Packing for Life on the Road
Making the decision to travel full-time is difficult, but figuring out what to pack can seem even more daunting at first.
A week alone is hard enough: looking at all the different things you have planned, making sure you’ve got something that will work for each, accounting for the weather, etc. How do you account for everything that can happen in a month or a year? The short answer is you don’t have to—you just have to be in the ball park.
In some ways, packing for long-term trips is a little easier. If you forget something, they probably have stores where you’re going, and you’ll be able to make time to shop if you need to. If you don’t quite get it right, you can adapt over time. And, you can do laundry on the road, so you don’t have to pack as much as you think. Here’s how we approached packing for traveling full-time:
Decide on the scope of your trip. What kind of traveling are you doing? Are you staying in cities the whole time? Will you be camping any? What are the climates like in the places you’re considering? What are the extremes of each of those, and more importantly, what is the average? If you’re going to be staying in mostly warm climates but have a week in Iceland, don’t carry a parka around for three months—rent or buy one there. Or better yet, layer what you have. If you don’t want to deal with the cold, you can always switch hemispheres.
Pack for the average. Now that you’ve identified what kind of environment you’ll likely experience the most, pack for that. The best pieces will not only encompass that but expand toward some of the extremes as well. I have a chambray shirt that’s causal enough for the everyday, can be rolled up and used as an extra layer after a day on the beach or ironed and tucked in for a nice dinner. If you have those things, you have 90% of it. For the more extreme or rare situations, it’s usually better to pick up something along the way. Not only does it save space, you’ll have time to find exactly what you need instead of trying to anticipate it. And if you’re already in-country, you can see what the locals do.
Versatility is key. Consider putting together a capsule wardrobe more or less. If you’re not familiar, a capsule wardrobe is usually 12 pieces that all work with each other. I stuck to that definition loosely but made sure that I had colors that all worked together and that different pieces could be combined in different ways to meet varying situations. If a piece worked really well for one thing but not several, I didn’t pack it.
Decide how you want to carry everything. People are shocked when we say we only have carry-ons. We pack clothes and shoes into hard case bags by AWAY and each carry a backpack that fits under an airplane seat. It works really well for the type of traveling we’re doing. The long-term stuff goes in the AWAY bags from country to country, and we can use the backpacks however we need. I have a particular game of tetris that fits all of my electronics and a down jacket for long flights that the TSA can never quite put back correctly. The backpack I choose from Osprey is a decent enough hiking bag and works for a day on the trail, but more importantly, it doesn’t look like a camera bag and doesn’t attract attention at all. The best part is I can throw a couple of changes of clothes in a packing cube and carry just a backpack for weekend excursions. Being able to step off of the train and walk directly to wherever you’re staying instead of hauling roller bags is a dream—especially on shorter trips when time is more valuable.
Things that are worth more than their weight
Noise-cancelling headphones Not only are these lifesavers on long flights, they can help divide smaller spaces like studio apartments if you and your travel partner are working on different things or up at different times.
Patagonia Houdini rain jacket This lightweight jacket folds up smaller than a tennis ball. It’ll fit in a purse or backpack pocket. While it’s not expedition ready, it is lovely to have on drizzly days in the city or windy days in the mountains.
Battery bank Essential for long travel days.
Reliable charging We use an adapter that works for most countries and plug a power strip from the U.S. into it. Read the fine print on your power adapters and make sure they work for 110-240v as the voltage in Europe is double that of America. If not, you’ll need to either buy a converter/adapter or find an adapter that will accept a higher voltage. (The only issue we’ve found is with hair dryers and straighteners.) Test your set up before you leave!! And, see how many of the charging bricks you can ditch.
Lululemon ABC Pants These have been my go-to travel pants for several years now and continue to excel on the road. I’ve literally worn the same pair on the East Face of Mount Hood, washed them, and worn them to a training meeting the same week. They don’t show wear. They come in several fits and styles, so be sure to try them out. They are expensive but worth every dime. And, they hem them for free in-store.
