Packing for long term travel can be one of the more complicated tasks to figure out. It depends heavily on where you are going in the world, the weather, specific activities you are doing, and a variety of other factors. For our travel, we like to be prepared for 80% of scenarios that we think could reasonably come up, and figure out the other 20% on the road. Here is my male long term carry on packing list.
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When we travel we like to exclusively use carry on bags whenever we are able to. This adds another level of difficulty when it comes to packing because of the limited size. We also use backpacks so weight can become an issue. All of this means we think really hard about every item we pack inside our bags. We wrote a whole post going over all the advantages of a carry on bag versus a checked bag!
Bags
Kelty Redwing 44
Picking a bag is one of the more important decisions to make when deciding to go “backpacking”. Nicki and I both have this bag in different versions and are huge fans. We use it for hiking, long term traveling, and everything in between.
LL Bean Stowaway Daypack
This daypack we picked up after our trip to Greece in 2017. We realized that cheap drawstring bags were not cutting it for long day trips and wanted something with more structure. This packable bag is still small enough that it’s able to be packed away in our larger Kelty bags when not in use.
BagSmart Camera Bag
Similar to picking a backpack, picking a camera bag is a huge decision for photographers. So far I am a big fan of the BagSmart bag. It fits my Sony A7III, 2 lenses, my GoPro, and miscellaneous other camera items.
Osprey Airporter Small Bag Cover
This was something that we went back and forth over if we should bring and we ended up purchasing two airporters, returning one, and deciding to bring just one with us. This is essentially a duffel bag for your bag to protect it when you need to check it. Normally we would opt to bring less stuff and ensure we can stay within the carry on limits, but for some of the budget airlines we are a little concerned with the weight of our gear. If it’s too heavy it means we may be forced to check our backpacks at certain airports. Hopefully we do not need to use this but it adds some peace of mind that our bag won’t get ruined/straps ripped off in transit. Plus is doubles as an extra bag for laundry or anything else we need it for.
Eagle Creek Packing Cubes
Packing cubes in general are great because they really help organize your bag. I am able to fit all of my clothing into the large packing cube in the photo above. The medium sized cube is for my winter jacket. While I really like the Eagle Creek packing cubes that I have, I would probably recommend a cheaper brand if you are looking to make a purchase. We have three sets from three different brands and they all seem to be of similar quality with the main difference being the price.
We did an entire post about packing cubes that you can check out here!
Keokee Toiletry Bag
We bought these because we wanted designated toiletry bags that could double as TSA toiletry bags when going through airport security. The main feature we looked for was a flat bottom so it could stand upright. It may sound dumb but having our toiletries all over the place is one of the little things that drives us crazy when we travel!
Electronics
Electronics take up a significant amount of space in my bag specifically. By weight, I am bringing almost 2x the amount of electronics than clothing. While I hate the idea of being a theft target or losing something expensive, I genuinely use all of these items. For this post I’ve divided it into electronics packed in my backpack and electronics in my camera bag so you can better understand how I travel with everything.
Electronics in my backpack
MacBook Pro
Speaks for itself. We upgraded from our 2011 MacBook Pro’s to the newer versions and love them.
MacBook Pro 61W Charger
Plugbug Duo
This was a late addition but we were looking for a way to reduce our travel adapters and maximize our charging capabilities. Depending on what I need charged, I could have as much as 10 separate items to plug in at once. The Plugbug Duo checks off multiple boxes for us. First, it is a voltage converter so it works on any outlet in the world. Second, it comes with its own full set of international travel adapters so it saved us $30 on buying a new set of the Apple world adapters. Third, it attaches to a computer charger OR normal phone charger to give us 3 charging ports for 1 adapter space.
We have been testing it out over the last few weeks and it seems to work great but we will update this post on how it goes as we keep traveling!
ZOMEI Lightweight Tripod
I went back and forth over bringing a tripod, and I may very well end up leaving this behind because it definitely puts me a bit over most carry on limits. However, for the first month of our trip we are going to some different remote areas in South America and having a tripod to take photographs of both of us, or long exposure/nighttime shots, is extremely valuable. I bought 3 tripods off Amazon and ended up picking the lightest/smallest one. So far I have used it on a few hikes and am loving it! It is very stable in the wind and has a hook to hang a bag off of for extra stability whenever needed.
