BadPopcorn » Travel Gear Postmortem

Travel Gear Postmortem

Written by Ben on September 14, 2006 |

I’ve been back in California for some time now, and I’ve been able to think about some Travel Tips. But mostly, I’ve been looking over the stuff I took to Europe and how my gear weighed me down.

How would I have planned and packed differently?

If your trip is open ended with an undefined itinerary, definitely get the Eurail Pass. I crossed Europe so much that I think I used twice its worth. But if you know exactly where and when you will be traveling, I suggest doing the extra leg work to find cheap air flights– SkyEurope and RyanAir are good cheap carriers.

My Rick Steves Backpack was a great great buy. I was able to take it onto the plane; it fit well in storage lockers; it was manageable (loved the backpack straps); and it fit everything I needed. I did modify it, however, by sowing in D-Rings into the inside so I could clip on key chains, etc.

A good day bag is a must for the traveler. But don’t get in the habit of loading yourself down. It’s there to help carry things you need, not your entire vacation’s stuff. I highly advise against those day bags that zip onto the backpack, it just encourages people to carry more on their trip… when they should be carrying less.

So with the main backpack and a day bag, how would I pack in the future? I would stuff everything I would be bringing into my backpack: shoes, clothes (including the ones I would be wearing), day back, electronics, etc. This should at most fill up three-quarters of the backpack. The reason for the extra space is two fold: for items bought during the trip, and because packing on the road seems is sloppier than the need pre-travel packing.

It doesn’t really matter what brand toiletry kit one brings, but the two features I look for are:

A hook to hang the kit.
Basket like design, so I can just toss things in there while washing up.

The one I had worked out well. I also brought an electric razor. I think I will bring simple disposable razors from now on. I know it takes a bit more effort and time, but the space saving would be worth it (razor size and power cable). And one should think about bringing– swiping them from the Venetian– mini sewing kits for fashion emergencies; small enough to just toss into the toiletry kit.

Quick dry Towels work, but I like the feeling of real towels. The space saving is definitely worth it. I don’t have too much experience with different quick dry towel brands, so ask around… I’ve heard other backpackers complain about the ones they bought.

I had brought a camcorder as an experiment and to document some experiences with CouchSurfing. I will definitely leave it behind on my next trip. Not only do I need to carry the extra weight of the camera (small it may be), I had brought thirty miniDV cassette tapes and the camera’s power cables. It was just bulk I did not need. I did mail back used tapes, but that still was a pain.

The music on my iPod was a blissful luxury. I will bring it again for my next trip, but the lost space is a compromise I choose to live with.

My mobile phone was a must have because of CouchSurfing.

The travel wallet is nice for the high risk travellers– old people. But I found no use for it. I just kept to a few habits: Keep ID and money in different pockets. Only carry around low amounts of cash. Leave the passport at home base. Keep backup documents, cash, and credit cards in, yet another, separate place (hidden backpack pocket).

I loved my Moleskines. Over the three months I used one for travel info (phone numbers, addresses, notes), two for journals, and one as a spare. And to compliment the moleskines, I brought two Fisher Space Pens– a back is needed.