dave's pack list
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The following items are what Dave
takes with him at minimum when he travels. A great deal of thought, travel
and time have been put into this list. It has been created
for people who do not want to be burdened with carrying a
bunch of "stuff" when they travel. The key is to take only
essential items. Pack light, light, light. Backpack in photo
to far left is the size of Dave's pack!
Trip Planning
This is a bare bones list and as a result Dave always
travels Internationally with merely a small school size back
pack. Your list may differ dramatically from this list
depending on the type of activities you enjoy doing
when you travel, the comfort level |
you want when
traveling, the climate of the country you will be visiting, the
time of year, or any other number of factors.
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Clothing can often take up a lot of space. If you are traveling to
a warm weather climate and you know you will not need much clothing,
and you take what is on this list, your entire small school size
backpack will have LOTS of extra space left in it. For colder climates,
consider thin lightweight thermal underwear for both halves of
your body. A jacket may also be needed; goose down is extremely
light and very warm. Consider using a compression stuff sack if
you bring a down jacket. Much of the clothing you can wear with you when you
travel, and if need be, you can always leave some of your clothing
in your hostel or hotel room.
Traveling with smaller quantities of clothing will free up space so that you
do not have to bring a large pack or suitcase - however, this means you will
be doing more laundry. Dave uses sinks or bathtubs in hotel rooms to do his
laundry each evening. Synthetic material or Fleece is key. here is less
smell and dries very fast. |
Items crossed off below typically are only allowed
in carry-on baggage in specific quantities -3oz (these items also may not
be allowed in carry on baggage on some airlines) and need to be in a Ziploc bag.
If items are marked as "optional" Dave sometimes brings these items,
but not always. Yes, all of this will fit in a school sized back
pack with room left over!! Its a great feeling when walking by the
Baggage Carousels in airports and hearing security yell out at you
as you walk by with your small carry on bag on your back, "hey, you
need to stop and pick up your checked bags"!!!
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Travel
Items |
Quantity |
1st
aid kit
Includes: Gauze, Moleskin, 30 Advil,
Pepto-Bismol, Imodium (10), Scalpel, Winders, Super glue
(2), Band aids (5), Alcohol
swabs, (2) Bobby pin, Azithromycin & a Re-hydration
kit (Azithromycin
is a powerful general antibiotic for severe diarrhea or vomiting),
anti-emetic like Zofran or Phenergan,
Nasal Decongestant (Afrin), or oral decongestant (Sensbit) and IBprofin (10) |
(depends
on item) |
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Backpack
- a school sized pack - one you can carry on to any airplane |
(1) |
Cash
- usually take several different denominations, note some countries
give better exchange rates
for higher denominations (amount depends on stay)
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(depends
on stay) |
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Camera
- SLR or Digital, bring 1 extra battery (this item may be optional for some
people) |
(1) |
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Camera Charger |
(1) |
Credit
cards - take several types, Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Debit ATM card
(often International
transaction fees are charged for credit card use overseas- avoid this with
a PayPal credit/debit card) |
(2-4) |
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Detergent (Laundry) - great for washing
clothing, small amounts work well |
(1 small bag) |
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Duct Tape - rather than taking a roll, wrap
this around one of your items |
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Electric
Shaver - (small as possible) - or simply a razor to save space &
weight |
(1) |
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Garbage
bag - use this in case of rain |
(1) |
Headlamp
- you can find small 3oz LED models - a good
small lightweight alternative is simply a
single LED light
the size of a coin |
(1) |
Money
Belt - use one that fits around your waist - one that has 2 compartments. This is where you
will store your money, credit
cards, passport, plane tickets or any other important documents
you
may be carrying |
(1) |
Pants
- these must be lightweight - and preferably will have at least 4 pockets. Outdoor stores also
sell lightweight pants with a zipper
in which you can remove the lower 2/3 of the pant legs, thus
creating shorts - a space saver |
(1) |
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Passport -
verify your passport's expiration date and blank page availability
before leaving |
(1) |
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Pen
- a half size pen that will fit in a pocket |
(1-2) |
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Photocopy
of Passport kept in a different place than the actual
passport |
(1) |
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Plane
Tickets – however, depending on the airline many are are E-tickets
or for Smart Phones |
(1+) |
Shampoo
-this is contained in small plastic containers |
(2
or 3) |
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Shoes
lightweight - for hiking. Be sure they are well worn in before you
start your trip |
(1
pair) |
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Shorts
- swimming/regular combo |
(1-2) |
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Soap
Bar |
(1) |
Socks
- in a warm humid climate you probably won't wear these very much
- regardless of climate.
