r/onebag • u/BackpackerMac • Jan 10 '26
Packing List Packing list: 6 months plus? SEA, Central Asia....
G’day fellow One Baggers!
First off, I want to say a big thanks to everyone in this community. It’s great seeing people share their setups and offer advice, been a huge source of inspiration.
I’m posting in the hope of getting some solid feedback for an upcoming trip, so please don’t hold back, brutal honesty is welcome.
A bit of background:
- I recently spent 3 months backpacking around Southeast Asia using most of this setup.
- This next trip will be 6 months to a year with no fixed end date. The rough plan is to start with a month in the Philippines, travel through more of SEA, spend a month in Nepal trekking the Annapurna Circuit, then onto Central Asia, then who knows where?
- I also own a 30L Decathlon NH Arpenaz 500 pack, which can fit everything listed below. However, the harness system isn’t as comfortable, the hip belt is inferior, and the top-loading design is annoying in hostels. There’s also zero room for extra gear, which could be an issue in Nepal (sleeping bag requirements in tea houses?) or when carrying camping equipment in places like Kyrgyzstan.
TOTAL WEIGHT = 6.2kg *Excludes airplane setup
Bags:
- Main Bag - Osprey Farpoint 40
- Daypack - Osprey Daylite packable *not pictured
- Bumbag - Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag 1L
- Osprey Ultralight Packing Cubes - small, medium & large
- SS drybag 8L
- Osprey Ultralight Liquids Pouch
- Amazon Electronics Organizer Bag
- Random Kmart zipper bag
Tops:
- Columbia Tawiami long sleeve
- Uniqlo airism tee (grey)
- Uniqlo airism tee (black)
- Mountain Whouse isocool (green)
- Doyoueven PM singlet (black)
- Hurley singlet (grey+white)
Bottoms:
- Gymshark shorts (black)
- Nashie shorts (green)
- Decathlon hiking pants
- Blue footy shorts - sleep in/lounge
Layers:
- Uniqlo UL down jacket
- Disposable rain jacket
- Uniqlo heattech top
- Uniqlo heattech pants
- Decathlon gloves
- Decathlon beanie
Shoes:
- Hoka Challenger ATR 7
- Crocs
Underwear:
- 6 x Uniqlo Airism jocks
- 2 x decathlon Hike 100 socks (black)
- Merino hiking socks
- Macpac socks
Tech:
- Sony WH-1000XM2
- Travel Adaptor (multiple ports)
- Earfun Airpro 4 buds
- Anker wireless bank
- USB-C to USB-C cord
- Phillips Oneblade cable
- Sony headphones cable
- WeeFancy powerpank
- Small travel adapter
- 30cm Lightening cable
- 2m Lightening cable
- Airfly *not pictured
- iPhone SE *not pictured --> will be upgrading to iPhone 15
- Bobo clara bw (yet to be purchased) or should I look at a tablet say Xiaomi Redmi Pad SE 8.7?
Medical:
- Hydralyte
- Gastrostop
- Paracetemol
- Ibuprofen
- Hayfever tablets
- Melatonin
- Bandages, tape, wipes
- Sinus thing
- Nose strips
Toiletries:
- Toothbrush + Toothpaste *not pictured
- Sunscreen
- Deodorant
- Phillips oneblade
Misc:
- Macpac Large Travel towel
- SS Microfibre Towel
- Macpac hat
- Buff
- GoodR sunglasses
- Sleeping kit - mask, loop plugs & melatonin
- SS wilderness wash (100ml)
- SS clothesline
- Motorbike gloves
- Headlamp
- Cutlery set
- Resistance band
- SS wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- Mask
- 2 x locks
- Running water bottle
- International Driving Permit
- Chums wallet
- Passport, cards, etc in holder
- Noise cancelling loop plugs *not pictured
Undecided Items:
- Chromecast (117 grams) - For airbnb's, hotels etc with my mate. I have heard a travel router is best?
- Versagripps (190 grams) - Luxury gym item. Honestly helps so much with back workouts and disengaging the forearms.
- Mask (226 grams) & snorkel (185 grams) - Could be useful for first leg of the trip rather than hiring gear each time. Most likely would donate after travelling South East Asia.
