best packing list
i imagine that any readers we may garner have some experience with backpacking, however when i first started out i always wondered what i it was i needed to make the most of my journey and what i should bring with me. so, out of respect for all those just starting their adventuring, here is my packing list. you may be surprised at the brevity.
one maxim: when you think you’ve finished packing do one thing: remove half of what you’ve brought.
yes, you need to remember that you will be carrying this on your back, for long distances, in hot sun. the smaller your pack the better off you will be. it isn’t a contest to have the largest backpack out of your group, in fact, it should be the opposite: who can fit their supplies into the smallest, most agile bag. backpacks are big and ungainly. get a small one.
the list:
long pants, one or two pairs
shorts, one or two pairs
three or four plain white shirts
decent shoes, already broken in (you don’t want to see what new shoes will do to your feet on a backpacking trip, trust me)
bathroom supplies (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, and soap. i like to get a bar of soap and give it additional work as my shampoo, saves valuable space)
four or five pairs of socks
your travel notebook with pen
a sweatshirt or jacket in case of rain
decent maps
travel towel
reading books
optional:
tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad (if this is a hostel trip, leave this home)
that’s really all that you need in your pack, the rest you can buy at your destination. it may seem like a small amount, but then again backpacking isn’t about the luxuries of life – it’s about getting the most of where you are for the least amount of money possible.
when you break it down, one does not require much to live well.
food, clothes, shelter. the rest is extra.
see you on the road,
derek
