You always wanna be as light as possible when it comes to travel. At least I tried for a long time to reduce as much as I can. The best thing being on an airplane is when you only have carrie-on luggage!
In order to do that I have a few easy tips for all you Digital Nomads out there…
The Ultimate Backpacking List – Lightweight
Shoes
Take only one pair. My favorites are ON RUNNING Cloud, they are super lightweight, comfortable and as the name says, you walk on clouds. Maybe, only maybe bring another pair of flip-flops or sandals (Xero X-Trail). If you´re in Asia you get flip-flops anywhere super cheap.
Clothes
Take as few as possible. 2-3 T-Shirts. One Hoodie. 2-3 pairs of underwear. 2-3 pairs of socks. One Pant, one Shorts or Boarding Pants, a lightweight rain jacket, a travel towel, and a Cap.
Important that you have good quality clothing. I only use Merino Wool from Icebreaker. They are odor-free so you can basically wear them for weeks and weeks and weeks without having to worry about the smell… That said, I also have socks and underwear from Icebreaker.
Go directly to the Amazon Merino Wool Section
Backpacks
Buy a lightweight carry on backpack. I use the Osprey Farpoint 40, but there are way more lightweight backpacks out there like the Arcido Faroe.
Daypack
Every single Digital Nomad needs a Daypack. A durable, lightweight one you can use for shopping, working, going to the beach and whatnot… I use the Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack, and I use it almost every day…
Tech Gear
Also, bring as few as possible… Laptop, Keyboard, Mouse, Laptop Stand, Phone, Charger, Kindle. That´s about it. Get a big iPhone+ or a Galaxy S8+ you can use as a tablet.
I recommend buying a USB to LAN Adapter if you have a MacBook, Wifi isn´t that reliable in Asia and you can connect via Lan at a lot of places. Where I´m at now I have 90Mbit up and down…
Off to the tech section of nomadgear.org
Coffee
If you like coffee as I do, bring your own coffee machine. The Aeropress is lightweight and small. Buy local coffee and use coconut milk – delicious and inexpensive. Also, buy the Premium Filter so you don´t have to use the paper ones…
Keep your stuff organized
I use Eagle Creek packing cubes so I know where all of my stuff is. It´s good to be organized, saves you time and trouble.
Declutter before you leave
Pile all your luggage. Then really think about if you need any item. Sort out and declutter. Your backpack shouldn’t be full when you start. It should be half empty. Do you really need that item or do you just think you need it?!
I hope this gives you an idea of how I pack being a digital nomad. I’m always looking for new items or ideas so if you have some ideas just write me, I’ll appreciate it…