Apple USB to USB C Adapters (x2)
Apple SD Card to USB C Adapter
Sandisk Extreme Pro 128gb SD Card (x2)
These work great with the Sony A7III and gives me about a 5,000 photo capacity when shooting RAW.
Sandisk Micro SD Card with Adapter (x2)
These are fairly generic, cheap micro SD cards for my GoPro. I have used them for years and they have never failed.
Sandisk 64 GB USB Memory Stick
We got this to transfer files between our computers when we do not have Wifi plus we wanted something that we could take to a printer without needing to lug around our laptops. It is so small that it just makes sense to have.
LaCie 2TB External Hard Drive
This is what I use for 100% of my photography storage. I have Lightroom synced up with my files on this hard drive and I back it up once or twice per week to the cloud but this is my main hard drive that I organize everything with and work off of.
Case Logic Case
This was actually a CD holder that I removed most of the CD sleeves from. It fits the LaCie hard drive almost perfectly and has some room for a few different cables/adapters, my extra SD cards, and the USB memory stick.
Altoid Tin
Joby GripTight Gorillapod
A mini Gorillapod is cheap and very helpful for using with a cellphone for quick pictures when a normal tripod/DSLR doesn’t make sense. This one from Joby has held up great for 2 years so far.
Apple iPhone Charger (x2)
Apple Smart Battery Case
I love this apple charging case and tell everyone I know that they should get one! It doubles my iPhone battery and the best feature in my opinion is that you can charge the case separately from the iPhone. I will often plug the case into one of the portable batteries, throw it in the daypack, and am still able to use my phone normally. Then about an hour later when it is done I am ready to go and the case starts re-charging my phone.
Apple Watch
I love my Apple Watch even though the daily charging can be a pain sometimes.
Apple Watch Charger
Apple World Adapters
They makes a great world adapter kit that fits right into all of the Apple plugs. This combined with our Plugbug Duo should give us sufficient charging capabilities anywhere in the world.
Generic World Adapters
We picked these up from AAA and are bringing the adapters for South America and Europe.
Jackery Giant 12000mAh
I have been using this portable battery for about 5 years now and it still works great.
Steripen Ultra
This is a new purchase for us since we are going to a high number of countries with non-potable water. Hopefully this can help us reduce the amount of plastic bottles we need to buy and should give us a backup option if we need water in a pinch.
Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
For hiking on the Inca trail and any other time we need a flashlight.
Sony Headphones
The quality/cost/size ratio is perfect. I may upgrade to better headphones at some point but I have been using these for 10+ years and I keep buying them.
Electronics in my Camera Bag
Sony A7III
This was the item I researched the most before purchasing, and for good reason. I have always loved photography and have dreamed of buying a professional/semi-professional camera. One of our main goals for selling a lot of our belongings was to be able buy our gear for the trip without dipping into our trip budget.
This camera is a mirrorless camera and uses an EVF (electronic viewfinder) rather than the traditional mirror. The size is smaller than a traditional DSLR and it weighs less. So far I think it is a perfect travel camera.
Sony Zeiss 16-35mm Wide Angle Lens
I love wide angle and ultra wide angle landscape photographs and I wanted something that was able to capture that around the world. This lens was significantly more expensive than I originally wanted to spend, but I view camera equipment as more of an investment rather than a random expense to factor in. So far this lens is everything I wanted and I am really enjoying using it.
Sony 28-70mm Zoom Lens
This lens is great and actually came as the kit lens with the Sony A7III. I was a bit skeptical because usually kit lenses are not great but I was pleasantly surprised with how this has performed! It gives me some additional focal range if I want to switch out of wide angle photography but it has a tiny footprint and weighs almost nothing. Overall it is a great lens to keep in your bag for when you need it.
Sony A7III Screen Protector
Sony NPFZ100 Battery
They recently upgraded their batteries and now they work significantly better than before. I carry two batteries every time I go out to take photographs.
