So you have decided to pack a back and hit the dusty trail to start exploring the
world, firstly .... congratulations, even thinking about taking that first step can be scary, but I can guarantee you that is will be worth it.
In part one of this blog on your backpacking checklist we are going to go through items to pack in 2024. If you want to cut to the chase then simply download our checklist below. It is fully editable so you can just adapt it to your personal requirements. If you think we have missed anything essential for you then let us know in the comments. I will also go through the items in more depth in the blog so you can get an idea of how I pack before going on an adventure.
Here is a quick bit about me to help you know if we are similar in our backpacking checklist.
I am in my 30's
I need to budget but am not on a shoe string.
I do not go cheap on key items like jackets and shoes.
I like to feel that I have clothes and equipment to cover everything from long city explorations, to extensive hikes or long beach visits.
I like to feel comfortable and clean on my travels!
I also like to look respectable and approachable.
I am fairly well organised.
I like to feel safe.
I enjoy night life and a party
I carry laptops and camera gear!
I like to travel light
On the last bullet point, I prefer to do more laundry stops whilst out on the road so have around a 2 week rotation of clothes before I will need to visit a laundromat. The great thing about laundromats is they are a cool way to meet some locals or support local business and its always fun to go through your clothes once you get them back to see if any have disappeared or if you have gained an item or two! It also means my main backpack stays smelling fresh and clean instead of having dirty smelly items stuffed against your 'clean' items.
I will link items below, if you want to make a purchase and do it through our links, naturally that would be much appreciated as it will allow me to keep creating content for you backpackers.
Backpacking Checklist - Your Backpack
If you have read my "where to start in 2024" guide then you may already know that I travel with two bags the first is the Farpoint 40, a 40 litre bag that has been designed to be classified as a cabin bag having a compartment for the shoulder straps to be zipped into for airport encounters. It is a fully openable bag, which I love because it means I do not have to take a deep dive into the bottom of my bag every time I need something and I can also open it up fully and let my clothes breath. Osprey do a male version, called the Farpoint, and a female version called the Fairview, the difference being the position of the hip straps.
From a costing point of view they are around £120-£140. I would look to pay a bit more for your main bag, the simple fact of the matter is, if your bag is on the roof of a shuttle bus and you are bumping down a dusty track in Africa somewhere, you have a much better chance of your clothes being in the bag and the bag being in tact if you pay for a good bag ... they are harder to break into. Reputable brands like Osprey have good quality zips that when locked together are going to be a harder prospect then a cheap bag with flimsy zips! So its an additional layer of security also.
Are Osprey worth the money?
Yes Osprey are worth the money, I have never met a fellow traveller who has not had good things to say about the backpacks. Some could be tweaked to be better but you will be getting a very good, hard wearing backpack for your money.
So lets look at the Farpoint 40 in this backpacking checklist for more detail. You can see how small the bag looks in the below image which was taken in Mamas Home Hostel in Tulum, before heading to Bacalar. The real advantage of this bag is that it is small enough to be classified as a cabin bag and your 20L can be a personal item (under the seat in from of you on an airplane), so you will save yourself a good chunk of money from not having to check in a bag, and better still you will not have to wait for it and hope it has turned up at the other end!
The two straps for pulling clothes tight are fantastic and really help minimise the bag from feeling ... I want to say 'bloated'! and you have a zip pocket to put loose items in!
You do have an additional compartment to the front of the bag, however I largely used this just to slide my micro towel into as by the time your main compartment is packed there is pressure on this area that makes it not overly useful. Finally there is an external access pocket at the top which you can throw loose wires in or anything that you may need quick access to but are not worried about if it gets stolen! check the bags out below.
To accompany this, pick up some small carabiner rings to make sure you can clip anything and everything to your bags, for this I had one heavy duty carabiner for my water bottle and then just some small cheaper ones for clipping things like my shoes or down jacket. The photo below is pretty much this exact set up!
Shop - Osprey Farpoint 40 Mens
Shop - Osprey Fairview 40 Womens
Shop Luggage Essentials
Backpacking Checklist - Your day bag
The second most important item on your backpacking checklist is your day bag. I carry a bit of tech and this usually stays in this bag so I have a north face 20 litre with laptop compartment to give me 60 litres total. Your day sack needs to double as your bag for beach days, hiking trails or simply city exploring, so its worth getting something robust again.
The one thing I would consider going forward is to make sure my day sack has some waterproof properties and that is is strong enough to slow people down if they decide they want to break into it (I would like to add I have never had any issues with having things stolen) so do not panic if this reads as though you are constantly going to be a target, you are not.
But, if you are traveling solo and on a beach for example, you need to be able to lock your bag to something and know it will be there when you get back from a swim (phone included) without having to feel you need to keep an eye on it from the water! I will post my bag below but I would also consider something like a a Berghaus Unisex, a great choice for hiking and adventure but not so hot for carrying tech and more digital nomad(ish) 'officey' gear! If you get what I mean!
