Hi Guys,
I'm about to embark on a 5-6 month backpacking trip in South America, and need some assistance with recommended gear.
I've traveled before, but never for such an extended period of time.
In particular, what pants do you guys recommend? I know jeans are out of the question.
Any other tips really appreciated.
Jeans are not out of the question. They are a staple. Just don't wear on aeroplanes etc where you sweat. I take my favourite clothes when I travel. Don't buy adventure store wardrobe. Buy a hiking pant. don't take any thick tops, layers is the key. And a lightweight synthetic wind cheater. This guy has a good system, mine is somewhat different. http://breakawaybackpacker.com/2012/05/15-months-on-the-road…
I can only help you with the undies, please get a couple of ExOfficio boxer briefs, the difference is day and night :
http://www.amazon.com/ExOfficio-Give-N-Go-Boxer-Brief-Black/…
I backpacked around europe for 4 months wearing a pair of suit pants. brillant, lightweight, easy to wash, adaptable.
wore them to the opera in Budapest and then went caving in them the next day. washed and dried overnight.
my clothing tips for back packing.
-sturdy boots
-low top sneakers
-undies 3 pairs
-socks 3 pairs
-2 tshirts
-1 suit paints
-1 jeans
-1 shorts
-1 long sleeve shirt
-beanie
-polar fleece jumper w/zip
-spencer (thermal top) - the last 3 things, 5-6months I'm assuming some cold and/or high altitude.
-wide brim hat
-toothbrush+ tooth paste
-sunscreen
-matchless firestarters
-small towell (like a hand towell - you don't need a "towell")
-a piece of rope for a clothes line/emergency
-basic first aid kit
-swiss army knife -knife + can opener + bottle opener -essential.
-ground sheet (for emergency)
-rain proof coat
-sleeping bag -spend some reasonable money on this-get a compact sleeping bag.
-If you are going rural/jungle then also get a mosquito net.
-decent back pack- e.g. borghaus -something with a good waist belt to take the weight off your shoulders. This is the key to a good back pack. you don't have any weight on your shoulders as all the weight should be in the waist belt around your hips. the shoulder straps should really only be used to stop the backpack falling backwards or sidewards.
-immunisations.
it looks alot but you will be wearing nearly half of the clothes.
Nothing wrong with jeans, just know when they're appropriate. Wear your heaviest clothing on the trip there (jumper + jacket, trousers) to free up space in your backpack, which should also hold your day pack, chargers, some toiletries. Don't carry a lot of underwear, shirts, etc. You're going to buy cheaper over there.
I've only really done urban backpacking but I'd still recommend a 60L frame backpack if you can manage the size, and keep within a strict weight/volume budget (especially if you're also bringing a laptop and/or SLR). Don't be one of those spring breaker who bring thongs. They don't have a place outside showers so you won't have the space for them. Get a decent pair of sandals like Birkenstocks and you'll wear them more often than your hiking boots. Also grab a rain cover for your pack. Plenty in the schoolies crowd don't think they need one and then they're surprised when monsoon season suddenly ruins every worldly possession they have on them.
nothing wrong with packing jeans, just dont pack too many pairs - wear one pair on the plane, pack maybe one more.
worth getting a pair of lightweight travel trousers from somewhere like kathmandu - they are doing some crazy 60% off sales at the moment which make their travel trousers reasonable value at ~$50 a pair.
i am always guilty of overpacking, although on all my recent trips i have tried to carry no more than my 46L Osprey Porter (maximum carry-on size) and a laptop bag. especially if you are staying in backpacker hostels, you will find laundry facilities are always readily available, so there isnt much need to carry more than a week's worth of clothes on you if you commit to regular washing (which you want to do anyway, because having stinking damp clothes in your backpack gets gross seriously quickly).
enjoy your trip - im jealous! bloody full-time work, best holidays i can manage these days are 1-2 weeks max. :( I last went on a 3 month road trip coast-to-coast in the US about 18 months ago - cant see myself getting the chance to do that again for a long time!