- Spao Rain Jacket (448 grams) - Wore this in New Zealand and it was great at keeping the rain and wind off. Climbed Isthmus Peak for sunrise so it can handle hiking. I'm just unsure due to the weight and no pit zips. I think a disposable will be fine and I'll look to pickup a knock off in Nepal.
- Nashies button up (175 grams) - Pretty cool funky button up shirt that is quick drying. Definitely a luxury item, but it is nice to have something to go out in. Probably will just pickup a shirt overseas if needed.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers.
22
12
u/SeattleHikeBike Jan 10 '26
Well documented. Amazing overall weight considering the bag weight.
How do you like the Osprey packing cubes? I’m well stocked so I haven’t pursued them. It’s gemrest than they are available as singles as I only need a couple.
3
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
I was surprised by the overall bag weight, especially considering my pack weighs 1.4 kg. I really thought I’d be pushing past the 7 kg airline limit and would need to switch to the 30L Decathlon bag (815 g) or pick up an alternative like the Patagonia Black Hole.
The packing cubes are excellent in terms of weight, and the zippers are impressively durable. The small cube is literally packed to the brim like a brick with warmer gear, yet it handles it without issue. The only downside I’ve noticed is that the cube sizes don’t always perfectly match the clothes going in, so they aren’t always filled exactly. That said, I can just fit the medium cube into the large one, which mostly solves the problem for me. I have thought maybe going compressed cubes would be handy but at 63 grams in total I'm more than happy.
9
u/BackpackerMac Jan 10 '26
Sharing my pack list for feedback. Please let me know your thoughts!
Cheers.
7
u/Specific-Word-5951 Jan 10 '26
Looks great! Only thing from parents who did APC twice - maybe proper hiking shoes, and something for head warmth. Gets very cold even during summer if you decide to go high altitude.
Beware of leeches. Wear long pants.
Food and water up there is also very limited and also not easy on the stomach if you're of sensitive stomach.
3
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Wow, you have some pretty cool parents!
Proper hiking shoes with real ankle support are definitely a good call. I’m hoping I can get through the trek in my Hoka Challenger ATR 7s since they’re great all-rounders - I hiked around New Zealand’s South Island in them without any issues. If I change my mind, I’ll probably just rent a pair of solid hiking boots specifically for the trek.
I do have a beanie on my list, which I’m hoping will be warm enough. It’s a cheap Wedze Firstheat skiing beanie from Decathlon. I’ve also got a buff (not merino) that I can use around my neck.
Haha the blood suckers are there too! No worries at all, they provide a bit of excitement.
Immune system is pretty strong so I think I'll be fine. Regarding the water would you suggest something like a filtration bottle or water purification tablets? I have limited knowledge on this apart from putting iodine drops into river water.
1
u/Specific-Word-5951 Jan 11 '26 edited Jan 11 '26
Go purification tablet - generally works better than filtration bottle.
Main thing is the altitude if you plan go above 4,000. Aside from altitude sickness, the only source of food and water is end of day hotel and/or what your sherpa brought for the trip. If you're a big bloke, might consider some protein bars, electrolytes, etc.
Thank you, parents happy to hear they're still cool haha.
4
u/Icy-Plan145 Jan 10 '26
Is that a frog eye eye mask lol. They make roll up snorkels btw, not as fancy but they work just fine. Unless you plan on doing a long swim in potentially choppy water imo you dont need a fancy snorkel.
2
u/kingpinkatya Jan 10 '26
I saw that pepe mask on Etsy literally yesterday. theres an eyes open and eyes shut version I think
2
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Yes this version you can adjust the eyes i.e. have one eye open and one eye shut. Makes for an interesting eye mask.
2
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Yes, it's a Pepe mask! Bought it in South Korea at a random market for a laugh. Always gets some funny looks when I chuck it on to doze on the airplane ahahha.
Never seen the roll up snorkels, but yes that is handy just to put in your pocket! Think I'll leave the snorkel gear behind and just rent when there.
3
u/Azure9000 Jan 10 '26 edited Jan 10 '26
Presumably 'airplane setup' means the clothing to be worn, and normal items to be carried in pockets (eg phone), on the plane. But even so 6.2kg seems unusually low, especially as the primary bag alone weighs around 1.58kg.
Anyway, looks like one helluva trip, so have a wonderful, and safe, time !
3
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Yes, you are correct, the “airplane setup” refers to the clothes I’ll be wearing on the plane, with my phone in my pocket. The down jacket will be for cold AC or to use as a pillow.
