A note on links: some products below have affiliate links. Everything listed is something I personally use or have used on my own trips. Nothing is here just to fill a list.
I have done a lot of different kinds of travel — month-long surf trips in Mexico, two months across Asia, adventure trips through Peru and South America, shorter European trips in between. Not every trip looks the same and not every bag works for every situation. What I can give you is what has actually worked for me across all of it, and what I wish I had known earlier.
The Bag Question: Which Osprey and When
I am a brand loyalist when it comes to Osprey and I make no apology for it. I have two very different bags and which one I bring depends entirely on the trip.
The Osprey Kyte 48 is my backpacking bag. I originally bought it for a stretch of the Portuguese Camino where I would be walking long distances with everything on my back every day. It is a true backpacking bag — hip belt for weight distribution, small pockets everywhere for easy access, side water bottle pockets, a bottom access point so you can get to things without unpacking everything. Forty-eight liters is enough space to pack a full season without feeling like you are hauling a house. As a woman I can carry most of what I need in it without the weight becoming a problem.
The Osprey Farpoint 55 is what I bring when I am not backpacking but still need to carry everything through airports and bus stations. The key difference: it opens like a suitcase. The entire front panel unzips and lays flat, which means you can actually see and access everything you packed without digging through layers. For travel where you are moving between cities, staying in Airbnbs, and living out of your bag for weeks at a time, this is the bag. It comes with a detachable daypack that I wear on my front through airports while the main pack goes on my back. Everything fits in two bags and nothing gets checked.
My honest take: if you are doing one type of trip get the bag that fits it. If you travel frequently enough to do both, having both is worth it. They are genuinely different tools.
Packing Cubes: The Chaos Reducer
I am a chaotic packer by nature. Packing cubes have made me significantly less chaotic and I recommend them to everyone regardless of how organized you think you are.
I use the OlarHike packing cube set. It came with multiple sizes — large, medium, small, a shoe bag, a toiletry bag — and I use at least three of them on every trip. Pants in one, shirts in another, underwear and socks in the small one. When I open my bag I can see exactly what I have without pulling everything out. It also makes me pack less because the cubes make the volume visible — if the cube is full of shirts I can count them and ask myself honestly whether I need all of them.
Toiletry Bag: Get the Hang-Up Style
This one is personal preference but after trying both styles the hang-up toiletry bag wins for me every time. Mine is from L.L. Bean, Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag — a gift, and the quality shows. It unfolds into three sections, has dedicated slots for bottles and tubes, and has a hook so I can hang it from a bathroom door and see everything without unpacking onto a counter that may or may not be clean.
If you want a more affordable version the Goloni hang-up toiletry bag on Amazon gets the job done at a fraction of the price and has solid reviews.
Headlamp: Small, Cheap, Essential
I have the Coast FL19 headlamp. It runs on AAA batteries, costs $20 to $25, and I have had it for years without a single problem. I keep the batteries separate until I need it so they do not drain in transit.
A headlamp sounds like overkill until you are in the Amazon at night trying to walk to the lodge, or digging through your bag in a dark hostel dorm at 5am without waking four other people. Once you have one you will not travel without it.
Power Bank: Do Not Forget It
I consistently forget my power bank and consistently regret it. The INIU portable charger is a top pick for a reason, lightweight enough to not be annoying in a bag, enough capacity to charge a phone twice, and it charges fast.
Not every airport has charging stations. Not every bus has outlets. Not every hostel has enough plugs for everyone. The power bank is the backup that removes all of that stress.
Resistance Bands and Jump Rope: For the Active Traveler
This will not be for everyone but I travel with both and use them more than you would expect.
The resistance bands I use are open-ended strips rather than loops, which I prefer because you can tie them into a loop yourself to increase resistance, use them open for stretching, or anchor them to a door for pulling exercises. They pack flat, weigh almost nothing, and give you enough variety for a real workout in a hotel room. I particularly use them for shoulder stretches after surf sessions. A good brand is Lianjindun 5 Pcs Professional Resistance Bands. (but if you ever had PT they can cut you some for free)
A jump rope takes up almost no space and gives you a cardio option anywhere you have a few feet of clearance. If you are someone who needs to move and cannot always get outside for a run, having a jump rope means you always have an option.
