what I plan on packing. Need to cut some. Suggestions?

[Strider]

Ok. I think I need to cut some equipment because it seems like a lot for train hopping. Also I plan on doing this for at least a couple years nonstop and will not have a house to go back to sometimes (unless I squat one.)
Actually in the bag

1. Clothes (what I'm wearing is included)

• 2 pair jeans
• 3 pair longsleeve shirts
• 2 pair t shrts
• 3 pair boxer briefs
• 4 pair socks
• 1 peacoat
• 1 polyester trenchcoat
• 1 hat
• 1 beanie

2. Cooking/food

• small pot/lid
• can stove
• fork and spoon
• can opener
• couple ramens
• bag of jerkey
• jar of peanut butter

3. First aid

• Bandages
• Gauze
• Rubbing alcohol(also as fuel for can stove)
• Neosporin

4. Sleeping situation

• 10x10 tarp
• small tent
• compressible sleeping bag
• sleeping pad

5. Repairs

• sewing needles
• floss
• duct tape around a pencil

6. Toiletries

• buttwipes in ziploc
• toothbrush/paste
• bar of soap
• baking soda

7. Random stuff

• Two liter water skin
• Journal
• Batteries
• couple books
• headlamp
• tin whistle

On my person

• Fishing vest. TONS of pockets
• binoculars
• small camera
• pen
• sharpie
• fixed blade knife
• large swiss army knife
• plier tool thin with lots of gadgets
• lighter
• smokes
• bud
• pipe
• rolling papers
• work gloves
• 3 bandanas
• condoms
• passport
• phone
• glasses
• scissors
• phone charger
• wire cutter
• Guitar wrapped in bubble wrap in soft case.

 

[Strider]

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[enocifer]

Man, I just hit the road again, and I have this same problem. I always seem to end up with 60 lbs. on my back. I tried to make sure to only pack the essentials... still got too much shit. I usually end up ditching stuff as I go. There is a small-town library in ruralIllinois that now has a nice occult section because of me and my love for books... I just couldn't carry all that shit anymore. This was years ago... but I still ended up with a heavy ass pack again this time, lol.

 

[Hylyx]

I'd say get rid of the peacoat since you have the trench, layers is way way better than one heavy coat.I'm sceptical of the fishing vest, with the pack it just sounds super fucking uncomfortable. I use a pocket belt to hold all the stuff I want on me.
Also I'd suggest ditching the tent, since you have a tarp and pad you should be pretty set. There are loads of threads about that choice on here, so do a search and see how you feel.
If the binoculars are small, they are super useful, I just use a monocular, lighter and smaller. Books are always nice, but suck to carry around. Just bring one and get a new one at whatever town you end up in. Small local bookstores are always a great place to meet people in new towns, in my experience, and usually are traveler friendly.

 

[Thorne]

I agree w/ most of helyx's suggestions. Also, I would get rid of one of the long sleeve shirts and replace it w/ socks. 4 pairs is NOT enough. Take like 10. Seriously. Your feet are your most valuable resource. Your mode of transportation. Your livelihood. Treat them as such.

 

[Strider]

Those are great suggestions guys. Thank you... I'm torn on whether to bring my soft case, or my hard case for my guitar because I don't want to get my guitar broken. But my hard case doesn't have a back sling that I can sling on my pack so that I can have two hands free for catching a train (especially on the fly). Also, the hard case is heavier. I need my guitar though because that is my entertainment and livelihood. (I busk). Any traveling guitarists have suggestions to that end?

 

[Strider]

But also, keep em coming with the weight cutting suggestions.

 

[notOK]

Anything that can do double-duty, like can the pliers tool cut wire? How often do you use the scissors; is the knife insufficient for your cutting needs? Do you need toothpaste if you have baking soda? Considerations like that shave a little here and there and really add up.

Also, I think you may have excess shirts. And too few socks. It's nice to be able to have a few extra pairs whenever you wash them. So you're not on a sock washing treadmill. Even the grimiest kids need freshies, or life sucks.

A towel. Pad your guitar with it or whatever.

 

[Strider]

yeah. I'll cut the longsleeves to just two. Also I forgot to mention that I have a pair of longjohns. also yeah I'll cut the toothpaste... and def stock up on the socks.

 

[Strider]

I'll get rid of the peacoat and add a thick hoodie too.

 

[Strider]

and probably no tent

 

[Rob Nothing]

That's a lot of stuff.

My first time doing this, making a list and going out and buying all the best shit I could think of, I ended up ditching almost all of it within a month. and it was maybe half the weight you have listed in your op. It all adds up fast.

Preference, mine is keeping light on the feet.

Food can be carried in a shopping bag. and bring money for clothes when you need them, not clothes in the pack.. besides maybe socks and underwear. and a dress shirt.

some priorities:

sleep system
can opener

in that order

 

[Ristoncor]

If you're going to be train hopping, you might want to bring a hard case for your guitar. Soft cases are great for everyday use but if you can use one, a hard case is the way to go. I mean, it's not like your instrument is guaranteed to get broken or something if you don't use, one, but you'll have to be careful. You mentioned not having a backstrap. Is there any way you could make/get one?

