Packing is an art. If you’re backpacking, every pound counts and you have to pack smart. Deciding what to bring can be a challenge, especially if you’re planning to visit several places with different climates. In this feature post, I list all of the items I packed in preparation for a year long trip.
I’m still on the road and adjusting my packing list as I go. Here is what I started out with:
Tops
3 x t-shirts
3 x tank tops
3 x technical fabric tops
Long Sleeves
Rain jacket
Hoodie
Two thermals
One light cover up
Bottoms
Jeans
Convertible pants
Sweatpants
Sporty capri pants
Skirt
2 x cotton shorts
Undergarments
2 x bathing suit
2 x sport bras
2 x regular bras
10 x underwear
6 x sport socks
2 x warm socks
Shoes
J-41 Women’s ‘Crimson’ Vegan Slip-on Sneakers
Sandals
Tech Stuff
Laptop + charger + case
Camera
SD car reader
15GB SD card
4GB SD card
Flexible ball mini tripod
ipod Nano + headphones
PhotoTrackr Lite
Other
Silk sleeping bag liner
Adventure towel
Deck of cards
Money belt
Compass with thermometer and whistle
Reading light
Travel diary
Vegan Passport
Moo cards
Hat
SteriPEN Adventurer Handheld Water Purifier
Toiletries and Accessories
Hair brush
Hair straightener
Tooth brush
Tooth paste
Aveda be curly curl control
Tide to Go stain remover
Laundry soap sheets
Deodorant
Sun screen
SPF lip balm
After sun cream
Hand sanitizer
Lush shampoo
Contact solution
Contact case
Contacts
Lip balm
Diva Cup
Mirror
Concealer
Tinted facial moisturizer
Face powder
Mascara
Lipgloss
Eyebrow tweezers
Nail clippers
Razors x 2
Band-Aids
Backup earrings
Sunglasses
Glasses case
Altitude sickness pills
Malaria pills
Sewing kit
Elastics
Bobby pins
Headbands
That’s all for now. I’d love to know what other people pack when traveling. Feel free to comment with advice on how to keep your bag light.


















14 Comments »
What kind of backpack are you using?
And all of that fits in that tiny, blue bag!
Yes, somehow I managed to make it all fit :)
Jeff,
I have a backpack from Mountain Equipment Co-op. You can check them out at http://www.mec.ca/
I like using compression sacs. They helped when I packed only carry-on for a month of travel in Australia. I wrote about them here: http://vegansnorkeler.blogspot.com/2009/06/awesome-travel-accesories.html
Do you know what size bag you used? 70L 75L ? I look forward to following your travels!
@Natalie I don’t know for sure but I’m confident my backpack is about a 70L bag. It’s a “short” from MEC.
I’m not sure how a SILK liner ended up on a vegan site. :) Just sayin’…
Campmor has great prices and a lot of vegan equipment options. I always write reviews when I order from a place like this so other vegans can find the goods. I just ordered some North Face trail runners, an Outdoor Products backpack and a flashlight that won’t fill the stinkin’ landfill with more batteries (crank style) on a rugged trip on the Brule River in WI. All of those products served me very nicely.
I love MEC!! The Adventure Towels are great, I used mine as a blanket once. Not terribly warm, but worked in a hostel.
I’m heading to Europe for 3 months, and I’m planning about the same packing job as you have here, but I need to bring a set of dress clothes because I’m going to a wedding in Turkey. Also, we’ll be there until December and I’m going to bring one more sweater than you have. I’m also planning to bring some spices for cooking because I’ll be doing a lot of cooking on our travels. I do vegan recipe videos, and am going to keep the series going while we wander.
I’ll be sure to check in to see if you go to any of the spots we’re going to!
[...] And now, a little advice from a friend. Be reasonably prepared. Don’t take tools that you might not use because it adds extra weight. For more backpacking and outdoor travel advice check out the Vegan Backpacker. [...]
hi jill…not bad at all…I have been backpacking for a long time now, and mostly on my own, and i’m 52 yrs old. being a vegan gives me the stamina to haul butt around the planet. see what you have to look forward to? I usually only bring 4 pairs of underwear because I can wash them in the shower. 10 pairs is overkill. I wouldn’t bother with jeans either because denim is heavy and takes forever to dry. I like the way you kept it down to two pairs of shoes. thats what I do. I wouldn’t bother with too much hair stuff either but that’s just me. just remember, you can pick up alot of stuff on the road. where did you get those awesome vegan slip on shoes. I gotta get me a pair of those. get yourself a sarong. they are the best coin you’ll ever spend. india is my next stop. vegan food mecca. good luck with your travels.
[...] Have you ever been backpacking? I thought I had been, twice - the last being my 3-weeks road trip from the top to the bottom of New Zealand. But I was wrong. Even though we had one middle-size backpack each, slept in hostels, sharing room with 6 and bathroom with another 20 people, and fought for our 15 minutes of internet every once in a while, this does not automatically turn you into a backpacker. My blackberry is my best friend (we even go together to the toilet). I wouldn’t survive without a hair dryer and never leave a my room/tent/dorm/car without covering the rings under my eyes. In my backpack, I always find some space for my favorite jeans and, at least, one pair of shoes that would style-up any outfit. Anywhere I go, I want to taste the local cuisine or, at least, have a balanced menu that does not only consist of burgers and sandwiches. My digital camera has its own corner in my handbag, and so does the extra battery and an extra memory. This doesn’t really fit to what we had always defined as a backpacker, right? But then, I came across an interesting post from Nomadic Matt, who introduced me to the term Flashpacker. What the heck is a Flashpacker? Some people define the Flashpackers as backpackers by heart, but on a higher budget, and usually between their mid-twenties and early-thirties, that is, people with an income and no big attachments – meaning, kids. But defining this term by simply using the who and the when is not really appropriate. The concept is a choice of travel (such as backpacking or couchsurfing), that might (only might!) be chosen by travelers with these characteristics.10 signs you might be a Flashpacker, too Source [...]
I was wondering how you keep your laptop secure while traveling. Do you rely on hostel lockers? Any tips for overnight train rides, etc? I am planning a long-term backpacking trip and am trying to decide if it is worth the risk to bring my laptop along. Thanks!
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