How to Pack Light for Long-Term Travel Without Sacrificing What You Need

I’ve been traveling full-time since 2018 with nothing but a 40-liter backpack. I’ve lived out of that same bag in 47 countries across six continents—through Scandinavian winters, Southeast Asian monsoons, and South American highlands. This guide is written from thousands of real flights, bus rides, and hostel laundry days. If I can stay comfortable for years with under 10 kg (22 lbs), so can you.

Why Packing Light Actually Matters for Long-Term Travel

Carrying less changes everything. You save on airline baggage fees, move faster between buses and trains, protect your back, and—most importantly—you stop stressing about your stuff. After my first six-month trip with a 70-liter monster, I spent half my energy dragging it around. Switching to carry-on only gave me freedom I didn’t know was possible.

Choosing the Right Bag (The Foundation)

One-Bag Travel: Carry-On Only vs Personal Item Only

Most long-term travelers settle between these two options:

• Carry-on (40–45 L): Fits under airline rules for almost every carrier in 2025 (including budget airlines in Europe and Asia).
• Personal item only (20–30 L): Harder but cheaper—perfect if you fly Ryanair, Spirit, or frontier often.

My current bag: Osprey Farpoint 40. It opens like a suitcase, has a great harness, and squeaks under most limits at 7.5 kg empty.

Backpack vs Roller

Backpack wins for 95% of long-term routes. Cobblestones, dirt roads, and stairs kill wheels fast.

The Exact Packing List I Use in 2025

Clothing (temperate + tropical mix)

• 3 merino wool t-shirts (Smartwool or Icebreaker—odor-resistant for 5–7 wears)
• 2 long-sleeve merino shirts (one light, one mid-weight)
• 1 fleece mid-layer (Patagonia R1 or Decathlon equivalent)
• 1 packable down jacket (Uniqlo or Decathlon 100 g)
• 2 pairs ExOfficio Give-N-Go underwear (dries overnight)
• 4 pairs Darn Tough socks (lifetime warranty—still on pair #1 after 6 years)
• 1 pair lightweight pants that zip into shorts (Prana Stretch Zion)
• 1 pair jeans or chinos (only if you really wear them—I finally dropped mine in 2023)
• 1 swimsuit
• 1 lightweight rain shell (Outdoor Research Helium or Frogg Toggs)
• 1 buff / scarf
• 1 baseball cap or sun hat
• 1 pair flip-flops
• 1 pair zero-drop running shoes (I use Xero Shoes—doubles as everyday and gym)

Total clothing weight: ~4 kg

Toiletries & Health

• Solid shampoo bar (HiBar or Ethique)
• Solid conditioner bar
• Dr. Bronner’s soap (face, body, laundry)
• Toothpaste tablets (Unpaste or Denttabs)
• Bamboo toothbrush
• Deodorant crystal or Lush solid
• Minimal first-aid: prescription meds + Imodium, ibuprofen, antihistamine, blister plasters, tiny roll of Leukotape
• Diva cup or period underwear (if applicable)
• Microfiber towel (Sea to Summit Tek Towel medium)
• 50 ml sunscreen stick

Tech

• 13-inch MacBook Air or similar lightweight laptop (optional—many skip this now)
• Phone + universal adapter + Anker 20,000 mAh power bank
• 2 short USB-C cables, 1 long
• Noise-canceling earbuds (Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 right now—great value)
• Kindle Paperwhite (all books, guides, documents)

Miscellaneous

• Pacsafe Venturesafe 25L daypack (folds into its own pocket)
• 2 compression packing cubes (medium size)
• 1 thin silk sleep sack (hostel sheets are questionable)
• Tiny lock + wire cable
• Collapsible water bottle (Hydrapak or Vapur)
• Spork + tiny Tupperware (street food leftovers)
• Passport photocopy zip-tied inside bag + Google Drive scan

Everything fits in the 40 L bag and weighs 9.2 kg including the bag itself.

