When I started my nomadic life, I packed too much. I wanted to be too many things at once: a camper, a hiker, a surfer. Before starting the living-out-of-a-backpack life, I had traveled quite a bit, so I thought I knew what I was doing. But I learned that I had to be strategically selective with my items while doing long-term (budget) travel.

That first pack I brought to Brazil was equipped for backpacking (as in overnight camping). I had a tent, a 10-degree (F) sleeping bag, an air pad, a water filter, and other basics needed for the wilderness. I hadn’t touched the camping stuff during the first month or two in Rio, so when I went south to the town of Ubatuba, I forced myself to camp because I wanted to feel like I had brought those bulky items for a reason. However, I learned that summertime camping in the tropics of Brazil just ain’t it. It was hot, and even hotter in my tent, and the mosquitos were inescapable. The only place to escape them was…in the blistering tent (after I had managed to kill the stragglers who snuck in).

I also learned that sometimes there is no other option but to walk long distances with my items. I engineered an axle with scooter wheels for my surfboard bag with this type of situation in mind, but I found that, even with the aid of wheels, walking long distances with my luggage was miserable — both sweaty and hard on my back. I had to downsize. Eventually I dumped the Home Depot-engineered wheels because they were heavy, didn’t remove that much of a burden, and only worked with flat, smooth surfaces, which are rare outside of airports.

When I had my first pitstop back in California, I decided that I would not be a camper anymore on these travels; I would just be a surfer. I ditched all the camping gear but kept the surf gear. And each subsequent time I returned home, I learned other ways to downsize. For example, I used to travel with a little clothes handwashing kit, but realized that everywhere I go in the world has laundry service that is typically very cheap and efficient. I haven’t had to hand-wash once. I also identified the clothes I wasn’t using and figured, if I hadn’t used them in a year, I wouldn’t use them in the next year. (While living out of a backpack, you get good at determining if a shirt is ‘clean’ enough to wear for a second — or third — day in a row.)

I think sharing what I pack could be interesting information for others who are looking to embark on a long-term trip. (I did a similar post with how much it costs to travel solo while in Brazil.) So, currently in Senegal, on the fourth ‘phase’ of my nomadic travels, here is what I have in my bag.

Clothing

During these travels, I’ve experienced every type of weather. In India, I traveled in freezing temperatures and snow flurries. In coastal Guatemala, I lived through the hottest, most humid temperatures in my life. In Ubatuba, Brazil, it rained nearly every day. While I sometimes lacked the optimal clothing, I usually had sufficiently adequate gear to stay comfortable.

• 7 shirts
• 1 long sleeve shirt
• 1 tank top
• 2 shorts
• 2 board shorts
• 1 pair of pants
• 1 pair of zip-off pants
• 7 pairs of socks (4 thin for everyday use, 3 thick for hiking)
• 1 pair of light gloves
• 7 boxers
• 1 down jacket
• 1 medium jacket
• 1 light jacket
• 1 rain jacket shell
• 1 pair of Brooks running shoes
• 1 pair of Reef flipflops
• 2 sunglasses
• Nighttime scooter glasses (just for eye protection)
• 1 beanie
• 1 sun hat
• 1 trucker hat

One thing that I’ve noticed sets me apart from other travelers is that I only bring one pair of shoes. I already have enough extra stuff to carry around because I’m a surfer, so I go light in the shoe department. I have a pair of plain black Brooks running shoes that are quite comfy and, while they are not ideal for all scenarios, they work for a range of activities. I can walk, hike, or play sports with them. They also look “normal” enough that I can wear them out at night (which is not often) and not look completely out of place.

Electronics

Since I work while I travel, I have to keep a reasonable supply of gadgets. Oftentimes I am in remote areas far from electronics stores (see dead computer in Costa Rican jungle), so for some items I even carry a backup. When abroad, things like a back-up iPhone charger can be useful because Apple products can be hard to find in some areas outside the U.S.

• Macbook and charger
• iPhone and charger (USB and USB-C)
• Universal power adapter
• GoPro
  • Mini tripod
  • waterproof case
  • 2 batteries and charging cable
• Panasonic Lumix point-and-shoot camera
  • Hard case for camera
  • Soft cover
  • 2 batteries, battery charger, and cable
  • Mini hand grip tripod
  • Cleaning liquid and brush
• Power bank
• 2 headphones (one for iPhone and one for Macbook)
• Other adapters
  • USB to USB-C
  • SD Card to USB
  • 2 USB-C ‘everything’ adapters for Macbook
• Memory stick
• Solid state hard drive (2TB)
• SIM cards and SIM card tray opener

The SIM card tray opener is a tiny, but important item. A computer repair guy in Brazil was kind enough to give me one and I haven’t lost it since. I always prefer to get physical SIM cards when I go to a new country because the e-sims can be spotty as far as the actual speeds you receive. (Each country is different.) Although, iPhone 14 and newer only take e-sims, so eventually I’ll have to give in to them.

