Tea Nomad

Packing List

I only travel with one 25L backpack. This list has the necessities I carry with me while traveling. Some small items that are not worth mentioning are not included in the list (for example, dental floss, USB C cables, or tissues). Be aware that I paid less than the current price for many of these items due to discounts, inflation, etc.

All you need is 25L Tom Bihn Bag

Bags

  • Main pack: Tom Bihn Synapse 25
  • Collapsible day pack: On-Grid Packable Backpack. This bag is now no longer made, so the most similar bag you will find is the ReFraction. I like the slick look of this bag, the excellent waterproofing capabilities, and the two side water bottle holders. I have not found another well reviewed day pack with these features. This bag looks like a cheap knockoff of the Matador bag.

Clothes (Note: some of my clothing choices were inspired by Snarky Nomad)

  • Pants
    • Travel/heavier pants: Dark indigo Aviator “Best Travel Jeans”. These jeans are actually pretty amazing for travelers. The material of these jeans is stretchy and it feels much more comfortable than wearing normal jeans. If you sign up for the mailing list you should get a 20% off coupon. If you order these, they include free hemming.
    • Nicer/lighter pants: Outlier Slim Dungarees are certainly the most expensive pants I ever expect to buy, but they are holding up well so far. I like the lightweight and water resistant material, which lets me wear these pants in hotter weather than I would wear the heavier jeans.
    • Swimsuit: Patagonia swimsuit. I don’t know the model and I only bought these because they were on sale at REI(Patagonia is too expensive otherwise). A swimsuit can also work as pajama shorts.
    • Shorts: Bought some black cotton shorts at H&M while traveling because the weather was too hot. These shorts are not special. Don’t buy light colored shorts if you plan to sit outdoors anywhere (public benches, while hiking, etc.) because lighter colors will quickly stain.
  • Shirts
  • Other
    • Belt: Arcade elastic belt. It’s not exactly fashionable, but it’s lightweight and you can walk through airport security without removing it.
    • Underwear: 5x Uniqlo Airism boxers. These are very compact, very fast to dry, and much better value than other options I have considered. There are different styles and designs for Uniqlo airism boxers so pick your favorite.
    • Shoes: I wear waterproof gray trail running shoes as my active shoe for hiking or walking around a lot, but I bought a pair of sandals while traveling because I wanted different shoes during the summer. I used to follow Snarky Nomad’s specific shoe suggestions, but because I like running, using running shoes as my main shoe made more sense.
    • Socks: I have two pairs of Icebreaker socks that I bought from the sale items section.
    • Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Folding Wayfarers. I have prescription lenses in these glasses and like the compact carry case they fit into. If you don’t need prescriptive lenses or use contacts, you might prefer the more compact ROAV sunglasses (hat tip to Tynan’s gear post for this suggestion).
    • Hat: I carry a baseball cap for sunny days.
    • Sleeping mask: MZOO sleeping mask. I really like to sleep well and am sensitive to light in my bedroom, so this has been the best $20 purchase I have ever made.
    • Earplugs: 3M E-A-R Soft FX. I have tried many earplugs and this one has the right mix or contour and firmness for me. Originally suggested by Tim Ferriss.
    • Buff: BUFF merino buff. This multifunctional piece of material can be used as a hat, a neck warmer, and more. I might upgrade to a mid-weight buff instead of the lightweight buff because the lightweight one isn’t the best in colder conditions.
    • Sun protection: I use cheap arm sleeves while hiking instead of sunscreen. When combined with long pants and baseball cap, I often don’t need sunscreen when hiking.
  • Jackets (See Vitalik’s gear post for a guide on using layers efficiently)

Electronics

  • Power adapters: I use this Kikkerland travel adapter with the same design as this Road Warrior adapter. The design is very compact.
  • Computer: Lenovo X1. While more expensive that some counterparts, even the Macbook Air, it’s the go-to choice for many business travelers and the design has been refined and improved over many years. It might be the lightest ultrabook with a 14” screen, and certainly the only one with 2 USB-A ports. Be aware that the Lenovo website changes prices and sales every week, so if they price looks high, check back next week.
  • Phone: Samsung A53 phone with a camera cover case.
  • GAN charger: I use this MINIX 66W charger.
  • Earbuds: I used wired earbuds until recently but now use these wireless earbuds.
  • I use a compact USB drive and a microSD card for local backups (trip photos, etc.)
  • I sacrificed my compact travel mouse for a Logitech MX3, which is the most ergonomic mouse I’ve tried.
  • The Roost laptop stand is the go-to for many digital nomads who are willing to pay for it. I like the iClever BK05 folding keyboard for the compact size and backlight feature it has.

Other

  • Water bottle: I used to have a Vapur bottle, but now I just buy a plastic bottle when I get to a new country and recycle it when I leave the country. Not the most eco-friendly option perhaps, but the Vapur bottle was difficult to properly clean out and was awkward to carry when less than half full.
  • Packing cubes: Tripped 2-pack compression cubes. They are a cheap knock-off of brand name Eagle Creek packing cubes.
  • Shaver: The KEMEI travel shaver has a USB-C charger and is very compact. I was happy to replace my previous choice of carrying a Wahl pocket pro trimmer, which required a AA battery and didn’t offer as close of a shave.
  • Towel: A smaller sized travel towel. Helpful when going to the pool or the beach. Travel towels are much, much more compact than normal towels.
  • I wear glasses and find it useful to carry a glasses carrying case to store (and protect) my normal glasses when wearing sunglasses.
  • I also carry glasses cleaning fluid with a cleaning cloth because I like having clean glasses.
  • I carry two SIM card tray removers because I change SIM cards when moving between countries. If your phone uses eSIMs, this might not be needed.
  • I carry a 100 ml bottle of conditioner and another 100 ml bottle of face cleansing soap.
  • I use this Muji toiletries bag because I like having a toiletries bag that has a hook so I can hang it in the bathroom.
  • I carry a folding toothbrush when I start my trip but often change to a normal one later in the trip.
  • A dentist once told me to wear bite protectors because I grind my teeth at night so I carry some of these.
  • I carry a compact notepad and pen even though I rarely use it.
  • I store my passport in a faraday bag to keep it flat and protect the RFID chip.
  • I have a couple of carabiners in my bag to attach some items that can hang from the outside of my bag if it’s tool full (say if I bought many snacks).
  • Make sure to carry a backup credit card and backup debit card when going on long trips. Losing access to your bank account is a fast way to end or pause any trip.

Changes I am considering

  • Swimsuit: I use my swimsuit very infrequently and should replace it with a pair of shorts that can work as a swimsuit on rare occasions.
  • I am considering upgrading this jacket to a similar lightweight shell that is also waterproof. Searching for ultralight rain jackets will show what I am considering upgrading to.

Travel software

  • OSMAnd: If you use Maps.me on an Android device, replace it with OSMAnd immediately. OSMAnd has the same offline capabilities but with so many more useful features that it is my #1 suggestion for travelers (who are Android users). OSMAnd is relatively new on iOS devices and therefore is less stable (and less recommended) for Apple users.
  • KeepassDX: Android password manager
  • Signal: Secure messaging, better than Whatsapp or Telegram
  • Iriun: Instead of using your laptop’s low quality webcam or buying a separate bulky webcam, Iriun lets you use your high quality smartphone camera as a computer webcam
  • Mullvad VPN: Use this on your laptop and phone, especially when on WiFi
  • FreeOTP+: a feature-rich 2FA app, better than many popular alternatives
  • Moovit: A helpful app for transit in many countries, includes transit options that Google Maps does not
  • If you use Android, remember to debloat your phone to remove default apps