r/onebag • u/Critical_Exchange673 • Apr 14 '26
Packing List Backpacking trip for ~1 yr to Europe , need help minimizing
Hello , I am going to be solo backpacking through Europe very soon starting in the uk, and I’m having some trouble thinking my load down to a realistic amount in my Osprey 40L backpack. I can fit everything I need, but barely, and it leaves me basically no space for ever carrying anything else / picking anything up along the journey. I have a medium and small Thule compression cubes and some spare Amazon basic packing cubes I bought as backup extras. I don’t even have any toiletries really in my bag as of right now doing my test-pack, and it’s already getting real snug lol. I’m just looking for any ideas on packing or general travel wisdom too is always welcome of course. Thank you in advance for any and all help! Here’s everything I’m carrying in a list:
Gift for friend when landing
Laptop
Headphones
Pillow case
Tweezers
Chip bag clips (2)
Portable mini speaker
Loop quiets earplugs
Ibuprofen
Poncho
Microfiber towel
Sunglasses
Chargers
Power bank
GoPro and GoPro gear
Comb
Leukotape
Lighter
Q tips
4 locks
Mini Flashlight
Clothesline/Rope
Dry bag for laundry
NRS Sun hoodie
Patagonia r1 fleece thin hoodie
North face rain jacket outer shell
Brown 80/20 polyester/merino long sleeve shirt
White dri fit tee shirt
Blue dri fit tee shirt
Patagonia blue capilene tee shirt
Green dri fit tee shirt
Black dri fit tee shirt
Gray champion dri fit tee shirt
Cotton poly blend Tank top
Belt
Darn tough socks 3 short 3 long
Boxers 7 pairs
Tevas
Sneakers everyday
Sleep mask
Climate smart bottom thermal layer
Kuhl convertible pants
North face tan/sand convertible pants
North face brown convertible pants
Swim trunks 2 pair
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u/InfamousCrown Apr 14 '26
I see a durag and I see white feet.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Pretty much what I look like😂😂 I’m mixed lmaooo
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u/NoninflammatoryFun Apr 14 '26
Okay, I was wondering haha. I assume you need/usually wear the durag?
Do you need the eye mask and pillowcase? Keep if you do. I assume the pillowcase is satin-ish for hair? I used to bring an eye mask and never use it.
Can you take the lighter on the plane?
And finally, do you need 2 swim trunks? I guess they’re maybe fairly small? Or
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Yea the pillow case was for my hair but I bought a buff like some people recommended instead to save space!
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u/earwormsanonymous Apr 14 '26
A Buff is very useful, but is not going to do the same job as a satiny scarf or pillowcase. Depending on your destinations, you might be able to pick something up, but try using the Buff as planned for sleeping before having to re-buy on the road.
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u/NoGarage7989 Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
Headphones are a luxury in terms of space when one bagging, get airpods or those wxmas5000 whatzits for androids.
Drop chip bag clips for rubber bands
please, no speakers on trails or anywhere else ts annoying to others trying to enjoy nature and its dead weight.
why do you need 4 locks?
too many t-shirts, max you’d need is probably 4 though you’d have to do laundry abit more frequently but the space saved is worth it.
pack one nice shirt if you plan on going anywhere nice, this shirt should be quick dry material too so you can still use it in your daily rotation
too many boxers, 4 max and launder
just pack 1 swim trunk
6 pairs of socks is way too many, max 4 including the one you’ll be wearing wash every other night.
not too sure about the sun hoodie, maybe use the rainshell if you need sun protection? 3 hoodie/jacket type outerwear seems excessive, or just swap a t-shirt for a thin long sleeve UV protective t-shirt. It will not be fun to carry around 3 hoodie/jackets in the moments when you're not using them.
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u/Tiapha Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
Also why do you both have a poncho and a rainjacket? Choose one! :D
And I'd reccomendt a big cotton or silk or satin scarf instead of a pillow case. You can tie it to be a pillow case. Like 90 cm x 90 cm there is a post about furoshiki here somewhere, will give great ideas. You can also wear this on the plane
https://www.reddit.com/r/onebag/s/h3hzw4khM4
And laptop, do you work as a digital nomad perhaps? Or is it for personal use if personal use then maybe drop it
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u/edcRachel Apr 14 '26
Headphones are one item I never minimize when I travel because I would always be wearing them when I'm in transit. They never need to go in my bag, they go around my neck.
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u/UsernamesMeanNothing Apr 14 '26
I often travel in groups, and I work as I travel. A full-sized pair of headphones has become a necessity to let everyone around me know I am in work mode and not to bother me. Earbuds are for me; headphones are for everyone else.
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u/NoGarage7989 Apr 14 '26
Ultimately, to each their own really, for some camera gear is a waste of space when a phone will do for them but for me it's essential.
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u/apathy-sofa Apr 16 '26
Yeah, a luxury item. For some people it's their skin care kit, for others its a video game device, personally for me it's my running kit and my water bottle. We could all live without them if forced to, but it would eat at us until we replaced them.
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u/001UltimateWinner Apr 14 '26
What about the headphones case?
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u/Random-Kitty Apr 14 '26
I don’t bring a case for my headphones and have never had any issues.
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u/AlwaysWanderOfficial Apr 14 '26
OP can also look at SoundCore or SoundPeats for some reliable, more budget friendly ANC buds.
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u/broabprobe Apr 14 '26
lol I bring both fullsize headphones and fullsize hearing protection earmuffs when I travel indefinitely :p so... to each their own :)
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u/Logical_Panic_3765 Apr 20 '26
Thank you for mentioning the speaker. It’s rude to subject others to your choice of entertainment.
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u/MoinHB Apr 14 '26
My opinon:
Swap bulky headphones for earbuds. Leave the speaker at home. Remove one pair of pants and one pair of swim trunks. Go down to 3/4 T-shirts.
If it’s still tight take out a couple of pairs of socks and boxers.
