Backpacking essentials means a restraint when it comes to clothes, and that’s not always an easy task. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the rules that apply at home also apply on the road, and this inevitably means we end up packing way more clothes than we need.
When it comes to the backpacking essentials, the right clothing is right up there at the top of the list. Whether it’s protecting you from the brutal Aussie sun on our Dropbear Fraser Island Tours, critters that bite or just making you feel that little bit fancy on a night out, the clothes you pack will either help or hinder your travelling experience. It isn’t a list of items you need to have to hand, but a certain mindset.
Here are Your Backpacking Essentials
Think practical above all else
Practical yet not entirely hideous clothing is an easier combination than you might think. Despite what many outdoor clothing retailers will have you believe, it’s rarely necessary to fork out a lot of cash on “specialised” outdoor gear. A cheap, cotton long sleeve shirt you’ve had forever, for example, is just as effective at keeping the mosquitoes and sun at bay as a $70 offering from a outdoor clothing store. Don’t spend a fortune on new gear, look at what you have and ask yourself first is it practical and second, does it look half decent. Yes to both? Stick it in the pack.
Wearing the same clothes a couple of days in a row is totally fine. No, really!
Travelling from place to place means meeting new folks all the time, sometimes on a daily basis. Wearing the same shorts and t-shirt on Friday as you did on a Wednesday? No problem! The people you’re surrounded with either won’t notice or won’t care that you’re wearing the same outfit over and over again. And more importantly, you’re much less likely to be concerned with your look day to day either. That’s what travelling is all about, letting go of these kind of concerns and relaxing totally into a new adventure. This is backpacking essentials 101 – wearing the same outfit day after day isn’t an issue.
Pack clothes that match
This is a simple but effective rule. Backpacking essentials is about packing clothes that match means that any outfit you pull out of your pack is likely to look pretty good, no matter what you pick. Go for solid colours over too many patterns and a few black and white essentials that you can pair with anything. Things like neutrally coloured long trousers that will keep the mosquitoes away and match with practically any other colour are an ideal staple. If there’s one dress or shirt that is your go to for a night out, or just makes you feel good, pack it. Just make sure it’s the best of a bunch. Definitely don’t pack the bunch.
Most importantly, don’t think you’ll feel the same way about your day to day look on the road as you do at home. What might raise an eyebrow in the city definitely won’t when you’re travelling. Take only the essentials, the stuff you really can’t do without and a few practical items and you’ll be a stylish, happy traveller.