MUST bring synthetic. Less smell, &
dries very quickly. |
(2) |
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Sunglasses
- be sure they are polarized |
(1) |
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T-shirt -
synthetic is less weight, has less smell & dries very fast |
(1
or 2) |
Toilet
paper roll - take the center out before you travel - a great
addition to put in one of your pockets
when you are traveling in
3rd or 4th world countries |
(1) |
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Toothbrush
- use a 1/2 size one to save space |
(1) |
Toothpaste
- bring the 1/2 sized ones |
(1-2) |
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Underwear
- preferably synthetic - less smell and quick drying. |
(2) |
Ziploc
Bags - bring several sizes, they are good for storing items - the
large ones can be used to
waterproof your clothing when you pack |
(3-5) |
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Cold Weather
Option
Items |
Quantity |
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Balaclava - fleece head covering with slits for
your nose and mouth |
(1) |
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Compression Sack - use for down
jacket as mentioned below |
(1) |
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Down Jacket - 700 fill down Jacket
can be compressed very small - very warm |
(1) |
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Fleece Liner gloves - even thin gloves will
help keep your hands warm |
(1) |
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Fleece Lower Body Liner
(Fleece is warm and dries fast) |
(1) |
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Fleece Upper Body Liner (Fleece is
warm and dries fast) |
(1) |
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Optional
Items (depends on preference
and type of trip) |
Quantity |
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Business Cards - good to hand out
to fellow travelers & locals alike |
(10-50) |
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Calculator
- one that is very small |
(1) |
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Carabineer - small toy locking carabineer can
be used as substitute for locks |
(1-3) |
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Chapstick
- depends on climate and your trip |
(1) |
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Comb
- as small as possible. One cut in 1/2 works quite well. |
(1) |
Deodorant
- small |
(1) |
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Electrical socket converter (check with country
to see which one you need) |
(1) |
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Flip
flops - optional if you decide to take hiking shoes |
(1
pair) |
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GPS (handheld) - an invaluable tool for travel |
(1) |
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Hat
- floppy hat which covers your entire head recommended |
(1) |
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Laptop
or Netbook - many Internet cafes have wireless, good for airport use |
(1) |
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LED Lights - small ones are great for attaching
to your bag, camera bag etc. |
(1-3) |
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Lock/Key - small locks are good for
securing your zippers & bags |
(1-3) |
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Mobile Phone Charger (Plug in, or USB
connector) |
(1) |
Mosquito repellent
- depends on trip &
location,
be sure it
contains DEET |
(1) |
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Notebook - small notebook
for keeping track of travel items & ideas |
(1) |
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Photocopied
travel info - maps, descriptions etc. |
(1) |
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Rubber
bands |
(4) |
Soap
(Liquid) - an excellent cleanser and quick to dry |
(1) |
Suntan
lotion - SPF 35+ (depends on country & time of
year) |
(1) |
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Smart Phone (be sure it is unlocked and will
work in destination country) |
(1) |
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Stopper (rubber or cork for putting in sink
drain when doing laundry) |
(1) |
Timepiece
- a watch is preferable - Dave uses one that includes a compass, altimeter, alarm & a
variety of other functions |
(1) |
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USB Thumb Drive (for backing up photos/videos)
- 16gb minimum recommended |
(1) |
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Vomit Bag - can usually find these in seat
pockets of airlines |
(1) |
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Washcloth
- small synthetic one works well |
(1) |
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Water
bottle wrapped with Medical tape (tape has no residue & is very strong) |
(1) |
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About
Dave's Pick