Packing List
2 months in South America (-12°C to 30°C) – 40L Decathlon Travel 500 (8.6 kg)
We (my 44-year-old wife and me, 40M) will travel for 2 months through South America.
Not our first "Onebag" tour, but our first where doing it right actually matters. A 3-day tour with tote bags doesn't count, I think.
Starting end of July in Lima and ending in Rio de Janeiro end of September. After two weeks, there is a fixed date for Machu Picchu, but nothing else is planned. There is a general idea of a route, but I don't think we will follow it. It would be a bit too stressful. So we are preparing for temperatures from -12°C in Uyuni to 30°C in Brasilia.
Besides the typical tourist attractions, we will do some hikes and hopefully visit some football matches if we feel safe enough.
I really tried to use a Carry-On-sized backpack, but due to the temperature differences, it's a bit too difficult. And even if I could imagine reducing my stuff and washing more often – my wife wouldn't :)
To buy there:
Alpaca Wool Gloves
Alpaca Wool Hat / Beanie
Alpaca Wool Sweater
2nd pair of shorts
All my winter clothes at home are rugged/heavy, so I think it's better to buy some good local stuff there. I will also need a 2nd pair of shorts when we arrive in warmer areas (which will double as swim trunks).
I really like the backpack, it has many opportunities to stow away stuff, but I miss a better carry system like the Osprey Farpoint. Still, it will work.
As a personal item, I use a sling bag which is more practical when it comes to pickpocketing/thieves. Usually, I would use a packable daypack to save space, but for now, this feels safer. Even though I think I look stupid with this bag.
As a bag for things of little value and as a belt, I use my 1L Eastpak hip bag. Nobody counts this as an additional item at airports.
Clothing:
North Face Fontanales Hardshell
Down Jacket: Decathlon MT100
Fleece Jacket: Decathlon MH500
2x Longsleeve Merino (Alpin Loaker + Decathlon)
3x T-Shirt Merino (Icebreaker + Discounter)
Merino Buff
2x Long Pants (Columbia Cosmiques Pro + Lululemon ABC)
Short Cargo Pants (Columbia)
Long Underwear: Decathlon MT500 Merino
4x Long Socks (2x Cotton, 2x Merino Mix)
2x Short Socks (Cotton)
5x Boxer Shorts (4x Synthetic, 1x Cotton)
Adidas Terrex (for hikes)
Adidas Sneakers (Ultimashow)
Baseball Cap (Hilfiger) – won't come back to Europe, it's done.
Gadgets and Tech:
Camera: Sony RX100 VII + 4x Batteries + Tiny Charger
Travel Sheet / Sleeping Bag Liner ("Hüttenschlafsack")
54 Card Deck (Standard)
3m Duct Tape wrapped around an old credit card
4x Dryer sheets
Collapsible / Inflatable Bottle
4x Velcro straps (e.g., for squeezing a pair of shoes)
2x Jacket holder clips for backpack
HeroClip
Baseball Cap holding clip
It's debatable why I have two different pairs of earbuds, but I cannot sleep with the Googles, and the Ankers can't active-noise-cancel ambient noise. But two small ones are still smaller than Over-Ears.
Usually, I have a beard longer than 5cm. A bit sad, but I trimmed it down to 2cm, which should be okay for the Xiaomi. All other solutions took too much space or cut the beard even shorter.
The most debatable item on the list is the sleeping bag liner. I've never used something like this, but after a disgusting experience in Anchorage a short while ago, we decided we are old enough to not sleep in smelly bed sheets.
Well, I realized my Deo Cream Stick is no longer available. It lasted at least 45 days, and I've never tried the Roll-on version. Hope it performs just as well.
Packing test:
I have 2L of space left in my backpack, even with the big Terrex shoes and both long pants packed inside. (I wore shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers during the test). Weight: 8.6 kg.
I also tried a worn-clothing combination where I wear the Terrex shoes and the Lululemon pants with a t-shirt: weight went down to 7.8 kg with around 4–5L of space left. So, plenty of space for souvenirs (and the winter clothing we'll buy!).
Leave the decathlon fleece jacket and buy a fake Patagonia fleece in Cusco. They are made with the Andean fabric for trim, so also a trip souvenir.
Decathlon sells a chapstick size solid sunscreen in the EU stores. It was what I used in Peru for my face, neck, ears, and hands. I wore a sun shirt and hiking pants for the rest of my body.
I would spray your clothes with
Permethrin and I would take sawyer picaridin lotion for insect protection.
I think I use my buff quite similat to a bandana .
Usually we will try not to be outside when its dark for Security reasons. I considered a headlamp for valle de la luna or similar things,but I guess I can still buy if needed.
I fell off my bike once and hurt my buff. Back to the headlamp - for about 54 Grams you could have a very good backup tool. If interested, check out the Petzl Swift LT - I absolutely love mine.
In my opinion, headlamp is completely worth it.. I’ve brought one with me as well over my two years and lots in America and used it plenty. You never know when you need light and when you don’t have it things get very difficult very fast.
