I’m often pointed at for carrying such a small towel for after showering. This is because I travel very light. By light, I mean my backpack is carry-on acceptable on most flights and this is the same backpack I used to travel one year around the world. In the backpacker community, we have a common ground of packing light and having little negative impact on our planet. Everything on our back and perhaps even in the front is all we own for many of us, and we love it that way. It goes without saying then, what we carry and how we carry it is the single most important thing for backpackers.
Clothing
With tons of backpacking lists online giving you recommendations on what to bring, getting ready for your big trip can be overwhelming. You’re trying to pack light, but you also need convenient and helpful things you won’t want to purchase abroad There are plenty of typical items we need to bring such as clothes, toiletries, and entertainment items. But, there are plenty of odd things that might come to good use.
“What advice can you give me about cutting down the contents of my backpack?” That’s the question that my wife, Nicky and I, are often asked by those about to go travelling. Nicky and I first met in Latin America on a round-the-world trip so we are old hands on the backpacking scene. We know the crippling shame and crippled spine that you can endure as you realize you’ve over-packed your backpack compared with other travelers.
One of the beautiful things about being a backpacker is never having to worry about lost luggage. You are essentially saving money as well since you are not paying any of the ridiculous fees to store your bag on the plane. But as a backpacker, there are plenty of downsides as to this great rule. Unpacking and packing constantly means one thing: Losing your #$%$%^ stuff.
We can’t help but notice the shirts we’ve encountered vendors selling while traveling. Most are made from cheap material and last a few washes before it starts to deteriorate. If you’ve been to SE Asia, then you’ve seen thousands of these everywhere.
Now that the New York tri-state area had its first snow storm, there is nothing like the perfect jacket to keep you warm and dry outdoors. Actually, I purchased the Columbia Hampton Trail Jacket a few months prior to a trip to Montreal, Canada for Thanksgiving break.
I recently used the Eagle Creek Explorer LT on a one week trip to Montreal. Majority of the backpack was packed with clothing and toiletries. The daypack was used for more of the necessary items that I take out often which included a guide book, passport, umbrella, etc. The backpack is 55L + a 10L daypack. With the dimensions of the backpack, it should be OK for most airline carry-on.
