Gear List
Lots of people have asked, “How do you pack for a year on the road?” The main idea is “very lightly.” It’s a big challenge to take as little as possible, but still be prepared for a variety of places and activities and have a little creature comfort as well.
I’ve read other peoples’ travel blogs and websites and one of the most helpful sections for me was their gear list. So in that spirit, here is ours, and may it hopefully help guide another fellow traveler.
We’ve jettison a few things along the way (and acquired some new things), but here’s roughly what we had when we left the US.
Bags
We’re going with a hybrid of luggage vs. backpack. These are wheeled packs that can be rolled or carried on your back depending on the landscape.
-His: Victorinox 26″ Trek Pack Plus
-Hers: Osprey Meridian 28″ Wheeled Convertible Pack
In addition to the small extra daypacks that come with those bags, we’ve also got a Jansport Airlift daypack, a small camera bag, and a very cool REI Chock Shoulder Bag (my new purse – I love it!)
Clothes
Most of these items are made from fabrics that are very lightweight and quick dry blends that we can wash/dry easily. Many websites recommend not bringing jeans for this reason, but I really don’t want to look like a touristy hiker ALL the time. The biggest challenge is making sure that everything can match (or at least not clash) with everything else.
-His:
Bottoms
2 pairs pants
1 pair jeans
3 pairs shorts (1 gym, 1 hiking, 1 nice)
1 swimsuit
Tops
5 T-shirts
1 ss dress shirt
1 golf shirt – TBD
1 ls T-shirt
1 fleece
1 rain jacket – Marmot Precip Plus
Other
6 underwear, etc. – mix of “normal” and ExOfficio travel type
6 pairs socks – mix of hiking and fitness
NC baseball cap
1 pair Merrill Moab Ventillator low trail runners
1 pair Chacos sandals
1 pair Kenneth Cole driving mocs
-Hers: Most of these items are REI brand stuff, but a few others that really like: Life is Good, Horny Toad, Columbia, and of course, L.L.Bean.
Bottoms
2 pairs pants
1 pair jeans
1 pair capris
1 pair “nice” shorts
1 pair hiking shorts
1 pair running shorts
1 black skirt (yes, I do still plan to go out once in a while!)
Tops
4 ss T-shirts
1 ss hiking shirt
2 ss “nice” tops
1 tank top
1 ls hiking shirt
1 ls T-shirt
1 ls light weight fleece
1 rain jacket – Marmot Precip
Other
7 underwear, etc. – mix of “normal” and ExOfficio travel type
1 swimsuit – new! Bought it at Manley Beach in Sydney.
6 pairs socks – mix of hiking and fitness
PJs
Lehigh baseball cap and floppy hiking hat
Bandana
1 pair Merrill Siren Sport cross training shoes
1 pair Teva Pretty Rugged sandals
1 pair Kenneth Cole Reaction black flats
(Bummer, my Sketchers didn’t fit!)
Electronics
Laptop – Acer Aspire One, windows version (and a second one when the first one quit in Hong Kong)
Cameras – Canon Rebel EOS XTI – digital SLR and Canon Powershot SD400
Extra memory cards and batteries for both cameras
4G USB memory stick (and a second and third when the first got a virus in India)
iPods – 30G Video iPod and 4G Nano
Mobile Phone – Samsung tri-band unlocked T219 – we bought a prepaid SIM in Australia
Headphones – just earbuds. The Bose noise cancellers took up too much room, but I’ve been missing them.
Other Stuff
Medical
Immodium
Aspirin
Benadryl
Sudafed
First aid creme
Bandaids
Ciprofloxacin (antiboitic, came in handy in India)
Mefloquine (for Malaria – we took this for a few weeks, but gave up)
Year’s worth of contacts and a few other prescriptions
Other (Picked up along the way)
Plastic sandwich box (similar to Tupperware, for keeping our PBJs from getting squashed)
Cooler bag (for transporting fridge items between hotels and keeping drinks cold on long car/train rides) – This was the best $A 2.50 we’ve ever spent.
Anthisan cream – crucial for treating sandfly bites in NZ.
Beach Towels – bought for $9 in Oz and used quite a bit.
Fleece jacket – replacement after a laundry incident. Who knew synthetics could shrink?
Flip flops – essential for camp showers in NZ
halftime