Am I packing the right things?

[adventurekid]

I'm planning to travel soon (train hopping mostly) and I'm trying to get things together. Can some experienced people take a look at my list and see if there's anything to add or subtract from it. Thanks!

Clothes:

Black pants (jeans)

Jean cut offs

Bandana

Vest (with black hoodie)

Two t shirts

Flannel

5 pairs of underwear

Four pairs of hiking socks

Gloves

Hat

Beanie

combat boots (black with insoles)

Butt flap

Bras (3)

Rain coat/poncho

Shelter:

Sleeping bag and stuff sack

Couple yards of twine

Light weight tarp (ben is bringing)

Cooking and food:

Fork/knife/spoon

Can opener

Snacks
-Small jar of peanut butter
-Power bars or cliff bars
-Beef jerky

Emergency food rations

Water purifying tabs

Gallon of water

Water bottle

Misc:

Lighter

Floss and needle

Flash light and wire

Duct tape

Wallet with chain loop

Wallet chain

Phone

Phone charger

Portable charger

Ear plugs

Sharpie

Money

Chapstick

Glasses (with hard case and cord)

Multi tool

pocket knife

Entertainment:

Deck of cards

Moleskin Journal

Earbuds

Hygene:

Small first aid kit
-ibuprofen
-Imodium
-Tweezers
-bandages
-Super glue
-little sanitary wipes
-tums

Toothbrush and tooth paste

Towel

Washcloth

Pads/tampons

Bar of soap

Toilet Paper

 

[AAAutin]

More socks!

 

[Notmyname]

Everyone has a different setup. You have the basics and some extra stuff. I say roll with it and adjust it as you see fit on the road.

 

[ntdxc1878]

You've got a solid list.

One thing I would take into consideration is the weight of your pack. Pack all your stuff up and walk around with it for a bit. If it's too heavy you may want to consider dropping some things. Personally, I try and have around a 25-30 lbs pack because it allows me to still move around rather quickly. It's all up to personal preference, so it's up to you. I would recommend going as light as possible to prevent back pain down the line.

 

[Alrats]

Personally, I travel with 3 pairs of socks. All wool blend and never any other type. They're better, last longer, smell less and dry faster. They've basically saved my life.
Underwear is whatever, I lose that shit all the time. I usually start with 5-7 pairs and end up with maybe 3. You can always get more.

The advice of trying the pack weight out is a good one. Also, you'll likely find that you can shed some shit as time goes by and that you'll likely gain some stuff you need (and totally don't need).

I can give you a run down of my pack if you want, I've been doing this shit for over 10 years, but I'm not typing it out unless it's needed.

 

[Notmyname]

Yeah yeah looking at it again I feel like you're gonna be super heavy. Yo you'll drop plenty of shit along the way to save weight.
No problem. You'll figure it out eventually

 

[Alrats]

honestly, I think packs go in an order of importance and it comes to a weird math.
You have weight vs. what you want and can carry (vs. what you can scavenge/afford)

first is sleep kit
then layers
then cooking/food (pending type of travel)

If you're doing the PCT then food and water become a more intense priority.

otherwise, you're sleep kit is, in my opinion the most important.

For years I traveled with just a shitty sleeping bag and a rando tarp. I'd get cardboard from dumpsters, and when there was no card board, I'd use whatever I could find to insulate. Now, I'm fucking balla. I got dropped a sick bag that's too warm for most summer nights, which is fine because I have a gortex bivvy sack (part of the US army's 4 part sleep system, there's another thread on it somewhere here). and I started using a thermo-rest, which makes me feel like a fucking chump (and I'm yet to decide if it's worth the trouble to pack up on the daily).
This shit takes 1/3 or more of my pack.
after that, it's just layers. Rain jacket, wool thermals, down insulating and the in between. Everything I have can be layered together and I'd be warm enough for at least freezing temp, before getting into my bag.

for cooking/food
If you're fucking around cities, I never used to travel with cook gear, not until this year. If you want warm food, write it on a piece of card board and pick your spot. "fries please" and dump a can of chili on them. "I just want a big mac" etc. Or go to gas stations and use the free hot water for noods and etc that rehydrates quick.

Now I do more rural and back woods shit, so I have a small stove and pot. but even when I rode trains, I would just take shit I didn't have to cook.

Really, traveling comes down to the art of letting go. You can take everything you think you need, but you're gonna have to let go of it sometime. Either because you don't need it, or because you lost or broke it and you'll end up finding other ways. Less is more.

I'm drunk.
Thanks dad, for giving me keys and leaving a case of beer next to the computer.

 

[adventurekid]

You've got a solid list.

One thing I would take into consideration is the weight of your pack. Pack all your stuff up and walk around with it for a bit. If it's too heavy you may want to consider dropping some things. Personally, I try and have around a 25-30 lbs pack because it allows me to still move around rather quickly. It's all up to personal preference, so it's up to you. I would recommend going as light as possible to prevent back pain down the line.

Yeah I see what you mean. I've started to weigh my things I'm just around 30 pounds

 

[adventurekid]

Personally, I travel with 3 pairs of socks. All wool blend and never any other type. They're better, last longer, smell less and dry faster. They've basically saved my life.
Underwear is whatever, I lose that shit all the time. I usually start with 5-7 pairs and end up with maybe 3. You can always get more.

The advice of trying the pack weight out is a good one. Also, you'll likely find that you can shed some shit as time goes by and that you'll likely gain some stuff you need (and totally don't need).

I can give you a run down of my pack if you want, I've been doing this shit for over 10 years, but I'm not typing it out unless it's needed.

