Travel Backpack (ultimate guide!)

life
travel

I have been traveling as a backpacker for some time, and in doing so, I have gained some experience about its planning. I have made a list for myself of the things that have been essential during my travels: whenever I realized that I didn’t have an item that was useful, I added it to the list for the next trip.

Useful things

Clothes

There can be several cases when deciding the amount of clothes to bring along, depending on the length of the trip.

When you bring a trolley with you, you can take a much larger amount of clean clothes, but you will be less flexible with luggage movements. In any case, when allowed, you can wash clothes in the middle of the trip.

Small towel

OOOOO the towel, the most important object according to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It’s actually one of the most useful items, and on a backpacker trip, you will almost never get a clean one other than what you bring.

Careful followers of this blog as soon as they go to a hostel complain that having one for rent costs a lot, since they didn't know they had to bring it with them…. Be careful about this detail, a clean towel brought from home can drastically improve the experience.

Bathrobe

There is enough space to put it only if it is a long term trip with a trolley included, in addition to the backpack. If the trip lasts only a few days, you have to give it up.

Disposable K-Way

It isn't always possible to use an umbrella in rainy weather, such as when there is a crowd of people, for safety issues. Having a disposable plastic K-Way is useful for situations like this, and they cost only a few tens of cents, online.

Water bottle

It’s always a good idea to carry an empty bottle with you, to be filled in the drinking fountain (or toilets) immediately after airport security checks. Better if it’s thermally insulated, so the water remains cool.

Liquid bag

We have a total of 1L per person available, divided into bottles where each one is maximum 100ml. Always put a tube of toothpaste inside the bag.

If the trip lasts only a few days, put a few bottles of shower gel such as refilled free samples from hotels, the amount will be enough. If it’s a long term trip, it’s better to directly buy a new shower gel when you arrive in the destination and throw away the leftover at the end of the trip, since we cannot take it with us.

Padlock

A padlock is essential while traveling, to avoid being robbed when you leave your items unattended or if your room doesn’t provide a locker. It’s recommended that you bring more than one padlock, strictly key-openable and not with a 3-digit combination, since it’s easy to guess it. Once the lock is closed, the key should always be with you.

Toothbrush caps

Sometimes I forgot to bring with me the toothbrush, and in that case I would buy another one during the trip.

However, when I had to put it away in my backpack after I used it, I had no cap to put on top to protect it from dust, and I just used a tissue. Since that day, I always leave toothbrush caps in my backpack, that I can use in cases like this.

Adapters

USB-A to USB-C adapter

Adapter
USB Adapter

This adapter is essential to charge your phone (or powerbank) when traveling on public transportation (e.g. bus). In fact, it’s very common to find the outdated USB Type A sockets, and the adapter in the photo is the only solution.

Travel power adapter

Adapter
Different Plug Types

When traveling, it’s common to go to a country that has different electrical sockets from those in your home country, so it’s helpful to always have a universal adapter with you, that will just do the job.

Personally, I always carry a GaN type adapter called Swift, for which I spent ~90€. In the same size as a regular travel adapter, it also includes a power supply with USB-C ports that supports a maximum of 140W, and is therefore capable of charging 2 laptops and 1 smartphone at the same time, saving me a lot of space inside my backpack.

I had been looking for a charger with these features for a long time and, as the result of my own searches, this is the only one for sale.

Sleep kit

If someone in the same room snores while sleeping, and it’s impossible to sleep, it may be necessary to wear earplugs, but they aren't supposed to be used regularly, because they are uncomfortable, especially if you keep them for 10 hours.

Same applies for the sleeping mask: it’s uncomfortable to wear but if the room lacks curtains, it’s essential if you don’t want to be woken up by sunlight. I personally never carry it with me, but it can be useful in some cases.

Food tip

When you travel, you usually cook yourself a few meals, by buying the necessary ingredients at the supermarket, because it’s unfeasible to go to the restaurant every single time.

Since I’m italian, I often cook pasta and I have noticed that the only decent sauce I can find almost anywhere outside Italy is “Barilla pesto” (Barilla is an italian brand), all other local brands are not comparable in quality.

Country flag

It can be useful to always have a flag of your country with you, so that you can show your origin while traveling. It can be carried to clubs, randomly shaken on the streets, put over your bed, etc. If some local person stops you on the street asking for directions in his local language, you can excuse yourself by showing the flag, making clear that you are only a tourist.

Chloroform

⚠️ To be used in case of emergency, and only for defense

If you are alone, in an isolated place, and whoever stops you on the street has unfriendly intentions and won’t let you go after you show the flag, you can use the chloroform you brought with you to stun him and escape unharmed. Since it’s a transparent liquid, just put it in a small bottle in your liquid bag, and no one will notice the difference. You can make it yourself by mixing bleach and acetone.

Attitude

Usually backpackers travel alone, and they’re open to dialogue and sharing. To enrich your experience, do it too, be kind, without faking it, otherwise others will notice it. Share your experiences for the sake of it, and never expect anything in return, or you will be disappointed.

P.S. If you lend money, consider it as a gift, you won’t see them again :D