travel

How to pack light for travel?

Steve

• 4 min read

Congratulations, you are off to a vacation. While you want to bring all the conveniences from home with you, you also don't want to your travels to be a week long weight-training session. My advice: travel light! Here is my life lesson learned.

Things I bring

It doesn't really matter where I go, my pack-list is pretty much the same. It boils down to whether I'm bringing my laptop (almost always), whether I need a nicer camera than my phone, which jacket(s) to wear (if any), and if I need additional activity-dependent gear (such as golf, swim, ski, etc).

While this is not one of those minimalist/ultralight packing list, I think it's close with a few additions or "luxuries". The motivation is the same: only bring things that are useful, will be used, and if possible: multi-functional. But I won't do anything overzealous like packing toothpaste in tin foil to reduce weight. Like putting together a wardrobe, choose with purpose.

Without further ado, here is my general pack-list:

  • EDC (Everyday Carry)

    • Phone
    • Card Case Wallet
    • Keys
    • Watch

  • Clothing

    • Essentials: Roughly 1 set for every half week: so 1 set for a weekend, 2 sets for a week, 3 sets for anything longer
      • Long sleeve shirt
      • Short sleeve shirt
      • Boxer briefs
      • Socks
    • Pants/shorts: 1 pair for under a week, 2 pairs for over a week
    • (optional) Belt: I go beltless unless I need to tuck in my shirt, then I would use one with a plastic buckle
    • One pair of shoes
    • Additional layers: Depending on weather and destination
    • (optional) Wrinkle-free dress shirt: Sometimes required for a fancy meal/show
    • (nice to have) Sleepwear

  • Dopp Kit

  • Useful items

    • Water bottle: Zojirushi Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug keeps things hot or cold!
    • Umbrella: Repel Travel Umbrella, nice and compact
    • Sunglasses
    • Earphones: I prefer wired because they work on planes and museum audio guides
    • (optional) Headlamp: Smartphones have flashlights now, but have been glad to have it on multiple occasions. I would only bring it if you have one already.

  • Electronics

    • Electronic Dopp Kit: Chargers and cables
    • (optional) Laptop
    • (optional) Camera
    • (optional) E-Reader: I use Kobo which supports DRM-free ePub files
    • (car) Car Kit: If I'm renting a car

My "best" gear

"Best" is subjective and situational. It depends on the criteria used for evaluation. Nevertheless, I will share what I enjoy using most as a reference guide.

Essential Clothing

While merino wool is natural and has better properties, I wear synthetics. I have sensitive skin, so merino wool still itches a little. But the deal breaker was that merino wool is not durable. Tiny holes cropped up pretty quickly.

  • Long sleeve: Patagonia Capilene Midweight Crew
  • Short sleeve: Rhone Reign Short Sleeve
    I want to like the Patagonia Capilene 2s that I had, but they started itching. Loving the Reign line and their colors.
  • Pants: Outlier Slim Dungarees
    Love the material. I wish there is more space in the calf area. This is design for cyclists, don't they have large calves?
  • Shorts: Outlier New Way Longs
  • Boxer Briefs: Saxx Quest
    If it's good enough for Nat-Geo, it's good enough for me.
  • Socks: Darn Tough Tab No Show Light Cushion Socks
  • Shoes: Adidas Stan Smith Sneakers
    White sneakers are so versatile. I wish there is a waterproof version.
  • (optional) Belt

Additional Layers

Mix and match for optimal warmth.

  • Summer
    • Hoody: Patagonia Upslope Full-Zip Hoody
      The R1 material is a perfect balance of softness and warmth. Sadly, they discontinued this model. I think R1 TechFace Hoody is the closest match.
    • Light Jacket: Fjallraven Field Jacket
      The fit and pockets are perfect. I wish this was waterproof. I applied wax to the G-1000 material, it mainly gets my backpack waxy too.
  • Spring/Fall
    • Light fleece: Arc'teryx Arenite Hoody
      This is discontinued too! Why do they like to get rid of my favorite hoodies?
    • Light down: Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Jacket
      This is such a versatile jacket. I can wear this anywhere from 5C-15C/40F-60F (probably fine for even colder weather). It's super light and packs down well. It's my go-to mid-layer and it pairs well with all my other jackets.
  • Winter
    • Heavy down: Feathered Friends Hyperion Jacket
      Although FF market this as their lightweight jacket, it's 3.7oz fill weight is more than enough to keep me warm. I wear this below 5C/40F and it keeps me toasty. They don't make this anymore. I wish their EOS Jacket has a version without the hood.
  • Rain
    • GORE-TEX! Arc'teryx Beta LT Jacket and Beta AR Pants
      I got the LT (light) version of the jacket because I had a SV (severe weather) jacket before. It was too stuffy for the tropics. I was wet regardless, either from rain or from sweat.

Sleepwear

  • Soft tee
  • Pajama pants or shorts
  • Slippers: You probably only need one pair, but I carry two: one for indoor, one for showers.

Toiletries

  • Body wash
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Face Moisturizer (with SPF)
  • Body lotion
  • Lip balm
  • Nail clipper

Med Kit

This list should cover the most common aches and pains. In fact, this exact kit is good for keeping at home too.

  • Ibuprofen/Advil (pain reliever and fever reducer)
  • Guaifenesin/Mucinex (expectorant)
  • Dextromethorphan (cough suppressant)
  • Ciprofloxacin (antibiotic)
  • Certirizine/Zyrtec (anti-histamine)
  • Loperamide/Imodium (anti-diarrhea)
  • Gaviscon/Pepto (antacid)
  • (optional) Meclizine Hci/Dramamine (motion sickness)
  • (optional) Acetazolamide/Diamox (altitude sickness)
  • Antibiotic cream/Neosporin
  • Cortizone cream (anti-itch)
  • Bandaids
  • (optional) Moleskin or mole foam (useful if you are doing a lot of walking)
  • (optional) Alcohol wipes

Electronic Dopp Kit

This is much easier after USB-C. I only have two devices that uses Micro-USB: my point-and-shoot camera and e-reader.

  • USB-C Charger
  • 6 ft USB-C cable
  • (international) Travel Adapter
  • (optional) USB-C to Micro USB adapter

Car Kit

The stuff from AUKEY works great.

  • Car Charger
  • Air Vent Phone Holder

Camera

I have a Sony α7 III and I strictly use the 24-105mm F4 lens when I travel. It's the perfect range.

For wildlife or outdoor adventure where carrying a bulky camera is a hassle, I recommend the Sony HX99 with 24-720mm zoom!

Other Considerations

Backpack

This is the most important yet very personal decision: the bag to put all this in. I use the Aer Duffle Pack 2 or the Arc'teryx Axios Pack. In both cases, I love the thought they put into the pockets and compartments.

Packing: Packing cubes vs compression sacks

Either is great for helping with organization and saving space. I use compression sacks because there are no zippers, so no point of failure. I use the Sea to Summit eVAC Dry Sack because the eVENT base makes it easier to push out air.

Sign up for more like this.

Enter your email
Subscribe