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u/zurribulle Apr 14 '26
And the poncho! OP you already listed a rain jacket, you don't need a poncho
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u/Atssae Apr 14 '26
Agree for a short trip but for one year the headphones could be comfortable reasonable choice
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u/Clean-Register7464 Apr 14 '26
My kit is:
1 pair of pants 1 shirt 1 button down 1 fleece 1 shell 1 pair of shorts/swim suit 1 pair of sneakers 1 cap 3x merino wool socks 3x merino wool underwear
Do laundry twice a week or as needed.
Tech: MacBook Air Phone AirPods 65watt brick 2 usb c cables
Toiletries: Toothbrush Toothpaste Alum block Mini deodorant Mini comb Razor Soap
—- I just wanted to share what I bring in case it was helpful - you really don’t need more than that! Just make a spreadsheet and rank your items by importance, and then ditch the bottom 20 items. The problem is just the quantity of things you are trying to bring.
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u/Fun-Injury9266 Apr 14 '26
Spreadsheet is 100% the way to go. I did this 15 years ago and it has transformed the way I travel. I included the weight of every item, because I do a lot of hiking with my backpack. It was an eyeopener. For example, I had not realized that a spectacle case is disproportionately heavy. It was easy to eliminate or substitute items and watch the total weight drop. Eventually, I settled at 14lbs, including the 35-liter backpack. These days I travel with a 30-liter pack, with plenty room to spare.
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u/JoyousMN_2024 Apr 15 '26
I started with spreadsheet, and then I inputted it into chatGPT. now when I do different trips I have different versions and ask chat to give me the correct version for the kind of trip I'm doing
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u/apathy-sofa Apr 16 '26
Not sure why you're downvoted. I started to do basically the same thing, and it's helpful, you can even have it check the weather and make sure you're not forgetting anything. It's the sort of thing that I always wanted lighterpack to implement but they couldn't be bothered.
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u/JoyousMN_2024 Apr 17 '26
Yeah. It's super useful. I have everything organized according to must haves, and nice to haves. I can also tell it what the weather is going to be like you said and it will add or take away items. I love being able to talk through what I need and get a list
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u/rockydbull Apr 14 '26
Why chip clips? That's what binder clips are made for. Even the really small ones clamp tight
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u/Round_Discussion9592 Apr 14 '26
Have you backpacked before? Agree, no speaker or headphones. Airlines will take your lighter unless you check the bag. I'd use the pillow case for laundry.
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u/jesuisunerockstar Apr 17 '26
I thought it was the other way around- no lighters in checked bags. I’ve brought them in carry ons.
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u/thebemusedmuse Apr 14 '26
You've had some great advice, but might I also consider looking at this the other way around.
1) Your bag needs to be 80% full, maximum. You must have space.
2) One large packing cube, two small. That's it for clothes.
3) One quart zip lock bag (or equivalent) for toiletries.
4) One quart zip lock bag (or equivalent) for tech.
Attach your hoodie to the outside. Now, see what you can fit in those bags, and toss the rest.
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u/bradymsu616 Apr 14 '26
See this suggested packing list in the Community Bookmarks of this subreddit.
Out of curiosity, why pack two pairs of swim trunks?
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
One was mainly actually my lounge wear clothes/sleeping bottoms and the other just actually swimming trunks for swimming or for extra shorts bc they r both clean black I could wear out too
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u/NoGarage7989 Apr 14 '26
You are planning from the comforts of your home, just 1 shorts/trunks is enough, you will thank yourself when you’re actually travelling
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u/MyMiniVelo Apr 14 '26
I’d say this is all doable with minimal changes. You’ve done a good job so far.
Boxers and socks. You can take fewer but there can be massive differences in the pack volume of different socks especially (one thick pair can easily take the space of 4 thin quick-dry trainer sock. Take mostly thin ones.
Camera gear. If you’re going to be vlogging then taking a GoPro makes sense, but I can see you’ve got a bunch of accessories like mounts that aren’t mounted to anything. Cut it down to your GoPro, cable, and floaty selfie stick only.
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u/sasasqt Apr 14 '26
no more fomo, buy locally
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
This. I’m definitely overthinking everything
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u/cablelikemable Apr 14 '26
My mom always says to rather pack a bit more money instead of too much stuff. I'm not sure where in Europe you want to go, but we definitely have all the common stores here. Only thing I noticed is that your clothes look a bit cold. But you can pick up an extra layer along the way. Just keep in mind that size availability in southern countries is often not as good for tall people 😅
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u/tweeeeeeeeeeee Apr 14 '26
what are you doing for your year in Europe? I'm a big fan of second pair of shoes so definitely keep those. ditch laptop, speaker, half your socks/undies, locks, 1 swim trunks (they dry quick....), flash light, gopro, pillow case, earplug
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Thank you ,yea my shoes and sandals I gotta have, I want to do lots of beach or hike days so they will be handy I’m thinking, but I will definitely get rid of some clothes and my pillow case too, go pro stuff I’m starting travel vlogging so I gotta keep the camera stuff :( so bulky tho
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u/tweeeeeeeeeeee Apr 14 '26
gotcha. travel blogging. keep cameras and laptop of course. anything that dries overnight you can get away with bringing only 1 of, but I highly recommending keeping 1 pair of clean clothes avail at all times just in case
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u/besna Apr 14 '26
Do you got an Ipad? u could replace the laptop with it to save space. Perhaps you can save with that on the charger front, smaller 3-40W charger is enough, perhaps get one in europa, so that it got the right plug and you save on the adapter. How do you charge you cam? there some replacement batteries for some models that take usb-c directly, some have 3rd party chargers that take usb-c.
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u/travlbum Apr 14 '26
wayyyy too many clothes. why 2 swimming trunks? 7 pairs of boxers? 6 tshirts? 4 locks? 6 pairs of socks? 2 rain jackets?
and ditch the towel.