Hey yeah id really appreciate it if you gave me a rundown of your pack. You seem pretty experienced. Thanks for the advice

 

[adventurekid]

honestly, I think packs go in an order of importance and it comes to a weird math.
You have weight vs. what you want and can carry (vs. what you can scavenge/afford)

first is sleep kit
then layers
then cooking/food (pending type of travel)

If you're doing the PCT then food and water become a more intense priority.

otherwise, you're sleep kit is, in my opinion the most important.

For years I traveled with just a shitty sleeping bag and a rando tarp. I'd get cardboard from dumpsters, and when there was no card board, I'd use whatever I could find to insulate. Now, I'm fucking balla. I got dropped a sick bag that's too warm for most summer nights, which is fine because I have a gortex bivvy sack (part of the US army's 4 part sleep system, there's another thread on it somewhere here). and I started using a thermo-rest, which makes me feel like a fucking chump (and I'm yet to decide if it's worth the trouble to pack up on the daily).
This shit takes 1/3 or more of my pack.
after that, it's just layers. Rain jacket, wool thermals, down insulating and the in between. Everything I have can be layered together and I'd be warm enough for at least freezing temp, before getting into my bag.

for cooking/food
If you're fucking around cities, I never used to travel with cook gear, not until this year. If you want warm food, write it on a piece of card board and pick your spot. "fries please" and dump a can of chili on them. "I just want a big mac" etc. Or go to gas stations and use the free hot water for noods and etc that rehydrates quick.

Now I do more rural and back woods shit, so I have a small stove and pot. but even when I rode trains, I would just take shit I didn't have to cook.

Really, traveling comes down to the art of letting go. You can take everything you think you need, but you're gonna have to let go of it sometime. Either because you don't need it, or because you lost or broke it and you'll end up finding other ways. Less is more.

I'm drunk.
Thanks dad, for giving me keys and leaving a case of beer next to the computer.

Thanks haha much appreciated

 

[Alrats]

Hey yeah id really appreciate it if you gave me a rundown of your pack. You seem pretty experienced. Thanks for the advice

My pack:
Clothes:
-3 pairs of wool socks
-(currently) 3 pairs of underwear (I lose them a lot)
-marino wool base layer (long johns, tank and long sleeve)
-cotton tank
-tshirt
-pants
- sports shorts (imma fancy fuck)
-flannel (also functions as my "nice guy" shirt)
-zip hoodie
-light jacket (insulated zip hoodie)
-down vest
-rain jacket
-Beanie
-shitty hat
-decent boots (currently Lowa z-8S GTX, best fucking boots I've ever had. Ever.)
-occationally I'll pick up something fancy to wear for a day or two, but don't keep it around for long

All these layers can be put together for maximum warmth. Except maybe the shorts? Whatever.

Sleep gear:
I recently upgraded from shit all and a sleeping bag (just a tarp and shit bag and rando cardboard or suffering) to:
-a gortex bivy (part of the us army's 4 part sleep system)
-dece low temp rated bag that this guy I call Crazy T dropped me. And I complimented those two achievements by spending some money on a thermarest (yet to decide if it's worth the hassle?)

Cook gear and water:
I have a tiny msr stove, which fits in my pot with the fuel can. I never used to travel with a cook setup, I'm getting fucking classy.
-two 32oz Nalgene bottles, for extra water I garbage score jugs when needed.
-P38 can opener
-tin cup (for loser stealth drinking and commie meals) and
-a spoon (recently flailed my spork of 8+years into the ocean, RIP spork)

You're on your own with food. Shits changed a lot and there's a lot more "ready made" shit out there in Mylar packs. It's great.

Frivolous crap:
-Wallet with necessary cards (never leave home or camp with out your pass port!)
-Phone+charger
-Knife
-notebook/pen
-current book I'm reading
-Advil
-head lamp
-reusable grocery bag
-I might have some chap stick?
-tooth brush and paste. Don't be a chump, brush your teef.

All this fits in a 70L pack with much room to spare for food or whatever.

Last but not least, my old as fuck and not yet totally broken guitar, some picks and a spare set of strings.

I'm pretty sure that's everything. I might have two pens? Call me a liar.

 

[Alrats]

I should stop getting drunk and using the internet.

 

[Notmyname]

I should stop getting drunk and using the internet.

What kinda thermarest you got? I used to be the tarp and bag kinda guy too(actually started with a hammock but it's not stealth enough for me) til a homie kicked down a z lite or whatever. The yellow and grey foam pad. Shits bulky but light. Beats cardboard in almost every way. So I'm really digging this thing. It changed me. I'm all about a sleep pad now haha.

 

[Alrats]

I have one of the self inflating thermarest. I think it's called prolite or some shit. Orange and grey.
The inflating/deflating thing that I'm unsure about, but I'm currently enjoying the luxury. I'll worry about it when it fucks up and gets a hole or I end up having to ditch it because I can't pack it up fast enough.

 

[The Hiker]

50 feet of paracord

you will always need rope

 

[nivoldoog]

A light back pack is easier to carry and to steal.... My pack is normally like 60, no one besides me can run with it, normally. Never lost a bag, it stay strapped.

 

[Deleted member 16701]

More socks!

Socks are important, but easy to steal along the way! haha

 

[Deleted member 16701]

It really matters how heavy your sleeping bag is too. If its just a standard camping sleeping bag you'll be breaking your back with all that shit. Get a lightweight one if you don't already.

 

[AlwaysLost]

You'll want to ditch the jeans before winter. Denim doesn't retain heat for crap. But its still jeans season

 

[AlwaysLost]

50 feet of paracord

you will always need rope