M1 MacBook Air I’m continually impressed by this computer. After stretching the life of my previous MacBook Pro for eight years, I knew it was time to upgrade but initially overlooked the Air lineup. It’s been a long time since there’s been such a performance leap between models, and the Air can handle everything that I throw at it. I charge it every few days, and the price point was low enough that Tori and I each got one.
iBooks/Audible I still prefer reading books in print, but that’s just not practical on the road. Over the spring and summer, I read more books than I have in years listening to Audible while painting walls and ceilings. Audiobooks have come a long way since borrowed CDs from the public library, and I particularly love listening to ones read by the author. Use whatever service you like, but having a way to read on the road is essential.
Packing cubes It’s taken me a long time to come around to these. At first, they just seemed like something that makes everything look pretty but in reality take more time and effort, but I’ve found that not to be the case. I elected to try out the ultralight series from Osprey, and I barely notice they’re there regarding weight. I’m able to group clothes and store them more efficiently. On the last flight, I managed to carry my entire travel wardrobe and four pairs of shoes with me. Packing cubes. Greenlight.
Durable folder for documents Having hard copies of documents will make border crossings go much more smoothly (and are often required). Have your itinerary with flights, accommodation, health insurance, and country-specific documents printed and organized for each crossing. Do that, and the questions will be minimal.
Things that slow me down
Boots I broke all of my airport security rules on day one: lace up boots and tons of electronics. Both got flagged. Every. Time. I learned to just leave all the electronics in the bag so it would get pulled and taken apart by an employee instead of me while another division scoured my boots for contraband. It saved a little time. The boots were stylish but slowed me down at the airport and on cobblestone streets; I shipped them home.
Drone Three months in and I still haven’t flown it. There aren’t many places you can legally fly near city centers or parks, and the EU requires certification in one of its member states. I feel like a lot of people fly in the grey area or just skirt the rules, but as a pilot, it’s not worth the hassle for me. I’m planning on shipping it back to the States to shed the weight and hassle.
Everything in my bag
Clothes (For Europe)
2 Linen button-down shirts
2 Cotton button-down shirts
1 Chambray button-down shirt
4 T-shirts
2 Sweaters
1 Patagonia capeline baselayer
2 Lululemon ABC pants
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of shorts
3 pairs of running shorts
Socks, etc.
Patagonia down jacket
Patagonia Houdini rain jacket
White sneakers
1 Cashmere scarf
1 pair of sunglasses
Electronics
Sony a7c
M1 Macbook Air
iPad Pro
iPhone with local SIM card
Apple AirPods Pro
Inflatable camera case (yes, you read that right lol)
Everyday Carry
Bags
Tips
For me, shoes were the hardest thing to narrow down. Trying to find something that works for a nice dinner, walking miles around cities, the beach, running, and mountain trails is a tall order. I ended up picking up some Swiss shoes in France that are the first I’ve seen that do hiking and distance training well. A nice pair of sneakers works for the rest. If you’re feeling fancy, maybe get a comfy leather shoe or maaaaybe a Chelsea boot. But, you’ll have to wear those on travel days as they won’t fit in your bag.
The weight restrictions in Europe for carry-ons are much more strict than the U.S. Unless you can stay under 10kg (often for carry-on + personal item), you’ll be forced the check the bag. For checked bags up to 23kg, expect to pay around $40 per bag online and much more at the airport. For Europe, we could have packed on large bag between the two of us and probably saved a little money, but each having a smaller suitcase is still easier to maneuver.
Dryers are almost exclusive to the U.S., so pick materials that air-dry quickly.
Avoid lighter colors, as they wear quickly.
Expect clothes to wear much more quickly than at home because of long travel days, varying situations, and more frequent use.
Find high-quality staples and consider paying a little more for them.
Leave room to pick up stuff along the way.
Don’t pack graphic/logo tees; they are a dead giveaway that you’re a tourist.
Pack something that will give you a little joy or comfort on days you’re feeling homesick.
Hopefully, this gives you a starting point to begin working through how you’re going to accomplish the kind of travel you want to do. Like most things, the anticipation can be way more daunting than actually getting out there. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
See you out there.
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