I get by on 40L now. 12kg. No laptop. Smartphone yes.
lightweight/breathable travel trousers are great for hiking, but don't look the best for social events. worth bringing one since you can pack them down into a small size
After 6 months in Asia… I found my favourite pants were a pair of quick-dry pants/zip off shorts… quick dry was great for laundry (self-wash in hostel) and rain…
I wore them as shorts mainly… but zip on pants were great when it got a bit chilly…
Don't bring a huge backpack, bring a smaller one it'll force you to pack only what you need… travel light you will thank yourself for it! (I had a 38L Deuter and one day pack but I was in warm weather… the day pack was really for my giant SLR which I hated carrying but the photos awesome)
Few things I loved:
1/ Rain cover for my bags (I got bags with them built in)
2/ Duct tape!
3/ Plastic belt (taking off your belt at every security checkpoint gets annoying very quickly)
4/ Space bags… lets you pack things down + waterproofing (Daiso $2.8 don't buy the expensive supermarket ones)
5/ Money belt, kept $10-20 in my pocket the rest in a money belt… nice piece of mind…
6/ Smart phone… dump the laptop (get a compass app, use it to avoid walking down the road in the wrong direction!)
7/ A small thin notepad and pen… great way to share advice, contact info with other travellers and locals… plus jot down notes for your itinerary
My girlfriend and I did 12 months through Central America, Europe and Asia, and prior to this I spent 6 months backpacking through South America. The most important thing I learnt is that long term travel becomes more of a lifestyle than a holiday, so you have to be comfortable and happy with the gear you have.
I initially packed "adventure clothing" but found that I rarely wore it, only when hiking/doing outdoors things. During day to day travel, sightseeing, adventuring you will feel more comfortable in your normal clothes. There's nothing worse than the backpacker in full safari gear when it's not at all needed.
Things I found helpful (in no particular order):
Enjoy the trip! If you have any questions I can help you with feel free to PM me.
Great list!
Why the ExOfficio boxers? First I have heard of them.
quick drying
Just curious…
What do you use the duct tape for specifically?
And where do you hang underwear to dry in a hostel dorm?
I think the question is what can't you do with duct tape :D, I used mine mainly for running repairs…
The side or ladder of a bunk beds works, or carry a small clothes line…
Duct tape is also excellent for blisters - wish I'd known about this when I was limping along on my first Camino
http://www.backpacker.com/slideshows/159
As someone who has done a lot of backpacking / traveling, I agree that you don't need to get anything particularly special like luminous adventure gear, especially if you want to blend in with the locals.
Travel light. There will be shops where you are going - you can always buy a cheap pair of pants or T-shirt if you need, or wear out what you have.
I like my Timberland trousers with the zip-off legs.
Wow, you guys are truly amazing….
I'm printing out this list, and definately going to be ordering some gear.
I'm just glad I have quite a few weeks before I go, so the goodies will arrive by then.
If there's anymore tips, please feel free to share.
Movieman.
I've done a fair share of backpacking, including 1 year in South and Central America.
Get some good, stylish jeans. They're versatile and look sexy.
Plan right now how much hiking you're going to do, then decide if it's worth taking hiking boots. I did, I used
them 3 times, and the rest of the time they looked dorky so I bought a cheap pair of filas over there.
Should be a roughly 80 - 20 ratio of weight on your waist belt to shoulders in a backpack. Try some different brands of backpacks, you get what you pay for. Osprey, Berghaus, Lowe Alpine, Montane are all great brands. Try them instore, and make sure they have weights to test the bags! If they don't, put some tents or climbing ropes in the bag.
Silk sleeping bag liner, can get them pretty cheap of ebay. Very useful for busses and the like. On that note, busses are (profanity) cold over there! They run the A/C like there is not tomorrow.
Good Quality socks aren't cheap, and there's a good chance you'll lose them. They feel amazing though. Brands like icebreaker or smartwool are good.
As mentioned above, layering is the key. Get a good base layer…merino again (doesn't stink as much) although if you're allergic to wool it's terrible.
