Female Long Term Carry On Packing List

One of the hardest things once we decided to travel for a year was figuring out how in the world to pack. We want enough stuff that we have everything we need but not too much that we kill ourselves lifting our bags up every day. Since we are going to a wide range of different climates and doing some outdoor activities like hiking, we need a few very specific items. So here is my female long term carry on packing list!

For starters we always pack in carry on size bags. Although obviously smaller, we believe there actually are quite a few advantages to bringing a carry on bag versus a larger, checked bag. We wrote a whole post on the pros and cons of traveling with a carry on bag because we really do think it’s worth it especially if you’re moving accommodations or taking any kind of transportation. Plus by bringing a smaller carry on size bag we always have everything with us!

While not every carry on size bag has to be a backpack, we have found its much easier to move around with your bags while carrying it on your back. There are plenty of very nice carry on size rolling suitcases or even duffel bags but it can be hard to roll your suitcase onto the subway or up a hill/staircase to your hotel. So we prefer backpacks for the ease of moving with all of our stuff whether we’re moving to a different hotel or getting on a bus or simply walking around while waiting for our room to be ready.

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This post also contains links to products that we are not affiliates for. Regardless we are looking to provide the most accurate information for our gear!

Bags

Kelty Redwing 40W

I have the Kelty Redwing 40L and Dave has the Kelty Redwing 44L and although that means we’re kind of matching, we both really love them!

When searching for a backpack there were a few requirements we knew we wanted it to have. We kept an eye on the overall size to make sure it remained an acceptable carry on bag but we also wanted bags we could use while hiking so hip belts and back support were important. For us, bags that could serve double-duty meant we could use it for more than one purpose.

Read More: The Best Backpack for Female Travelers including all the reasons I love it

Kate Spade Crossbody Bag

This is the crossbody bag that I often bring when we’re going out for the day and I just need a few items like my phone, wallet and sunglasses! It can actually fit much more than you might think. If we’re going out for a long day sometimes we’ll put a portable battery and sunscreen in too and be set for a while!

Instead of carrying around a big wallet, I use a Black Leather Coin Purse. It’s so small within my crossbody bag so I still have plenty of room for other things. Within the coin purse are two pockets for cards and then a big one for coins. I was looking for one that had a coin area because so many currencies use coins for small amounts I knew I would need somewhere to put them all.

Travel Truth: We use this Nite Ize Carabiner to clip the zipper of my crossbody bag to the strap buckle for when we’re in a really crowded place and want to make sure nobody can open it. Probably a bit overkill but an extra precaution to prevent pickpockets!

L.L. Bean Stowaway Backpack

We bring this backpack for longer days when we want to bring more but don’t want to bring our bigger hiking backpacks. It’s packable meaning it packs up into a small pouch so it’s not taking up too much space. We brought this backpack for the Fira to Oia Hike in Greece as well as the Coastal Pathways in the South of France.

Packing Accessories

Gonex Packing Cubes

You’ve probably seen packing cubes in every single packing post you’ve looked at. But in case you haven’t, packing cubes are just ways to organize all your items. I usually put bottoms and larger items in the biggest, tops in the middle one and my winter jacket in the smallest cube. These Gonex ones are just as good as the more expensive Eagle Creek packing cubes but significantly cheaper!

Curious about the differences? We did a full post on Are Name Brand Packing Cubes Worth it?

Hip Belt Pocket

We bought these for hiking when we don’t want to have to take our bags off to get something from inside. This slides right on the hip belt of our backpacks and is able to fit my phone, tissues, keys, etc. that you want easy access to. Honestly it seems silly but is so helpful not just while hiking but anytime we’re traveling with our bags!

Electronics

I carry just the basics in terms of electronics. This category can become really heavy with extra cords and adaptors so make sure everything you pack you actually need.

