Travel Light, Travel Right: My Minimalist Guide to Essential Travel Gear
You know what they say, less is more. A light travel gear enables you to enjoy your trip without the hassle of losing checked bags at the airport. Dragging heavy luggages up and down stairs and cobblestoned streets can be a real pain. I’ve never been a fan of traveling with multiple luggages and having to check in luggage. The one and only time I had to check in luggage was when I moved to the United States and that was enough. After sustaining a back injury, it became even more pertinent that I lighten my travel pack so that I can keep traveling despite the injury. So I am excited to share my tips and tricks on minimizing your travel gear.
Both of these are my go to travel backpacks. My most current one is the Osprey 30L Porter backpack pictured above. The images are linked in case you want to check them out. My all time favorite backpack that I have taken to so many places is the Element Mohave backpack on the right. I have been using that exact backpack for decades. I started using it in school, and it graduated to traveling all over the world. Of course I have had more than a few at this point, but I really like it. It is very lightweight when empty, but expands big enough to fit all my stuff plus extra if needed. The outside straps are useful for cinching the bag or to hold more things if needed. The only reason I got the Osprey 30L is because when I started traveling with motorcycle gear, I realized that the Osprey 30L has better organizer compartments and the material is more durable. It also comes with a hip belt which really helps distribute the weight of the bag. While the element bag is more casual looking, the Osprey has better security features and is more water resistant. However, the Osprey 30L is definitely heavier than the Element backpack when it’s empty.
I chose to stay with a 25-30L backpack, because any smaller is too small and any bigger is too big for my frame. I am 163 cm and weigh 112 lbs and even the osprey 30L already looks huge on me. I also noticed that carrying something larger like a 45L bag tends to trigger my back pain.
Moving on, let’s cover the clothing essentials for a great trip. When it comes to packing clothes, I’m easy. Pack clothes in this way, “wash one, wear one, dry one”. You should try to have 3 sets of tops, bottoms, socks, and underwear. Preferably quick dry material and if you like, also merino wool. I noticed that merino wool blend materials stink less, way less, than synthetic fibers. I usually wash the clothes I wear during the day that same night if possible. But when I miss the chance, then at least it won't stink so bad.
I’ve been using People Socks brand of merino wool socks because they are cheap and they work. Merino dries fast and stinks less. Perfect for travel.
After my foot surgery, I needed to start wearing compression socks more often, so I added these
Sockwell Merino Compression socks to the mix. It helps keep my feet from swelling up. I found out that they aren’t just great for while on airplanes but they are also great motorcycle boot socks afterall! Perfect!
Just to note, in a very humid environment it is challenging to keep clothes dry. I try to not wash clothes unless it’s extremely sunny out and can make sure it will dry. It also helps to keep a few silica gel packets like these in my bag to keep everything in there dry including my electronics and camera equipment.
It took me a while to switch my clothing into merino wool, because they aren’t exactly cheap enough for my liking, but they do go on super sale and so I did end up getting a few and it is nice. I use this Smartwool 150 for warmer weather
And the Smartwool 250 for the cooler weather.
Depending on the weather, I will either bring at least one tank top and shorts. I try to take a tank top that can double as a nice top to go out to dinner. The shorts, I don’t care so much.
Since I like to be outdoors, walk a lot and hike a lot, I prefer pants that are geared for outdoors but sleek enough to wear in the city without looking like I just came back from a Safari.
If I am going to a place where it can get cold I also bring a base layer that fits under these hiking pants.
I used to bring Yoga Pants and Yoga shorts for bottoms, but they are really inefficient when it’s too hot or too cold.
If I go to a place where it can be both hot and cold, I just bring two pairs of pants, one base layer bottom, a pair of shorts, a tank top, a Smartwool 150 long sleeve, and a Smartwool 250 long sleeve. I also bring a packable puff jacket and a packable rain jacket.
If I am traveling without my motorcycle gear, then I usually bring hiking boots and slippers/crocs. A pair of shoes for everything, a pair of slippers or crocs for the beach and or showers in hostels. I’ve tried so many hiking boots over time and I find these three are the best ones that work for people with wide feet. My favorite is the Salomon X Ultra GTX mid because it truly is the lightest hiking mid boot out there, nice traction and super comfy. My close seconds are Keen Targhee and Merrell Moab. They are all waterproof.
I always bring a sun hat, since I am outdoors a lot and I like wearing ones that have really wide brims but are also foldable like this one.
You can remove the neck and face cover, but it’s nice to have them when camping and there’s flying gnats everywhere.
I bring 2 neck gaiters like the ones above so I can either double them up or use one on my neck and one over my ears when it’s cold. I try not to pack a beanie unless I am going to a really cold place for sure.
For underwear, I only bring sports bras, because they dry fast, pack easily, can double as gym wear, or use for swimming when partnered with shorts.
The key for clothing is quick dry and versatile. They should be clothes that can be worn in different ways and can be paired with any of your clothing. That way you only need to bring 2 other outfits other than what you are wearing.
