Guide to Optimal Packing for the
Male Backpacker

chillibreeze writer — Animesh Rawal

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Packing is an art and a science. It is especially critical for backpackers as, if you've packed too much, shuffling from hostel to hostel while looking for an available bed, becomes that much more difficult. And if you have a heavier bag, you are much more likely to succumb to the convenience (and expense) of a taxi, instead of finding your way to the bus stand.

I could go on and on about the benefits, but the point is that keeping it light is the key. But you don't want to punish yourself by being too minimalistic either, do you?

Over a few trips, I think I have discovered the fine balance between too much and too little. So, let's get down to the details.

Baggage:

• 1 big backpack (nothing bigger than 60 litres).
• 1 small day pack: A small, over-the-shoulder messenger bag. This is more convenient and easy to access than a standard backpack.

Toiletries:

• 1 shower gel: Leave the soap. A shower gel can also double up as a shampoo if you're not too particular about your hair.
• 1 shampoo: Only, if you must.
• 1 razor.
• 1 shaving cream/gel: Ditch the can, pick up the tube. If you really need the foam, pack a shaving brush as well, but you can easily do without it.
• 1 deodorant: Trust me, you will need it. Preferably a roll-on, as they come in smaller packages.
• 1 toothbrush and 1 tube of toothpaste.

Clothes:
My rule is that you should be able to last a week without washing clothes. That way you can designate a laundry day and plan around it. For keeping warm, layering is the best approach.

• 3 t-shirts.
• 1 sleeveless t-shirt.
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of lightweight trousers
• 1 pair of khaki or other trousers (useful for going to fancy places and crossing borders).
• 1 full sleeved shirt (same reason as above).
• 1 light kurta
• 1 hat/baseball cap
• 2 pairs of socks (more for cold destinations)
• 7 pairs of underwear
• 1 jacket, preferably waterproof.
• 1 fleece sweater (for cold destinations only).
• And absolutely NO jeans. They're heavy and take too long to dry.

Footwear:

• 1 pair of light shoes/sneakers.
• 1 pair of flip-flops.

That's it. Don't even think of packing any more.

Electronics:
The ideal way to go here is to get one universal travel plug converter and a plug that outputs to a USB charging cable. Pick your devices (MP3 player, camera, phone) that can charge via USB so you only need to carry the respective cables and not their travel adapters. That saves a LOT of space.

• 1 universal travel plug converter
• 1 phone
• 1 small MP3 player. (it would be even better if you can combine the phone and MP3 player into one!)
• 1 camera (Yes, your phone has one. But you need better pictures than that, don't you? And unless you are a professional, do yourself a favour and leave the DSLR at home.)

Others:

• 2 wallets: One on your person to hold your main card and some cash and the other inside your backpack to keep your backup card, cash and credit cards safe.
• 1 folder: To keep all your documents—travel insurance printouts, travellers’ cheques, backup currency, etc.
• 1 book: To while away the time. If you download audio books to your MP3 player, you don't need this.
• 1 small pouch: For medicines/band-aid/disinfectant/condoms etc.
• 1 notebook - You are going to write a travel journal, aren't you?
• 1 pen
• 1 small flashlight (Preferably LED. One with a head-strap would be ideal, as with it you can read books in your dorm bed without bothering others)
• 1 Swiss Army Knife or equivalent.
• 1 water bottle: Save money by filling it up!
• 1 thin sleep sheet. Buy one, or make it yourself by sewing together the ends of a single bed sheet.
• 1 micro-fibre or plain towel (NO fluffy towels, please. They take too long to dry and take up a lot of space!)

Once you think you're done, zip it up and put it on. If you can't walk around with your backpack for at least 15 minutes, it is too heavy. I have found that the ideal weight to aim for is 10 kilos. If you can keep the weight below 7 kilos, you can carry it on your flight, but then the toiletries will have to be in tiny containers and you can't take a knife.

So, there you have it. Of course, you might need to tweak the list based on your own needs (contact lens solution, etc) but this is a general guideline.

Happy packing, and safe travels. And oh, make sure you've left some space in your bag. You'll want to fill it with souvenirs on your way back!

 

 

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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in August, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

 

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—About our writer: Animesh Rawal is a born nomad, having lived in 11 cities across 3 countries. After a life-changing two-year stint in Indonesia, Animesh took the long way home and returned broke, with a net worth of 2 pounds, 3000 Colombian Pesos and two new languages. He has been actively writing since his school days and likes to add a touch of humour to his articles. He writes about topics related to travel, languages, technology and gadgets.

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