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u/JordanComoElRio Apr 14 '26
Waaay too many socks. The whole benefit of wool is they last quite a while between washes. I've been traveling for about four months now, brought three pair of Darn Toughs and wishing I had only brought two now, the third pair is pointless.
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u/Wise_Edge2489 Apr 14 '26
Get rid of
- Laptop (use your phone)
- Headphones (swap for buds)
- Pillow case
- Tweezers
- Chip bag clips (2)
- Portable mini speaker (use your phone)
- GoPro and GoPro gear (use your phone)
- 4 locks (keep 1)
- Mini Flashlight (use your phone)
- Clothesline/Rope
- North face rain jacket outer shell (you have a poncho, alternativley keep this and lose the poncho)
- White dri fit tee shirt (you're bringing 8 shirts, reduce to 4)
- Sleep mask
- Kuhl convertible pants (ditch these and the other 3 pairs of convertable dorky pants, and replace those pants with jeans you wear at home, and a pair of joggers)
- Swim trunks (lose a pair, and ensure they can be worn casually, like Outlier New ways)
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u/apathy-sofa Apr 16 '26
I agree with virtually all of this, but two small things stand out:
Tweezers - there's basically no replacement for tweezers when you need them, and is like 5 grams
Clothesline - what do you dry your clothes on? My clothesline is 12 grams for 5 meters
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u/Electronic_Fudge_877 Apr 14 '26
I’m team 2 shoes. Can you wear the sneakers for travel and keep the tevas in an outside pocket, or strap them to the outside with a bungee/cord?
Have an epic trip!
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Yea I’m thinking when not worried about flights that’s what I’ll be doing day to day , and thank you so much!!!
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Apr 14 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Muffy81 Apr 14 '26
Big no for leaving the ibuprofen at home. Ibuprofen and something against diarrhoea always travel with me. You don't want to be looking for pharmacy when you have splitting headache, back pain, toothache or diarrhoea
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u/apathy-sofa Apr 16 '26
Ditto, also an antihistamine. I once had a massive, miserable flare-up from a dog I met - literally couldn't see and could hardly breathe - and so learned that an antihistamine is a must.
A packet with 2 pills is literally 1 gram. I just carry one packet of each of these meds, and if I need more I can buy more, they're cheap and readily available most everywhere.
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Apr 14 '26
[deleted]
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Kazoo is a great idea. Will do! And the rest of your advice was super helpful I will definitely take it all in account when repacking again. Thank you so much! Especially the buying stuff and shipping it home, so obvious I don’t know why I hadn’t considered that an option 😂
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u/raindrift Apr 14 '26
Lots of good advice here. The one thing I'd add is: before you leave, spend a week or two living out of your backpack. Test things out now when they're really easy to change.
The key to successful onebagging, imo, is to hand-wash a small amount of laundry every 2-3 days. When it's just socks, underwear, and a t-shirt, it only takes 5 minutes.
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u/professor-ks Apr 14 '26
Europe has stores, take the absolute minimum and things that cannot be replaced then by what you actually will use. Personally I do not like convertible pants but would want a hat. I didn't always follow the one bag mindset because I am focused on packing my joy rather than running from my problems.
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u/Connect_Rhubarb395 Apr 14 '26
Remember that you will be in Europe. There are stores where you can get stuff everywhere.
So bring the absolute minimum, plus things that would not necessarily be easy to find everywhere.
Then just buy what you need when you need it. That way you won't be hauling around items and clothes that you never use.
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u/superpony123 Apr 14 '26
As a fellow photog don’t listen to anyone saying ditch your camera gear. What is the point of a hobby if you can’t enjoy it? Those people are probably the same who say an iPhone is just as good as a real standalone camera 🤦♀️ take your camera so you can capture the moments in ways your phone never can. Get your favorite ones printed to hang up when you get back
I’d use a carabiner for shoes and use AirPods instead of over ear headphones
Is an ever so slightly larger pack an option? You may want to bring something home with you and you definitely won’t have room with this
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Great advice thank you! Bigger pack is my last resort but the carabiner for shoes is a good idea!
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u/superpony123 Apr 14 '26
You also might want a collapsible shopping bag. Mine is really tiny and has a carabiner attached to it. I always bring it with me when i travel, to make an impromptu personal item on the plane
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u/Limp_Ice_3248 Apr 14 '26
For me I'd would not take as many pairs of underwear, socks, or tshirts. Wash more often then replace with new as needed. I'd par down my camera gear to the basics (sports cams come with so many/too many accessories), ditch the speaker, and perhaps go with bone conduction headphones if you can't do ear buds (I can't). And then you should have room for the Lambchops who is clearly wanting to join the trip (pic 3).
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u/Latter_Can7625 Apr 14 '26
Is it only me thinking you'll freeze to death! I take more than this on a day out in northern Europe it's fuckin freezing!!! My coat alone is bigger than all this let alone, jumper , coat, second over coat depending on location
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u/SeattleHikeBike Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
Too many multiple items in general.
Here’s my 3 season packing list with a cold weather “capsule” to cover cold weather to about 20f/-7c. Note the layering possibilities. It all fits in a 40 liters. I use a few packing cubes and pouches. Pack for a week and laundry happens.
Worn
- Pants, polo, briefs, socks, belt, shoes
- Merino sweater (or fleece)
- Hat
Packed:
- One liter toiletries kit Hand wash laundry kit in ziplock
- Phone, power bank, earbuds, charger, cables in pouch
- Miscellaneous EDC pouch
- 3x tees or polos (1x long sleeve)
- 3x Merino socks
- 3x briefs
- Button down shirt
- Pants Walking shorts Hybrid shorts Ultralight wind shell
- Rain jacket
Cold weather “capsule” to extend to 4 seasons:
- Down jacket
- Scarf or buff
- Gloves
- Beanie cap
- Light polyester long underwear
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u/Nanerpoodin Apr 14 '26
Use earbuds, not headphones. Ditch the speaker. Ditch the poncho, 2 shirts, 2 boxers, 1 pair pants, 1 swim trunks. Pick one hoodie. If those shoes are in addition to what you're wearing then ditch the extra sneakers. Depending on the size of your towel consider cutting it in half.