Shop - Berghaus Unisex 20litre Day Sacks
Shop - The North Face Day Sacks - Check out the Jester Backpack its rather nice!
Shop - Osprey Daylite
So how do I use such small bags. well heres what I have in them.
Backpacking Checklist - Clothes for Backpacking
10 pairs of underwear
7 pairs of Sock (I live as much as humanly possible in Birkenstocks) ...
2 pairs of beach/ swim shorts
3 pairs of smart/ casual shorts
3 vest tops
5 tee shirts
5 casual but reasonably smart shirts
2 Sports shorts
2 Sports teeshirts
2 mosquito resistant shirts
2 pairs of trousers both black!
1 pair of mosquito resistant trousers that have a zip to turn into shorts
Sunglasses (cheap pair don't take the Ray Bans)
and that is it! don't worry about people seeing you in the same clothes for two reasons,
No.1 no one cares, and
No.2 you will be meeting new and saying goodbye to people that regularly, they will have no idea that you have been waring the same shirt for 4 days (unless it fails the smell test!
Backpacking Checklist - Your Down Jacket
Down jacket - A synthetic, microlight water and wind resistant jacket
Make sure it has a carry bag so if you are not wearing it you can clip it to the outside of your bag and squeeze it up into a small ball ... top tip make sure you take the carry bag as you can use it as a pillow!
If your budget allows you, try to stick to a reputable brand like Rab or Berghaus or if you are feeling really rich, Patagonia!
I have a Rab Cirrus Alpine with a hood! I would highly recommend a hooded version for helping take the edge of cold winds or if the nights get cool! Its not the warmest jacket version but it has been great for everything I have needed it for. If you are going to be hitting snowy/ really cold countries you may want to upgrade to the Rab Nebula Pro or the Electron pro for women.
Shop Rab Down Jackets
If your budget allows, check out Pategona down jackets, the company has very good sustainable ethics and give a lot of its money back to charitable causes each year ... you may need to take out a mortgage to buy a jacket though!
Backpacking Checklist - Your Waterproof Jacket
A fully waterproof jacket
You will need a heavy duty waterproof jacket that will keep you dry and cool in warm tropical climates but is big enough to get over your down jacket if it is cold outside.
I have a Berghaus RG Alpha 2.0 Jacket and it really came good in Central America and Colombia where its was humid but wet, I could just wear a teeshirt under it and feel comfortable!
The stormcloud by Berghaus is a great choice for women I will link both below for you to have a look. If your budget allows, try to stay with a brand here because there is nothing more miserable than buying cheap and having water pouring in through your seams when you get to Costa Rica in rainy season fortunately this did not happen to me but it did to a friend!
Backpacking Checklist - Shoes for Backpacking
This is an area where you can save a lot of bag room! I take two pairs! Yes just 2! A pair of sandals and a pair of running trail shoes! Yes you heard me right running trail shoes. These are an absolute god send for tackling everything from the city to the toughest of trails. I wore mine for a volcano hike in Guatemala and they held up just as well, if not better then the boots people were wearing all around me. They even allowed me to run back down the Volcano trail as ultimately, they are design for it. I did have to get them dry cleaned after the hike as they were covered in volcano dust but they came back looking new! So what do I have ...
I use the Hoka One One speed goats ... now ... They are not the best looking shoe in the world (although I do like the Speedgoat 5 Johannes Klaebo pink soled shoe below). Hoka have recently released the Skyline-Float X (also below) which would be much better for looking good when walking into a bar. Let me know what you think of these in the comments below! Not only do you get the durability and cross use benefits, you also get a bit of extra height from these kicks due to how much thick the sole is. These shoes are not cheap and perhaps what you could describe as an unnecessary luxury at around £150 marks, but they will look after your feet all day in a way a casual shoe wont!
Important point, if you are a big runner you will know you need to size your shoes up, make sure you do this for travelling as well! You will be surprised how many miles you can clock up in a day and tight shoes can be painful experience that will stop you exploration in its tracks.
Hoka have a great vegan shoe line as well. I have had my speed goats for years now and they are truly fantastic and just keep going! So check out their website here to find your flex. I have no affiliation to the brand, I just really love the shoes!
Ok so the full circle item of essential travel chic, from Steve jobs to the now, bring in everyones favourite cork soled friend, the Birkenstock. After everything I have just said above, the Birkenstock will also be able to do this for you. Hours upon hours of comfort be it exploring cities or beach trails. I took a cheap pair of sliders initially but they were just not up to the job. Do not travel without your Birkenstocks! Check the timeless sandals section here. Again, Birkenstock have vegan sandal options and again I have no affiliation, they are just the bomb!
These are my big ticket items on your backpackers checklist, in part two we will go over documents, safety items (including water bottles) and toiletries, we will also talk about your tech.
For the curious explorer
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