EQUIPMENT | Prepare your bag for a round the world tour: tips and list of materials.

BEFORE YOU COMMENCE – WHAT YOU FIND IN THIS ARTICLE

We went to live abroad in a backpack for an indefinite period with very cold countries like Russia, Mongolia but also very hot countries like Sri Lanka, Laos. Mountains like oceans, jungles like cities, all with a lot of bivouacs on the program.

The kind of adventure that puts travelers face to face with a certain challenge: bringing in a whole bunch of varied business in one bag!

In this article, we will list you everything we've taken away but also share our tips, tips and feedback from experience after more than a year of travel: methodology, clothes, bivouac equipment, hygiene, medical, personal affairs, important documents... From the technique to the swimsuit to the ultra light down 0°, the mosquito spray or the soap that we use, you will find here a fairly wide panel of all things to remember during your trip. And I promise, there will be some detail!

In any case, don't forget: to each person his needs, to every trip his bag and to every adventure his way of living it. It is obvious that the contents of your bag will differ depending on the type of trip you undertake: if you plan to camp or hike, for example, how you will travel, your personality (your comfort requirements, the importance you attach to your appearance, your passions)... So, the person who can best assess your needs, It's you..

Here is a complete inventory: adapt it to your trip and pick up what you think is necessary for the countries / adventures you will go through.

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YOU LOOK? It's gone. D-Day.

There you are at the (too) dreaded moment.

You go for several months (years) and it's time to pack your bag. You'll soon find out, it's also time to apply the word « useful » see « vital » and to become obvious: We don't need much to live. So here are two important things before you start anything (do post-it):

If this is your first trip:

You might feel like a lot of things are « important » But if there's one thing that adventure in backpack mode will learn... it's living in a way minimalistAnd love it! It's true: after a few months some equipment will seem futile to you (unlike the excessive weight of your bag that aches the muscles of your back, cuts your shoulders and makes it short and effective when you move).

Keep in mind that your backpack will ideally have to make 15 to 20% of your body weight. You want to know the maximum weight not to exceed? Multiply your own weight by 0.2! Example if you weigh 55kg: 55 x 0.2 = 11kg.

And finally... Don't put pressure on yourself Hey! Apart from a few medicines, perhaps one or two equipment and some goods of emotional value, we find everything almost everywhere and above all: we always find a solution. For the rest, relax: We've already tried to think about everything for you! ?

The organisation of « THE ULTIMATE LIST »

1 >> SAC-A-DOS 2 >> TEXTILE 3 >> HEARING 4 >> BIVUAC 5 >> HYGIENE 6 >> ELECTRONIC 7 >> MEDICAL 8 >> SMALL MORE 9 >> FOR CITY 10 >> IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

Of course. Incontourable No. 1. You had a house, an apartment? Now you'll have a bag, just a bag. We give you advice to choose him HereFor our part, these are the ones we have:

• Maxime: Forclaz Trek 900. Capacity: 80 L
• Delphine: Forclaz Trek 900. Capacity: 60 L
• An additional little backpack of 20L each: Quechua NH 500.

Choose your extra lightweight and waterproof bag (you can buy a cover if the bag is not it directly) but above all, don't take it too big: 20l is sufficient to have with you what you need without cluttering (and the bigger it is, the more we're tempted to put a lot of things in it, so don't forget that you'll often have to carry your two bags at the same time)!

What we think of our additional bags / why take them: for all those moments when you're gonna leave your big backpack in your room, to go out for a whole day with just the necessary, to keep your valuable stuff with you on public transport, to serve as a cabin baggage if you're on the plane. We hesitated at first, but we find them useful every day. Our NH 500 from Quechua are definitely super practical (full of compartments) but be careful, they are quite heavy to empty and when they are well charged they are not very comfortable.

We needed a little bit of everything: how to cope with the cold, the hot, what to go at 4,000m altitude like going to the beach, what to do sports like going out in town.

Our advice since we cannot (must) take everything: Take what you need first So you don't have to hang out with stuff you only use in five months.

Starting with cold countries (Siberia, Mongolia, Nepal) we have preferred technical and warm clothes to small shorts, dresses and tank tops that we found easily and for low prices in Asia. Once these first cold countries were over, we sent our hot and technical business back to France.

