I’ve been stuffing backpacks for much of the past 18 years. At this point, I have a well-curated collection of dependable clothing, gear, electronics, and luggage that I use every time I travel.
The purpose of this post is to share all of my current, go-to items with YOU.
While I don’t bring absolutely everything listed below on every trip, anything I do bring is listed here.
I will keep this post as updated as possible with my gear for all trips and expeditions, which include multi-sport adventures, conferences, retreats, sports, and activities of countless kinds.
This post is broken down into the following categories:
- Main Luggage
- Pack Accessories
- Hand Luggage
- Travel Essentials
- Mobile Office/Podcast Studio
- Adventure Gear
- Travel Shoes
- Clothing: Adventure & Regular
This post contains affiliate links – most of the items on this page have direct links to where you can purchase them, many of which can be found here. If I help you find just the right products and you order them through these links, it may result in a commission for me, with no extra cost to you. Your support makes this post win-win, so thanks in advance!
My Go-To Luggage
I have a variety of luggage pieces that I use, depending on the type of trip:
Main Luggage (Always Carry-On)
Osprey Fairview Trek 50: For any trip that requires backpacking – through-hiking, hut-to-hut, overnight treks, etc. This baby can fit it all, and yet still fly as a carry-on (just stay away from scales if you’re using small budget airlines). Available on Amazon – Fairview (women) and Farpoint (men) or REI – Fairview and Farpoint.
Watch: Osprey Fairview Trek 50 Review
Osprey Meridian 60L/22″: For any trip that doesn’t require backpacking and where it will be relatively easy to transport a rolling bag. The 60L has the most space in this case and still flies as a carry-on. Available on Amazon or REI, and I heard this one may be discontinued soon so if you want it, don’t wait.
Osprey Transporter 21.5″ Wheeled Carry On: This is my minimalist rolling carry-on, for quick trips that don’t require backpacking. It has rugged features, water resistant material, tough wheels, and easily flies as a carry-on. At 40L, it also encourages smart packing. Available on Amazon or REI. Pairs well with Daylite Travel or other small backpack.
Osprey Farpoint 55/Fairview 50 (Original “Travel” version): If you want the pack with the included detachable daypack, go with the Farpoint or Fairview Travel, all the way. I used my Farpoint for 3.5 years of nomadic travel (before they even made the women’s version Fairview), it’s my baby. Available on Amazon – Fairview (women) and Farpoint (men) or REI – Fairview and Farpoint.
Watch: Osprey Fairview Trek 50 v Farpoint 55 Side-by-Side
Pack Accessories
Packing Cubes: Of all shapes and sizes to organize and tightly fit ALL of the below items. Guess what, I use Osprey packing cubes, and they are available on Amazon.
Rain Cover: If your pack comes with one, bring it. If it doesn’t, grab an ultralight one that will fit your pack.
Hand Luggage
Osprey Daylite Travel: Brilliant for day hikes or trips, conferences, etc., and easy to pair with a rolling suitcase like the Meridian or Transporter. While it does attach to the Fairview Trek if you want it to, that creates a pretty big load, and as I prefer NOT to carry two packs at once (with one on front – too uncomfortable), I opt for a shoulder bag when I use my Fairview Trek. Available on Amazon or REI.
Watch: Osprey Daylite Travel Daypack Review
Shoulder bag/weekender bag/big purse: While I have yet to find the perfect shoulder bag, I do prefer one when carrying a backpack. For me, it’s more comfortable to have a purse/shoulder strap than carrying two packs front and back. So far, all the ones I have used have been from Target, and none of them are necessarily anything to write home about. If you have a suggestion for me – please tell me in the comments below!
Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack: In the cases where I am not carrying the Daylite Travel, I stuff this inside my pack so that I still have a daypack when I need it. It has one water bottle pocket on the outside and a small top pocket for essentials, which it packs into. See image below. Available on Amazon.
Travel Essentials
Nearly always have all of these:
- Passport, visas if applicable (get them in advance when necessary), International Certificate of Vaccination if you have one
- Extra USD $100 emergency cash
- Reusable water bottle (let’s avoid single-use plastic at ALL costs) – absolutely LOVING all the features of my EcoVessel bottle these days (strainer, triple insulated, skinny and tall 24oz capacity)
- Travel coffee tumbler
- Small Squishy Earplugs (literally the best)
- Silk Eyemask
- Meds – Melatonin (natural help with sleep), EmergenC (everyday), Nutribiotic GSE (everyday), shelf-stable Probiotics (everyday), gluten and dairy Digestive enzymes (foreign foods), Zicam (for colds)
- Packable travel towel
- Glasses (and contacts) and Croakies
- Small packable purse or fanny pack (love)
- Big cozy scarf (works as warm layer, pillow, eye mask, pillowcase)
- Toiletries including dry shampoo, wet wipes, Dr. Bronner’s soap, and other carry-on sized liquids in these leak-proof bottles in this toiletry organizer
- Wireless earbuds AND regular headphones you can plug into the plane to watch movies (don’t forget these)
- Compression socks for long flights
- Universal travel adapter
My iPhone has: secret credit card slot case, tempered glass screen protector, pop-socket (these are all super cheap insurance policies).
