Backpacking (what to pack)
Aug 2nd, 2008, 05:17 PM
#1
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Backpacking (what to pack)
I'm leaving in 5 days on a 21 day trip to Europe. I'll be traveling with one (large) backpack, and the smaller, top portion of the backpack i'll remove daily and use for carrying around my passport, camera, ect...
Any advice for packing is appreciated. Some say pack enough clothes for one week, and move accordingly. Leaving room for purchases along the way, and traveliing light. I'm not terribly worried about being fashionable - mainly I'd like to be comfortable.
Any advice for packing is appreciated. Some say pack enough clothes for one week, and move accordingly. Leaving room for purchases along the way, and traveliing light. I'm not terribly worried about being fashionable - mainly I'd like to be comfortable.
Aug 2nd, 2008, 11:45 PM
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Rick Steves ("Europe Through the Back Door," I think) has some good recommendations for packing the way you want to. Can you get used to capri pants (if that's what they are called for men)? Most men from the US don't wear them, but European men who are travelling wear them a lot.
Aug 2nd, 2008, 11:57 PM
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For some good advice -
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...&tstart=15
Main thing - LEAVE THE JEANS BEHIND - they are heavy, sweaty in heat, pain to wash, miserable when wet and take days to dry
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...&tstart=15
Main thing - LEAVE THE JEANS BEHIND - they are heavy, sweaty in heat, pain to wash, miserable when wet and take days to dry
Aug 3rd, 2008, 12:18 AM
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The trouble with large backpacks is you are tempted to fill them. ;-)
Remember that whatever you pack, you must carry around for the entire three weeks. You will curse the extra weight of every unnecessary item in the backpack.
Try to pack lightweight clothes that don't need ironing. You can wash them in your room and hang out to dry. That way you will need only about three changes of clothing.
Remember that whatever you pack, you must carry around for the entire three weeks. You will curse the extra weight of every unnecessary item in the backpack.
Try to pack lightweight clothes that don't need ironing. You can wash them in your room and hang out to dry. That way you will need only about three changes of clothing.
Aug 3rd, 2008, 06:34 AM
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Take a look at the internet and find some sites which estimate the weight needed for a trip. Then cut this in-half.
I just went for a bike trip and I had a back pack with 6 kilos. This isn't too much, when you think but it's heavy over time.
Other posters gave some good advice so far. I'm sure others will pass good ideas too. Do not miss this point-jeans are terrible for travelling. Leave them at home.
Let us know when you're going to be travelling. The advice can be different if it's winter time.
My personal best tip is that you have to carry some toilet paper in the sac. I needed this very often. I packed a large pack of snickers, for quick energy.
Copy your passport, ID card, etc. whch are needed. I reduced the size, so they could be provided quickly shown. My choice was 75% of the documents. I copied my front cover and back cover of the passport. Plus, the beginning page(s) which show your pertinent information. These documents were used everywhere and you didn't pull out your valid document each time it's needed.
A woman friend walked from the French border across to the Santiago du Compostello (sp?)with her pack of 20 kilos. This was 850 kms of walking. Half of the walk she bought a new, smaller sack and sent the bigger sack home.She continued with only 10 kilos.
In case we've given a good tip-travel very light. Good travels.
Blackduff
I just went for a bike trip and I had a back pack with 6 kilos. This isn't too much, when you think but it's heavy over time.
Other posters gave some good advice so far. I'm sure others will pass good ideas too. Do not miss this point-jeans are terrible for travelling. Leave them at home.
Let us know when you're going to be travelling. The advice can be different if it's winter time.
My personal best tip is that you have to carry some toilet paper in the sac. I needed this very often. I packed a large pack of snickers, for quick energy.
Copy your passport, ID card, etc. whch are needed. I reduced the size, so they could be provided quickly shown. My choice was 75% of the documents. I copied my front cover and back cover of the passport. Plus, the beginning page(s) which show your pertinent information. These documents were used everywhere and you didn't pull out your valid document each time it's needed.
A woman friend walked from the French border across to the Santiago du Compostello (sp?)with her pack of 20 kilos. This was 850 kms of walking. Half of the walk she bought a new, smaller sack and sent the bigger sack home.She continued with only 10 kilos.
In case we've given a good tip-travel very light. Good travels.
