How to Pack a Backpack for Long-term Travel

When planning for a long-term, low-budget backpacking trip, the bag on your back is an important resource and lifeline when navigating in a foreign environment—think of it as a portable home, like a tortoise’s shell. The items in your backpack will sustain you for the duration of your adventure, and it is no wonder that many travellers make the mistake of packing too much with them and overloading their bags. The key to a pleasant backpacking trip is to pack lightly and efficiently.

What kind of Backpack?

You can budget frugally during the trip; however, invest good money in a sturdy and moderately lightweight backpack. Choose a backpack with an internal frame and opt for one with a rectangular shape, since backpacks with curved edges have less internal volume. Depending on how many items you plan to bring, choose a pack with between 60 to 80 litres of internal volume. Before you buy the backpack, try it on your body to ensure that adjustable shoulder and hip straps will keep the backpack comfortably close to your body, to minimise movement when you are walking.

Backpack Organisation

Before packing, lay out all your belongings to categorise them according to weight, shape and size, and material. This will help you decide the ideal spaces in the backpack to place your items. Store the heaviest items high up in the centre between your shoulder blades and towards your back. This will keep most of the weight steadily above your hips. The lightest items should be packed at the bottom. A good gauge for a backpack’s weight is to not let it exceed 25 to 30% of your own body weight.

Arrange items with similar shapes together, so that they can align or mould into each other to save space. These may include shoes, books or documents, and wires or cables. Once the bulkier and odd-shaped items are placed, foldable and compressible items such as underwear or socks should fill in the empty pockets of space in the backpack.

Make sure that important items are put near the top of the bag for easy access, such as travel documents. For extra space, you can attach items externally. A jacket, towel, or even a sleeping bag can be strapped at the top of the bag. Water bottles can be placed inside pouches. Remember that your body is also a ‘storage space’ for items such as one set of clothes, sunglasses, and perhaps a money belt for your cash and passport.

Items to pack along

Choose all the things you think you might need for the trip, then cut it in half. Or, think in terms of the item that you can live without, rather than the item that you will need. Strikeout items that you will be able to purchase readily wherever you are, such as snacks and water bottles.

Pack clothing for about 3 to 5 days. For example, have 3 to 5 sets of underwear, socks, and tops. Bring along one pair of jeans, one pair of shorts, and a sweater. Be prepared to hand wash your clothes. Pack clothes tightly in a packing cube, an airless bag, or a clothes compressor, or simply roll them up.

Put toiletries such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and a toothbrush in a transparent bag. Squeeze all extra air out of the bag and fold the top down. For additional footwear, pack a pair of sandals. You will wear a good pair of walking shoes on your feet. Bring along your camera, phone, battery chargers, and adapters. Leave the laptop at home and use internet cafes instead.

Cash and credit cards can be stored in a money belt around your waist. If there is space, other items to bring along include a small but functional first aid kit and a sewing kit.

Finally remember important documents such as insurance papers, IDs, emergency contact information, and of course your passport.

Conclusion

Getting your hands on the round the world tickets you’ve been saving for is a great feeling, but it’s hard to travel happily if a heavy backpack is constantly weighing you down. An efficiently packed backpack would ensure that you have everything you need for the next few days, weeks, or even months, and most importantly it will not hinder you from having an eye-opening and life-changing backpacking experience.

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