Check out this post for my go-to travel hair products.
Mobile Office/Podcast Studio
I work from absolutely everywhere, so I always need to be prepared with the right equipment. This won’t apply to everyone, but for me this looks like:
- Anker portable USB charger (never, ever, ever without it)
- Privacy screen for laptop (great for planes)
- Wireless mouse (trackpads hurt after heavy use)
- Shure MV88 Microphone (plugs into my PHONE, has its own app, it’s tiny and I love it)
- Audio-Technica ATR2100 USB Mic (plugs into my laptop – this is what I use to record podcast interviews via Call Recorder for Skype)
- Macbook Air and charger, of course
- USB stick and/or external hard drive
- Business cards – not just for conferences!
A note about cell phones: I use T-Mobile, so I have global data. If you don’t have global data and you’d like it for a trip – check out these options for prepaid SIM cards. Refer to this post for other questions about taking your cell phone abroad.
For a personal WiFi device: I have used Skyroam before and it has saved me when my T-Mobile (I can only get 2G) or local WiFi service was too weak to get work done.
Adventure Gear
Ready for anything looks like this (for adventure clothing, keep scrolling):
- Running belt (can double as secret money pouch)
- Dry bag (take it paddle boarding, kayaking, spa-ing, boating…)
- iPhone dry case with lanyard
- Gaiters (I pair these with running shoes – great for mud)
- Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack (same as above)
- Batting gloves (I use for kayaking, cycling, ropes courses, ziplines, horseback riding, endless adventures…)
- Headband for warmth
- Tube (buff)
- Trucker hat (definitely something with a brim)
- Beanie (with a hole in the top for my hair!)
- Running gloves (lightweight warmth and wind protection)
- GoPro telescoping pole
- GoPro
- Extra Micro SD cards for GoPro and adapter for laptop
- Hydration bladder for hiking (if your pack is made for it – this fits well in the Fairview and Farpoint Trek packs)
- Nuun Hydration fizz tablets for sport electrolyte replacement AND for rest and recovery
- Compression socks for recovery (combine after a hard day on the trail with nuun tabs to feel AWESOME again the next day)
Travel Shoes
Not necessarily female-specific if you apply the idea to your own preference. Check out this post if you need more help with travel shoes.
- Brooks Cascadia GTX: Gore-Tex trail running shoes. I hike in these, I do not use hiking boots. As I mentioned above, I often pair these with gaiters to keep mud and other unwanted matter out of my shoes.
- Oboz Arete: Low profile hiker/runner with waterproofing and great traction.
- Bionica Elba boots: These are women-specific, and they are UNICORN SHOES. Super lightweight, super great traction, comfortable, and, wait for it… WATERPROOF. Yep. You’re welcome.
- Havaiianas (flip flops) – these are honestly a bit heavy for travel flips, but I’ve sworn by them since I lived in Brazil in 2008…
- Vionic Kirra Sandal: Comfortable sandal/walking shoe for high arches.
Clothing
Adventure clothing: When I travel, I like to seek out adventures and be ready for absolutely anything. Because of this, I focus most of my wardrobe on athletic layers.
Build it like an onion, ONE of each item is enough unless noted, just wear it over again!
- Base layers – top and bottom 32 Degrees
- Merino wool mid layer – Smartwool
- Packable down vest – REI
- Performance fleece – Patagonia
- Mid layer performance jacket – Arcteryx Atom LT and OR Ascendant Hoody
- Packable down jacket – Outdoor Research Sonata
- Waterproof rain jacket – Marmot Starfire
- Waterproof rain pants – Arcteryx Zeta
- Running tights – Brooks Greenlight (two pairs)
- Down skirt – Smartwool
- Running skirt – Marmot Pace or Athleta
- Running tank top – Brooks
- Running t-shirt – Brooks
- Merino wool socks – Cloudline (at least three pairs)
- High-impact sports bras – Brooks
- Performance underwear – ExOfficio, Branwyn
Regular clothing: Only what I absolutely need to get by. I do laundry (sometimes in the sink – use a Scrubba if you plan to hand wash a lot), rewear things, no one has ever complained about me wearing the same things day after day.
Again, ONE of each should suffice unless noted. Less is more!
- Swimsuit – Carve Designs (currently loving the Elba top with Erin bottoms)
- 1-2 Short-sleeve top – Carve Designs Robins Tank
- 1-2 Long-sleeve top/sweater – Carve Designs Amalia
- Jeans
- Black merino wool leggings – Woolly
- Shorts
- Tank-top travel dress – Prana Quinn
- Long-sleeve travel dress – Toad & Co – Tip: size down with Toad & Co
- Travel joggers/sweats – the skinny kind – current loves are from vuori
That’s IT. Thoughts? Questions? Feel free to comment below!