Music is essential. If you don't get annoyed by them, get a couple of pairs of ear-buds that have the silicone around the bud. They block out clucking chickens on busses and noisy snorers in hostels. Alternately, a couple of pairs of earplugs. Roosters crow way before dawn…the bastards.
I went travelling before the whole ultra book and notebook and smart phone phase. Deffo helpful to have I guess, maybe something small, slim and portable would be your best bet.
If you're keen to save <$4, you can do your own washing, but it's cheap throughout the continent (with the exception of big cities in Colombia) and damn convenient.
The main thing to remember is you're going to be lugging a backpack around. You don't need to fill it with crap. You're not going to some backwater town that only has a general store. Almost anything you forget and need, you can buy there.
Any questions, pm me.
safe travels!
get a couple of pairs of ear-buds that have the silicone around the bud. They block out clucking chickens on busses and noisy snorers in hostels.
Noise cancelling earphones work well too. They do require batteries though, so if you can buy them.. a lot more quiet can be obtained fairly cheaply ;)
You can always buy clothes locally.
After backpacking for 5 years strait here is my list of esentials for what its worth
-good quality buletproof bordies
-outer shell jacket
-1 set of thermals
-headlamp
-leatherman
the rest that you will need are a dime a dozen the world over (I originaly left aus with so much crap… bivy sack, underwater cameras ect and after seeing my giant pack disapear from the top of a quarry truck hitchhiking in northern Lao and ending up with just the boardies I was wearing (with pasport and money) and an army helmet a vietnamise family gave me as they felt sorry for me… there are only a few things that you need… was acualy quite liberating really)
*dont buy gimmicky oudoors clothing (outer shell being the exception)
Unless you plan on doing extended multiday hikes that are off trail dont take hiking boots!!! if on trail runners or sandals are better :)
i travelled through eastern europe with this irish girl who had had her back pack pinched whilst camping in France. all she had was 2 small day packs of clothes. she didn't require anything else. it was, as you say, liberating. so many people backpack with a kitchen sink. minimal is easy.
i always, now, travel with the idea that "if everything i am carrying is stolen then would I care?"
I find so many people are always focusing on how their gear may be stolen while traveling… myself included many years ago… if you don’t care it really does let you enjoy many more things, such as going and doing something that you cant take your pack on where many people may choose not to as they do not want to leave their gear somewhere unsecure. Obviously cash is a little different…yet even that can be taken too far.. I remember staying in a dorm in Bangkok about 12 years ago there was this bloke from Ukrane there who would sleep on his cash… many times I would wake him as he had rolled over and spilt US $50 notes over the flaw :)
In saying this I do travel with a tablet now though.
I'm not so much thinking of just stolen.
lost is probably a better term.
e.g. "if i'm on a sinking ferry then would I care about the stuff I'm carrying" or "if I realise I'm in an illegitimate/bogus taxi and my back pack is in the boot then would I care about the stuff I'm carrying"
the stuff you carry should be expendable.
I'd get these over the ExOfficio they work a treat:
http://www.clevertravelcompanion.com/
I have a Bellroy passport wallet but that's only useful at the airport you don't want your passport potentially lifted day to day.
Also this is excellent:
For travelling light I've found 3/4 pants to be a good compromise between practicality and sensibility. You probably won't have this issue in South America, but just say you find yourself in the Middle East and other parts of Asia shorts won't cut it because the locals feel that grown men shouldn't be wearing shorts 'above the knee'. Why not just wear pants? Well most of these places are hot, and you want to be comfortable and mobile right? And if you're staying in hostels and washing your clothing in the bathroom wash basin, then less material is good, for quick drying.
I've had two pairs of these Prana Nemesis 3/4 pants for about five years now and they've been excellent. Super durable, quick drying, and casual but not too casual: http://www.prana.com/nemesis-knicker.html. I seem to remember them being $20-30 cheaper than they're advertised now, but no doubt you'll find many similar items in local camping and sports shops.
