Ok, so you want to go backpacking? Well before you just pack everything including the kitchen sick because you don’t know what to bring with you, we thought we should provide our readers/followers with a list of important things to bring along on your adventure!
When packing for a backpacking trip, you want to first make sure that you pack light. The last thing you want to have happen is you strain your back because you’re lugging around a 500lb bag while you’re constantly walking around a big city. The reality is you really don’t need every piece of clothing, all your toiletries, every kind of first aid and all your electronics; odds are that if you run out of something while travelling, or even forgot to pack something, you can buy it over there. Don’t forget, most airlines only allow a certain number of pounds for your bag before they start charging you extra.
Another important thing to remember is that you don’t just want to start shoving everything into your pack. You should put everything that you might want to bring onto an empty space on the floor. This will allow you to see everything you will be carrying, commit it to memory, and try and eliminate anything that is not absolutely necessary for your trip.
When back-packing here’s a few things to think about:
1. If you can't find one of your essentials, ask yourself how more than 500 million Europeans can live without it.
2. When packing, pick up each item and scrutinize it, ask yourself “Will I use it enough to feel good about carrying it around for the entire summer?”
3. You’re not an ant, you can’t carry more than you weigh
4. Take enough to get started and look forward to running out
5. If you’ve filled your bag then get unpacking because you’ve packed too much. Don't pack a backpack to its full capacity, it should be no more than 75% full.
6. When in doubt, leave it out
When packing for a backpacking trip, you want to first make sure that you pack light. The last thing you want to have happen is you strain your back because you’re lugging around a 500lb bag while you’re constantly walking around a big city. The reality is you really don’t need every piece of clothing, all your toiletries, every kind of first aid and all your electronics; odds are that if you run out of something while travelling, or even forgot to pack something, you can buy it over there. Don’t forget, most airlines only allow a certain number of pounds for your bag before they start charging you extra.
Another important thing to remember is that you don’t just want to start shoving everything into your pack. You should put everything that you might want to bring onto an empty space on the floor. This will allow you to see everything you will be carrying, commit it to memory, and try and eliminate anything that is not absolutely necessary for your trip.
When back-packing here’s a few things to think about:
1. If you can't find one of your essentials, ask yourself how more than 500 million Europeans can live without it.
2. When packing, pick up each item and scrutinize it, ask yourself “Will I use it enough to feel good about carrying it around for the entire summer?”
3. You’re not an ant, you can’t carry more than you weigh
4. Take enough to get started and look forward to running out
5. If you’ve filled your bag then get unpacking because you’ve packed too much. Don't pack a backpack to its full capacity, it should be no more than 75% full.
6. When in doubt, leave it out
Our check-list:
1. Passport – probably THE most important thing you will need. Try not to lose it, or ruin it, you wont be able to enter or leave any country without it...you will be stranded.
2. ATM/Credit Card - bring an ATM card for cash withdrawals and/or a credit card for backup. Also hide some cash in a place that you will remember (ex. under the sole of your shoe) for emergency situations.
3. Rain jacket and/or Poncho – Either a thin rain jacket or a poncho for those rainy days. *NOTE: A poncho should be placed in your day pack/or in the outside pocket of your pack
4. Fleece – Bring a warm fleece for winter trips or a lighter long-sleeved garment for summer. This will be your replacement for a winter jacket, because you definitely don't want to carry one of those around (unless you are travelling to the Arctic!).
5. T-shirts – You really only need a few of theses(approximately 5-6) because you will (hopefully) be doing laundry throughout your trip and you really don’t want your bag being weighed down by a bunch of clothes you probably won’t need.
6. Undergarments – You will probably only need 5-6 pairs of each underwear/boxers and bras. If you have 5 pairs then make sure that every 5 days you're doing laundry...you don't want to wear dirty underwear!
7. Socks – Bring socks you don't mind dumping in the trash. You're going to get lazy, and you're going to go weeks at a time without washing your clothes. That’s fine for t-shirts, but your socks are gonna start to stink, and you want to have extras on hand.
8. Pants – Just a few pairs of pants and/or shorts (although shorts aren’t very common in Europe). *NOTE: Jeans are a horrible idea, they take forever in a million years to dry after being washed, and they are really heavy and will weigh down your
9. Swim wear – In case you want to hit the beach or the pool! These are also great for super hot days when you don't want to wear clothes.
10. Shoes and Sandals – You only need a comfortable pair of shoes and sandals for walking and another pair of nicer shoes for those nights you wish to go out. Also should be small and easy to pack. Don't bring 35 pairs like Jexy probably will.
11. Plastic bags - I'm not even going to list all their uses. Trust me, plastic bags are the duct tape of backpackers.
12. Address book or a small pad of paper and a pen - You never know when this'll come in handy. It's important that you keep a record of all your important phone numbers for relatives and people you meet.
13. Student ID - You'll feel dumb paying full price when you could be getting half off.
14. First Aid Kit - Band-aids, gauze pads, alcohol pads, Polysporin, etc. *NOTE: Any first-aid equipment should be placed in an outside pocket of your pack or in your day-pack to allow easy access
15.Medications & Accessories - Ibuprofen, Tylenol, bug spray, sun block, Benedryl, anti-diarrhea pills, cosmetics and toiletries.
16. Silk Liner for sleeping bags and pillows – Although you may not be bringing a sleeping bag and pillow, you can sleep inside a silk liner and cover any pillow you will be using with a silk pillow case to avoid bed bugs. You can buy a silk liner for 40$ CAD or you can buy a silk sheet for cheaper and sew it together and make your own. *NOTE: It’s ideal that you make one for your bag as well, because your bag can become infested with bed bugs too!
17. Towel – You can buy a quick-drying microfibre towel from any local camping/hiking store. Here’s a link to an example http://yahoo.shoptoit.ca/shop/product--productId_2525135.html
18. Camera – How else are you going to take pictures?? A waterproof and/or a durable camera is recommended when travelling because shit happens, and it would suck if you lost all your pictures.
19. Guidebooks – When shopping for these look for guidebooks that offer the basics of the language spoken in that country.
20. Travel Electrical Adapter – If you plan on plugging anything into an outlet, you’re going to need one of these. It’s cheaper to buy it in your home country than in a hostel or airports
21. Flashlight – At night in any of the hostels, its dark and you don’t want to trip and break a leg.
22. Watch – You need to be aware of the time, and make sure you keep it updated when there is a time zone change (Waterproof is good and with an alarm so that one less thing to pack)
23. Tissues – Self explanatory. Who knows when you'll have a spill to sleep up, or you discover you're allergic to something and can't stop sneezing.
24. Money Belt - You definately need one of these when you are walking around the town/city/country that you are in, this reduces the risk of somebody pick-pocketing your money.
25. Lube, condoms and birth control – For those people, you know who you are ;)
26. Swiss Army Knife - A Swiss Army knife is another best-friend of a traveller. Just make sure you don't fly with it in your luggage!
27. And just to make Chris happy, a flask.
Also most hostels supply pillows but some do not. So you can also pack an inflatable pillow.
If you think we missed anything, don’t hesitate to let us know by dropping us a comment at Contact Us!
If you think we missed anything, don’t hesitate to let us know by dropping us a comment at Contact Us!
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