Sony Battery Charger
While the battery capacity has gotten better, chargers are not included. This was another purchase that felt silly at the time, but having a designated battery charger is great. It keeps me from needing to charge the battery through the camera itself which can take around 5 hours. With this charger it takes about 2 hours or so.
A HUGE tip for anyone who has this charger, or any charger that uses a standard AC plug, is to swap out the chord that comes with the Sony battery charger and replace it with a simple Apple brand (or whatever) duckhead wall adapter. It saves so much space and now you can also use your camera charger directly with the Apple World Adapter set.
Altura Camera Cleaning Kit
Peak Design Capture Clip
The Peak Design Capture Clip is awesome and works exactly how it is designed. I keep the one portion attached to my main backpack at all times and can use the mounting plate to have my camera ready whenever I need it. I have used it on hikes as well as walking around and it always works great.
USA Gear Neoprene Camera Cover
This camera cover was not made for the Sony A7III but after a bit of tugging I got it to fit perfectly over my camera and the larger 16-35 lens.
Moment Lens
I have had this Moment Lens for a few years and it is great in a pinch to get some wide angle photos. When we visited the Acropolis in Greece I only had my iPhone but this lens let me get the entire building in every shot.
GoPro Hero 4 Silver
I have had this GoPro for 4 years now and it still works as good as new. Although I do not use it much for photographs, I still like to keep it in my bag for bad weather, underwater shots, extreme sports/activities, or whenever I think it could be useful. I did use it extensively in Alaska when we were caught in multiple rainstorms and spent some time trekking on glaciers so it definitely still comes in handy.
GoPro Floating Handle
This is the only GoPro attachment that I bring because it floats so if I ever lose the camera in the water hopefully this will help find it. I find myself not needing a selfie stick and if I do need it I can always make do with something else.
GoPro Wasabi Battery Pack with Charger
Wasabi makes a great backup battery set for GoPro. I have been using these for years and they still hold a great charge.
GoPro Remote
I would suggest getting this as soon as you get the GoPro itself. It is so useful and is water resistant.
Clothing
Nike Sneakers
Merrell Moab 2 WP Hiking Shoes
We enjoy being outdoors and doing physical hikes where normal sneakers won’t quite cut it. We opted for the Merrell Moab 2 WP hiking shoes because they are a middle ground between a sneaker and a traditional hiking boot. They are very comfortable and neither of us ever got a blister from them, even when breaking them in. We plan to bring them to do the Inca Trail, Patagonia, and other hikes in the future.
Darn Tough Hiking Socks (x2)
These really are the best hiking socks ever made. They never smell, are easy to wash, dry quickly, are basically seamless, and have held up great so far. Darn Tough also offers a lifetime warranty so if the socks ever fall apart you can just send them in and get a new pair.
Generic Ankle Socks (x2)
ExOfficio Sport Give n Go Boxers (x4)
Since I am only bringing a few pairs of boxers I wanted something made of a synthetic material that I could wear in athletic situations (gym, hiking, etc.) but that were still comfortable. So far I really like these and I have been wearing them for a few months at home but I will make sure to update this after a few months of traveling to see how they hold up.
REI Long Underwear
This works as long underwear as well as athletic hiking leggings when I want to wear shorts but need something to keep the bugs off my legs. I got the cheapest, lightweight pair that REI had.
Running Shorts
These running shorts also double as a bathing suit.
Lululemon Commission Shorts
I am not usually one to care about clothing brands but these shorts are great, have 4 way stretch, look dressy enough for my liking, and even have a few zippered pockets that are large enough for a passport/phone. Overall they are my favorite shorts and I have high hopes for them.
Lululemon Surge Joggers
Similar to the shorts above the Joggers are made of athletic material, have 4 way stretch, zippered side pockets, and have a tapered jogger look to them. They are comfortable enough to wear all day whether I am hiking, on a flight, or walking around a city.
UntuckIt T-shirt (x3)
These t-shirts from Untuckit are perfect in my opinion. I have 3, one black, one gray, and one light blue. They are 50% cotton and 50% polyester and they really do maintain their shape after multiple wears. For me this is a huge step up from normal cotton t-shirts.
UnderArmor T-shirt (x2)
I buy these shirts once every 5-8 years and they are always consistently good. They are cheap, hold up well, and work great for any athletic endeavor.
