- Family Travel Packing Guide: Mom’s Backpack
The biggest question we have received is definitely about how to pack for a trip around the world. Here is the breakdown of Ashley’s backpack for our family gap year. Check back to this page for updates about how our off-brand gear holds up, what we packed well, and what we ditch/change/add along the way. Head here for Dad’s backpack and here for the Kids’ backpacks. To find out what country we are currently in and to see all our worldwide travel adventures, head over to our Instagram page.
Backpack: Osprey Fairview 55L
Ashley asked for the Women’s Osprey Fairview 55L backpack with detachable daypack as a birthday present (it is one of the most expensive items we brought). So far, we feel like it was a great buy and absolutely worth the money. Osprey is one of the top backpacking companies and offers amazing warranties for their products. The material and zippers feel like they are sturdy enough to last years. It’s a framed backpack so it can’t be stored away compactly like Jon’s backpack can. However, it is very comfortable to wear, and we love the flexibility to have the daypack attached or zipped off.
Clothing
One month into traveling and all our clothes are holding up very well!
Here is my exact clothing list:
- 3 short-sleeved tees and 2 sleeveless athletic shirts
- 1 long-sleeved shirt
- 1 rain jacket: We absolutely love Columbia rain jackets. As you can see from a lot of our stuff, we are not picky regarding brands, but all 4 of us travel with Columbia rain jackets. It’s the perfect blend of wind and water protection without being hot and sticky.
- 1 sweatshirt: We keep these accessible in our backpacks for travel days.
- 1 long skirt and 1 casual dress: These are for church or a nicer dinner.
- 2 pairs of shorts: 1 pair of running shorts and 1 pair of Columbia shorts (similar to these, they have deep front pockets for my cell phone to not stick out and a zipped back pocket)
- Long-sleeve rash guard and 2 Swimsuits (one from Kohls and one here)
- 2 pairs of pants: Columbia hiking pants and jeans (many packing lists put jeans as the #1 thing to NOT bring, but I like them!)
- 2 pairs of leggings
- 2 comfy t-shirts to sleep in
- Hat
- 5 underwear, 2 bras, 4 sports bras. ExOfficio is an awesome brand for lightweight and quick-dry travel undergarments.
- 5 Socks: These Icebreaker Merino Hiking socks have held up great!
Shoes
Pro tip: break in but don’t wear out your choice of both primary shoe and sandals before leaving!
- Ashley scored some awesome North Face hiking boots from their outlet that are waterproof and fairly lightweight at a big discount. If you have a Columbia or North Face outlet near you, we’d highly recommend running by before buying full price. Most of the items we have bought there have been between 50%-80% off.
- Old Navy Flip Flops for life!
Miscellaneous
- Toiletries bag- Deodorant, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes with cases, toothpaste, floss, Ibuprofen and Excedrin, Melatonin, Benadryl, small Repel insect spray, nail clippers, razor, chapstick, small clear bottle of hair gel, and Ashley’s one makeup item: Mary Kay CC Cream (tinted moisturizer with SPF!)
- Hairbrush with hairbands on the handle
- Collapsible Water Bottles: we literally use these every single day
- 4 sets of these goggles
- Sunglasses and hat
- Computer (1 for the family)
- Scrubba Bag– This may not be worth the price if just for the wash bag since we’ve often had a washer in our Airbnb. However, the fact that it doubles as a dry bag has made it a good buy for us.
- Clothesline- We’ve used this at every place we’ve stayed!
So there it is, how to pack for a trip around the world.. at least for backpack one of four! Stay connected with our blog here, and we will post updates over time about how our packing is working in real life!
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Comment below with questions, things you would add, or what you would subtract from my list. I will update this page as things get tossed, lost, broken, torn, and added to my pack.
