Gear & Packing for Travel
Gear and Packing at a Glance#
The gear industry wants you to believe you need $500 of technical clothing and a purpose-built pack before your first trip. You do not. Everyday clothes and a carry-on suitcase have taken plenty of people around the world. Start minimal, travel a while, then buy the few items you actually turn out to need.
- Everyday clothes work fine for most trips. Expensive technical gear is optional, not required.
- Everyone overpacks the first time. Lay out what you want to bring, then remove a third of it.
- One-bag travel pays off daily. Carry-on only kills checked-bag fees, carousel waits, and lost-luggage anxiety.
- Quick-dry fabrics and merino wool are genuinely useful for long-term clothing, but not mandatory for a two-week trip.
- You can buy almost anything almost anywhere. Skip the “just in case” items and top up your toiletries on the road.
The gear industry wants you to believe you need $500 worth of technical clothing and a purpose-built travel backpack before your first trip. You don’t. Plenty of people travel the world with a carry-on suitcase and clothes from their regular closet.
That said, smart gear choices - a quick-dry shirt, a decent backpack, a packable rain jacket - make life easier on the road. The key is starting minimal and buying what you actually need after you’ve traveled enough to know what that is.