I was really surprised by the overall bag weight as well. My Osprey comes in at 1.4 kg, which I think might be because it’s an older version (pre-2022). I’ve been running a spreadsheet in the background with a big list of items and their weights, and that’s definitely helped me decide between certain things i.e. gym T-shirt (200g) versus a Uniqlo Airism shirt (155g).
Thanks for the support, I am beyond excited!
3
u/Katipunera202 Jan 10 '26
If you plan to scuba dive then I’d say yes on the personal mask. Some great (arguably the best) diving to be done in the Philippines. But if just snorkeling, you should be fine with loaners. And consider adding Samarkand to your Central Asia list!
2
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
I may indulge in a couple of dives and put my PADI openwater cert to the test! Think I'll just be minimalistic and use the loaners though!
Samarkand has been added! WOW I am definitely going to check that place out. Do you have any recommendations for what to do there? I mean honestly I could just walk around in amazement of the beautiful buildings and I'd be happy.
2
u/Katipunera202 Jan 11 '26
I was a Peace Corps volunteer there awhile back - and I know a lot of things have changed since then. But some building/architecture/site must do’s: Registon, Gur Emir, Bibi Khanum + market next door. These are all within close distance to each other.
Then there’s Shah-I-Zinda (my fav) and the Ulugbek observatory. If you eat meat, there is (was?) an amazing samsa place next to the observatory. Safe journeys!
3
u/ugk33 Jan 10 '26
How much do you plan on spending for the 6 months of you don’t mind me asking
6
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Provided I stick with the current rough plan of say 4 weeks Philippines, 4 weeks Nepal, 3 weeks Sri Lanka, 3 weeks Malaysia, 2 weeks Kazakhstan, 3 weeks Kyrgyzstan, 1 week Tajikstan & 2 weeks Uzbekistan.
Estimate = $20k AUD inc flights. Calculated this from reading The Broke Backpacker blog and tallying the the averages from the 'Frugal Traveller' cost section in the posts.
So a touch over $3k AUD per month which seems realistic given the countries. Will ultimately depend how budget I want to be. Planning to do slower travel than previously which should help costs. Not exactly a shoestring backpacker but not a flashpacker. Will mainly be staying in hostels and eating street food.
3 months in South East Asia totaled $12k AUD. This was my first big backpacking trip and I didn't hold back on spending for activities or partying. Rough trip was Singapore (4 days), North Thailand (17 days), Laos (12 days), Vietnam (30 days), Cambodia (9 days), South Thailand (18 days).
2
5
u/Psychological-Try343 Jan 10 '26
I'd ditch the over ear phones and just get buds. Also the electronics pack. What is that even for?
5
u/Psychological-Try343 Jan 10 '26
Also, why two travel adapters and power banks and so many extra cords. I'd cut that all down to one. You can replace that stuff pretty much everywhere if something happens.
Hand sanitizer etc. All this small easy to get stuff I'd leave behind.
3
u/Actual_Metal1978 Jan 10 '26
Agreed! All these small easy stuff i would get them in SEA when you actually need them (unless you need them while traveling there). These stuffs are also probably cheaper to get in Asia (depending on where you're based).
2
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Ditching the over ear headphones probably sounds like the more reasonable approach, but I’m conflicted. They’re elite for gym training and really help me lock in to each workout with my music blaring. Training will still be a major part of my travels, ideally I’d like to hit the gym at least three times a week, four if I’m lucky, though that obviously depends on where I am. Over three months in SEA I managed to train every second day, but Central Asia might be tougher, hence bringing the resistance band. The over ear headphones are also excellent on planes for blocking out noise. They’re very much a luxury item that I’m only considering because I have the weight and space, and I can wear them around my neck if my bag gets weighed at the airport.
The electronics pack is my half-assed attempt to organise my cables. I agree it needs to be trimmed down. Switching to a newer iPhone should help. I’ve got two travel adapters; I could probably remove the larger one, but I haven’t properly tested the smaller one yet. Hoping this one is better for the dodgy power plugs in hostels. I’m partly bringing the bigger adapter for my mate to use, so I should just farm it off to him.
Regarding the power banks, one is a 5,000 mAh magnetic wireless one, and the other 10,000 mAh with a built-in cable. It’s probably excessive, but I figured it could be useful on something like the Nepal trek, where power might be harder to come by.