Patagonia Capilene Long Sleeve
This is a fairly new purchase that I have not fully tested yet but I am planning to wear it while hiking in Peru in a few weeks. It is extremely lightweight and Patagonia has a lifetime warranty.
Patagonia R1 Full Zip Fleece
I replaced my Patagonia Better Sweater with the R1 when I saw it on sale from Patagonia for 50% off. I was looking for something a bit smaller and lighter than the Better Sweater. So far it is perfect and exactly what I was looking for for both hiking and city travel.
Columbia Packable Rain Jacket
I have had this jacket for a few years and it works great. I may end up switching it out for an ultralight rain jacket when we go to Southeast Asia just for size/weight but the Columbia jacket is still a great, relatively cheap option.
North Face Puffy Jacket
We both had puffy winter jackets from North Face so we opted not to buy new “packable” jackets. Pro tip – any jacket is packable if you try hard enough! Mine fits into a small/medium packing cube.
UnderArmor Winter Hat
Outdoor Research Gloves
Since we are going to Patagonia and Iceland in the winter we wanted high quality gloves. These are rated to 20 degrees and are pretty small/form fitting. If we ever need anything warmer we can probably use these as liner gloves inside of a larger and more weatherproof pair.
Buff
I have heard about these so many times but never really appreciated it or thought it would be necessary. But since I bought it I have been using it multiple times a week! Whenever we work out, hike, etc. I use it for sweat or whatever else I need it for. It dries usually within an hour and I can sink wash it every easily.
Toiletries
GoToobs
When we traveled through France we could not find small bottles of shampoo or soap, only large ones. We bought a pack of GoToobs so we would always have a small bottle to refill things with. This way we do not have to lug around large heavy bottles for extended periods of time. Right now I am using mine for sunscreen but I am sure I will need it for other liquids in the future.
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
FlipIt Toothbrush Cover
We got these cheap FlipIt toothbrush covers and love them. They are so much smaller than the covers that hold your entire toothbrush and they have suction cups on the back so they can stick on the mirror when we do not have a large countertop in a bathroom.
Floss
Hair Gel
Bar of soap
Baby Wipes
These are specifically for when we’re hiking the Inca Trail in Peru.
Bug Spray Wipes
For the Inca Trail and Bolivia, bug spray wipes are a way to bring more bug spray without it being in liquid form.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen Stick
Bug Spray
Neosporin
First Aid Kit
Tylenol, Imodium, Ibuprofen, Advil Cold & Sinus, Pepto Bismol, Dramamine, Benadryl, and a few band aids and mole skin for blisters
Miscellaneous
Micro Fiber Towel
We bought micro fiber towels from REI in the XL size and also bought size S as a wash cloth. They don’t feel quite as good on your skin as a normal towel but for our purposes they work great.
Sleeping Bag Liner
We got the Silk + Cotton Traveller liner from Sea to Summit because it has a pillow insert area, is a rectangular shape, and is very small/lightweight. We are going to use these on the Inca Trail in our sleeping bags as well as anywhere else we stay that has questionable cleanliness.
Duct Tape
I cut a 5 ft section and wrapped it around an old business card just in case we need some.
Carabiners (x3)
Small carabiners from REI
TSA Luggage Locks
Combination Lock
For hostel lockers, etc.
Clothes Line
Just a piece of string in case we don’t have anywhere to hang dry clothes.
Sink Stopper
This was an item we went back and forth on if it was worth it to bring. Since we are bringing limited clothing, and not everywhere we stay will have a washing machine, we opted to grab one just in case we need it for sink washing. It can also cover shower/bath drains and kitchen sink drains so it should work well.
Tennis Ball
I love my foam roller and usually use it multiple times per week. A lot of people recommend using a lacrosse ball as an alternative for travel but I opted for a tennis ball because it is significantly lighter.
Physical Therapy Stretching Band
I do physical therapy for my back and so I was able to get one of these from my doctor to bring on the trip for stretching.
This is everything that I am bringing for traveling around the world. I will keep this list updated as I take things out and add new items in as I am sure things will change. If you have any long term packing tips, or if I forgot anything, let us know in the comments down below!