Surf gear

My surfboard quiver has generally varied between one and two boards during these travels. The most I had were three boards while in Indonesia. The surfboards are a major pain in the ass while getting around. Sometimes I envy those who don’t surf and can show up somewhere with just a backpack and be perfectly happy. I’ve gotten pretty good at fitting my surf bag into taxis or tying it to the roof of Tuk-tuks. It may be a hassle, but so far I’ve always gotten the hefty surf bag to where I need to be without any board damage in transit (knock on wood).

• 2 surfboards (5’6” fish and 5’10” shortboard)
• 3 sets of fins
• 3 leashes
• Wax (several bars of basecoat and several bars of cold water wax)
• Wax comb
• ‘Pickle’ wax remover
• Ding repair kit with fiberglass, epoxy and polyurethane suncure, and sand paper
• Leash strings
• Roof straps
• Fin keys
• Zinc sunscreen
• 1 light beach towel
• 1 4mm/3mm fullsuit
• 1 2mm springsuit
• 1 wetsuit vest with hood (never used it)
• 1 surf hat
• Ear plugs
• 1 short-sleeve rashguard
• 1 long-sleeve rashguard
• Surf helmet
• 1 pair cold water booties
• 1 pair reef booties
• Thin surfboard day bag

Finances

I generally just use one credit card for purchases (when possible) and one debit card for ATM transactions. But I have some backups in case a card is stolen or not working with a particular merchant. I try to keep them in different locations, not all in my wallet at once, in case my wallet is stolen. Losing all your cards might be even worse than losing your passport in the era of modern travel.

• 4 credit cards (mainly using Chase Sapphire at the moment, but I also have American Airlines and REI cards)
• 2 debit cards (Schwab is my go-to for ATM withdrawals because they reimburse all fees)
• $300 emergency cash USD

Pharmacy bag

Some ‘pharmacy’ items that I consider essentials back home can be really hard to find while abroad. I try to stock up on enough of everything I need to hold me off for a good while. For example, when in tropical countries, my surfer’s eye acts up a lot and I need Visine eye drops. I ran out of them while in Sri Lanka and discovered that they did not exist in the semi-rural pharmacies where I was living (they only had antibiotic drops, not red eye drops). I had to ask my brother to bring me a new bottle from the U.S. when he visited. Here in Senegal, for the first time during my trip, I had trouble finding probiotic pills, which are good to take when you are in a new country and exposed to new types of bacteria. After checking at four pharmacies, I finally found one that had one bottle in stock with 20 probiotic pills.

• Daily multi-vitamins
• Probiotic pills
• Antiseptic spray
• Ibuprofen
• Vaseline
• Band-aids
• Immodium
• Antibiotic cream

Toiletry bag

Pretty self-explanatory. Just the basic items.

• Toothbrush + toothbrush travel cover
• Toothpaste
• Visine eye drops
• Nail clipper
• Mini 1oz lotion tube
• Floss
• Chapstick
• 2oz shaving cream
• Razor
• Q-tips
• Shampoo bar
• Soap bar
• Pumice stone
• Shower loofah

Miscellaneous

I have recurring back issues, so I travel with a yoga mat and a muscle roller, two items that take up space. I strap them to the sides of my backpack, and I’ve been getting along fine like that. Taking care of my body is a priority. A headlamp has come in handy many times when the power cuts (I’m looking at you, Pavones) and during night hikes. And I use reusable grocery bags all the time when I want to carry multiple items on an excursion outside but don’t want to unpack my entire backpack.

• 1 light shower towel
• Guitar capo
• Passport
• Rechargeable headlamp
• Hydroflask water bottle
• Thin yoga mat
• Mini foam muscle roller
• Journal
• Pen
• Compass/whistle tool
• Retractable clothesline
• Mini detergent packets
• Basic medical kit
• 3 grocery shopping bags
• Hairbrush
• Resistance exercise band
• Electric shaver

I hope this proves to be useful for those looking to embark on a trip of their own. My main 55-liter backpack usually weighs in around 30-35 pounds. The surfboard bag is similar, while my small 20-liter backpack is probably around 15 pounds. That’s roughly 80 pounds of gear — airport carts are a lifesaver (I refuse to pay the “SmartCarte” rip-off at U.S. airports). If I were not a surfer, I think I could condense everything into a 30-pound, 40-liter backpack. Unfortunately, I like to surf, so my weight and volume of bags more than doubles. Oh well.