Jackery 6000 mAh Portable Battery

This is a godsend when you’re out for the day and your phone starts to die. You can charge it without having to park yourself next to an outlet nor do you need to worry about whether you brought the adaptor for the plug. Theoretically you can charge anything that can plug into a USB so things like camera batteries or anything else you bring around with you. We’ve found this one fits really well within my crossbody bag without making it too heavy.

Apple Headphones

Nothing too fancy which means if I lose or break them it’s not a big deal!

Headphone Splitter

While it might sound silly, a headphone splitter makes it SO much easier to watch something together without having to share 1 headphone each.

MacBook Pro 61W Charger

Slightly larger than we would prefer but necessary! It also works as a voltage converter and it can work with the Plug Bug below.

PlugBug Duo

Because we’re going to so many different places, adaptors can be tricky. We want just the ones we need because they can be bulky but with computers, phones, external batteries and all the camera gear we have a decent amount of things that need to be charged. The PlugBug Duo attaches to the top of the MacBook Pro charger and adds an additional 2 USB outlets. So I could charge my computer, phone and external battery all at the same time.
- This is especially helpful when you’re staying in a place that only has 1 outlet.

The Plug Bug also came with a set of world adaptors so we simply took the ones we need for South America and Europe and then we’ll switch out the ones we need for Asia later on!

International Converter

Because we have so many things to charge we’re also bringing this converter even though our computer chargers also act as one. If you only have a few electronics to charge you might not need to bring more than one. This one is rather bulky so we might part with it at some point if we don’t find ourselves having to use it often.

Clothing

Clothing is usually the part of packing when you have to be very honest with yourself. It’s easy to want to bring a bunch of clothing pieces that you don’t actually need to bring. For a trip this long everything that I’m bringing was thought out and fits multiple purposes. I started out thinking I wanted to bring more items and then as we practiced fitting everything into our backpacks I slowly cut more and more items out.

I thought about material, color, type of item and what I could wear with it when I was choosing clothing pieces.
Then I took all the clothing pieces I was considering and tried on all the tops with all the bottoms with both my sandals and sneakers. Anything that I didn’t think could be worn together I seriously reconsidered. There just isn’t enough room in my bag for items that only serve one purpose or only go with one bottom or one top. If you’re struggling to cut things out, this is a good strategy to try!

Footwear

5 Pairs of Socks

3 pairs of simple ankle socks

2 pairs of Darn Tough hiking socks
- These are the best hiking socks! They have a lifetime guarantee if anything happens to them.

Allbirds Sneakers

I switched from Nike Flex Sneakers to Allbirds because they are very light and easy to pack. Plus I’ve found them so incredibly comfortable I would highly recommend them!

Birkenstock Yara Sandal

These have significantly more support than a pair of flat flip flips but have a strap so they won’t fall off. They were a bit pricey but I wanted a pair that I could wear for a whole day without my feet hurting. We often walk 30,000+ steps on long city exploration days and know what it feels like to have bad shoes on.

Travel Truth: If we weren’t traveling for such a long time I could consider not bringing sandals because they take up a lot of room in my backpack. But going to warmer places I think I’ll appreciate having them!

Merrell Moab 2 WP Hiking Shoes

After trying on several different pairs of hiking shoes, I have really liked these Merrell ones! They are very comfortable and they required almost no time to break them in. I chose hiking shoes instead of hiking boots because they are much lighter and easier for us to carry around while traveling.

Bottoms

7 Pairs of Underwear

I looked for pairs that were not 100% cotton so it would be easier to sink wash and then quicker to dry.

Travel Truth: Socks and underwear are really easy to wash in the sink if we don’t have a washing machine. So don’t worry about bringing pairs for every day of your trip. We are bringing a Mudder 6-inch rubber sink stopper to help make it easier to wash small things like this wherever we’re staying!

2 Pairs of Shorts

1 pair of jean shorts that look a bit nicer

1 pair of Nike running shorts that I wear to sleep because they are comfortable but I can also wear them out to grab a quick coffee or when we’re just hanging out. That way they fit more than one purpose!

