I thought I would give a brief rundown on the gear and things that I travel with.

First, I have Global Entry to expedite CBP re-entry. It is primarily for international travel, but it does come with TSA PreCheck for no extra cost. If you never fly internationally, just getting TSA PreCheck is well worth the money. Both will get you through the line much quicker and with less hassle.

I only do carry-on and it is an Osprey travel backpack that I use. I am trying to get down to one bag but I have to travel with a CPAP which is a big pain in the ass. I try to not carry a “personal item” as it is one more thing to keep track of; my travel pants have lots of extra pockets so I take advantage of them to hold the things I need during a flight.

Really, there is no need whatsoever to check a bag – there is no need to carry that much stuff. If you are backpacking then you are carrying your gear in a pack; why check it if it will go in the plane with you? I don’t need to pack that “personal item” for my meds and anything else I need should my checked bag get “lost”.

Don’t buy cheap gear – it has to last since things always break at the worst possible moment in the worst possible place. Good harness and hipbelt are both a must for comfort despite what many say. If you don’t use a hipbelt, all the weight is constantly on your shoulders and back. And, if you don’t use a hipbelt why buy a backpack other than to hurt?

You have to keep weight – not “Oh, I have plenty of room” or “I might need this” – as your major consideration (it’s fun to shop in foreign markets and they have the same needs we do). The less it weighs the less you carry. My meager packing list will last however long I want; I don’t need a lot of clothes – I just need to clean them when (not if) I can. I pack my pack as follows:

• Collapsible water bottle
• Minimal toiletry kit with small toothpaste tube, bar soap, shampoo and conditioner (in case lodging has no amenities) in quality soap bar pouches that let the bars dry out without ruining your packed items (fewer liquids to carry also means the fewer the hassles)
• Noise-cancelling earbuds
• Eyemask
• Sunglasses
• Minimal charging gear for tech
• Carabiner to hang backpack off bathroom floor
• 1 luggage lock and cable lock to secure pack to train luggage rack, shelf, etc.
• Long-sleeves jacket/shirt depending on your needs
• Rain jacket (if you need an umbrella buy one when you do)
• 2 black short-sleeved quality merino wool t-shirts
• 2 pair quality merino wool underwear
• 2 pair quality merino wool hiking socks or merino light hiking socks (dependent on my footwear)
• 1 pair of good-quality tan travel pants with pickpocket-proof security features/pockets

On travel days I am also wearing one of each of the above so I have a total of three days of clothes with a nylon webbing TSA-friendly belt and hiking boots (could change in warmer weather). Clothes are packed in two-sided clean/dirty packing cubes so they stay the same shape and size (keeps packing consistent). Wool can be worn for 2-3 days so you can pack light. Carry a portable clothesline and some wool wash and wash clothes in your hotel sink whenever possible and there’s time for them to dry.

I pack the same amount of the same things for every trip of more than three days that I fly on – domestic or international. All of this gear lasts me and I could go for however long I need to packing just these items. Everything else I can get as needed so I will just buy more locally.

The above list is my packing list of bare essentials. Of course there are the optional things to pack that are according to individual tastes. You might want to pack a few things like a tablet, journal, pencil/pen, maps & guidebooks.

There are plenty of reviews/reviewers online, but most are garbage so stick with only the people knowledgeable about gear and travel on a couple of good outdoor/travel gear websites. You will know within a few seconds if they are giving good advice or just want a follower or a like.

I also use a few apps for my trip and some can include the whole group for planning. It is also handy so everyone has the itinerary. Airline apps are needed for boarding passes, gate info, flight delays.

So there you have it. It is not a long list, but you really don’t NEED a lot of stuff no matter where you go so don’t overthink it. I do always recommend Rick Steves for excellent trip planning and advice. His book “Europe Through the Back Door” is an invaluable tool to learn the basics on how to travel, and his advice can be used to travel anywhere. Anthony Bourdain was a great travel host whose way of travel I follow – I am curious about everything and everywhere I go thanks to him.

Until next time…

Shawn