34 Things You Need to Pack for a Backpacking Adventure

What do you pack for an epic adventure abroad? It’s all about packing for the unexpected. After all, you never know what or who you will come across on a 10,000 mile road rally in some of the most remote terrain on the earth.

Check out our 34 most essential items for epic travel. This is NOT your ordinary packing list, folks.

1. Ziplock Bags – they are like gold when you are on the road. There’s always a use for them.

2. Utility Knife

3. Collapsible Water Bottle

4. Door Stop – it is great to have when you are concerned about safety. Close your door and shove it in door from the inside. It will make it that much harder to get into your room.

5. Bandana

6. Sunscreen

7. DEET to fend off ticks, mosquitos and other beastly insects

8. Sleeping Bag Liner – it’s super light weight and packs down really small. It will keep you warm on over night bus rides. When you are unsure if the sheets are clean it is easy to slip into your liner. When camping, it will add another 8-10 degrees to your bag’s rating, keeping you warmer and your sleeping bag cleaner.

9. Headlamp – I love my headlamp so much that I often have it in my purse when I’m at the art gallery in New York. You never know when you are going to need a little bit of illumination.

10. First Aid Kit

11. Ear Plugs

12. Universal Drain Plug – essential for when you need to do a load of sink laundry

13. SPF 30 or higher Lip Balm

14. Inflatable Neck Pillow

15. Duct Tape – Break off a small section of a pencil and wrap a few feet worth of duct tape around the pencil.

16. Compass

17. Dental Floss – can be doubled as thread when you need quick repairs on your backpack or alike.

18. Money Belt – Store your documents and cash in this.

19. Sarong – doubles as a scarf, blanket, wrap around, towel. The use of a sarong is endless, for both men and women.

20. Super Lightweight, Quick-Drying Travel Towel

21. Padlock

22. Rain Gear (I prefer a lightweight Parka)

23. Lightweight Fleece – Fleece + Parka will keep you warm in a relatively cool climate with out the bulk.

24. Hat & Sunglasses

Basic Camping Gear:

25. Tent

26. Sleeping Bag

27. Sleeping Matt

28. Dual Fuel Stove

29. Small Cooking Kit

30. Fix-a-Flat

31. Rope

32. Socket Wrench Set

33. TelecomSquare USA has generously loaned us their WiFi device to test out on The Monogol Rally. This tiny business card size device hops onto the local telecom network and transmit a WiFi signal. I have been testing it out this past week while I am on the pre-rally prep and I am loving it. It resolves the need to constantly find a open WiFi network or pay the outrageous rate of roaming charges on your existing network.

34. Photocopy of Your Passport – When I am about town during the day, I tuck my passport away in my room, or locked in my locker. I take a photocopy of my passport with me for when the police or authorities wants to see it. The risk of being mugged on the street is higher than my room being tossed and robbed. Losing your passport sucks and there is no need to increase the risk of it by having it on your person at all times.

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