2 Pairs of Lululemon Leggings

Because we’re going to be hiking for 4 straight days in Peru one pair of leggings seemed too little. You also will on almost any day find me in leggings and a shirt so if thats not your style you might only need one pair!

1 Pair of Jeans

I’m bringing a pair of jeans because of where we’re going and the time of year. If we were only traveling during the summer months I would definitely leave them at home because they are much bulkier than shorts or leggings.

1 Romper

If it’s really hot I would likely grab a romper to wear because it’s really comfortable and easy to wear for the day. Plus I can easily wear my bathing suit underneath without it looking too odd. This one is very light and breathable which I think will be good for exploring an area in warm weather plus it rolls up really small in my bag!

1 Bathing Suit

If I ever need another bathing suit I feel like it’s something that I could easily buy in a given place.
The specific bathing suit top I have is black with normal shoulder straps so it could easily double as a bra in a pinch. Because of the style, it also can be worn under a romper or loose shirt without looking bulky or weird.

Tops

2 Sports Bras & 2 Bralettes

I have 2 Free People Bralettes that take up significantly less space than a wire bra does.
I really like this Lululemon Free to be Wild sports bra. It’s comfortable and doesn’t hurt my shoulders after a while but still looks good enough to wear out if we’re doing something active.

2 Tank tops

This Free People Tank Top to wear whenever we’re going somewhere nicer

A linen tank top thats more for hiking or just hanging out with leggings

3 Short Sleeve shirts

1 nicer black short sleeve shirt to wear with jeans and jean shorts
The Lululemon Love Crew short sleeve shirt is really good for hiking and holds up well after a few wears

The last short sleeve shirt I’m bringing is to sleep in but again just like my running shorts I can easily wear this on a travel day or just with leggings if needed!

2 Long Sleeve shirts

Just like jeans, if we weren’t traveling to places where it was going to be cooler I wouldn’t necessarily have to bring long sleeve shirts. I’m bringing one that I can wear with both leggings and jeans.
The other long sleeve shirt is a hiking long sleeve to protect if I get really sunburnt or want more protection from bugs.

Jackets

Full Zip North Face Fleece

This fleece is honestly the softest, most comfortable zip up I’ve ever had! It’s quite warm so for a summer vacation it’s probably too heavy but for a trip like this I think it will be perfect. It’s heavy enough for some of the chillier parts of South America but also looks kind of like a light jacket so I can wear it with jeans in Europe in the fall too.

North Face Rain Jacket

For so many different climates and locations, a rain jacket is a must! This one is breathable with a good hood and rolls up fairly small at the bottom of my backpack.

North Face Down Winter Jacket

I’ve had this jacket for quite a while and love it. It’s slightly longer so it covers your bum so when you sit you don’t have to worry about sitting in something wet or dirty. Plus the longer length makes it a little warmer! My only issue is the hood easily flies down on a windy day unless it’s completely zipped up to your mouth.

Travel Truth: A lot of people either get packable jackets that are very small or simply buy a jacket when they really need one. We need a warmer jacket at various points so it makes more sense for us to have one with us. We also both already had nice North Face winter jackets so it seemed like a waste of money to buy new ones. That means though that they are taking more space in our bags then we would like.

Pashmina Scarf

This can double as a scarf, a shawl, a sweater, a wrap and so much more! I got it in black so it will go with everything and hopefully won’t get too dirty.

Miscellaneous

There are quite a few items in this miscellaneous category that we need for hiking but don’t necessarily need for when we’re not camping and hiking. So we are bringing these items for our trek in Peru but we might not keep them in our bags for the rest of the year if we don’t otherwise find ourselves reaching for them.

Micro Fiber Pack Towel

We got our pack towels from REI because they come in a handy case and were affordable but there are plenty of options out there! The large one is size XL and the small one is size S. The XL is large enough to wrap around my entire body like a bath towel (I’m about 5 ft 4 in) and the S is the size of a wash cloth.
Sometimes hostels or apartments don’t have things like towels so we’ll be covered in those situations. Also these are helpful if your planning on going to the beach or pool and don’t want to bring your borrowed bath towel. We had to previously buy towels (and subsequently toss them) in France because we forgot ours so this should keep us from making that mistake again.

