Pack your backpack for hitchhiking around the world

I hate pack-lists. Probably, because they are often just written to get some Affilate-Links placed and to make money. I never wanted to write this kind of list. I neither want to make any recommendations. Just want to tell, how my „home“ looks like, which I carry around on my back since 1,5 years. Thought that could be interesting.

In the end I had around 12kg and 50l volume, which I think is quite reasonable. My backpack was so full in the end, that I could not even fit an extra shirt in it. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to leave a comment at the end of the article. I will be happy to reply.

Most important

Around 50l, two sections, simple carrier-system, front access, really minimized design, very robust material and the typical Parachuter-Look. The backpack has not much to offer, but thats why it is so genius. It is taylor made from the Russian hitchhiker Alexej Vorov, who developed hitchhiking optimized outdoor equipment in the last 30 years. Simple and functional. I would never choose a different backpack.

Also from Russia, made by Alexej. Two container, both around 1,5l big and together 2,7kg heavy. It got a tent and a tarp. No sticks. Which might be a disadvantage, because you can not use it without two trees/obstacles/pillows. But I never had problems to hang it, wherever I was (except in high-alpine mountain areas).

Also: The tent fits perfectly in my backpack. The Russians developed the backpack back in the days and then figured out, that their other equipment is too big for the backpack. Logically they had to resize their other equipment. The tent is one outcome of this process.

The hitchhiking suit

Most important for my hitchhiking. My second skin. My hitchhiking suit. Our official DTSG uniform. The suit is primarily developed for night-hitchhiking but has also some small features, like the pockets on top of your upper legs (which are perfectly accessable, when you sit in the car, which we do a lot) or the colorful design. It is breath-active (synthetics, dry fast) and taylor made (of course). But thats it. Doesn’t keep you warm, does not protect you against wind or rain. I also have some leg-reflectors, which are part of the uniform.

My Writing-In-The-Rain notebook, which I introduced already in my logging article. Really really nice to log your hitchhiking adventures.

Sleeping

Ultra Light Summer Sleeping Bag (+11° Comfort Zone)

My sleeping bag has an extreme small packing volume and weights 420g. 40€ at Globetrotter. I am happy with it, as long as it is not colder than +5°, otherwise it starts to hurt, if you sleep with this baby. He disappointed me several times, until I got my winter sleeping bag (also made by Vorov). But now for the spring and summer I got it back!

Sleeping pad

You can buy inflatable Ultra Light sleeping pads. They have 1-1,5l volume, but are not very robust. Therefore I choosed the Therma-Rest version. On of my buddies recommends body-sized sleeping pads, but never tested them.

Electronics

I started with a cheap Panasonic compact-camera until it gave up. Now I got myself a Lumix DMC-LX3 for 90€. Got some nice Reviews and I wanted just a small camera for small money. I am really satisfied with the pictures tho.

Since I had no Smartphone and I wanted to write the blog, I decided to take a laptop with me. One of my heaviest pieces in the backpack with 2kg, but for my digital comfort zone, absolutely necessary. Also I had to buy the laptop, because it was looking so damn well. I got a Thinkpad Edge E135 with a flash hard drive. Especially the Thinkpad keyboard is a lot of fun to work with and a huge advantage towards those terrible EEE-Pc’s as for normal laptops. A good middle way for me.

Got some as a present meanwhile. Thanks Bobby. My life is so much more simple now. Never get lost again, with Google offline maps. It is a Nexus 5 and the first smartphone which I ever have. Like it so far.

Actually I don’t know why I got one with me. We bought a bunch of Action Cams, sponsored by the European Union for documentation of our hitchhiking races. Now I record roads all over the world with is. We got a GoPro-Clon for about 80€, called SJ4000.

Practical. Also good to combine with a MP3-Player. Got one as well meanwhile, but don’t really know for what, as I never listen to music with it.

Chargers

Yes, of course you will need chargers for all the shit you got.

Clothing

Okay, this is a boring point, but let’s do it, to keep it complete.

Basically I got my hitchhiking uniform, one set of long clothes and one set of short clothes. With my Equipment I can survive until -5° outside (hitchhiking, not sleeping).

• 2-3 s hirts ( meanwhile four )
• 2 pa ir of socks (Merinow ool , doesn’t smell ) (meanwhile four)
• 2 pair of underwear (meanwhile 4)
• 2 under shirts
• long underwear
• hat (warm)
• s c arf (a lso warm)
• base-Cap ( against sun )
• gloves (normal ones, thin, wool, 5 fingers which with you can still use your camera
• one pair of trousers (Jeans)
• short trousers (lost meanwhile)
• wool pullover
• one nice pullover for dates and official happenings (my one was of Kashmir wool, which Jonas mum gave me during a DTSG competition and brought me lost of compliments. But I lost it. Sorry Jonas mum, I really loved that one!)
• Daune inlet/jacket, can be compressed into the backpack, same as a sleeping bag.