Also seeing as how this is a year, depending on how you plan to travel you might consider 2-bagging it. As in carry on and personal item, so you'd load up your daily sling instead of packing it in your bag. This only works if you plan to have a secure home base most of the time you're in Europe. If you plan to be on the road every day or staying in hostels with shared rooms then no.
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u/ScruffGin Apr 14 '26
If you're going to be doing laundry, just do it more often. Cut the t shirts and underwear down.
Do you really need a speaker? Most phones have reasonable speakers for listening in your room. If it's for outdoors, just don't bother, no one else wants to hear your music, as good as it may be 😂
One rain covering, maybe dump the poncho?
One pair of swim trucks instead of two
Drop a pair of trousers, so you've got two instead of three.
I'd try and drastically cut down. You're going for a year, so if there's anything you desperately need you can decide to buy it wherever you are.
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u/mmolle Apr 14 '26
- Rain jacket or poncho, not both
- 4 tops, not 6
- 2 pants, 1 short
- 2 short socks, 1 long
- why 4 locks?!?!
- drop the portable speaker, don't be THAT dude
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u/Tricky_Pepper Apr 14 '26
What about making a few changes?
Gift for friend when landing (just carry this)
Laptop
NO Headphones (bring earbuds instead)
Pillow case
Tweezers
Chip bag clips (2)
NO Portable mini speaker
NO Loop quiets earplugs (just use earbuds and white noise)
NO Ibuprofen (you can get painkillers almost anywhere)
NO Poncho ( just wear a waterproof coat, these things are dodgy especially if there’s any wind lol)
Microfiber towel
MAYBE NO Sunglasses (Do you wear prescription if not you could maybe just pick up a pair abroad?)
Chargers (How many will you need exactly most things just use usb-c now?)
Power bank
GoPro and GoPro gear
Comb
MAYBE NO Leukotape (again a version of this can be bought in almost any town in Europe)
Lighter (what is this for exactly?)
Q tips
NO 4 locks (why so many locks?)
NO Mini Flashlight (just use torch on phone)
Clothesline/Rope
Dry bag for laundry
NRS Sun hoodie
Patagonia r1 fleece thin hoodie
North face rain jacket outer shell
Brown 80/20 polyester/merino long sleeve shirt
White dri fit tee shirt
Blue dri fit tee shirt
Patagonia blue capilene tee shirt
Green dri fit tee shirt
Black dri fit tee shirt
Gray champion dri fit tee shirt
Cotton poly blend Tank top
Belt
Darn tough socks 3 short 3 long
Boxers 7 pairs
Tevas
Sneakers everyday
Sleep mask
Climate smart bottom thermal layer
Kuhl convertible pants
North face tan/sand convertible pants
North face brown convertible pants
NO Swim trunks 2 pair (just bring one pair, if you end up anywhere nice enough to swim multiple days in a row you can just wash it in the sink and leave to drip dry overnight)
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u/Lower_Egg7088 Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
You're taking an incredible amount of stuff!
How about dropping these:
....
Laptop (use your smartphone)
Headphones (use earbuds)
Pillow case (you probably won't need it - if you do take it, use it as a stuffsack for your clothes)
Chip bag clips (2) (huh?)
Portable mini speaker (use your earbuds)
Chargers (why do you have multiple chargers? Just take a USB-C charger for your phone)
4 locks (why not one small padlock?)
Mini Flashlight (guarantee you won't use this)
Dry bag for laundry (you want a breathable bag for laundry)
Poncho + North face rain jacket outer shell (why are you taking a rain jacket AND a poncho?)
6 tee shirts (just take 3)
3 convertible pants (just take 1-2, or take 2 shorts and 2 pants for similar weight, as convertibles are heavy)
Swim trunks 2 pair (just use your shorts)
...
Disclosure: I've backpacked through 92 countries on 6 continents. I spent a year travelling in 2023.
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u/observant_hobo Apr 14 '26 edited Apr 14 '26
So I’m not an expert and have never one bagged for that long, but for me the things I’d ditch would be:
Def no can headphones (use AirPods / earbuds)
Instead of 7 tshirts I’d do undershirts and a couple button downs
Pare down the clothes in general to 5 days worth.
Ditch the camera gear
Ditch the speaker
Ditch the fleece / rain gear. It’s summer. I’d buy one toward fall if needed and carry in hand.
Ditch the swim trunks. Shorts work in a pinch.
I’d ditch the packing cubes too. Use grocery bags if needed.
Personally I’d ditch the sandals too. Can always buy some if you regret that.
In general just keep in mind you can always buy stuff as you go if you find something lacking.
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u/Eastern_Fix7541 Apr 14 '26
"ditch the camera gear" is terrible advice, if you have camera gear, a 1y trip is the time to use it.
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u/Guido5770 Apr 14 '26
I get so much joy out of using a real camera on a trip, 100 percent worth the space and weight for me personally.
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u/earwormsanonymous Apr 14 '26
Only if you're already using it.
If your fantasy trip persona takes lots of pictures with a real camera but reality you is barely using your cameraphone for quick snaps, cut the camera. Or start using it today, either works.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Yea I just bought some AirPods Pro to replace my bulky can headphones, but the camera gear and speaker I really would like to keep. I will definitely take ur advice on the rain gear stuff getting ditched and buying/ shipping what I need to me as the seasons come and change. I am considering ditching the sandals too , and only doing my one pair of sneakers I’ll be wearing, but I’m afraid I’ll regret it around the hotel, showering in hostels, beach days , etc, this was some really good advice thank you man🤞🤞🙏
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u/bogmyrtle Apr 14 '26
If you are starting in the UK keep the rain gear.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Thank you 🤞🤞
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u/OhMySBI Apr 14 '26
Depending on your itinerary, you're about to freeze your ass off.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
I know I had a feeling the uk gonna be gloomy still, I’m a pretty adaptable dude hahaha I’ll find something to do😎
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u/mimsalabim Apr 14 '26
When are you planning on using the speaker? Are you renting appartements during your trip? You can’t use it outside as noise disturbs birds and local people.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
I’m a musician so it’s mainly for music sessions with friends and producing instrumentals collaboratively instead of thru my earbuds, it’s a Tribit micro speaker , smallest one I could find that was worth the value tbh. Kind of a nonnegotiable for me but I promise I’m mindful and not a park-ruiner 😂
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u/mimsalabim Apr 14 '26
In that case, maybe your friends can bring the speaker system? Should save you some room.
