*My friends, I’ve come a long way since I wrote this back in 2017. I no longer travel this light due to kids, my girlfriends, and all the camera gear I’ve accumulated while running my YouTube channel. However, if you’re traveling solo or island hopping, traveling light with one backpack is the way to go.
My World Travel Gear 2017
I’m constantly upgrading my world travel gear in the never-ending search for the perfect setup.
The gear you travel with can either make or break a trip. My philosophy is to always travel fast and light. You may have to break this principle to accomplish your objectives but it should be what you aim for. I’m currently carrying a total of 14.175 kilos / 31.250 pounds of gear. My goal is to get the total weight down to 10 kilos.
These three tables help me stay minimal and organized. I update the tables before and after any adventure so I can use this page as a packing list. Hopefully it will give you some ideas about your pack plan.
What’s in my Satchel?
| Satchel | Grams | Pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Gear Bag | 1,438 | 3.170 |
| MacBook Air 11 inch | 1,072 | 2.363 |
| iPhone SE | 122 | .269 |
| iPhone Cable + Adapter | 45 | .099 |
| iPhone Ear Buds | 12 | .026 |
| CamKix Bluetooth Camera Shutter Remote Control | 16 | .035 |
| Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod | 191 | .421 |
| RetiCAM Tripod Mount | 77 | .170 |
| RetiCAM Hand Grip | 115 | .254 |
| Sony RX100 V Camera | 303 | .668 |
| Camera Soft Carrying Case | 67 | .148 |
| Small Zippered Case | 37 | .082 |
| USB Drives (8g X 2) | 16 | .035 |
| SanDisk Extreme USB 3.0 Flash Drive 64GB | 12 | .026 |
| 2 Batteries for RX 100 Camera | 62 | .137 |
| Lens Cloth | 9 | .020 |
| Moleskine Travel Journal | 304 | .670 |
| 2 Pencils | 10 | .022 |
| 2 Pens | 20 | .044 |
| Pacsafe RFID Zippered Pouch | 37 | .082 |
| U.S. Passport | 47 | .104 |
| U.S. Passport Card | 5 | .011 |
| Credit Cards (5g X 5) | 25 | .055 |
| Currency | 25 | .055 |
| Travel Documents | 164 | .362 |
| Dental Floss | 10 | .022 |
| Recycled Tyvek Zippered Pouch | 22 | .049 |
| TOTAL Weight | 4,263 | 9.398 |
What’s in my Backpack?
What Do I Wear While Traveling?
| Wear | Grams | Pounds |
|---|---|---|
| Arc’teryx Texada Pants in Sandstone | 582 | 1.283 |
| Craghoppers Nat Geo Nosilife Adventure Long-Sleeve Shirt | 264 | .582 |
| Sleeveless T-Shirt | 108 | .238 |
| Merrell MOAB 2 Waterproof Hiking Shoes | 910 | 2.006 |
| Under Armour Men’s Resistor No-Show Socks | 34 | .075 |
| Under Armour Boxers | 75 | .165 |
| Wiley X Arrow Sunglasses | 36 | .079 |
| Camo Boonie Hat | 115 | .254 |
| Head Scarf | 137 | .302 |
| TOTAL Weight | 2,261 | 4.985 |
I weighed each of the items on a digital scale so I could get an accurate number. I realized that the weight listed on a manufacturer’s website is never spot on. With the true weight on these tables I can now see how the grams add up to extra pounds.
To be honest, I’m not sure why I’m carrying this much weight. I’m already eyeing two of my favorite pieces of gear for the chopping block. The Indiana Gear Bag and my Manfrotto Compact Light Tripod add 2.245 kilos / 4.949 pounds to the total. That’s significant. The problem is that they’re the two pieces of gear I’m not prepared to part ways with. It’s a dilemma.
Hey Mark –
You have some expensive and high quality gear for someone living on the cheap but impressive items! Thanks for sharing! No EDC knife?
I don’t carry a knife, my friend. If I’m traveling light with just a backpack as a carry on, I can’t have a knife, anyway. I do carry an old Leatherman tool if I’m checking bags.