The subject of packing is one that many people find frustrating when preparing for a trip – you want to take as much stuff with you as you can “in case,” but almost always, we have pretty strict limits on this. However, a growing number of people are choosing not to burden themselves with clothes or other necessities when traveling: backpacking is the luggage. Backpacking is the best way to travel: why and how? There are many benefits to backpacking – this time, we will explore them and share some tips to make backpacking as comfortable as possible.

Why is it worth traveling with just a backpack? 

Strict hand luggage requirements and limited space mean that a backpack is not the best travel companion for many people. Yet, if you take a closer look, there are plenty of advantages that a backpack for hand luggage can offer you – here are some of them.

Advantages when flying by plane 

It’s no secret that it’s both cheaper and faster to fly with hand luggage only. You won’t have to pay for extra kilos of luggage, and there’s no queuing at check-in. When you arrive at your destination, you can start your adventure in no time – you save the hassle of waiting for your luggage to be unloaded not to mention the situations when your suitcase never arrives and your belongings continue their journey without you. 

Needless to say, all of these advantages impact future experiences, which is one of the main reasons you should travel only with a backpack. If you want to save some money, it is also an option worth considering, as you may have to pay extra for luggage when flying and using public transport abroad.

Complete comfort

Sure, you won’t be able to take your entire collection of dresses (or even shoes) with just a backpack, but chances are you’ll be much more comfortable for the whole trip. This is particularly relevant when planning a solo trip. Suppose you have to walk around the city longer, wait for a bus, or make a hotel reservation. In that case, you won’t feel any extra physical discomfort. It will also be much less stressful – although a backpack can also be heavy and bulky, it will be much less of a hassle to carry it alone. 

You’ll also feel comfy when you don’t have to listen to the rumble of the suitcase wheels. If it’s a short drive, you won’t necessarily notice it, but if it’s a longer distance and the pavement isn’t the smoothest, the noise of the wheels will be noticed. It is also likely to attract the attention of those around you. In addition, some countries have even considered banning noisy suitcase wheels. Still, when you are backpacking, such bans are no longer relevant.

Greater mobility 

Will you be changing your accommodation frequently, taking more extreme routes, or perhaps hiking during the day and camping at night? Whatever your plan, you’ll always be much more mobile with a single rucksack. You’ll never have to worry about whether the chosen route will be suitable for more than one piece of luggage. Plus, you’ll always have access to the stairs, so you’ll avoid queuing for lifts or escalators.

Safety

Lost luggage can be a real headache or even change your travel plans, but not if you’re traveling with a single backpack. It will stay with you whatever the situation, so your carefully selected travel items won’t get lost – meaning you’ll be much safer too. Obviously, that depends significantly on how well you manage to look after your belongings yourself. Still, it is much more stress-free when all the responsibility lies on one’s shoulders. 

As for safety, it’s also worth mentioning that when you backpack, you’ll blend in more with the crowd and won’t seem to be a tourist. Such appearance reduces the chances of being noticed by pickpockets and crooks. Tourists are easy prey for them, and a carry-on suitcase can easily give away the fact that you might not be aware of all the local rules.

Less stress

All the mentioned benefits mean that taking just one bag with you will help you avoid dealing with stressful situations more than once, allowing you to relax and enjoy your short getaway. The only challenge you’ll face is fitting all your belongings into your backpack. But as long as you use reliable make-up bags and travel-sized laundry bags and choose only the essentials, you’ll be able to handle this task easily.  

Changing habits

By listing versatile clothes, accessories, and everyday essentials, you’ll notice that it’s possible to get by with much less. That may inspire changes in your daily life too. Living a simpler lifestyle is becoming very prominent nowadays, so it’s worth bearing this in mind when deciding what to pack for your trip. Yet the opposite is also possible: you may find that you take some things for granted, and if you don’t take some things with you, you’ll appreciate them even more, when you get back. Either way, the packing will be a challenge, allowing you to reassess your relationship with the things around you.  

The list of pros is long enough that it’s worth checking them all for yourself at least once. Try experimenting with shorter trips – once you’ve got the right stuff, you’ll never even remember why you needed a big suitcase!

What to take on a backpacking trip? 

Each of us is individual, so to say that some things are more important than others for a trip would be wrong. Nevertheless, there are some things you can’t do without, and these are the essentials for traveling:

• Passport/ID card and other travel documents
• Chargers and adapters
• Underwear
• Personal hygiene items
• Basic cosmetics
• Clothing and footwear
• Wallet
• Painkillers 

This list of essentials often raises one question: how do I fit them all into one backpack? Moreover, we would like to add a little more to it. Still, it’s certainly possible to do so following the tips below.

Wear the bulkiest clothes 

Jackets, coats, warmer sweaters, or hiking shoes will take up a lot of space in your backpack and add weight, but you can still take them with you. You can wear such wardrobe items during the trip: no one will charge you for the worn weight. You can always take one or more layers off if it gets too warm. You shouldn’t go overboard here: if you’re backpacking for greater mobility, a substantial amount of clothing won’t provide the comfort you might expect. But if you need warmer clothes, it’s not worth trying to fit them into a backpack. 

Prioritize versatility

When traveling, you should forget about creating a distinguished outfit. While this doesn’t mean you have to look like you’ve just got out of bed every day, you will never go wrong by opting for more versatile outfits. Choose colors that are easy to mix and match, and take clothes suitable for a casual stroll and a night out on the town. Make sure you can mix and match the pieces you take with you to have options when traveling.  

The fabrics of the clothing should be light, thin, and wrinkle-free. It is also advisable to opt for dark-colored clothes: they won’t show stains, are easy to match, and make you look dressed up in the evening. 