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And to put all this away...
Compression covers. Honestly, the greatest genius flash we've had in our preparation. Quechua or Nordkamm, these covers in which we store our clothes, compress them, and compartmentalize our bag revolutionize our daily backpackers!

You'll just find them. Here And since we love this product, the good news is that you can have 10% discount on the entire Nordkamm brand website with code between 10poles .

No secrets! There isn't one and only one magic pair that will make you the whole trip. On the other hand, 2 (or 3) pairs will bring the perfect combo:

• A pair of medium-stem hiking shoes / Trail shoes

These are the ideal shoes to ensure both the retention and protection necessary during treks while offering a Freedom of movement sufficient for the rest of the time. But above all, they will bring comfort essential during long walks in the city and in the mountains... Anyway, these are the shoes you can do a little bit with!

Our choice: Knowing that we were going to make a lot of treks (some in very high mountains) we were looking for a compromise between comfort / lightness / strength / waterproofness / maintenance. We have chosen the Merell All Out Blaze 2 and are not disappointed: they are surprisingly light and as comfortable in the mountains as the rest of the time! The leather guarantees us the strength and they are waterproof.

• A pair of light sneakers. The wrong idea?

Maxime ended up giving up hers, for my part I still have them and am very happy in certain situations to be able to carry them. They can be useful for: times when you are in town, 30° walks, sports sessions, being comfortable by plane or other means of transport... This is the right compromise not to have to always choose between the two extremes : flip-flops or hiking shoes!

• Exactly: a pair of flip-flops

Tongs, taps, sandals... We let you choose your favorite team but it's Mandatory accessory We're not just talking about the days when you want to chill under 45°, we're talking about all the dubious showers, toilets and bathrooms you're going to experience where it's good not to let his bare feet hang around.

Hiking, or trail? It's all about holding the ankle... And usually! We are very familiar with high mountain environments and therefore have a habit of wearing good hiking shoes that keep our ankles, especially if you want to have fun in a slightly technical descent. Nevertheless, most of them are heavy and take up space: prefers medium, lighter and less bulky stems. On the other hand, if for you wearing hiking shoes is unpleasant or you don't want to chain big, technical trailing (most of the large tourist trails are well arranged, even at altitude) you can opt for low-stem shoes or trail shoes.

Is waterproofing essential? After several months of travel and in all kinds of conditions... Yes, without hesitation!

A common toilet kit for two was enough for us. You can find great practices anywhere on the net or in different stores: we have opted for the one at home Decathlon which includes several compartments1 practical little mirror AND one crochet so you can hang her anywhere (and that's really life, you'll see).

Its content:

Tip
The wipes are super useful for treks / shipments / transits during which you will not have access to any shower or water source sometimes for several days.
You'll easily find wipes « intimate »But to refresh the body in general nothing better than... wipes « babies » Hey! Some are made up of 90% water: just cool and clean, it's perfect. Tested method and 100% approved during our 7 days of shipping in the Gobi desert!

In view of our program (and our desires) we left with bivouac material in order to survive several days in autonomy in nature. If you don't plan such adventures, don't bother with all this equipment. And don't worry, for the « in case » One day he'd want a bivouac, you'll most likely be able to rent equipment on site. Nevertheless, some of these accessories can be useful in everyday life, you can find them in the section « small plus ».

Our equipment

If there is a category where equipment lists divergentIt's this one. For the big basics: a smartphone, a cable usb, an external battery, an adapter and maybe a camera. For us who are what we can call « digital nomads »Here's what our technical staff looks like:

* We bought this equipment along the way, in some electronic countries may prove cheaper. If you decide to buy abroad, pay attention to the authenticity of the product.

We wish you could just leave with this, but reality at the other end of the world is different and sometimes some medicines will not be easy to find.

Again, it depends on the country you're going to go to. But keep in mind that it is quite simple and cheap (see free) to obtain medicines in France, while it will probably be a very costly and expensive in other countries!

Here is what our pharmacy kit contains:

Well, don't forget.

Medicines are one thing, but they will never replace these two essentials for any trip

→ Vaccines: It is important that you check the necessary vaccines at least 3 months before your departure (some may require up to 3 two-week spaced recalls): https://www.pasteur-lille.fr. For more details, we are preparing an article on this subject and more generally on the key steps in preparing a trip.