Leather with Vibran sole. Shoes should be bought for a purpose. My ones are not for high-alpine hiking, but a hybrid, because I walk a lot along streets. They are water-proved. In the winter you can use an extra inlet and thick socks, so better buy the a little bit bigger than normal.

Extras

Actually more than just an extra, but crucial part of our competitive hitchhiking equipment and night hitchhiking. We use in the DTSG some head torch from Fenix. I think I can compete with a car beam. If I use it on the highest level, it hurts to look into it. Beside that it has a remote control and an external battery pack, to keep it warm near the body. Also it can get into the water and is shock-safe. It is a very good lamp and I love it.

Mine is from Daikine. In the end a matter of taste. I wanted something simple, black and robust.

DTSG Sticker

Have to bomb street signs and promote competitive hitchhiking….

Mine is a standart Opinel 8, with 8,5cm blade, which is also nice for cooking.

Toilet paper

This should not be here, but in the first part of this list. There is nothing worse, than hitchhiking around and having no toilet paper with you.

Sleeping mask

Does not weight much and is good against light. Actually, the longer I have this, the more I like it.

Simple wool bag is enough, if you ask me. Enough to climb 4000m high mountains definitely.

I had maximum 5 books with me. Now I got two. They make you happy twice. When you read them and when you get rid of them.

Medical support

I did some research in the beginning and most of the things I never used, which would be a reason to kick them out. But better safe than sorry.

• m alaria Standby Medi c ation. For the jungle.
• antibiotics
• painkiller. I got some Ibuprofen 600mg pills. They are good but not high-end. Some of my friends recommended me, to take some serious shit with me, to get sedated, when I really need it, like my leg is broken and bloody or other reasons for strong pain. But hard to get, even if it sounds right.
• desinfection. Got Bettaisadonna, the creme.
• anti-Histamines. Against allergic reactions.
• eye-Celaning-Liquid. If you get some chili in your eyes, this shit can safe your life.

Beauty farm

• nail scissor (lost and never replaced)
• tooth paste (hey here is a tip, in Germany we got Ajona Stomatikum tooth paste, really small and efficient and tasty. I even send myself some from Germany to the USA, because I don’t want to travel with something different.
• toothbrush
• piece of soap (oldschool and small
• deodorant

Dismissed

Things I had with me, but kicked them, because I did not see them as useful after 1,5 years.

I had a small and simple Trangia cooker. Really good for one person, but you need quite a lot of fuel for it, especially if you go hiking for several days. You can only cook small meals with it.

Reason: Used it once. I am not the kind of guy, who takes the time to cook his own food I guess.

Selfie-Stick

Reason: Get rid of that shit.

Climbing shoes

Reason: Expected more climbing action, but didn’t do it in the end.

Water-Filter

I had a Sawyer Water Filter, which only weights some gram and is as big as a thick pencil. The company promotes the filter with the fact, that you can drink out of toilets with it. Pretty impressive innovation. But more for using in Africa and not when you are traveling and have access to water almost everywhere.

Reason: Used it once. Why carry it around with me?

Windbreaker

Pretty important if you go sailing, but also a good layer, if you want to keep yourself warm.

Reason: Had two of them. One got destroyed, when I crashed with a parachute. The other one I lost. Never replaced them.

Rain cape (plastic)

You can use a very thin one. Does not take a lot of room and you can find some protection during heavy rain.

Reason: I prefer to stand on a dry spot. Never used the cape.

Reason: Why not try some skin-cancer this time? Or just avoid being at the beach all day.

Towel (micro-blabla).

Very small volume. And normal towels are really stupid for traveling.

Reason: Lost it. Now I just dry myself in the air or get back into my clothes while being wet. Life can be so easy.

Washing powder

Reason: No need to carry this around with you. You can buy it if needed. Most of the time you will find it anyway somewhere.

From the pharmacy: Something against shitstorms.

Reason: I prefer to stay near toilets, if I got heavy shitstorm problems. Let it out! And if it comes so hard, that you shit yourself 5 minutes after getting out of the restaurant, every product is useless.

Piece of rope

Reason: Never used.

Normal scissors to cut your beard.

Reason: Took it from me on the Chinese Airport. Well, then I let my beard grow now!