Pack only essential toiletries 

We recommend taking only the essentials that will not be available locally when traveling with a backpack. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, and other similar personal hygiene products are available in most hotels, so you can certainly do without them. You should also bring as few make-up products as possible: such a trip can be a great holiday for your skin. If certain products cannot be avoided, choose containers that are as small as possible. It’s also worth considering a travel bag to put them all in to prevent clutter in your backpack. 

Pack items properly 

You can do so by remembering a few basic tips:

• Instead of folding, roll your clothes. You’ll be surprised how much space it will save. And clothing rolled in this way will wrinkle a lot less. 
• The first thing to pack is your essentials. Underwear, a few essential clothes, chargers, and the other items on the list above can all be packed in the bottom of the backpack. Then add the less necessary items, leaving the least important items for later. Such sorting will speed things up: if you see that one or another item no longer has its place, you won’t have to go through all of them to figure out what you need to leave behind. 
• Be sure to have a plastic bag for liquids. It is used for packing liquids in hand luggage when traveling by air. The bag will need to be taken out during check-in, so it is best to keep it at the top of one’s bag. Note that hand luggage rules allow liquids to be carried in containers no larger than 100 ml, and the total weight of liquids cannot exceed 1 liter. Overlooking this restriction could mean saying goodbye to your luxury perfume or other beloved products.

Avoid common mistakes 

Many travelers sometimes make these mistakes while packing or unpacking, but you can avoid them:

• Taking too many shoes. It probably goes without saying that shoes take up most of the space inside your bag, so if you’ve significantly overloaded with shoes, you’ll have to forget the other extra stuff. Clearly, having only one pair of shoes for the trip doesn’t sound appealing to many, so it’s best to choose two pairs of shoes. The heavier ones should be worn, and the other ones you can try to put in the backpack. If it’s not a pair of sandals, you can place smaller things inside them to make the most of the available space.
• Forgetting to bring more covered clothing. Suppose you’re flying to a warm country and only planning to spend time on the beach. In that case, you won’t even think about wearing such clothes. Still, if you’re visiting a temple, a church, or other similar sites, you’ll need a more closed-in outfit. Make sure you have at least one garment covering your shoulders and knees – this applies to both women and men.
• Overdoing it with smart devices. While we want to capture every moment during our trips, spending time on the plane or at the airport makes us think about additional entertainment. Yet if you take your tablet, camera, smartwatch, or other similar devices with you, your backpack will become much heavier, more susceptible to damage, and highly valuable to pickpockets. Consider whether you need more than just a smartphone. Nowadays, they are amazingly feature-rich, so you can replace many other devices. And you won’t have to worry about the security of all your valuables. 

Traveling with only a backpack: what else do you need to have in mind? 

Once you’ve packed (or at least prepared to do so) for your trip, there are a few more essential tips to keep in mind that will ensure greater comfort.

Choose accommodations with laundry service

If you’re traveling just for a few days, you won’t be short of clothes and underwear. However, if you’re going for longer and still want to fit everything in one backpack, a washing machine can be a lifesaver. Then you can downsize to fewer clothes, as you can conveniently wash them. If not, you’ll have to think about washing by hand, but you probably don’t want to waste your holiday at the sink.

Choose your bag responsibly

Since it will be your main luggage for the whole journey, it makes sense that you should pay more attention to this choice. The following criteria are the most important to focus on:

• Size. The dimensions of carry-on luggage may vary slightly between airlines. Still, in most cases, there is no extra charge for a medium-sized backpack. However, you can check this information in advance on the airlines’ website.
• Capacity. For a 2-4 day trip, a 40-80 liter rucksack is sufficient. But it’s worth considering an even more spacious model for longer trips. These are approximate figures and they depend on how much you want to focus on comfort.
• Weight. The weight limit for carry-on baggage can vary, but in this case, you should remember that you will have to carry it for the trip, so don’t overdo it. You can test the backpack’s weight if you have the time: if it isn’t uncomfortable for at least a few hours, there should be no problems during the trip. Also, try lifting your loaded bag over your head to see if there are any problems on the plane, train, or bus.
• Comfort. This one is quite individual, but you won’t go wrong if you’re looking for a sturdy backpack with extra pockets and compartments for smaller items. The adjustability of the shoulder straps is also essential: you can position them so that most of the weight is on your waist and hips. Otherwise, it will be much harder to cover longer distances. 

Proper weight distribution in the backpack

Even though we noted above the importance of organizing items in your backpack, this advice applies best when planning a flight or just checking how much you can fit in it. Backpacking is the best way to travel: why and how? Suppose after arriving or reaching your destination, you are going to walk for a longer time. In that case, it’s a good idea to reorganize the contents of your bag a bit to make it more comfortable. The heaviest items can then be placed as close to the back as possible, around the middle of the shoulder blades. If you are going on flat roads, the heavy items should be higher up; if you are tackling mountain trails, place them lower down. Once again, you could practice the techniques to see which works best for you.  

Have an extra backpack 

Yep, we’re talking about traveling with one backpack here, but if you manage to fit another smaller one inside, the trip will be even more comfortable. You won’t need to carry all your belongings with you every time you go for a walk. You can leave your main bag at the hotel and put all your essentials in the smaller one. A smaller-sized bag can be used instead of the backpack, but in any case, these accessories should not be left empty. You can put your underwear or rolled-up clothes in it, thus ensuring that your backpack doesn’t waste limited space.  

After trying backpacking, you likely won’t want to return to your old habits. It may be more challenging the first couple of times, but after that, it will be much easier to find the right stuff and enjoy the mobility.