Blackduff
Aug 3rd, 2008, 07:35 AM
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You will not need as many clothes as you think - honest! We just returned from 2 months in Europe, and I packed a carry-on and ended up having too many clothes. I'm not sure where all you are going (weather can be very different depending on the country), but here is what I would take: (I am assuming you are male - if you aren't, write back and I'll revise my packing list!)
2 or 3 pair North Face pants that zip off to become long shorts. My DH brought these and loved them. Plus, they dry really quickly after washing or if you get caught in the rain. The pants are nice if you do go to a nicer restaurant or if the weather turns cool. Also, some churches won't allow shorts. DH would wear the pants into the church/restaurant, then unzip the leg parts after we left. They fold up very small and could fit in my purse.
3 or 4 North Face "polo" style shirts - again, they dry really quickly and don't wrinkle. They are nice enough to wear to a little dressier restaurant or into a church.
A fleece or some other thin yet warm pull-over.
Rain jacket (again I like North Face - ours folded up very small but are great for wind/rain protection).
Very comfortable shoes. Don't worry about looking like a tourist - everyone has on comfortable shoes. We saw LOTS of Keenes, Crocks and Birkenstocks on people from all nationalities.
The other necessities (I'm not going to advise what kind of unders to take!) If you take socks, get some thin ones from a running store - they dry much more quickly than the thick cotton ones.
Roll everything up as tightly as you can to pack it.
A couple other things we brought that we were glad we did were a small jar of peanut butter and some inflatable hangers. The hangers didn't take up any room, but were great for drip drying after washing clothes in the sink. You just blow them up like a pool toy. They are "fat" so your wet clothes don't stick to themselves and they dry faster. I also got some little packets of Tide laundry detergent at Walmart that were perfect for doing laundry in the sink.
Have a GREAT time!!
p.s. I totally agree about the jeans - leave them at home.
2 or 3 pair North Face pants that zip off to become long shorts. My DH brought these and loved them. Plus, they dry really quickly after washing or if you get caught in the rain. The pants are nice if you do go to a nicer restaurant or if the weather turns cool. Also, some churches won't allow shorts. DH would wear the pants into the church/restaurant, then unzip the leg parts after we left. They fold up very small and could fit in my purse.
3 or 4 North Face "polo" style shirts - again, they dry really quickly and don't wrinkle. They are nice enough to wear to a little dressier restaurant or into a church.
A fleece or some other thin yet warm pull-over.
Rain jacket (again I like North Face - ours folded up very small but are great for wind/rain protection).
Very comfortable shoes. Don't worry about looking like a tourist - everyone has on comfortable shoes. We saw LOTS of Keenes, Crocks and Birkenstocks on people from all nationalities.
The other necessities (I'm not going to advise what kind of unders to take!) If you take socks, get some thin ones from a running store - they dry much more quickly than the thick cotton ones.
Roll everything up as tightly as you can to pack it.
A couple other things we brought that we were glad we did were a small jar of peanut butter and some inflatable hangers. The hangers didn't take up any room, but were great for drip drying after washing clothes in the sink. You just blow them up like a pool toy. They are "fat" so your wet clothes don't stick to themselves and they dry faster. I also got some little packets of Tide laundry detergent at Walmart that were perfect for doing laundry in the sink.
Have a GREAT time!!
p.s. I totally agree about the jeans - leave them at home.
Aug 3rd, 2008, 07:36 AM
#7
My standard packing list is here: wilhelmswords.com/faq - I've used it for trips from four weeks up to ten months. It's based on taking just a few outfits that I can wash and leave to drip-dry overnight. But you've left it a bit late if you're leaving in five days!
Aug 3rd, 2008, 09:17 AM
#8
After you pack, weigh your backpack. Try to keep it under 25 lbs. max!
Lonely Planet and Rick Steves both websites can help you get organized in a hurry.
Mostly I'd focus on safety in how you carry passport, money, camera, and having a couple pair of comfortable shoes, more than any specific items of clothing.
Lonely Planet and Rick Steves both websites can help you get organized in a hurry.
Mostly I'd focus on safety in how you carry passport, money, camera, and having a couple pair of comfortable shoes, more than any specific items of clothing.
Aug 3rd, 2008, 09:29 AM
#9
I don't think you need even a full week of clothes. I'd go with 2 pair pants, 4-5 tshirts/shirts, 2 pair shoes, socks/underwear, 1 very lightweight jacket, toiletries all downsized to just enough for 3 weeks, plus whatever you are wearing on the plane ride over.
