Dear All, this is my packing list for a 4 months RTW trip across 4 continents including multi-days hikes in the wild from sub-zero to 30+ degrees celcius starting in 2 weeks. I already bought items that are as light as possible. However, total weight still is 21kg. Feel free to comment on any unnecessary items in order to slim down weight (however, photo equipment required). Thanks a lot!
How often are you going to need the water filter, sleeping bag, mosquito net, tent, etc? Can you rent them locally, or even regionally? Can you find alternative accommodation or water sources? Is the tripod really worth it for those 5% of photos where it'll make a significant difference (and you can't find a well positioned rock to take its place)? (I'm a photographer myself, so I know the pain of doing without tripod; but for me the equation just never comes out in a way that it's really worth it.)
Do you have any experience doing multi-day hikes carrying 20kg? (I'm a very fit hiker, but personally I struggle with just 10kg on long hikes; I hate the way it throws off my balance.)
[ 20-Mar-2012, at 10:46 by Sander ]
why do you need a water filter and a uv filter?
Thanks all.
Sander, a sleeping bag is very useful I would have thought. Not only for camping, also for filthy hostels. I would rather prefer my own than a rented one where I dont know who has slept in it. I will be camping a lot, so the tent would be a good thing, it is only 1kg anyway. If I rent it, I still would have to carry it but probably it will be not as light as this one, same with the sleeping bag. I will kill the mosquito net. Africa will be my last stop and I still can buy it there. Good point. I tend to agree on the tripod as well. It is a heavy item and not absolutely necessary.
Erike, the water system gives me 100% safety / reliability on clean water in the wild. The water filter keeps out heavy metals and pesticides as well as bacteria and parasites. However, it cannot fiter out viruses. The UV purifier kills all mircoorganisms but cannot get rid of the heavy metals etc. Therefore, both are complementary.
It depends a bit on where you're going, but many hostels (particularly in western countries) won't allow you to use your own sleeping bag, as they spread bed bugs. For SE Asia and the like, I'd bring only a sleeping bag liner, as it'll be warm enough anyway. But if you're going into the mountains or sleeping outside in other places where it's going to be very cold at night, then yeah, bringing your own is still worth it.
for a 4 months RTW trip across 4 continents including multi-days hikes in the wild from sub-zero to 30+ degrees celcius starting in 2 weeks.Total weight still is 21kg.
You obviously have thought about what you might need in certain parts of your trip. Since 21 kg is a lot to carry (ideally you shouldn't anything in excess of 10% of your body weight), your best planning could include forwarding/shipping specific necessities for specific areas which you intend to visit, as well as consider purchasing certain equipment locally, once you are nearing the area of interest.
We recently met a young and energetic person who started traveling through Central and South America with great excess of weight, shedding whatever seemed unnecessary along the way.
Have you missed off hiking boots from this list (apologies if it's just my eyes)? If so, unless you need the running shoes then I wouldn't bother taking both. Either way, I would definitely recommend taking a pair of flip-flops/sandals, partly for hot climates but also for negotiating bathroom/room floors that you might not want to brave in bare feet.
21kg is a lot of stuff to be lugging around but, if you really need all that equipment, then I would certainly second the idea of either shipping stuff to the place where you'll need it in advance, or doing the activities that need this kit then sending it home. I realise that that might be impossible, depending on your itinerary.
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