Honestly though, my suggestion is to not overthink it too much and rather than embarking on a mad rush to 'gear up' just travel with what you've got and are comfortable with and figure it out as you go along. Clothing can be easily purchased pretty much everywhere and the elegance picking stuff up as you go is that what the locals wear is often the most comfortable thing to wear in that place at that time of year. So when you're in South Western Turkey during a scorching summer: Get yourself some cheap and comfy cotton baggy pants; when you're in Berlin in Winter: pop into a local OP shop and grab some ski pants!
I'd give you some South American examples but I haven't been there yet. I'm sure you get my point though. Happy and safe travels!
PS: A thin pair of cottom pyjama pants roll up small, are light weight and make long plane trips and lazy days at hostels much more comfortable. You'd pick up a pair cheap at K-Mart or anywhere similar.
AND
The more garbage you lug around in your backpack, the less distance you can easily travel on foot and the more dependant you become on motorised transport. This limits your range and flexibility when travelling, and costs you money as you'll start chosing taxis over public transport because of your heavy and bulky pack. Take whatever you think you'll need but as you notice the items in your pack that lay dormant, don't be afraid to disguard (preferably, donate or give away) what you don't need. Extra stuff will just get in the way.
Travelling Europe out of a backpack for five months, the things I was most grateful I bought were these (some may be irrelevant for you, I was staying in hostels):
-thongs (especially if travelling cheaply… for use in nasty/all showers, and also possibly around hotel/hostel, or beach depending on where you're going)
-cable lock: I brought both a padlock and a cable lock. Padlock: for lockers in hostels. Cable lock: good for when there's no locker (attach to the bed or something else secure), or on long haul train rides to stop someone knicking your bag (make sure you're not taking up more room for your bag than necessary, and that your cable lock won't be in anyone's way)
-packing cubes: especially if you're using a top opening backpack instead of one of the ones that unzip like a suitcase. Saves your bag from turning into a chaotic disaster zone. I used one for undies + socks, another for clothes (like this: http://www.kathmandu.com.au/packs-and-bags/packing-solutions…
-ear plugs + eye mask. you might get these on the air plane over, though the eye mask you get will probably suck. Hearos is a good ear plug brand
-some sort of bag for laundry. I used something like this http://www.kathmandu.com.au/accessories/travel/packing-solut…
-if you're doing any hiking: good hiking shoes AND socks. I used two pairs at once (liner pair + outer pair), which is meant to prevent blisters, and I didn't get a single blister (and I walked the Camino, which is 800km, with a 12 kg backpack on).
-something (preferably a tablet, 7" is a good size if you don't already have one. I got the nexus, which was perfect) that you can get internet access on. So you can book accommodation, research places to eat/tour companies, and save yourself from becoming totally lost. You can also save your photos. Upload them online somewhere, so if your camera gets lost you don't lose your photos. For the nexus, you'll need an otg cable to do this (buy cheaply on eBay)
-i brought an A4 ziplock bag (the ones with double closure to try make it somewhat waterproof) to stuff down the bottom of my bag with my passport, flight tickets, emergency money, etc.
-don't overpack! You're not going to Antarctica… if you need something you didn't bring, chances are you'll be able to buy it.
Have fun!!!
Edit: if you're an ozbargainer, hopefully you know kathmandu full prices are totally bogus. You shouldn't need to buy too much from there, but when you do, make sure it's during one of their frequent "sales". Or go to a clearance outlet… I got some good deals from the DFO kathmandu.
Good tips. For the Camino, what backpack did you use?
Wen I went on a six month backpacking trip in Eastern Europe and south east Asia, I spent all my time reading onebag.com. Changed my life. I never take checked luggage now.
Highly recommend you have a look at Craighoppers, They make great outdoor clothing especially cargo pants. I've worn them hiking through snow, crossed rivers and thick forests. Their clothing dries really fast and depending on what you buy, they have mossie proof protection.
Pretty comfortable to wear during the summer time, very breathable.
If you can find some Columbia clothing, have a look at their "Omni Heat" jackets. They are great at keeping in warmth.
I've only done day hikes, do tell me how your long journey goes. I might do something similar one day when I have time on my hands.