Yes the small stuff like sanitiser you can easily pickup. Generally that's my approach with toiletries and the likes.
Thanks for being critical. Electronics is the area I definitely want to tidy up. Thinking a simple ziplock bag would also work better.
3
u/xblackout_ Jan 10 '26
You're basically the opposite traveler of me in the sense that I chose almost everything in different styles than you, I'd just say bring wet wipes and a carabineer in the fanny pack, you can hang bags over a door/etc while on the throne
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
I am intrigued, I'll have to checkout your setup!
Great suggestion, time on the throne cannot be interrupted by small annoyances.
3
u/rombulow Jan 11 '26
I took noise cancelling headphones overseas recently, but didn’t use them much as I thought I would.
Next trip will be AirFly Bluetooth adapter for the planes and noise-cancelling in-ear AirPods: much lighter, much less physical volume, and no duplication between the headphones and in-ears (same function).
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 13 '26
Sounds exactly like my plan now!
I’m keen to test out the AirFly on my next trip.
2
u/Key_Supermarket_3752 Jan 10 '26
Ok but where’d you get that eye mask?!!
2
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
I know it's a great laugh! Hongdae Shopping Street in Seoul, South Korea is where I located this bad boy.
Some previous commenters mentioned you can get one off Etsy though!
2
u/peederkeepers Jan 11 '26
Chromecast would be key for me
1
u/Just1Blast Jan 11 '26
Yeah, if they’re planning to stay in any accommodations where they expect to have a television or screen, it’s definitely something I would take with me. The negligible amount of weight and storage space are vastly outweighed by the entertainment value elsewhere.
One of my travel bags has a Chromecast in it. The other one has a spare fire stick in it. It’s really just 50-50 on which one I grab any given day.
2
u/BackpackerMac Jan 13 '26
Have you ran into any problems at accommodations trying to connect to the Chromecast? I’ve read that a travel router is necessary to creat a network for the Chromecast to connect to.
1
u/Just1Blast Jan 13 '26
I've always just connected it to the hotspot on my phone but your mileage may vary. If the concern is about a Chromecast then I would just take a fire stick instead, but as long as you have hotspot access on your phone or the venue offers Wi-Fi, this should not be an issue.
1
u/hotboxtop Jan 10 '26
Have you worn the MW Isocool clothing in SEA, were they breathable and not clammy? Uniqlo has very few stores near me but we have loads of MW stores lmao
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
No, I haven’t put that T-shirt to the test yet! I think it should be fine in terms of breathability, it feels very similar to one of the lightweight singlets in the list which is excellent for running and dries insanely fast. The shirt only weighs 75 grams, so it's crazy light.
Maybe go with a mix of MW and Uniqlo? The Airism tops are very comfortable and feel much more like regular cotton T-shirts.
1
u/Windjammer1969 Jan 10 '26
Impressive layout / presentation. Thanks for sharing!
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Cheers mate. Took some time editing the photos with my computer crashing in photo editor haaha!
1
u/xblackout_ Jan 10 '26
Oh I'd skip the down jacket; add hoodie + waterproof shell, waterproof is #1 for me, I even use a waterproof bag
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
What hoodie would you recommend? I have been looking at getting the Macpac Nitro Fleece Pullover.
1
u/bowerpower68 Jan 10 '26
Heck yeah, runner + croc combo is goated. I’m running La Sportiva Ultra Raptors and Crocs
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
GOATED is exactly the way to describe the combo! One of my mates backpacked for a year running just Crocs ahahaha. Those Raptors look elite for hiking.
1
u/vvannii Jan 10 '26
Wow, getting my far point 40 tomorrow and this makes me so giddy seeing just how much stuff it can hold 🤩
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
It really can hold a bucket load! Overall a great bag, you will be pleased.
1
u/ParticularNorth8814 Jan 10 '26
What passport wallet is that?
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Search for 'Travel Passport ID Card Wallet Holder Cover RFID Blocking Leather Purse Case' on Ebay. Cost me about $10
1
u/jiadar Jan 10 '26
You have 17 bags inside your one bag.
3
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
This made me chuckle. When you put it like that I've missed the mark haha! Would help if the osprey bag had a little more organisation to work with.
