The Savvy Traveler’s Toolkit
We pack very light with only backpacks to avoid the possibility of having to check a bag. Friends who have traveled with us while utilizing a carry-on have been instructed multiple times to check their bags due to the airline overselling the flight. We use a Cotopaxi backpack as a personal item, which is a nice loophole. Personal item dimensions vary by airline so always check before. Note that not all Cotopaxi backpacks are the same size. Another benefit to using a backpack as a personal item is the freedom to walk around with our luggage if needed. Traveling light in this way gives us peace-of-mind and adaptability.
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Cotopaxi Backpack
The Cotopaxi Nazca 24L Travel Pack qualifies as a personal item with most airlines (check your airline’s requirements), and it opens up as if it were a suitcase. It has many pockets that are perfect for utilizing every inch of the bag. This model is not made anymore, but they can be found on eBay. The price point is usually around $75 to $150. Find one with hip straps if you can.
Rakuten Kobo eReader (Clara)
If you have down time during your trip, we do recommend bringing an eReader. We’ve used this before going to sleep or when we got sick and had to stay in the hotel room. Once there was a wild storm in Iceland that required us to shelter in place, so reading in our hotel room was something to do.
We recommend the Rakuten Kobo eReader. It’s an investment, but they’re super packable and we enjoy the features. You can look up word definitions while reading; it stores the words you look up so that you can review them later and improve your vocabulary.
Tip: Add an adhesive fabric hook on the back for ease of holding.
Collapsible Water Bottle
Having a collapsible bottle that you can hook on your backpack is super useful; I use the Hydrapak brand. Many places all over the world don’t have access to clean water. In places where travelers should avoid tap water, a water bottle like this is vital.
Tip: If you are staying in a place where you can’t drink tap water, don’t even use tap water to brush your teeth. To save on drinking water, use mouthwash to wet the brush and brush/rinse with that instead.
Collapsible Neck Pillow
We bring a collapsible neck pillow just in case we run out of room with extra souvenirs or if we need to hastily stuff things into a bag when packing. Having a bag to quickly stuff things into can make a difference in saving time when you’re rushing to make your flight or train.
Collapsible Duffel Bag
We use this duffel bag as a carry-on bag for souvenirs. On our flight to our destination, we don’t bring a carry-on even though our flight usually includes it. Oftentimes, the airline oversells the flight and the staff forces travelers to check their carry-on bags. We try to avoid that. That being said, when returning from a trip, we do use a duffel bag as a carry-on if we collect a lot of souvenirs.
Sea to Summit Packable Backpack
This is a perfect, lightweight bag we use for grocery shopping abroad. If we have the ability to cook at our stay (meaning we have a kitchen and fridge), we take this bag to the market. We also use it for packing picnic items or collecting souvenirs when we explore. Always bring a small, packable bag with you.
Sea to Summit Packable Stuff Sack
This stuff sack is perfect for storing almost anything. It’s especially useful when we have to pack quickly to make a flight or train. It’s also nice for storing dirty laundry separately from my clean clothes.
Tip: Remember to prioritize doing laundry at your stay so that most of your clothes are clean when you head to your next destination.
Bob and Brad Small Massage Machine
As millennials, we are now feeling the aches and pains of aging. Long flights are suddenly painful and long hours of exploration can be taxing. Our travel pace includes getting up between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM to start exploring. Though it takes up valuable space, this small massage machine gets the soreness out and helps us sustain our energy.
Packable Hip Pack
We wear hip packs (cross-body style) almost every day, whether we’re abroad or not. We like the hands-free freedom it provides. It’s also helpful to have a bag like this against your body and in your view, in-case of pickpockets. If you’re a forgetful person, it’s also great because if the bag is strapped to you, so you can’t accidentally leave it somewhere.
We use these bags for exploring, day trips, and going out in the evening. They’re lightweight and can surprisingly hold a lot, including your phone, a small wallet, keys, etc. It is collapsible and fits into a little bag that is stored in the pocket, but we use them so much that we hardly ever store them.
Tip: When using a backpack as a personal item (to avoid having a carry-on that may become a checked bag), hiding a small hip pack under a hoodie you’re wearing is a way to sneak another personal item in, depending on how full it is.
Melin Packable Hat
Melin is a high-quality brand and we genuinely love the style and comfort of their hats. We wear them abroad and in the States. This style packs pretty small, so it’s great to travel with. Definitely bring a hat with you for sun protection.
Tip: Hats and facial sunscreen are recommended for sun protection on your face. For your body, opt for reef-safe sunscreen if you plan to be in any natural body of water. You can also wear what’s called a “sun shirt”, which is a very thin long sleeve shirt that is often sold by athletic brands. We wear these to avoid feeling greasy from sunscreen.
Skincare
Everyone has different skincare preferences. Andalou Naturals has great moisturizers if you’re from or heading to a dry climate. They’re generally light, so they are great to use in the Caribbean and Central America as well. We recommend the brightening moisturizers, which are called Probiotic + C Renewal Cream (day cream) and Brightening Purple Carrot + C Luminous Night Cream (night cream). The Andalou Naturals SPF 18 Ultra Sheer Daily Defense Facial Lotion is a great facial sunscreen. As for other sunscreen, make sure it’s reef safe if you’re swimming in any natural body of water. SunBum and Supergoop offer reef safe options, but always make sure you check the packaging and specific product line to make sure. Be a responsible traveler.
We recently learned that contact lens containers are great for holding creams and liquids in tiny containers. We use tiny containers to save space, and unfortunately we have found that many dry the product out once we reach out destination. Contact lens containers have not failed us yet.
Please note that one of the photos below shows a generic container we previously used, so we still recommend contact lens containers over that type.