A tip: if you roll your clothes into little "logs" (fold them over once and roll up) they tend to take up a lot less room than folded clothes. Doesn't affect weight, but it's helpful to save space.

 

[kecleon]

If it were me I'd take one pair of jeans to wear none in pack and a pair of light surf/swim shorts in case you have to wash or dry the jeans. Jeans are seriously heavy and easy to spot clean with a rag or your hands and water. Hang them on your pack to dry as you walk. You don't need 2.

Take one longsleeve and one short T-shirt. I just spray whichever I'm not wearing with water and tea tree or lavender and its like new. Spot clean stains and dirt.

You can get away with 3 pairs of socks. I wouldn't buy extra just to store in your pack. You can buy socks everywhere and they dry fast so u can wash them. As long as you dry your socks out after wearing them you'll be OK. Its when you wear damp socks you get blisters and athletes foot and shit. Usually I wear one pair dry one in a mesh pocket and have one in pack. That's easy six or more days just dry and wear inside out. If you dry in the outdoors in the sun it kills bacteria anyway. Change socks before bed. Dry day socks on tent. The swap. Its all about drying.

You have two coats?

I wouldn't take a tarp and a tent. If you tent has a fly sheet that's basically a tarp anyway.

The rest sounds good. Like cooking kit sounds minimal. I don't know how big your first aid is but mine fits in a zip lock smaller than an average phone size and got all I need realistically.

Wire cutter, scissor s, fix blade multi tool pliers and Swiss army seems like lots of repeat tools! All those little extras add up and you won't use them all.

 

[Strider]

If it were me I'd take one pair of jeans and a pair of light surf/swim shorts in case you have to wash or dry the jeans. Jeans are seriously heavy and easy to spot clean with a rag or your hands and water. Hang them on your pack to dry as you walk.

Take one longsleeve and one short T-shirt.

You can get away with 3 pairs of socks. I wouldn't buy extra just to store in your pack. You can buy socks everywhere and they dry fast so u can wash them. As long as you dry your socks out after wearing them you'll be OK. Its when you wear damp socks you get blisters and shit. Usually I wear one pair dry one in a mesh pocket and have one in pack. That's easy six or more days just dry and wear inside out. If you dry in the outdoors in the sun it kills bacteria anyway.

You have two coats?

I wouldn't take a tarp and a tent. If you tent has a fly sheet that's basically a tarp anyway.

The rest sounds good. Like cooking kit sounds minimal. I don't know how big your first aid is but mine fits in a zip lock smaller than an average phone size and got all I need realistically.

Wire cutter fix blade multi tool pliers and Swiss army seems like lots of repeat tools!

I am taking so much warm stuff because being cold sucks ass. and I plan on doing this nonstop for at least a few years. I know I need to go south for the winter, but those deserts get seriously cold at night.

 

[kecleon]

Take an insulated jacket instead of the trench (heavy) and waterproof. Its both. Cheap at thrift store. You can wear in sleeping bag. Get synthetic if it gets wet dries fast. Also if you wanna keep warm cotton shirts socks and clothes are pretty useless in winter. They hold your sweat and make you cold. Better with hiking or work wear stuff. Also since its summer now I wouldn't be packing for winter. Sell your stuff and keep the money buy stuff closer to winter. Dragging winter stuff all summer will suck.

But yeah sorry I was just thinking summer.

 

[rusty]

agreed on the jeans, clothes are heavy so the least you can bring the better, one pair of jeans, one pair of shorts. i keep a thermal layer, underarmor shirt and a pair of long johns, socks and underwear are cheap but i usually load up.

as far as multiple shirts i just bring a few "wife beaters" because theyre light, an one t shirt, and a light jacket since i have the thermal layer.

as far as the sleeping pad and tent, if your stickin to cities for the most part you wont really need em. cardboard works great as a sleepin pad and its everywhere, and plenty of shelter with a tarp to fall back on.

 

[rusty]

Also if you wanna keep warm cotton shirts socks and clothes are pretty useless in winter. They hold your sweat and make you cold.

i had that problem with wool socks, they got soaked with sweat and i ended up with my granfather called "trench foot" which was extremely painful. from not changing outta those wet socks

 

[Cree]

Your humping too much gear! You don't need all those heavy clothes it's June! Get warmer clothes when it gets colder. 1 pair of pants 1 pair of shorts are fine 2-3 t-shirts are fine you need more socks i carry about 10 pair. All those pliers tools are never gonna get used same for the binoculars. The idea is to carry as much as you can that weighs less than 15-20 lbs. I carry a golite pack marmot sleeping bag 10-10 tarp no tent no mat, you can get cardboard anywhere and if your in or near a town trust me lawn furniture out the yazoo. also apartment complexes with a pool always have those lounge chairs! I dumped so much needless stuff that after i got out on the road i figured i wouldn,t need.

 

[Kim Chee]

I don't see any whiskers, so a razor if you shave.
The ability to carry another 1/2 gallon of water if you ride or go somewhere really hot.

Whatever your pack becomes, try to spend a little time testing it out. Use it for a week and live with what is in it. Make whatever adjustments you need to do before you take it out for an extended period.