Passport Case: Organize Before You Go
My mom bought me a Fintie passport holder before my first Mexico trip and I still use it. It is not glamorous but it is functional — hard enough to protect the passport, big enough to hold a spare credit card and my yellow fever vaccination card, and heavy enough that I always know exactly where it is in my bag. When I am heading to an airport I grab it and I know I have everything critical in one place.
There are a hundred versions of this on Amazon at every price point and style. Find one you like. Having your passport in a dedicated case instead of loose in a bag is one of those small things that removes a specific kind of travel anxiety permanently.
Water Filtration Bottle: Situational
I bought the GRAYL GeoPress 24oz Water Purifier Bottle for my Asia trip. It works extremely well — press down, filter, drink, anywhere. The technology is genuinely impressive and I never had a water issue using it.
My honest caveat: it is bigger than a standard water bottle and can be awkward in smaller bags. Also these types of water bottles are pricey for good reason as they work extrememly well but I found myself buying bottled water more than I expected to rather than using it. If you are going somewhere genuinely remote where clean water is not accessible any other way it is absolutely worth the investment. If you are staying in cities and Airbnbs with filtered water available, research your specific destination before spending the money.
Universal Power Adapter: Buy It Before You Go
Different countries use different outlets. You know this. What you may not think about until you get somewhere and cannot charge anything is that your specific plug will not fit. Buy a universal adapter before you leave — one that covers multiple countries rather than one specific to wherever you are going. Amazon has solid options at reasonable prices and having one that works everywhere means you never have to think about it again. I have to be honest, I bought mine while i was traveling as i forgot to pack ahead and it cost me so here is one I would buy on Amazon just based on reviews EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter
Laptop Case: Non-Negotiable in Warm Climates
If you are traveling with a laptop and going anywhere warm (Mexico, Central America, Southeast Asia) get a laptop case. Ants are not a hypothetical in these places. In Ecuador I had an ant infestation in my laptop that required fully disassembling it to address. It was as bad as it sounds. A $15 Amazon case prevents all of it. The one I bought and I am very happy with is Lacdo 360° Protective 14 Inch Laptop Sleeve Case. It not only adds cushion for protection but has pockets to put papers and pens. Its just nice to have and nice to know my laptop is bug free!
The Weird Little Things That Actually Matter
Nail clippers. They cut things. They keep your nails in order. They are a multi-purpose tool that takes up no space and costs nothing. I have used mine to cut rope, zip ties, loose threads, and packaging. Always in my toiletry bag.
A wine key. Cheap, small, lives in your toiletry bag, and has saved me from a terrible evening more than once when I bought a bottle of wine somewhere with no corkscrew in sight. One or two dollars at any liquor store.
Zip ties. A few in your bag at all times. Something will need a temporary fix at some point and zip ties are the universal answer.
A pen. The number of people I have watched scramble for a pen to fill out customs forms on a plane is remarkable. Keep one in your carry-on. Always.
Earplugs. Flights, hostels, thin walls in cheap accommodation. Buy a pack, put a few pairs in your bag, forget about them until you desperately need them.
A fanny pack or crossbody wallet. Keeping your wallet in a back pocket is how wallets get stolen. I learned this personally. A fanny pack worn in front or a small crossbody that keeps your phone and wallet visible and attached to your body removes that risk entirely. My friend travels with a small front clip wallet that is much more stylish than a fanny pack and works just as well. Find whatever version works for you.
A backup phone. This sounds extreme until you are in another country with a broken or stolen phone and no way to navigate, communicate, or book anything. I currently have a broken phone in Mexico and am flying home without one. If you have an old iPhone or Android sitting in a drawer, throw it in your bag on long trips. It does not need a plan — just WiFi. It can live in your accommodation and come out only if you need it. One of those things you will either never use or be incredibly grateful for.
Wrapped hotel soap bars. When you get a wrapped bar of soap at a hotel, take it. It is small, it weighs nothing, and there will be a night at a hostel or an Airbnb where you get in the shower and there is nothing there. Having a backup bar of soap in your toiletry bag is the kind of small preparation that costs nothing and solves a surprisingly annoying problem.