Moving on to toiletries. I try to minimize my toiletries as much as possible. However, I always bring my own travel towel. Because even if I stayed in hotels, if I am on the road and stopped at a beach I have a travel towel to use either as a beach blanket or a towel after a swim.
I also bring two of these travel organizers, one for toiletries, and the other for my electronics/filming equipment. I used to not have organizers for either, but I find this specific organizer helpful because it is super lightweight and you can hang it on a hook, which is very useful especially in hostels where counter space is mostly non-existent. Depending on how much meds you need to carry, this also works well as a med kit.
Speaking of toiletries, I always bring what I need, because I do not like having to stop and shop except of course when I run out of something. I personally hate shopping. I bring my go to DIY essential oil mix that I use as a face cleaner and moisturizer. See the recipe below.
MOISTURIZER/FACE CLEANSER DIY MIXTURE
(MY OWN CONCOCTION, it's simple, economical, and effective)
Ratio 3:1:1
Argan oil as my carrier oil
Vitamin E oil
Rosehips seed oil
Glass bottle portable travel leak proof
I also bring, a bar of soap, a tiny container of deodorant (I take a chunk of the deodorant from the big container in comes in, and place it in a smaller container, because if you think about it, the container is actually at least 2x the size of the actual deodorant. I now bring a solid shampoo bar and conditioner. This one below works well for me. I don’t use much soap and shampoo so a bar this size will last me for over a month.
I also bring a small container of toothpaste and sunscreen, tweezers, nail clippers, comb, floss, cotton balls to use with my essential oil mix, electric toothbrush and an epilator like this one. I don’t bring along any of its accessories, just the charger.
In case you are wondering what meds I bring. Here is my typical list:
Cetirizine - Anti-itch
Benadryl - antihistamine and for anaphylaxis
Acetaminophen - Pain relief
Ibuprofen - anti-inflammatory/ pain relief
Loperamide - anti-diarrhea
Dimenhydrinate - Anti motion sickness
Ondansetron - Anti-nausea
Albuterol inhaler - asthma emergency
A few packs of Benzocaine cough drops - for sore throat
I also bring a few sets of adhesive bandages and possibly other meds if applicable. I normally separate them out into small tiny ziplock baggies, label them with instructions and expiration dates. If you are bringing prescription medication, especially those that are liquid, you should keep them in their original containers along with the doctor’s prescription note so that they do not get confiscated when boarding a plane. So far there hasn’t been any issues with the repackaging of the over the counter drugs.
Since I film when I travel, I always bring a toned down set of filming/video recording gear which I will lay out in another article, so as not to make this one even longer than it already is.
In terms of electronics, I have so few. My main one is my phone which is currently the Samsung Galaxy s23 Ultra
A super long charger cable, because every time I bring the normal length cable, I regret it. A super fast charger to go with it, since sometimes I find myself moving from one place to another too fast and do not have enough “sit down” time to wait for slow chargers to fully charge my phone.
I also bring a travel adapter that has multiple USB A and C ports like the one above. Lastly, I bring bluetooth earbuds and a separate short charging cable for it, since I listen to a lot of audiobooks. I also find it beneficial to wear earbuds when editing videos on my phone so I can hear the sound better.
I like the Jabra Elite earbuds because they last. I have had the same ones for 7 years now and they still work great, have excellent battery life, and fit my ears the best.
Lastly, I like using a hip belt bag like this one below, because I do not like to carry bags with my hands. Since I do not carry too much stuff, a small hip bag like this can carry passport, keys, cards, cash, basically things you need access to quite often.
Before I forget, a few important things I also bring with me are my water bottle and rain jacket cover for my backpack.
I bring a BPA free plastic container that doesn’t collapse and seals well, so that I do not end up with spilled water in my backpack. I like this one because it fits in cup holders and is narrow enough for me to hold with one hand. I find the rain cover very useful as I had the experience of hiking with my backpack while raining one too many times and it kept all my things dry.
When I know that I will encounter rain on my travels, I usually bring a very small portable umbrella so that I can stay and enjoy the scenery without having to run for shelter when rain hits. I like this one because it comes with a lifetime replacement. You have to take into account that there is absolutely no portable umbrella this small that is as durable as a rock. With that in mind, you have to be gentle with its usage. If it’s severely windy I just forgo using umbrellas in general, because any umbrella in that setting would be useless.
This travel gear set up works real well for simple and low maintenance travelers. Every piece is versatile yet lightweight. You never have to worry about hiking with your “luggage”. It helps with your spontaneity since you can just up and go anywhere without having to think of needing to leave your luggage somewhere, go sight-see then backtrack to pick it up before moving to your next destination. I try to keep my pack to around 10-15 lbs max as this is the most weight I can sustain when having to hike with my luggage. Embracing a minimalist travel gear approach is not about sacrificing comfort but rather about enhancing the quality of your travel experience. By carefully curating your essentials and focusing on versatility and functionality, you can travel light without compromising on your needs. So, pack light, move freely, and savor every moment of your journey.
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