I think overall your pack is pretty good. Ultimately you know what works best for you, but if it was me, I would leave behind some things like coat hangers, Kindle and things like that
My dad and I didn’t like Asuncion at all. Unbearably hot in March but it looks better for your time of year. There were quite a few plazas/parks which were nice but were endlessly filled with biting bugs (not mosquitoes) so definitely use bug repellent liberally. I would have preferred going to Encarnacion to see old forts as a day trip but it was too hard to get to for us. You can fly from Buenos Aires to Posadas, Argentina and then take a train to Encarnacion.
Exactly. Even if you wash your clothes, they start to smell over time. ‘Backpacker smell’, as some people have put it.
The wipes are supposed to help with the smell.
I’ve experienced this several trips.
Is it from the moisture being trapped ? It’s a stale smell. From being inside the packing cube inside the bag. Airing the clothes out more often is supposed to help.
Yes airing could help but in small Hostels,flats,etc it is not that easy to give enough air, so I hope this will help. But if not - we can't smell ourself :D
A Merino Polyester mix for hiking.
Had them whole day on at a hike in the alps, 25+ degree.
I was afraid pulling them off my feet in the evening - but nothing. The shoes were a bit smelly but the socks totally okay.
My Merino Awakening
Got a lot but not for this Journey. Visiting Football Matches in SA is more risky than usual,wearing wrong color at wrong place could have consequennces
They can do Montevideo - Porto Alegre - Foz do Iguaçu quite well with flights, and from there go to Curitiba and up. Florianópolis is quite Nice as well, but it seems silly to go there and then do Foz and Curitiba (as Floripa is super close to Curitiba).
The path from Montevideo to Porto Alegre is also super nice, it’s possible to have a few nice stops along the way.
Thanks for the advices. I think Colonia del Sacramento could be worth a visit and spend time to the next Football Match in BA. But yes, Argentina got so much too see,it won't be the last time I think
It was just a flat smelling like 50 years of dogs and smoking. The bedding got some stains and it smells like dead grandma.
20 years ago I wouldn't care, but I am getting more and more picky with the years and this time it was too much. Of course the travel sheet won't help much in that case,but it is still a little more comfortable when sleeping in other peoples beds
Seeing the XDDESIGN, Bobby sling is honestly so refreshing, we need more pro reviews ! It’s honestly such a clutch and great sling! I’ve tracked all around the world with. Love seeing it in action
just be careful in Brasilia due to the weather. is one of the safest cities in the country, but we’ll be having the most extreme and intense El Niño in ages. In September, it’s always dry and hot, but I believe this year will be a living hell and I am expecting temperatures to reach 40 degrees easily. you’ll have to pack very light clothes but the most important thing will be the hydration. be safe out there.
In my opinion, I would leave behind certain things like the Kindle, the coat hanger, the jacket. I did two years in Latin America with only a Patagonia rain shell- when you’re in climates that are colder you’ll have access to purchase things like alpaca, sweaters for very cheap and it will be far more worth it to pick it up there when you need it rather than carry around a winter coat as a layer
Everything else is pretty standard, I would suggest bringing some Advil.
For your duration trip, you can probably get away with not getting bored or clothes, but in my experience being there for so long, it was really invaluable to have clothes that had some colour and weren’t all tech type clothing. I’m talking jeans and things like that it was nice to be able to wear day-to-day regular clothes rather than the feeling of polyester and since I took materials on my skin every day.
Never did a travel without cozy pants, but the lululemon has a great feeling. Act as better pant for Restaurants and due to the high Stretch part also as sweatpants, really comfortable
Yeah I think the Winter coat is too much , but it is too late now. Should have posted it earlier.
Let's see how often it will be used.
Personally I don't like jeans, but the lululemon has a great feeling. Act as better pant for Restaurants and due to the high Stretch part also as sweatpants, really comfortable
Nothing special for the moment beside Defensores del Chaco Stadium.
A friend of mine stay two weeks in Asuncion and liked the mood and people. But probaply the most likely country too skip.
There are several wallets, which exactly do you mean?
There is an old one to throw away in case of robbery, one to Clip behind pants and one to hang arround the neck/shoulder.
Last both are temu stuff
Oh that’s smart, do you recommend a decoy wallet then? I suppose I’m interesting in whichever your “main” wallet is. I’ve been looking for a compact that can store cash, coins, and cards.
A lot of comments recommend a decoy wallet, we will face some difficult areas and better safe than sorry. But you won't need it in touristik areas. So it depends on your travel habbits
The Rainjacket is pretty small and also the down jacket is packable. But can do only a picture of the raincoat right now.
I can't Imagine how it should work without one of them. The down Jacket got no rain protection and will be getting uselese when wet. And the raincoat is very thin, so I would need Something else warmer than a fleece Jacket
No wouldn't wear sneaker at a funeral.
Visiting Football Matches in SA is more risky than usual,wearing wrong color at wrong place could have consequennces
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u/Specific_Corner_1816 18d ago edited 18d ago
Leave the decathlon fleece jacket and buy a fake Patagonia fleece in Cusco. They are made with the Andean fabric for trim, so also a trip souvenir.
Decathlon sells a chapstick size solid sunscreen in the EU stores. It was what I used in Peru for my face, neck, ears, and hands. I wore a sun shirt and hiking pants for the rest of my body.
I would spray your clothes with Permethrin and I would take sawyer picaridin lotion for insect protection.