→ Travel insurance: The one that will cover all your medical expenses in case of small or big problems. For our part we have subscribed to Chapka Insurance In 13 months of travel this saved us 600 euros of expenses... Just because of an ankle sprain!

Zoom on Chapka Insurance
Getting into the search for insurance and engaging with someone you don't know (especially for a journey of several months, years) is not obvious. In all honesty, we chose Chapka after a morning of comparisons and research on the net. This company seemed to us to be the best option given the quality, the price, and the many recommendations on its services. We remember it wasn't enough to silence that little voice that said « I hope you're not mistaken! » at the time of signature. But We're not mistaken.So much so that after more than a year of travel, Chapka has now become our official partner adventures.

>> We offer 5% reduction at Chapka Insurance by clicking on this link <<

Tip
So that they take up less space, Take your medicine off the boxes and put it in small freezer bags.
If you're afraid you won't remember the use and dosage of the medicines you take: Download PDF files: http://base-données-publique.medicaments.gouv.fr/ You will find on this public database the leaflets in digital format of all medicines sold in France. All you have to do is store them on your smartphone and/or mailbox: they won't take any place and you'll always have them at hand.

It's them!

Here they are. small everyday accessories well practiced which would not necessarily have been thought of but which is finally used by saying « This is really life! ».

	WHY IS LIFE:
Transport cover for your bag (or waterproof cover, lighter but less solid)	From the first month, considering their condition after taking plane / bus / jeeps / tuk-tuks / horses, we are very happy to have put them each time to protect our backpacks, which they on the other hand are always like new.
Night mask	For public transport and places where you will have to find sleep in full light.
Earcaps	You don't have to draw a picture.
Microfibre towels	The must have of every traveller! We know more pleasant, but they do not take up so much space and dry out ultra fast.
Hydroalcoholic solution for hands	The ideal backup solution when you don't have water or soap and hands with definitely questionable cleanliness.
Waterproof cover for telephone	To take photos in complete serenity from your kayak, canoe, paddle, raft, buoy, flamingose... Or to celebrate the water festival in Asia (the largest water battle in the world). Opportunities will have limits only your imagination.
Box of small elastics	To store your cables, keep your clothes / accessories in coils, troubleshooting of any kind, keep all your snacks, dried fruits and other small things closed, whose only purpose seems to open unexpectedly in our bag.
Freezing bags	To protect your documents from water, isolate liquids during customs passage at the airport, store your soaps / toothpastes / and other liquid products whose packaging is likely to break or open (and rot inside your bag / toilet kit).
Small cutting board	Essential, you will understand why with the next item on the list.
Sausage	Because we will never find better than home (we will never even find anything short).
A notebook and a pencil	For your notes of any kind, drawings, words and memories of the people or cats you will meet (veccu).
Mini Pregnant	Because ambimating on music with a good sound quality or putting it in the background without having headphones is life, for sports sessions too.

Not to mention those in our section « bivouac » but who can serve in everyday life:

	WHY IS LIFE:
Quechua Helium Travel Pillow	To sleep without torticolis around the world. No more bad pillows, we use them everywhere. They are small, light and so comfortable!
Stainless steel cups	To always have a small container at hand and so be able to drink teas when you get out of the tent, make instant soups in the shelters, eat its noodles in the trans-Siberian.
Front lamp	To walk in the dark and have your hands free when you return from sunsets or climb a mountain to see it rise.
Silk sheet	To keep your down clean but also sleep calmly in your own sheet, sheltered from dubious mattresses and duvets that smell yak.
Foldable Tupperware	To keep the dishes you could not finish instead of throwing them away, take your bowl during treks or various and varied expeditions.
Gourde Life Straw	It revolutionizes our daily lives, makes our lives easier and saves us forever! This filter gourd that allows you to drink (quite) any water allows you to have access to a healthy, unlimited water supply, and above all never to buy a plastic bottle.
Thermos 400ml	Besides bivouacs, for those moments when having a hot drink in your hands will have an invaluable value, like those mornings when you left without lunch and leeks in the dark waiting to see the sun rise.
Swiss knife	We're not going to say anything about the mic saw, but the decapsulator and the corkscrew they will often save your life.

