What to Bring: Gear

As with all your other packing, what you bring “gear-wise” will be dependent on what you’re doing.

Are you just going to sit on a beach and veg out or are you going downhill skiing?

Are you staying in an all-inclusive resort the entire time or will you be venturing out across a country?

Will you be near civilization or out in the boonies?

Things to think about...

Large Backpack

Well duhhhh…

What are you going to do? Carry your stuff in a garbage bag?

For the kind of travelling we’re doing – moving around by different forms of transportation – backpacks work the best. Suitcases with wheels are great if you’re staying in relatively the same place, but if you’re going to be hopping on & off buses, boats, trains, etc. invest in a good rugged pack.

In SE Asia, the sidewalks are kind of non-existent… they’re there in theory, but in reality they’re being used as markets, garages, restaurants, tea shops, parking lots, barber shops and toilets. So wheeling around a suitcase is a lot more difficult than it should be.

Sleeping Bag

Not every hostel or guesthouse provides blankets and sometimes the ones they do are a thing best left untouched.

And even though you may be going to a tropical country, remember – it can still get cold at night.

Towel

Be sure to bring a full-size one.

Yeah, the small quick-dry, “Sham-Wow” type towels you might take on a camping trip are great space savers, but on a cold morning in a guesthouse with no hot water, you won’t regret it.

Towels can also be used as impromptu blankets, seat cushions, window curtains and weapons... the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is right – towels are very useful.

Hostel Sheet

Hostel Sheets are kind of like a sleeping bag, except they’re made with a thin piece of fabric, such as silk or polyester, and they act as a buffer between you and those unknown stains on your mattress.

They can also give you some warmth for nights when it’s too hot for a sleeping bag, but too chilly for nothing.

Mosquito Net

Why bring a mosquito net?

Well, let’s see… malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, awkward scratching because you slept in the nude, etc.

Get one that you can hang above your bed and one you can wear on your head for hiking in dry places where the flies don’t bite but instead just swarm your face to drink your sweat…

You think I’m kidding, don’t you?

Backpack Rain Cover

This is for when your bag is about to be strapped to the roof of a bus and the driver’s assurance that it won’t rain isn’t comforting.

It also makes it a little harder for pickpockets to access your stuff.

Duct Tape

Please… do you really need a reason?

Okay then – fixing the hole a rat chewed in your bag, taping together your guide book, repairing holes in your window screen or your rain jacket, etc.

Rope / Laundry Line

Perfect for hanging up wet bathing suits, towels, socks, raingear, etc.

Plus it comes in handy for other things like jury-rigging your mosquito net, making a curtain rod, etc.

Cloth Shopping Bag

The developing world has a strong fascination with plastic bags. Unfortunately, this means there’s also a lot of plastic bags being thrown out. So by bringing your own bag, you’re helping to do your part for the environment.

These can be a fun souvenir to pick up along the way, but they’re also good to have in general – you can use them to carry food from the market or wet clothes from the beach.

Plus there’s nothing more annoying than trying to sleep and someone in your room starts crinkling a plastic bag.

Cup

For the important things in life… like whiskey, wine, beer, etc.

Plate

Not every hostel has a kitchen, so it’s a good way to enjoy food from the market.

Cutlery

A fork & spoon is always a good thing to bring along and when you’re in Asian countries, you might want to pick up your own set of chopsticks because some food stalls have questionable dishwashing techniques.

Laundry Bag

This should be self-explanatory.

Headlamp / Flashlight

These are great to have for night hikes or exploring caves, but they’re even better for reading in bed.

And you don’t want to be the traveler that has to wake up early to catch their 6am flight and then turns on the room light, much to the annoyance of everyone else trying to sleep!

Swiss Army Knife / Multi-Tool

Don’t leave home without one… these are great for doing minor repairs on your stuff, opening cans of tuna, cutting up a mango, etc.

Make sure it has a corkscrew – see "Cup".

Padlock

Extra security for you and your stuff.

Most hostels use standard door locks, but some will use a padlock which are very easy to bust open or get a spare key cut for.

You can also use it to lock your bag shut or at public lockers in gyms, spas, etc.

Neck Pillow

They’re great for riding in planes, trains and automobiles and they can help you avoid being a “snuggler”.

Water Bottle

Developing countries also have a strong fascination with plastic water bottles, so you can refill your bottle in purified water stations… you’ll save a lot of $$$ and you’ll help the environment.

Earplugs

For defense against snorers, roosters, calls to prayer, people having sex, drunken idiots, etc.

Watch w/ Alarm

Because “I slept in” isn’t a good excuse for missing your flight.

Sunglasses

For looking cool… and sun protection.

Sewing Kit

Repairing the rip in your crotch from when you bent over to pick up your backpack or sewing on a Canadian flag… but only if you’re a Canadian.

Ziploc Bags

See "Travel Tip #106".