Step-by-Step Packing Method That Works

1. Lay everything out on the bed three weeks before departure.
2. Use the 3-to-1 rule: for every item you’re unsure about, remove three definite keepers if the unsure one stays.
3. Wear your bulkiest items on travel days (jacket, jeans, boots).
4. Test pack and walk 5 km with it fully loaded. Anything that annoys you gets cut.
5. Do laundry test: live out of the bag at home for one week. You’ll immediately spot extras.

Clothing Systems That Actually Work Long-Term

Merino wool is still king in 2025. Yes, it’s expensive, but one good Icebreaker shirt outlasts ten cheap cotton ones and never smells.
Layering beats bulk: base (merino) + mid (fleece) + shell (rain jacket) handles -5 °C to +35 °C easily.

Color coordinate everything in black, navy, or gray. You look decent in photos and stains hide.

Laundry on the Road (The Real Game Changer)

Hand wash in hostel sinks with Dr. Bronner’s or local bar soap. Merino and synthetic underwear dry overnight when rolled in a towel and hung.
Every 3–4 weeks find a city with decent laundromats (Buenos Aires, Chiang Mai, Lisbon) and do a proper load.

Common Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To

• Bringing “just in case” items (I carried a bulky sleeping bag for two years and used it twice).
• Packing books (Kindle solved this forever).
• Too many shoes (three pairs maximum, two is better).
• Jeans (heavy, slow to dry, unnecessary in most climates).
• Travel towel larger than medium (you’re not drying an elephant).

Pros and Cons of Extreme Minimalist Packing

Pros

• Never check a bag—save $50–200 every flight
• Move cities in minutes instead of hours
• Less decision fatigue every morning
• Forces you to live like a local instead of a tourist

Cons

• You will be cold sometimes (solution: buy a $10 fleece locally and donate later)
• You sometimes look scruffy (solution: accept it or carry one nice shirt)
• Replacing worn items abroad can be tricky in remote areas

Destination-Specific Adjustments

Cold climates (Scandinavia, Patagonia)
Add merino leggings, thin gloves, beanie. Still under 11 kg.

Tropical only (Southeast Asia, Central America)
Drop fleece and down jacket, add one more pair shorts and insect-repellent clothing.

Business or weddings
Carry one dark blazer that packs small (Bluffworks) and black leather sneakers that pass as formal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days of clothes do I really need for indefinite travel?
Seven days maximum. Five is better. You’ll do laundry anyway, and five outfits cycle forever.

Can I really survive without a laptop?
Yes. Most digital nomads I know in 2025 use only an iPad Mini + Bluetooth keyboard or just a phone. I kept mine only for video editing side projects.

What about women’s clothing and makeup?
Female travelers I know stick to the same principles: merino base layers, one dress that works day-to-night, minimal makeup (tinted sunscreen + brow gel + lipstick). Many carry a small jewelry roll for variety.

Is carry-on only possible in winter?
Absolutely. I spent January–March 2024 in Norway and Finland with the same 40 L bag. Bulky items worn on the plane, thin layers underneath.

How do you handle prescriptions and contacts?
Carry 3–6 months of medication (doctor’s letter helps at customs). Contacts: daily disposables are lighter than solution bottles.

What if something critical breaks or gets stolen?
Budget $150–200 per year for replacements. I’ve lost one pair of shoes in seven years—bought new ones in Vietnam for $18.

Do you ever regret packing so light?
Never. The only time I wished for more stuff was attending a friend’s black-tie wedding in Italy. Solution: rented a suit for €80.

Final Thoughts

Packing light for long-term travel isn’t about deprivation—it’s about freedom. Every gram you leave behind is stress you never have to carry. Start ruthless, refine as you go, and remember you can buy almost anything anywhere in the world in 2025.

Your first light trip will feel scary. Your second will feel normal. By the third, you’ll wonder why anyone ever travels heavy.

Safe travels, and see you out there with your tiny bag.

About the Author

Mike Spencer has been a full-time traveler since 2018, visiting 47 countries on six continents with only carry-on luggage. He runs the YouTube channel “One Bag Only” and helps people design minimalist travel systems through his coaching program. When he’s not on a night bus somewhere, he’s probably drinking coffee in a city you’ve never heard of.