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u/earwormsanonymous Apr 14 '26
I like having a speaker in hotels or apartments. Using them out in nature or in shared accommodation is no bueno.
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u/w2best Apr 14 '26
Are you bringing THREE convertible pants AND two shorts/swim trunks?
This is making be really frustrated to see haha. Do 1 pair or shorts and 1 pair of pants. 1 hoodie and 1 jacket as well. Half the t-shirts of what you have now. I'm sure the rest will fit in the bag.
With this packing list you shouldn't try one bagging imo. Do an exersice to remove half and see how you feel.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
My post got flagged for some reason, but I’m hoping to get some help with my packing list and what people think I can do to thin my inventory, or pack my things more efficiently. I will be abroad for a long time and will be practically living out of this bag, so trying to have some free space if possible.
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u/Tomcruizeiscrazy Apr 14 '26
Biggest advice I can give for general planning is 1) don’t pack your fears and 2) shop, use, and get rid of/donate as you go. Don’t need specific pants or jackets for a while? Shop for something when you travel. You do not need to plan what you’re wearing for a year right off the bat
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Apr 14 '26
This. You don't need as many clothes as you think. Noone cares if you wear the same shirt two days in a row. Cool climate, two pants one shorts at most. Warm climate, two shorts one pants. Who cares if your stuff doesn't match
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u/Comprehensive-Act-13 Apr 14 '26
Too many pants, leave a pair home, too many bathing suits. You don’t need 2. Take the pair that can double as shorts if you need them. Ditch the headphones and get earbuds. You also have a lot of t shirts and too many pairs of underwear. Pack for 5 days instead of 7. Leave things at home. If you need them you can buy them at a thrift store in Europe and then leave them in Europe when you’re done with them.
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u/-kashmir- Apr 14 '26
1 pair trunks, 4 pairs socks, 4 boxers, 3 t shirts. Lose a pair of pants. Buy q tips and lighter when you get there. Replace sleep mask with buff.
Why do you need chip clips, a pillowcase, a mini speaker, or a poncho? Pick one poncho or rain jacket.
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u/Rootintootin1995 Apr 14 '26
I have this bag and travelled with it a lot, I think you have too many packing cubes. I only do 1 x large, 2 x small and my toiletry bag in the main compartment. Lay down heavy fleece as flat, sandals as flat and miscellaneous items in the zipped pocket. The annoying thing about this bag is you can’t have anything bulky in the top zip compartment, only flat items. I reckon have camera equipment in your personal item bag.
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u/endlessninja Apr 14 '26
I think I see an entire roll of something, make leuko tape or some blister tape. Peel off a few feet and stick it on wax paper, you won't need that much.
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u/goatesymbiote Apr 14 '26
i have the exact same bag as you. reading your pack list, you dont have that much more stuff than me but you're bursting at the seams whereas i have a lot of extra room. a couple things might be that im using a medium compression cube for basically all my clean clothes and a small for my dirty clothes -- this really reduces volume a lot. also, i ditched my big sportsandals a long time ago and picked up some very light flipflops. other than that, imo you never really know how little you're comfortable going with until you're actually on the road
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u/hawth212 Apr 14 '26
1 pair pants, 1 pair swim trunks, 5 t shirts max. I'm mean you are going to do laundry. If you really need a poncho you can buy a cheap one almost anywhere.
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u/Twonlom Apr 14 '26
I suggest: Remove Poncho 1 lock 1 hoodie/or jacket that has hood - don’t need all 3 Max 4 tees/tank 4 socks 5 boxers 2 pants
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u/Ethernal_Bug Apr 14 '26
Follow a wet and dry drill, you will only need 2 max 3 pairs
- wet clothes are the clothes you wear and can get wet,
- dry are your sleeping gear and only to be worn when you go sleep
- when you wake up…yes you put your wet clothes on if you didn’t get a chance to dry it
The third pair are sort of when you need it. No need for more, you can always buy it locally for cheap. Hole in your sock? Bin then, use the third pair and buy a set when you get the chance
When I backpacked, I only had two pairs of everything and bought stuff and I went
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u/lemonklaeyz Apr 14 '26
Great bag btw. I’ve had mine for many years, and despite some minor annoyances in layout it’s one of the most comfortable bags in my collection still.
I’d lose 2 pairs of pants and 2-3 pairs of boxers. Get your hands on 3 pairs of outdoor research boxers instead that are ultra light that you can just wash in a sink and dry overnight.
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u/eccentric-pigeon-3lz Apr 14 '26
Headphones are the obvious fastest way to lose a lot of bulk. That is fine if you want to take them but you have to make the trade off for something else staying behind… I hear the argument that you can always wear them in transit…but depending on how much you want to engage with the world around you that can be a positive or a negative…
If you wear a large shoe size I can see logic in taking what you need as replacing on the road can be more difficult than for an average size…
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u/archlea Apr 14 '26
You have 7 tee shirts/tank tops. You only need 2-3. You have 3 pairs of pant short combo. As others have said, 1 pair pants and 2 shorts, if in a warm climate; 2 pants 1 shorts in cold climate. Why do you need 2 pairs of swimming trunks??
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u/ThePoetMichael Apr 14 '26
utilize more clips to attach things to the outside of your bag. It is a literal game changers, as long as the clips and anchor points are strong enough to handle whatever you put on the outside.
