont risk it. Its not as dangerous out there as you think.
Electronic language translator – forget about it.
GPS – it is tempting, but leave this expensive gadget at home. They eat batteries and sometimes part of the fun is getting lost anyways!
Mosquito net – in any troublesome mozzie area these will be available for a fraction of the cost in the Western world.
Travel underwear – expensive and makes very little difference anyways. Do you really want to squeeze a couple extra days from those undies you are wearing?

Conclusion:

As usual, this backpacking packing list is just a suggestion based on my experiences as a long term backpacker. You will have other comfort needs I am sure, but remember the basics and before you pack anything, ask yourself these three questions:

1) Can I live without it?
2) Will I cry if it gets stolen tomorrow?
3) Can I buy it local?

Read 20 useful things for your vagabonding packing list.

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