The only packing list you'll need before backpacking.
(Photo: College Tourist)
Carabiner
These little contraptions are a way to add space to the outside of your backpack. No room for your runners after hitting up the markets in Italy? Tie your shoelaces in a knot and hang your shoes from a carabiner on the outside of your backpack. They also work well for clipping your water bottle to your backpack.
Bounce sheets
These are important because you might not always have time or access to do laundry and clothes generally don't react well to being stuffed in a bag for weeks at a time. It makes a big difference to throw one of these in your bag every once in awhile. Your travel companions will thank you.
Microfiber towel
This is a big one. There is nothing worse than carrying around a damp towel in your backpack. Microfibre towels dry very quickly and better yet, they're much smaller than a normal towel so you don't use up precious backpack space.
Suitcase locks
Unfortunately, not every hostel provides lockers. This is when a suitcase lock comes in handy. There are two kinds: one that locks onto your zippers on your backpack so no one can get it and one that has a wire so you can lock your backpack to your bedpost. Both are equally important.
Power bar
When you have a phone, laptop, tablet, eReader, and a GoPro to charge, one adapter just doesn't it. Buying a power bar from home only requires one adapter but lets you charge several devices at once. Also, having something this useful in your possession will make you the most popular kid in the hostel.
eReader
Waking up in a new city every day is great but it requires you spending a lot of time on trains, planes, buses, boats, cars, etc. You also never know if any of these routes get delayed, in which case you'll have a lot more waiting around than initially anticipated. Buckle in for a long and unknown wait time with something to read.
Two sets of headphones
You are going to lose a pair. It's just, like, the rules of traveling. There is nothing worse than not being able to squander time en route to a new city or country than by jamming to your favorite tunes.
Chapstick with SPF
Lips are overlooked 100% of the time when applying sunscreen. Even in winter, the sun can still cause some serious damage. Eating is arguable one of the best parts about traveling (okay not arguably, it is for sure) and this is a whole lot less enjoyable with burnt lips.
First aid kit– Bandaids are for the blisters and polysporin is for everything else. Having a travel-sized first aid kit that you can fit in your purse/backpack is essential for hopping from place to place. You never realize the true value of a bandaid until you don't have one.
Water bottle
This one seems obvious but it's vital to traveling. If you're going somewhere where the tap water is potable like Canada, the United States, or Europe, you can save a lot of money by carrying around your own bottle and filling it up. A lot of restaurants also charge for water and therefore don't want to give you tap water for free. If you have your own bottle already filled you can avoid going thirsty at dinner.
A suitcase-resistant hat
No one understands the internal conflict that comes from wanting to look cute whilst traveling but also needing to be practical. Transporting a cute floppy hat from place to place is a lot more work than you think as you lovingly set it aside for your trip. If you're traveling in the summer, pack a hat that can be squished into your bag but won't look like it got run over by a truck. A running hat or any type of baseball hat, for instance, is a good choice.
Credit card with no foreign currency charges
If a credit card is how you're planning on paying for a lot of things whilst traveling, look into applying for one that doesn't charge foreign currency fees. 2% per transaction might not seem like a lot at first but you'd be be surprised at how quickly those costs add up.
Portable battery
If you're like me, spending time choosing filters for your photos is a fine science and therefore demands your full attention, and unfortunately, battery power. Don't get caught in a new city with a dead phone. A portable battery charges your phone on the go and ensures that you'll never have to go without access to your phone.
Ziploc bags
I firmly believe that these are the solution to all of life's problems. Wet bathing suit? Ziploc Leftover pizza? Ziploc Leaking toiletries? Ziploc. Smuggling food from the hostel's free breakfast? Ziploc I promise that on at least one occasion you'll think to yourself, "I really wish I had a Ziploc bag right now."
Money belt
While there is nothing more attractive than reaching down your pants every time you need to pay for something, the importance of using a money belt should not be overlooked. Despite this unfortunate side effect of using one, a money belt is essential, no matter where in the world you are travelling. It's great for storing your most important possession (passport), and you can divide your cash between this and your wallet as some extra insurance should your wallet get stolen or go missing.
Source: www.bing.com
Images credited to www.bing.com and travel-made-simple.com