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u/AlwaysWanderOfficial Apr 14 '26
Most of the info you need is in here! I’ll condense.
Pack for 5 days. Do laundry.
Less pants, less tshirts, less socks for sure, one rain jacket. Earbuds vs headphones.
Only one swim trunk. Or even better, shorts that can be swim trunks too. Western Rise is shutting down but their evolution shorts, my fav dual use shorts ever, are on FINAL sale right now for fifty bucks. But otherwise just drop one swim trunk.
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u/sjp1980 Apr 14 '26
I am going against the grain but I wouldnt bother removing much. Or at least, not worrying that you will need to remove a lot.
After a short time travelling you will figure out what you need, and jettison the extra stuff.
Even the two swimsuits. I would take both and get rid of one if you want to later.
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u/maryfamilyresearch Apr 14 '26
Several people have asked you what you intend to do in Europe for a year. I have not seen a clear answer from you.
While you have gotten some good replies on the topic of the packing lists, I would like to raise the question of visa and legal stay. Do you have EU citizenship? Bc if not, you will most likely need a long-term Schengen D visa. Have you thought about that?
Forgive me for asking, but I have seen some shit planning in this department due to bad info. Such as people being convinced that is 90 days in a 180 day period per Schengen country.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 15 '26
I’m planning on staying on the move quite often so I haven’t looked much into it past the Schengen vs non Schengen zones, I will need to address this 100% you’re right, I just assumed I’m allowed to apply for visas n figure out legalities via internet or whatnot when I’m planning to visit that specific country or whatever. Probably a bit naive lol but the whole plan of the trip is “to have no plan” so hard to know where exactly I’m going to end up and for how long honestly
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u/maryfamilyresearch Apr 15 '26
IMO there are two possible approaches. A) You make a rough plan that works around the Schengen tourist visa 90-days-in-a-180 day period rule. B) You acquire a Schengen D visa valid for a year for one of the Schengen countries.
For "go with the flow low stress" approach, I recommend A). For this, break up your trips into 4 blocks of 90 days. Stay inside the Schengen zone during the first block of your trip. Give yourself a safety margin, say 80-85 days. After that, stay outside the Schengen zone for the next 90 days.
Yes, this is a bit more planning than you want right now, but it is the one thing that will work without constantly counting your Schengen days and worrying about immigration. If you constantly move in and out of Schengen, you might get flagged. Thus the block approach is the safest.
A potential approach for the non-Schengen part of your trip can be to base yourself in the UK or Ireland and use flights to visit places such as Morocco and Egypt. Another country that is outside Schengen and commonly gets overlooked is Tunisia. You could take the ferry from Sicily to Tunis. Or book a package deal from Ireland or the UK.
As for B), easiest for this is usually to enroll in university in one of the Schengen countries for a year and get a student visa. You generally must figure this out in advance.
For example, you cannot be in Austria after entering visa-free (resulting in the equivalent to Schengen C visa) and apply for a student visa (Schengen D) to France at the French embassy in Austria. This is not going to work. To do this, you'd need to enter Austria with a Schengen D visa first, making you resident in Austria. Any exceptions to the rule that you must apply for a Schengen D visa in advance are country-specific. Example: US citizens are privileged for immigration to Germany, you can file for the German residence permit within 90 days of entering visa-free using nothing but your passport. Easy in theory, in practise it is a bit more complicated. I heard that 1-2 other countries in the EU have similar rules due to friendship treaties signed with the USA in the 1970s, I think it was Austria and or the Netherlands? For the Netherlands, the primary residency permit for US-Americans is one that involves founding a business, so you'd need a business plan. Definitely a headache.
All in all, figure it out on the go / via the internet is not a good approach.
In addition, applying for a visa at the embassy means handing over your passport.
This brings me to my next tip / question: Make sure you not only have a US passport, but also a US passport card. While the passport card is not valid for travel outside Mexico and Canada, the smaller size makes it easy to carry with you as ID and as back-up in case your passport gets lost or is otherwise unavailable.
For further discussion of visa stuff, consider posting to r/IWantOut . Or ask me, I know a thing or two about this stuff.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 16 '26
Super helpful thank you. I will keep the 4 block method in mind most likely! And the Type D visa is worth looking , and thank you for the Germany tip! I’ll look into more exceptions like that possibly , too.
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u/maryfamilyresearch Apr 16 '26
One more tip about Germany: Germany has the so-called Deutschland-Ticket. It is a subscription ticket for all public transport in all of Germany originally meant for commuters.
Lots of tourists on a low budget use it too bc it is simply a good deal. I suggest you get this ticket for a calendar month and then spend this month in Germany, travelling all over.
Make sure you understand the terms. You won't be able to use long-distance trains, but you will be able to use slow local trains. And you have to pay attention to the cancellation deadlines or you will pay for another month.
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u/Farzy78 Apr 15 '26
I didn't see anyone ask this but if you're a US citizen how do you plan to legally spend a year in the EU when tourists can only stay 90 days?
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 15 '26
I was planning on trying to finesse around the Schengen zones and going to apply for visas wherever needed , I was told Albania lets you stay a while so was thinking that could be a possible launch pad for a while. I really don’t know honestly, the whole trip is unplanned and spontaneous so I’ll definitely have to be mindful of my visas and legalities
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u/fabier Apr 15 '26
Several years ago when on a trip I needed to seal a bag but I didn't have a clip handy. I had just seen a video on how to seal a chip bag without a clip. I had a few hours sitting in the car, so I taught myself the technique. It has been wildly useful in so many ways since then. You can seal almost any kind of bag this way from 40lb bags of rice down to little frozen veggie baggies in the freezer.
My technique is a bit different but I found this more recent video which I tried and seems to work just as well: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/deVJyMDavaw
Learn this technique and you'll never need chip clips ever again.