Intimate hygiene, toilet kit, menstruation, accessories, contraception, clothes... You already have a list of everything in my backpack in this article, but because you have a lot of questions (and sometimes quite specific), We're dealing with everything in a future subject dedicated to you!

If there are any questions/themes you would like to find in this future article, don't hesitate to talk about it in the comment section at the bottom of this page.

« Anyway now it's too late »

You may feel this sense of fatality at this moment that many consider to be « no return ». The one where you will say goodbye to your loved ones just before you pass the customs at the airport, the one where your train will leave the station dock or your boat the port dock... In fact, regardless of your mode of transport, we're talking about this moment when your trip really starts, the moment when, after spending days (weeks) wondering if you haven't forgotten anything, this sentence will go into your head: « Anyway now it's too late ».

We insist, don't fall into this fatality and don't put pressure on yourself: you will unnecessarily waste this unique moment of preparation that is supposed to be a part of pleasure and not a puzzle!

Apart from the little lucky stuff offered by your grandmother 10 years ago, medicines such as antibiotics and your valuables such as your camera or computer, you can buy everything almost everywhere for not so much... Except this:

• Your passport
• Your international driving license
• Your driving license (No, it's not practical, but yes, the combination of the two is indispensable)
• Your vaccination certificates (or copies / scan / photos of vaccination pages in your health book)
• Your bank card(s)
• Identity photos

Our advice: Don't forget to doing scans or pictures of all these documents and send them to you by e-mail: in this way, no matter where you are, even if you have lost all your documents AND your phone, you can always have them at hand by connecting to your mailbox.
Do the same with your Orders (if special medicines require them for customs clearance) or Insurance certificate This will avoid having tons of papers with you.

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IN BRIEF – SMALL MOTS TO FINISH

» THE WEIGHT OF OUR SACS IN DEPART (ALL MATERIAL ON PHOTO):

• 13,5 kg for Delphine
• 18 kg for Maxime

It's for everyone. 3 kilos too much in relation to our weight! Fortunately, we planned to return our big bivouac equipment and warm clothes once Siberia, Mongolia, China and Nepal had passed. Now our bags are much lighter and again, once we tasted it... That's never enough!

» WHAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO BE ADVISED BEFORE WE GO:

If you have a passion / something you love especially But that you hesitate to take because she is not on all the lists of the perfect traveller... Take it! Leave to sacrifice some clothes. For example: your guitar (just make an effort, opt for a ukulele), your big fetish camera, your drawing pencils... If they are part of you, you will necessarily miss them on a long-term journey!

Finally, don't care so much about the contents of your bagHe won't condition your trip:
→ If you see something missing, you'll buy it or there'll always be someone to help you
→ if you've taken things that embarrass you: you'll give them or send them home.

» THESE 3 CHOSES WHO ARE HIGHTY TO BE IMPORTED:

1 – The Covers that allow us to compress our business and compartmentalize our backpacks: it may be backpacks, when we open the large ventral pocket these are real mini cabinets in which we have everything within reach thanks to these compartments.

2- Our gourde LifeStraw which allows us to travel without buying any plastic bottle and not worry about running out of drinking water.

3 – Our mini enclosure because we love living in music and our Headphones, to continue to scroll the titles in any discretion or watch movies without disturbing anyone in the dorm.

» WHO HELPED US:

» And at the end...

To list what we had in our bags on D-day is good, to tell you about our experiences, our mistakes and our favourites is better.

We write this article after a 13 month experience around the planet, which allows us to have a certain setback and better advise you. Nevertheless, as we never stop learning, we will make sure to make regular updates in order to continue sharing our feedback... or add any genius flashes!

In the meantime, if you have any suggestions or questions: NOTHING in the comments section ! The goal is also to collect your questions / reviews in order to help as many travelers as possible... And help you.

In this regard, we can only recommend the excellent article: « EQUIPMENT: WHAT EQUIPMENT IS IMPORTED FOR A TOUR OF THE WORLD? » site Tourdumondiste in which you will find a very complete file based on the returns of hundreds of travellers, as well as tips to optimize the weight of your bag.

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