How to Pack Light - One Bag Travel Essentials! (His and Hers)
Anna and I have been traveling with just one bag for over 2 years now and we feel we have it dialed in enough to really talk about our go-to items.
Whether it’s a road trip or an international journey we really have our general packing list down to a few key items. There are a few key concepts that we build any packing list around that have served us pretty well.
The first concept is: Pack clothes that serve multiple purposes, dry quickly for handwashing and don’t look like complete ass. Handwashing your clothes is super easy and can keep you with a light bag pretty much indefinitely. The second concept? Weight. The biggest obstacle here becomes climate as the colder you pack, the bigger the bag typically is and the harder it is to wash/dry. In the case of our last few and upcoming trips, cold climate isn’t much of an obstacle.
In Egypt (November-December 2021) we actually packed too many layers but we’re unlikely to make that mistake again for Mexico. I’m actually kinda nervous at how few layers I’m bringing this time but whatever, worst case scenario I have to buy a cute hoodie in Mexico.
My hyperlite mountain gear Southwest 3400 all packed for Egypt! I cheated and brought a small shoulder bag for more camera gear on this trip.
What we Packed
Abdul
Clothes: Most of these go into two packing cubes. One with top clothes one for underwear/socks. The amount you bring depends on how often you’re willing to wash them. Hand-washing is easy and detergent is light/easy to come by most places. In a hot climate it’s super easy to get them washed and dried and ready to go again, in cities you can get AirBNB’s with laundry etc, there’s always a way to get them clean and re-worn.
4 t shirts
Mostly synthetic blend and some cotton ones (my band t’s)
1 pair of joggers (could pass for pants, not packing for mexico since shorts are culturally accepted there)
1 pair shorts (bringing 2 to Mexico)
I love the LuluLemon pace breaker with liner built in. They dry super fast and have very deep pockets so your stuff is secure. Also has a zipped pocket and a phone sleeve thing on the liner. very good shorts I’ve worn them to swim and to dinner in the same day big W.
5x underwear (the bottleneck in laundry)
5x socks (mostly light merino wool, some dry fit nike)
Flannel, jean jacket, packable puffy (too much for Egypt even in december!!!)
Note that this is what I pack. I also have my worn clothes that I wear on travel days. This typically includes all my bulky options like my jean jacket and my cowboy hat and pants.
A lot of people recommend merino wool year-round but for hot climates a wool top is tooooo warm for me, even the really thin shirts get me sweating. I tend to opt for synthetics and cotton blends where possible in warm climates. I do bring a pair of socks and shirt and boxers in merino wool in case I have to re-wear something a few times. It doesn’t hold on to odor and dries super fast for a hand-wash/air-dry scenario. Most of my clothes are a synthetic polyester blend as it’s more durable than merino wool though not quite as cozy or warm. Wool in the summer sounds crazy but a thin pair of merino socks will wick moisture away from your feet which is very nice. I like brands such as Darn Tough for socks. They’re expensive but they have a lifetime warranty you can literally send them back and they’ll replace them forever. If i’m just hanging out I wear cotton t shirts no problem, most of my favorite shirts are cotton and there’s no way around that unless I have a travel-specific wardrobe with no personality whatsoever. I make my own tri-blend shirts here that serve all purposes really well, very comfy and great for travel or exercise… or just hanging out!
Things:
Backpack - Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest
I have a love-hate relationship with this bag. On one hand it’s ultra-light and ultra-durable. On the other hand the absolute lack of organization drives me nuts sometimes. It’s designed to let you build your own organization which is fine, but lack of access becomes a problem as it’s essentially just a tube of waterproof material. It packs down really tight and has many different compression straps which is helpful for getting it under your seat or in an overhead compartment. This bag is amazing for traveling, but not so great once you’re at your destination which is why i pack a daypack. It was never meant to be a travel bag but it’s rugged, waterproof and allows for custom organization if that’s you’re type of thing.
Since my bag isn’t designed to be camera-specific I use a padded insert to fit all my fragile camera gear. This tends to be pretty heavy depending on what I bring so it goes at the bottom of my bag. This one one bottle-neck I currently have as accessing my stuff becomes a hassle on the go. I usually have a small shoulder bag with me on road trips for easy access and the camera insert has a strap as well.
Scarf - Palestinian Kufiya from Hirbawi
Last remaining Kufiya factory in Palestine, support them and buy one!
I also wear a Stetson Kelly in black
Sunglasses - Julbo Vermont Classic
Mountaineering sunglasses designed to protect you from snow blindness. I got them because I’m in the desert a lot and they protect my eyes from sand. Probably overkill for most people but they look cool so idk figured it was worth including.
Fanny Pack
I didn’t actually buy one yet but I’m gonna get the Matador On-Grid Waist pack for my next trip. I really regretted not having one in Egypt!
Electronics pouch - Osprey Ultralight Zip Organizer
Great for keeping my cables, batteries, memory cards and other messy electronics in place. This line of products from Osprey is great, you’ll see it again in the toiletries section.
A huge. huge addition to the airpods pro are some Comply Foam Tips. This brand makes really high quality foam for headphones and are better than many of the less pricy options. They improve the seal the airpods pro have in your ear which improves noise canceling, keeps them in place and even makes the sound quality a little better since you’re getting less outside noise in. I love them for airplanes, busses etc must have!! I was gonna take a pic of mine but they’re kinda gross just trust me on this.
Turkish towel - I get mine from this etsy seller but there's lots of places
Thin, packs down tight, absorbs a ton of water despite its size, dries very quickly!