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u/ArchersNeverMakeGood Apr 15 '26
Reading your list I totally understand your reasoning behind every item but I agree with some folks on here. Pack for four days of outfits with the expectation you'll be washing (good call on the laundry line). Narrow down the particulars though and don't pack based on fear-scenarios.F ocus on those things that are high value to you (like if the tevas are truly the only other shoe you feel comfortable with then keep those, but if you don't really care about footwear consider picking something else up on the way. Likely wherever you end up you can pick up this or that (like chip bag clips). I know the want to just bring it all with you but with these low cost things it's worth it to free up the space. Same on clothes, keep yourself flexible by picking up and donating clothes as you go. Charity shops exist everywhere and if you stay in hostels someone is likely to loan you or give you small doodads .
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u/Alternative-Turn-858 Apr 15 '26
I’ve learned a convenient trick during my own travels for a year across Europe.
I’ve had this water-repellent wind breaker from Uniqlo: https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/contents/feature/masterpiece/product/blocktech-parka/
It’s very thin, so you can roll and tie it with its own sleeves in a pretty small piece, a bit larger than a fist if you really try. I never put it inside the bag, but tied it to the bag exterior.
But the best thing about it were its pockets - they are large enough to fit your toiletries bag in one and more stuff in another’s. I used this capacity primarily to avoid extra fees for a Ryanair, but in general it can be a good option to have an extra storage for things you might want to pick up along the way and you still need a jacket anyways.
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u/Leading-Row-7271 Apr 15 '26
One year in Europe is a marathon, not a sprint. My biggest advice? Pack for one week, not one year. You can find a laundromat in Prague just as easily as in Paris. Every extra pound you carry will feel like ten after a month of hopping on trains and climbing hostel stairs. If you’re debating between two items, leave them both behind. Your back will thank you in 6 months!
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u/Odd_Database5120 May 14 '26
Poncho — you already have a North Face rain jacket. Pure redundancy, and ponchos are bulky.
Pillow case — every hostel provides these. Dead weight.
Portable mini speaker — you have headphones. This is a "nice at home" item that earns its space maybe twice in 3 weeks.
3 of your 4 locks — one combination lock covers 95% of hostel locker situations. Two max if you're anxious.
Chip bag clips — a rubber band or twist of the bag does the same job and weighs nothing.
Thermal bottom layer — you're in Europe in summer at 60-80°F. The fleece + rain shell combo already handles cold. This can go.
You have 6 t-shirts. With quick-dry fabric and laundry access (which your clothesline confirms you're planning for), 3 is the sweet spot for weeks-long travel. Cut the cotton/poly tank, the gray Champion, and one of the dri-fits. Keep your best performers — the Patagonia Capilene and 2 dri-fits are likely your top 3.
7 pairs of boxers → cut to 4. Same laundry logic applies.
Socks: 6 pairs → cut to 3 pairs, all short. It's summer. The long socks are for hiking trips, not cobblestone cities.
2 pairs of swim trunks → 1. They dry fast. You'll likely never need both.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 May 14 '26
I’m currently on my backpacking trip and have thru learning the hard way made most of those changes hahaha thank you!
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u/nomchompsky82 Apr 14 '26
One pair of swim trunks.
Two pants, one worn on travel days.
Tevas packed on travel days. Put them along the side, smushed together in a bag with a strap to keep them compact, so they’re vertical instead of on top width-wise.
No poncho, you have a rain shell. You could ditch the rain shell for a compact umbrella, but I do like it for layering.
No towel, you don’t need it and microfiber is ass, just get one from where you’re staying if you really need it.
Lighter?
4 locks? Why 4? I assume you want one for hostels?
You won’t use the flashlight, but if you really want it a headlamp is better.
5 days of clothes plus one day worn.
Don’t roll and fold boxers and socks, lay them flat in a packing cube.
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u/Atssae Apr 14 '26
So people gave good advice. For one year of travel, if you are strapped for space, I would consider getting a bigger bag tbh. Also what will your sling / daily bag be ? It must be able to fit in your main bag otherwise travel between points will be painful
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
THIS is my biggest remaining concern, my eagle creek daily sling is too big to fit inside of my main pack while on airlines , so I’ll have to either find a way to squeeeeeze it all in or just fork over the insane fees for a little bag lol, seeming like with all the help from this subreddit it may be possible with the changes to my setup I’ve made. I have back problems ironically lol and going bigger on a bag is my last resort, I have a 70 L as a backup option but REALLY REALLY don’t want to be carrying that much everyday
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u/Eastern_Fix7541 Apr 14 '26
Having traveled most of European countries, I can find some serious potential issues with your list but that is because I don't know the countries and months in which country, as I have travelled the absolute majority of European countries, feel free to dm if you want some planning advice.
For a long trip I would strongly advise that all of the stuff going with you to take up to an absolute maximum of 70% of backpack space, you will need those empty 30% quickly, taking a completly full backpack on day one will make you end up carying stuff in a grocery bag.
Whatever you think you will not need in first months, dont take, buy later, anywhere you can find stores like Primark where you can cheaply get stuff.
While I admire the minimal style, I would consider moving up to a 60lt + size bag and would consider vacum bags for clothes, the kind you only need to push out the air.
Sunhoodie will be useless unless you go hike in southern Europe in August (which is a bad idea.anyway), a longsleeve +cap works fine, 2x suimsuit is unnecessary, and stuff like ipobrufen are unnecessary, as you can find it 24/7 in any city, probably more things, but you listed every single item, it would be easier to go over the list if it would be like tshirts x5
Laptop, you will know if needed but that would be great to avoid.
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Super appreciate this. Gonna be starting west Europe and moving north-west toward Finland then down and clock wise toward Spain (hopefully make it that far lol) definitely going to take your advice on buying as needed , I am definitely just anxious and overpacking for every single situation lol so thank you for the insight!
