TRAVEL GEAR SHOP

MY FAVORITE THINGS TO PACK

Packing for a solo trip can be challenging when you’re not sure what you need. On this page, I’ve curated a list of my favorite items to pack anytime I travel. You can use this page to guide you while you pack your backpack, suitcase, or carry-on luggage.

Affiliate Disclosure: This packing list includes affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, should you decide to purchase something listed here. This money will be used to help sustain The Rocky Safari blog and to feed even more lovely, wild birds during my daily travels. On behalf of Rocky and all the birds in the whole world, thank you for your support.

MAIN LUGGAGE

As a solo traveler, I have spent more than 365 days exploring the world long-term. These are the backpacks, bags, and luggage I have used and highly recommend.

The Best Backpacking Backpack

75L Backpack
(Gregory)

The Best Backpacking Anti-Theft Daypack

Anti-Theft Daypack
(Travelon)

IT Luggage Lightweight Suitcase

Large Suitcase
(IT Luggage)

IT Luggage Lightweight Carry On Suitcase

Small Carry On
(IT Luggage)

ELECTRONICS

As a digital nomad, access to technology is paramount anytime I travel. I love having high-tech gear. It’s a personal preference. I know carrying an ereader, bulky headphones, and clunky camera gear may not appeal to everyone. I find the convenience far outweighs the extra weight & risk that traveling with electronics adds.

KIndle Oasis eReader

Ereader
(Kindle Oasis)

14" M1 Pro Apple MacBook Pro

Lightweight Laptop
(MacBook Pro 14″)

Sony XM4 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Noise Cancelling Headphones

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

Unlocked Phone
(iPhone 13 Pro Max)

Travel Smart Worldwide Power Adapter

Universal Adapter
(Conair)

Anker Power Bank

Power Bank
(Anker)

Apple AirPods Bluetooth Headphones

Bluetooth Headphones
(AirPods)

Seagate External Hard Drive HDD

External Hard Drive
(Seagate HDD)

PHOTOGRAPHY

Even though I’m not a professional photographer, I absolutely love carrying photography gear with me to capture my most special moments in time. I love taking photos. I’m not as well versed in video, but I still bring a GoPro for the odd adventure trip. Normally, I bring along my mirrorless camera because it’s compact and easy to travel with.

Sony Mirrorless Camera

Mirrorless Camera
(Sony)

Sony Mirrorless Camera Lens 35mm

35mm Prime Lens
(Sony)

Camera Slap

Camera Sling
(BlackRapid)

SD Memory Card

SD Cards & Adapters
(SanDisk)

The Handler Floating Handle

GoPro Floating Handle
(The Handler)

GoPro 3-Way Selfie Stick

Folding Selfie Stick
(The 3-Way)

GoPro Camera Tripod SOONSUN

Tripod
(SOONSUN)

BASIC GEAR

Packing should be thoughtful. Keep it simple, yet strategic. I prefer items that are comfortable, functional, and sustainable/reusable.

The Drawstring Bag

Drawstring Bag
(Vorspack)

Toiletry Bag

Toiletry Bag
(Swissgear)

Reusable Bags

Reusable Bags
(3 of Any)

Refillable Bottle

Refillable Bottle
(Blender Bottle)

AIRPLANE ESSENTIALS

People laugh when I tell them I have a fear of flying. It’s true though. As often as I fly, I still get nervous. That’s why I will never fly without headphones. Music helps me ignore the engine and focus my attention inward. Below are some of my favorite distractions to help pass the time during long haul flights.

Noise Cancelling Headphone

Noise Cancelling Headphones

The Original Dream Strap

The Original
Dream Strap

eBooks on Kindle

eBooks on Kindle
(Kindle Oasis)

HEALTH

While packing for your trip, remember to pack your most important items for your health & well-being. In my case, I’m a chapstick fanatic and would freak out if I didn’t pack it. Also, I love the ultrasonic cleaning an electric toothbrush provides. As long as I’m anticipating having electricity, that’s something I want to pack. What’s on your list?

Electric Toothbrush Oral-B 5000 Series

Electric Toothbrush
(Oral-B 5000 Series)

Gel Toothbrush Colgate Renewal

Gel Toothpaste
(Colgate Renewal)

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Swivel Sticks 3-Pack

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter (Swivel Stick)

Medications and Supplements

Medications & Supplements

SAFETY

As wonderful as traveling is, it doesn’t come without risk. Think about things you can pack to keep yourself safe. Fortunately for all of us, a lot of these things can be easily purchased at most destinations. I’d only pack extra if you strongly prefer a certain brand. Here are some of my favorites.