Great for cheap hotels, hostels, busses, planes etc. Basically clean sheets anywhere you go! Also depending on the material you get they can be warm.
Pocket Blanket/Tarp - Matador Pocket Blanket
Great for a clean sitting space, can be used as a blanket but we mostly sit on it. Very small so it’s worth having. Note that the stakes did give us slight trouble at security in egypt but we eventually got through ok!
Day pack - Matador FreeRain 28
I always pack a small packable day bag inside my main travel pack. This serves a few purposes but allows me to have a “travel mode” and a “Destination mode” packing setup. I generally leave the heavier duty big bag wherever we’re staying and pack what i need in the day pack as I explore. Since my bag choices lack organization options I like having options. 28 liters is a lot for a day bag so usually Anna and I just share this one. I’m really happy with the durability and it’s waterproof which is a huge plus for my camera gear!
My Matador day pack loaded with me and anna’s stuff on a day trip to the Saqqara tombs in Cairo Egypt.
Anna
Clothes : I stick to a similar formula of basics and adjust as needed for location, weather and planned activities.
My arcteryx, pants, hoodie/flannel and wool socks are usually must haves for me. Everything fit into two packing cubes (I use Osprey Medium and Small sizes) and I wear the warmer/bulkier items while traveling.
I knew I wanted to purchase a few items while in Egypt, so I was conscious of this while packing to keep things simple.
Misc : I carry the first aid and toiletry bags, as well as a universal charger, pillow, mummy liner and journal.
My habibi…. the GOAT packable jacket. Keeps me warm and snug but stuff into a pocket sack and into my bag it goes. We each have one and bring them almost everywhere! The site doesn’t have my color (Black Cherry) but several cool colorways!
Brought for long travel and possible chilly nights in Egypt. Both Abdul and I can wear the Large size. It was chefs kiss for plane naps and hanging out with our friends.
Good to have these with me, I was able to layer up and be covered without feeling overheated as we went from markets to museums and back. I didn’t wear the white as much.
Even though it’s black fabric it’s super lightweight and flowy! Worked well for sleeping, adventuring and as a swimsuit cover.
Some of my favorite travel-everyday-sleep-literally do anything-pant
This bra is weightless but supportive as you need. I enjoy the Float fabric from Girlfriend Collective when I want something that is not compressive
One Piece Swimsuit
TBH I don’t enjoy one piece swimwear as much as two piece, I felt more self conscious in it than a bikini! This is a fun suit and worked well with pants in Sharm El Sheikh! It served its purpose for the Egypt trip and maybe it will again another day.
REI Wool Socks, Smartwool socks
I typically bring my REI and Smartwool socks on every trip. I’m able to have a cozy pair and a daily pair. They hand wash & dry easily!
The only pair of shoes I brought-I love my boots!! I think they’re great for hiking or exploring while you’re traveling. When we originally purchased our footwear, it was important for me to have a pair that was waterproof or resistant and offered ankle support. I did purchase sandals in Siwa, but they broke a few days later lol
Purchased before out trip and really loved having this to hold small items, sunscreen, cards & passport close to my body + accessible.
Solid addition to my pack. I was on the fence while getting my bag ready, but figured it would be nice to have for the in-between; long flights and days of travel. I was right, life saver for my back on the bus rides through Egypt and hours on planes. It’s foam bits on the inside so you roll down and secure with the cord.
Osprey UltraLight Roll Organizer, clear bag and Matador Toiletry Bags
I typically carry the main Osprey toiletry bag with both of our basic needs, it has mesh zippered compartments I use for first aid, toothbrushes & paste and a large covered pocket I keep our contacts in. The clear bag is from Supergoop and is helpful for things we need but maybe don’t need right now; like kleenex, extra spf, wilderness wipes, makeup wipes.
The Matador toiletry bag held my makeup and skincare. I try to keep makeup to a few main pieces, but I love having fun things to wear like lipsticks or shadows I don’t wear at home. To save on bulk so I’m able to have various products to play with, I save cosmetic and skincare samples from online orders or in store purchases. I pack those first, then I add in the fun things-best of both worlds!
Jewelry (not pictured)
I currently bring jewlery in a small tin from a Bite Beauty holiday collection from a few years ago, it fits everything I want to wear but it isn’t the best system and I will be adjusting it soon!
Charges EVERYTHING like, anywhere in the world. Very handy.
5 x 7” Microfiber Towel
I try to bring one with me everywhere, you never know what you might need it for and it came in handy several times. Adds no weight, takes up barely any space.
Purchased before the trip, very happy we got them! It’s like a lil sleep sack, meant for sleeping bags) but I used this on cold planes, in Egypt, on the way to Siwa, in Siwa… you get it. I went for the “COOLMAX” version because it adds up to 5 degrees of warmth and weighs all of 9 ounces.
Clothing/Items purchased there
Anna - In Cairo: two dresses, leggings and wedding dress. In Siwa: Lounge pants that immediately ripped, sandals
What we regret bringing
Abdul
Layers, sweatshirt, jean jacket, long sleeves and acteryx
Anna
White Bodysuit, regret buying leggings in Cairo that I had then to bring home
Gear details
Hyperlight Mountain Gear 2400, 3400 backpacks
Matador Packable Backpack, toiletries bag, soap case, pocket blanket
Osprey Ultralight Roll Organizer
On the Mountain of the Dead, in front of some of Siwa’s 750k palm trees!