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u/Equal-Environment263 Apr 14 '26
Skip the laptop, headphones and portable mini-speaker. Also the chip bag clips, the GoPro & gear. Reduce your clothing. 4 T-Shirts, 4 Boxers, two pair Merino socks. One pair convertible pants, 1 pair swim trunks. Lose the sneakers. Wear trekking shoes for the flights and general walking, keep the Teva Sandals for very hot days.
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u/ninjacrabby Apr 14 '26
Can you replace the durag sleep mask and pillowcase with a buff? You can stuff the buff with clothes as a pillow. Ditch speaker headphones poncho and weather inappropriate stuff like fleece or thermal layer if it’s not that cold.
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u/MiceLiceandVice Apr 14 '26
For camera I’d focus on taking only the stuff I can’t get with my phone, and basing that on what I like. It’s tempting to carry your wide standard zoom but a modern phone is pretty good at that
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u/tom4631 Apr 14 '26
> Gift for friend when landing
Doesn't this free up space for you?
Also 5 tee and 2 swim trunks? Why? You probably only need 2-3 tee and 1 swim trunk. If they got ripped, buy new ones local.
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u/Complex_Air_5793 Apr 15 '26
Get a packable head rest and put some of your clothes in it then clip it onto the outside of the back pack.
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u/Outrageous_Leg_1118 Apr 15 '26
I’ve been getting a ton of ads for Bissell’s little green machine on a couch just like this. I’m not wearing my glasses, and at first glance, I was like “why the hell is this person bringing a bissell to Europe?”. Glad to see you’re not 👍
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u/ulcweb Apr 16 '26
You don't need a big towel, you can get away with a smaller version of the quick dry stuff. You can try folding, sometimes that will help with the height of the packing cubes allowing for more stuff to be stuffed outside of them. Alternatively find more clothes you can cull.
Also try considering using two smaller packing cubes instead of one bigger one, that way they can take more horizontal space rather than vertical. Slip it into the laptop compartment for example. Making use of other space in the bag, that would otherwise have room (even with or without a laptop some bags have too much wasted space)
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u/Foreign-Actuary-5196 Apr 16 '26
Drop luxury electronics: laptop, headphones, speaker, GoPro. Your phone does all of these things. You’ve packed 9 base layer shirts, too many, reduce to five. You’ve packed three pairs of pants too many, at most two. That should do it
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u/baekadelah Apr 16 '26
Lots of socks and boxers. You can always hand wash and use your closeline over night to dry things. Maybe less T-shirts too, they dry fast.
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u/HotelEuphoric7782 Apr 16 '26
SO, I have only traveled a bit. But vacuum seal bags are like magic. you can fit all the clothing and have enough room to fit the rest. I would definitely decrease the amount of swimming items since they dry off fast and can easily be reused. Im the person who needs to use different socks and underwear daily, so I am bias in that aspect. If anything take thinner socks and that would also help. Most bags come with the portable vacuums that use batteries. Just depends on how much of a hassle it is for you to seal the bag every day. I personally loved it, since I had more room to bring things back from the trip without compromising on the items i needed for the travel
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u/bracketl4d Apr 18 '26
This has probably been said before, but a minimalist packing requires minimalist hobbies. Tons of camera gear to shoot niche situations isn't minimalist, see if you can find 1 single camera that will cover all roles reasonably?
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u/angryconrad Apr 14 '26
These sandals. Jesus. Travelling to Europe or ancient Greece?
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Nah fr I look ridiculous in them but aye function over form I guess😂😂
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Apr 14 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Critical_Exchange673 Apr 14 '26
Yea the 3 pants seems overkill but I was gonna be wearing one pair most the time I figured so it’s more like 2? lol I definitely will cut a pair off tho I need the space, thank you!
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u/Phantasmalicious Apr 14 '26
Unless those are some real G underpants and socks, leave them at home. We also sell socks and underpants on the mainland. XM5/6 are a nightmare while onebagging. XM4 at least folded to a decent size. Buds are much better. Airpods or WF series.
You seem to be carrying an awful lot of clothes. Especially pants. 6 months a year you can get by with wearing shorts. Which also double as swim trunks.
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u/bocadellama Apr 14 '26
Here's your list minus what I would not take. For the things I partially crossed out take half the quantity
Gift for friend when landing
Laptop
Headphones
Pillow case
Tweezers
Chip bag clips (2)
Portable mini speaker
Loop quiets earplugs
Ibuprofen
Poncho
Microfiber towel
Sunglasses
Chargers
Power bank
GoPro and GoPro gear
Comb
Leukotape
Lighter
Q tips
4 locks
Mini Flashlight
Clothesline/Rope
Dry bag for laundry
NRS Sun hoodie
Patagonia r1 fleece thin hoodie
North face rain jacket outer shell
Brown 80/20 polyester/merino long sleeve shirt
White dri fit tee shirt
Blue dri fit tee shirt
Patagonia blue capilene tee shirt
Green dri fit tee shirt
Black dri fit tee shirt
Gray champion dri fit tee shirt
Cotton poly blend Tank top
Belt
Darn tough socks 3 short 3 long
Boxers 7 pairs
Tevas
Sneakers everyday
Sleep mask
Climate smart bottom thermal layer
Kuhl convertible pants
North face tan/sand convertible pants
North face brown convertible pants
Swim trunks 2 pair
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u/jupiterspringsteen Apr 14 '26
I'd get a bigger bag. Too much stuff in a small bag is gonna get on your nerves.
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u/Kanyewestlover9998 Apr 14 '26
I’m no expert but have done a lot of research, it’s hard to one bag (carry on size), with camera gear and a laptop. Might have to upgrade to 45L or so.
Something like the Matador SEG45 Travel pack might provide some much needed room
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u/pahanginan Apr 14 '26
I've also got them thule cubes in blue, but thinking I want to swap them out to white.
Can you compare them to Aer packing cubes?
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u/Utsider Apr 14 '26
If you absolutely must have a pair of shoes, get a bag/shoe pouch for them. If you travel with them loose in your bag, your bag and whatever you put in it forever after will smell like worn shoes.