3M N95 Face Mask Respirators

N95 Masks
(3M)

Purell Hand Sanitizer

Mini Hand Sanitizer
(Purell)

Neutrogena Oil-Free SPF 50 Sunblock

Oil-Free Sunblock
(Neutrogena)

Polarized Sunglasses

Polarized Sunglasses
(RayBan)

BEACH ESSENTIALS

I’ll never turn down a day at the beach. Everything from sitting under the sun with a good book to jumping over waves and swimming with sea creatures amazes me. The best part about packing beach gear is that most of it is very lightweight!

Sun Bum Sunblock

Full Body Sunblock
(Sun Bum)

Baseball Cap

Baseball Cap
(H&M)

Microfiber Towel Quick Drying

Quick Drying
Microfiber Towel

Waterproof Dry Bag

Waterproof
Dry Bag

Adidas Slides

Slides or Flip Flops
(Adidas)

Men's Swimsuit Bathing Suit

Swimsuit
(Any)

Men's Gym Shorts

Gym Shorts
(Any)

Men's Tank Top Sleeveless Shirts

Tank Tops
(1-3 Total)

ADVENTURE ESSENTIALS

You never know when you might decide to venture off the beaten path. Try to prepare and bring things along tools to ensure your safety. I always packed a solar-powered for my electronics and I actually used it a few times while backpacking.

Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit
(Johnson & Johnson)

Compact Flashlight

Compact Flashlight
(WUBEN)

Lifestraw Filtered Water Bottle

Filtered Water Bottle
(LifeStraw)

Nomad Solar Panel Charger

Solar Panel Charger
(Nomad)

CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

Fashion is a very personal decision. In this section, I try to focus on “types” of clothes to pack. Naturally, my list is geared toward men. Hopefully, you can use this to help guide your own packing decisions. I’ve linked to many of the stores that I enjoy shopping from.

UNIQLO Supima Cotton T-Shirts

4 T-Shirts
(UNIQLO)

Levi's Jeans

2 Jeans
(Levi’s)

ASOS Shorts

2 Denim Shorts
(ASOS)

ASOS Short Shorts

2 Shorts
(ASOS)

Fleece Jacket by The North Face

Fleece Jacket
(The North Face)

Adidas Tiro Pants

Track Pants
(Adidas Tiro)

Nike Air Force 1 Sneakers

Walking Sneakers
(Nike Air Force One)

Adidas Ultraboost Sneakers

Running Sneakers
(Adidas Ultraboost)

Eddie Bauer Puffer Jacket

Down Puffer Jacket
(Eddie Bauer)

Scarf

Scarf
(Any)

Bamboo Socks

Bamboo Socks
(BAMBOO SPORTS)

Boxer Briefs

Boxer Briefs
(UNIQLO Airism)

Button Town Half Sleeve Shirt

Button Down Half Sleeve Shirt (Any)

Touch Screen Gloves

Capacitive Gloves
(Any)

UNIQLO Socks

Warm Socks
(UNIQLO)

Apple Watch

Smart Watch
(Apple Watch)

CURLY HAIR CARE

Some people don’t care what shampoo or conditioner they use. If that’s you, great! As someone with naturally curly hair, I’ve always been very particular about what products I use. I’m one of those hair freaks that avoids sulfates, silicone, and other problematic ingredients. When in doubt… I usually buy Shea Moisture or As I Am.

Shea Moisture Shampoo

Sulfate-Free Shampoo
(Shea Moisture)

Shea Moisture Conditioner

Conditioner
(Shea Moisture)

Shea Moisture Curl & Styling Milk

Styling Product
(Shea Moisture)

Shea Moisture Body Wash

Body Wash
(Shea Moisture)

PERSONAL CARE

If there’s products you like to you, make sure you pack them. Beard oil is something I heavily rely on and it turned out to be difficult to find in certain countries. Also, if you wear glasses… you may want a backup pair. If you wear contacts, make sure you bring enough!

Philips OneBlade Trimmer

Razor / Trimmer
(Philips OneBlade)

Wahl Beard Trimmer

Beard Trimmer
(Wahl)

Shea Moisture Argan Oil

Argan Oil
(Shea Moisture)

Warby Parker Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses
(Warby Parker)

Acuvue Oasys Contact Lenses

Contact Lenses
(Acuvue Oasys)

Blink Dry Contacts Rewetting Drops

Eye Rewetting Drops
(Blink)

Neutrogena Daily Facial Moisturizer

Skin Moisturizer
(Neutrogena)

Nail Clippers

Nail Clippers
(Any)

Microfiber Cloth

Microfiber Cloth
(Any)

Travel Size Bottles

Travel Sized Bottles
(Any)

Solid Alum Deodorant

Solid Alum Deodorant
(Any)

TEA ADDICTION

I’m a tea lover. I’ve had a cup of dragonwell green tea every day since June 2015 when I visited Hangzhou, China and fell in love with the earthy tones of this delicious tea. