Bringing too much gear can bog down a pack with excess weight, costing extra fees at airlines, along with sore muscles. Bringing too little wastes valuable travel time shopping for things that may cost higher than at home.
Once the necessary clothes for a trip have been chosen, pack the essential travel gear.
Gear Checklists
As a rule of thumb, never leave anything to chance. Before packing, research the destination to find out the essentials of the places on the itinerary and decide the things that’ll be necessary for the destination.
Take inventory of the things already lying around the house and make a shopping list of the things to purchase.
Before stuffing a suitcase, find a place to spread out everything in order to get the full view of what to pack. At this point, make two piles, one for necessary gear and one for unessential but useful-to-have gear.
How to Pack Gear
Once decided on the things to bring, start packing. Use tough ditty sacks (preferably waterproof) to separate items such as bug spray from other gear such as towels or toilet paper. Ditty sacks of different sizes and colours help organize things better so less time is spent searching for items and playing the guessing game.
Bring plastic food-storage bags of various sizes. They’re good for keeping money, passport or other documents dry. They also come in handy for collecting ticket stubs, loose change, postcards or other souvenirs while on the road
Bring a small toiletry kit in a carry-on bag if traveling by air. It should include travel essentials such as contact solution and toothpaste as well as all prescription drugs (in their original containers) and any jewelry.
Remember to abide by new regulations concerning the amounts of liquids (including baby bottles of milk) that can be brought on planes in a carry-on bag. Consider packing items such as nail-cutters in the checked luggage, especially when traveling through the United States, or these items may be confiscated.
Toiletry Kit Essentials
- Absorbent camp towel
- Sunscreen
- Alcohol rub to clean hands or handy wipes
- Feminine products
- Shaving accessories
- Condoms and lube
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Hair products
- Deodorant
Toiletry Kit Non-Essentials
- Lip balm
- Ear plugs
- Eye mask
- Iodine tablets
- Soap and Shampoo (most hotels provide)
First Aid Kit
- Motion sickness tablets
- Anti-diarrhea medicine
- Anti-bacterial cream
- Bug repellent/deet
- Headache medicine
- Bandages
Other Traveling Gear
- Notebook and pens
- Safety pins
- Clothespins
- Mini sewing kit
- Money belt – keep at least $100 US inside at all times in case of an emergency
- Multi-tool or pocket knife
- Nylon cord or specialized travel clothesline
- Headlamp
- Camera, film, memory cards and extra batteries
While on the road, take stock of unnecessary, bulky items and the things needed along the way. Keep a list – this list will come in handy the next time.
In the meantime, use this checklist to help get on the road faster with all the essential gear.
James W. Coates - A nomad at heart, James W. Coates has been combining his passion for music, writing and traveling ever since his father packed the family ...
