Do I REALLY need everything that I just stuffed down my bag?
Ever found yourself planning for that great backpacking adventure and when finally done packning all those “travel neccessities” realizing that your backpack weighs a ton?
One thing that we constantly experience when being on the road is that we almost always bring too much stuff. Even if we really try to be as minimalistic as possible our backpacks end up being filled to the top.
Two backpacks is enough
Overloading our bags with things that “just might come in handy” was a bit of a problem even before we got kids.
Nowadays it is just a fact. Travelling with children requires a certain amount of “in case of this and that”-equipment, and most likely you will never use any of them.
With that being said – we still manage to bring all the things that two adults and two children need for a three month holiday in only two backpacks.
Not that bad when you come to think of it.
Warm and cold
Still, every adventure calls for its own gear. Bringing two backpacks on a winter holiday in the mountains is pretty much impossible. Then we fill up the car from the floor to the roof and squeeze the rest into the roof box.
Pillows, linnens, skis, sledges, food and loads and loads of warm winter clothes. Those holidays are as far away from backpacking as you can come.
We love our winter holidays. But if we would try summarise that packing list in this post, no, it would not be a very pleasant reading.
Let´s stick to the gear that a normal family with young children would need in a warm climate.
Favourite gear
Having a backpack that is not overloaded makes travelling both easier, safer and more enjoyable.
Even though it has taken a couple of years, we have almost figured out the ultimate packing list for travelling around the world as backpackers. Of course, everyone have their own gadgets and gizmos that they can´t survive without. These are some of ours:
Backpacks for the big ones – Lundhags is a Swedish brand that amongst other things makes shoes and backpacks.
I have had my V12 90 litre backpack for almost 20 years now and the only thing that I ever had to change was the harness in the back as the plastic was completely worn out after all the rough treatment by its owner.
We have a 90 litre and a 60 liter pack. A lot has happended in al those years so the bags are not for sale anymore.
We prefer the smaller versions of the Osprey backpacks as hand luggage and when it´s time to upgrade our main carry systems we will go for the Atmos AG 65 that has got excellent reviews.
Backpacks for the younger ones – The fake versions of the Fjällräven Kånken backpack has completely exploded during the last couple of years.
Even though the piracy version probably is a lot cheaper we always go for the original and genuine ones for quality. The small version is great as a carry on bag filled with toys, snacks, crayons and books.
Hiking with a baby does not mean that you can not go hiking. We have used the Osprey Poco Child carrier system for years now and the kids have loved it.
They get a new and different point of view and carrying a child on your back instead of in your arms is just so much more comfortable and a great relief for you back and shoulders.
Clothes – Fjällräven Vidda Pro Pants – These pants are the absolute best pair of travel trousers I have ever had. They are extremely comfortable, have a lot of features and last forever if you take good care of them. They are not cheap, but what you get is pure quality.
Power Houdi by Houdini – Even though this fleece jacket is freakin expensive it is just awesome. I was a long time sceptic until I finally bought one. Now I have used it so much that it´s almost ridiculous.
Super durable and extremely comfortable. Sorry to say for anyone outside Scandinavia – the brand is Swedish and the shipping cost abroad is crazy expensive.
Marmot Precip rain jacket – This was one of our top investments last year. The Precip rain jacket is not cheap, but that is of secondary importance as good quality mostly comes with a higher price.
It is lightweight, breathable and has a excellent waterproof rating of 10,000mm. It comes in both a men´s and a women´s design.
Smartwool Hiking socks – No smell, will keep your feet nice and dry and most importantly, they are super comfy!
Hiking boots – My last pair of Meindl Island boots lasted almost 20 years. That is a pretty good proof of quality in my opinion. They might be a bit hard to come by in the US though, in case you live there.
We also use the more light weight Salomon Pro 3D GTX trail running shoes when we want to keep our packing more light weight. Good stability, comfortable and waterproof – they are perfect for backpacking!
Sandals – Hawaianas flip flops. Never ever go travelling without them!!!
Sleeping bags – Occasionally we go camping. Having a comfortable and isolating sleeping bag is important and the one we use on our trips is the Winner Outfitters Mummy sleeping bag. There are both cheaper and more expensive ones out there of course, but this one works fine for us.
It all depends on your needs I guess and it it totally understandable if you do not want to spend a fortune on a sleeping bag that you will use twice a year. Cheap does not always mean bad though, even if a higher price most likely comes with a higher standard.
First aid kit – Most of the things you might need in a minor medical situation packed in a compact small bag. This Surviveware First-Aid-Kit is what we bring on our journeys.
Travel pillow – The Daydreamer Inflatable Neck Travel Pillow is soft and has a great neck support without strangling you as some other models that we have tried. The most positive thing with this pillow is that it can be adjusted by pushing a button, so you can deflate/inflate the pillow while wearing it.
Multitool – The Leatherman Wingman has been our helper in need so many times during our trips. It is incredibly versatile, ultra portable and easy to use. Would never go on a trip without it.
DSLR cameras – We have been consistent Canon users for more than a decade. Our latest purchase, and the DSLR that we still use, is the Canon EOS 500 D (Rebel T1i). It has been producing great pictures over the years but technology changes fast and nowadays there are other, less bulky, options out there.
The feelings on what the best option might be are mixed. Price and functonality are two key features. Do we need a full frame camera or is C-sensor enough? Right now we are choosing between three cameras in different price segments, all of them have gotten great reviews.
Maybe we should buy the Canon EOS 80D and equip it with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. That combo will produce some awesome pictures for sure!
But, and it is a big but. We are uncertain if we want to keep on dragging around those big DSLR cameras if the end picture quality is barely noticeable.
The alternative is instead to buy a compact camera, and there are some really competitive options to choose from. Our Canon era just might have come to an end…
The PANASONIC LUMIX FZ1000 II on the other hand is a compact 4K superzoom camera that seemingly has very attractive price tag for what you get. (This is probably going to be our next travel camera.)
Finally we have the Sony A7 III which is the most expensive one of the three. This camera has amazing picture quality and comes with a full frame sensor.
Is it really that special that it motivates that price tag? Hard choise to make…
There are some great packages available too in case you are new to photography and uncertain of what you might need. This Sony Alpha 6000 package would be our top choise if we were to start from scratch.
Besides from getting batteries, lenses, memory cards and a camera bag, you also get some great photo editing software and a travel tripod. If prefer Canon this Canon G7x Mark II starting bundle is also of great value, even though it does not come with the editing software.
Action cameras – Planning on buying a new action camera?
We are currently using the GoPro Hero 4 Silver. As our footage often was jumpy and blurry we decided get ourselves a gimbal. The Feiyutech G6 made wonders to the video quality/stability but having to attach and detach the camera all the time was too “unsmooth”. Which means that it is time for another upgrade. The question is once again – what to buy?
High on the list is the GoPro Hero 7 Black with built in stabilization. One other alternative that looks promising is the much cheaper AKASO EK7000 4K that has excellent reviews. This needs some thinking…
Tripod – We were initially looking for something more sturdy but came across this super handy Amazon Basics 50-Inch Lightweight tripod by accident. Even though it is not top notch when it comes to quality it does its job well.
Paracord – Perhaps one of our most unnecessary-necessary things that we bring along. Paracord is just one of those things that you did not know you needed until you actually do.
Travel lock – TSA approved luggage locks might be overrated, but we use them anyway. In case you do want to put a lock on your bag the TSA standard at least increases the chances of not having your locks cut by a airport security agent as they in most cases have master keys.
Power Bank – A must have in these online times. This little bugger from Anker charges your mobile or tablet about 2-3 times on a full battery. It is ultra-portable och light weight, we never go on a trip without it.
Micro fiber towel – We have tried a few. Our latest buy that we have been particularly satisfied with is the Wise Owl backpacking towel. For being a towel it takes minimal space and it dries up in no time.
Universal travel adaptor – There are probably hundreds of different models of travel adaptors out there. We chose one that was cheap and had gotten good reviews and it has worked great so far.
The JOOMFEEN Travel Adapter is a all-in-one type so you do not have to worry about the hussle changing the plugs and risking loosing them. This one has them all built-in.
Collapsible water bottle – Made of silicone and easy to pack. I was sceptical at first as I was affraid that reusing these kinds of bottles would leave a bad taste/smell inside. I was wrong, nowadays these bottles from Baiji are an unquestioned part of our backpacks.
That is some of the stuff that we usually carry around in our backpacks when travelling the world. It seems to be an awful lot when looking at it like this. 🙂
Keep it tight! Bring less, do more!