Unveiling the Secrets: Lesser-Known Backpacking Hacks

Mastering the art of packing starts with choosing the perfect backpack for your adventure, and knowing the best backpacking hacks can make all the difference. In our article “Unveiling the Secrets: Lesser-Known Backpacking Hacks,” we explore smart strategies to prepare your backpack for any journey.

A top-notch travel backpack typically holds between 60 and 70 liters, ideally modular, with a main 40/50-liter compartment and a detachable 20-liter daypack.

Look for a “suitcase-style” opening for easy access to every section, saving time and effort on the go. And let’s not forget external or hidden pockets—whether you love them or not, they’re undeniably handy. Keep reading to discover how to pack smarter and travel better!

How to Pack Your Travel Backpack: 9 Hacks

There are two golden rules when it comes to packing a backpack: bring only the essentials and stay organized. The basic idea is to bring only what you are sure you will need and organize it intelligently inside the backpack.

Make a list

Let’s unveiling the secrets for the lesser-known backpacking hacks. The first step in preparing an efficient backpack is to make a list of everything you bring on your trip.

Divide the list into four sections: clothes, toiletries, extras and documents. Also, write down how many pieces of each item you plan to bring.

In general, never bring more than 7 changes of clothes: if your trip is longer than 7 days, you can wash your clothes without any problems.

Pack the Items Well

Once you’ve decided what to bring, lay out everything you need to put in the backpack on a surface. This way, you can quickly see if you’re bringing too much or too little and adjust accordingly.

You’ll also understand the volumes and how to “pair” things. To pack the backpack properly, get packing cubes, which are useful for dividing things and retrieving them quickly when needed during the journey.

You can also use vacuum bags, which compress clothes even more than regular packing cubes. If you don’t want to buy packing cubes, plastic shopping bags work just fine and still do the job well!

How to divide clothes?

You can do it by category, putting all the pants in one packing cube and all the shirts in another, or by outfit.

This latter method is perfect if you already have your days roughly planned out: you can decide at home what you’ll wear that day and group the clothes accordingly.

Bags and small bags always come in handy during the journey: they’re useful for storing shoes, dirty or wet laundry, and, in general, they prove valuable in any situation.

Rolling clothes

An infallible technique when it comes to preparing the backpack for a trip and optimizing space is to roll the clothes.

You can roll everything: shirts, jeans, leggings, even underwear if you’re that meticulous. By rolling your clothes, you’ll save a lot of space in the backpack – and maybe you can bring some extras!

As for socks, tuck them into your shoes: this way, you’re really using every little bit of available space in your backpack.

The keyword here is just one: optimize!

The space inside your shoes is almost always unused, but by putting everything in two sealed bags, your footwear is ready to accommodate even clean underwear.

Technical material is better

Research the destination thoroughly and choose clothes accordingly. If you have specific activities or excursions planned, make sure you have everything you need to tackle them.

However, try to bring versatile clothes that adapt to different occasion, and prefer technical materials that dry quickly.

Don’t forget the swimsuit: it doesn’t take up much space, and you never know, you might end up in hot springs even in a cold destination!

In a respectable backpack, a down jacket or a shell should never be missing, which can be more or less heavy depending on the need.

If you’re going to cold places, don’t forget a scarf, gloves, and a hat. Shoes are crucial for every traveler because, during any type of journey, you’ll be walking a lot.

So, the keyword is: comfort!

For the city, comfortable shoes that you’re used to walking in are perfect. Flip-flops are a must; they’re great for beach destinations and essential in hostels/hotels.

Carry-on or personal item?

Pay close attention to this distinction: carry-on luggage (also called carry-on) and personal item are two different things.

Carry-on luggage is the suitcase, duffel bag, or backpack that you can stow in the designated compartments in the airplane cabin.

The dimensions and weight vary depending on the airline you’re flying with, so always check before departing.

The personal item can be a backpack, a purse, or a duffel bag, but it must be stored under the seat in front of your seat.

The dimensions must be small enough: again, find the specific measurements on the website of the airline you’re flying with, so always check!

Many airlines allow you to bring carry-on luggage and a personal item on board, while others only allow carry-on luggage.

Pay attention to this distinction, as it could happen that, once the maximum capacity for carry-on luggage in the cabin is reached, they’ll ask you to stow yours in the hold.

Always carry all the most important documents and items on board with you!

Beauty case: liquids or non-liquids?

Choose a functional and spacious beauty case – preferably with a hook, so you can hang it anywhere.

In general, if you’re facing a long journey, there’s no need to start with a backpack loaded with a thousand products: you can easily buy shampoo, shower gel and everything you need directly at your destination.

If you want to bring some products that you absolutely can’t do without, opt for travel-size versions when packing your backpack, smaller and more practical.

If you want to make sure you don’t have unpleasant surprises once you land, completely avoid liquids and opt for their solid version.

There are many brands that make shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, creams and even toothpaste in solid form, perfect for traveling – and definitely more eco-friendly!

What to bring on board with you?

In the personal item – the backpack or bag you bring on board with you – you should be able to fit some essential things that it’s always good not to separate from. Let’s see what to put in the backpack to have with you:

• documents and wallet
• laptop, cables, camera (in general, all the electronic items you bring with you)
• adapter
• mobile phone with charger
• power bank
• a padlock (which always comes in handy when traveling)
• a book, a pen and a notebook, if you like to write
• water bottle (empty before airport checks and then refill for the flight)
• medications (collected in a small beauty case)
• one change of clothes (in case the checked baggage gets lost).

What about dirty clothes?

We’ve advised you to bring a maximum of 7 changes even when your trip lasts much longer.

This is because you’ll surely have the opportunity to wash your clothes – hotels have laundries, or you can find a coin-operated laundry, or at the very least, wash your clothes by hand.

Bring Marseille soap with you for safety, which is suitable for any occasion, and a small bag with detergent, so you can use yours and not have to buy it at your destination.

Bring a small bag in the backpack to use for storing dirty clothes. Also in this case, don’t throw them randomly; use the rolling method. This way, the space occupied by clothes, whether clean or dirty, will always be the same!

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