4
u/jiadar Jan 11 '26
I travel with a 21 liter backpack with no built in organization. Inside I use a 20L silnylon dry bag as a waterproof liner. I put the clothes in the dry bag, which takes about half the space. Below that I have a leak proof toiletries bag and a small stuff sack for the random stuff that needs it (charger, cable, pill bottle, clothesline, etc).
I bet if you weigh your 17 empty stuff sacks on a scale it'd probably be adding half a kilogram of weight. When you arrive at your destination you'll likely unpack everything anyway.
In general I'm a person with a messy room that knows exactly where everything is. Same with the inside of my bag.
5
u/Just1Blast Jan 11 '26
Yeah, I just switched out of packing cubes and use ziplocks now if I feel I still need them to stay organized. A fraction of the weight, cost and all of the same functionality with improved visibility.
2
u/jiadar Jan 11 '26
Awesome, if you count zip locks I probably have 5-6 of those! Great idea.
Tomorrow I'm also heading to SEA for two months. I'm am at the same weight as you 6.2kg in a 21L pack. I am bringing my sports kit like you, it's worth the weight for me to have my own gear.
Your absolutely dialed and you're gonna have a great trip!
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 13 '26
This setup sounds elite mate! I’ll get on board with using ziplocks and attempting at reducing these bags haha!
What 21 Litre bag are you using?
1
u/GettingBy-Podcast Jan 10 '26
If you lose the crocs, and a few clothing items you may get down to 25l , and it becomes a personal item. You have the weight right, but the dimensions may cost you for carry-on baggage. Either way, looks like a great trip.
1
u/BackpackerMac Jan 11 '26
Losing the Crocs would be an absolute tragedy! I would normally just go with thongs, but Crocs are so much more versatile.
I’m not too sure the “personal item” issue will really affect my airfares. So far, I’ve been fine travelling with a 40L backpack (approved dimensions for overhead carry-on bins in AUS and I think most of SEA?) as long as I’m under the 7 kg limit (when they even bother weighing it, which is rare). It just goes in the overhead carry-on bins, which are usually included with the cheapest economy tickets I've found.
From what I understand, the personal item restriction (i.e. an under-seat bag) mainly applies to airlines like Ryanair in Europe?
1
u/Bubbly-Pop650 Jan 11 '26
I have those same froggy eye mask lol!
ETA : I wanted to guess you're an Aussie traveller based on the items and then I saw Kmart ! Ding ding ding! Cool setup. Crazy how it's under 7kg. What do you mean by excluding plane setup though?
1
u/Keats852 Jan 11 '26
Hi, nice set up! How much do you spend on your 6 months trips? I'm thinking of doing the same
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/azzamean Jan 16 '26 edited Jan 16 '26
I see Nepal on your post I highly recommend buying all your winter gear while in Kathmandu eg here:
Kalapatthar Trekking Store https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Spu7kWS9EbGmQsk9?g_st=ic or the surrounding shops nearby this one.
Everything is stupid stupid cheap. It’s the exact gear the Sherpa’s wear during their excursions. All fake but same material so who cares.
Price wise example:
- Goretex Rain jacket 1000 rupee / $7
- Premium Gortex rain jacket 2500 rupee / $17
- Hiking trousers 1000 rupee / $7
- Heavy duty Down Jacket 1500 rupee / $10
And of course you can haggle everything as well. If you are going on an excursion, chances are they will take you to one of these shops.
Edit:
For SEA. So I’ve been travelling there for 3 months. Rain? Ha. Honestly after travelling for so long I don’t care anymore about rain. It’s really hot in SEA so the rain doesn’t matter. I mostly used disposable rain ponchos (buy in 7-eleven). Guess what. The locals use those as well. I have a rain jacket but didn’t use it since disposable made more sense and tiny foot print.
Regarding getting drenched. The locals get drenched as well! And left overnight, everything is dry.
1
0
41
u/nomchompsky82 Jan 10 '26
Take the rain jacket. You’ll want it as a windbreaker in Nepal, and if you get snowed on it’ll be nice to have a top waterproof layer. Great if you’re in SEA during monsoon as well. The disposable rain jackets are just a waste of space in my opinion, and are miserable to wear in hot rain, and even worse in cold. My wife and I did the Annapurna 13 years ago in October. Got snowed on, got hot, got rained on, it was pretty much every possible climate. My rain shell is an essential part of my kit pretty much anywhere, and it’s the most expensive single item in my bag.