Sea to Summit Sleeping Bag Liner

We’re renting sleeping bags for our trek in Peru and we will likely need it later on when we do more hiking and camping in other countries. They definitely were pricier than we expected a sleeping liner to be. But we think the traveler design will be worth it because it wraps around a pillow to make it more comfortable!

Black Diamond Headlamp

Again we need these primarily for our hike to Machu Picchu. But we also think we’ll use them during other points when we’re hiking, camping or whenever we find ourselves without power!

Buff

A buff is basically a piece of fabric that can be worn as a headband, mouth cover when it’s dusty, hat, etc. and rolls up so small it’s easy to throw in your bag. These are really good while hiking but can also double as a hand towel or wash cloth if necessary.

Outdoor Research Gloves

My hands are always cold so gloves are necessary! This pair is really soft on the inside and weren’t too expensive.

Toiletries

My strategy for toiletries is to bring what I absolutely need and won’t be able to find. Then the lesser important items I will simply find while traveling. For long term travel I think you have to be open to not always finding the exact brands you’re used to in your home country. But with a little Google translate you can almost always figure out what an item is and if it’s what you’re looking for. Leaving from the US with a carry on bag also means all of our liquids must be limited so we really had to pick and choose.

Clear Toiletry Bag

We recently got these clear toiletry bags and while Dave was hesitant, we both already really like them! In the past we’ve just used a plastic bag but after a few days the inside of the bag gets dirty or it starts to rip. These have a flat bottom which means they sit on a table or the bathroom counter without falling over. It might sound silly but that was really important while looking for one! I wanted it to not only be a way to transport our toiletries but also functional enough to live out of for a long amount of time.

GoToobs

I have one 3.4 ounce GoToob of this Not Your Mothers Hair Cream to hopefully minimize how frizzy my naturally curly hair becomes. After I run out I’ll simply find a replacement and fill the GoToob with that. Having a container means we have a long term way to hold a liquid without carrying 10 little extra bottles every time we need to replace something.

Toothbrush & FlipIt Toothbrush Cover

These toothbrush covers are significantly smaller than the ones that cover your entire toothbrush. But they also have a small suction cup on the back so they can attach to a bathroom mirror or other surface if you have a shared bathroom where you can’t leave things on the counter.

Toothpaste

Lush Shampoo Bar

This Lush shampoo bar is a great alternative to getting around the limitations on liquids. It smells amazing and all their shampoo bars are supposed to last for around 80 washes! There are plenty of scents and ones for different hair types.

Deodorant

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Moisturizer

I’ve used this face moisturizer for a few years now. I like how it’s moisturizing without feeling greasy and I’ve used it as lotion after a sunburn if necessary!

Make up

This Bare Minerals Tinted Moisturizer, that has SPF in it without feeling too heavy on a hot day, along with blush and mascara.

Daily Contacts

I wear contacts which means I need to bring a few boxes of daily contacts with us. I’m bringing daily contacts specifically so I don’t have to bring contact solution as I would never be able to fit enough in my toiletry bag without checking it. I’m envious of everyone who doesn’t need contacts and can skip this one!

Ben’s 30% DEET Bug Spray

We’re both bringing a 3.4 oz container of 30% DEET bug spray for places where we know the bugs are an issue. Before leaving we also sprayed our clothes with Sawyer Permethrin Spray which is supposed to be even more powerful and can hold for up to 6 weeks or 6 washes.

Packed In The Bag

Here are all my clothes in the packing cubes. On one side pocket of my backpack I put socks, underwear, and my bathing suit. The other side pocket I use for all my electronics including my MacBook Pro charger, adaptors and charging cords. Then I simply put (sometimes shove) my rain jacket in the empty spaces along with the other miscellaneous items. My toiletry bag goes on the top pocket so I can easily take it out for airport security.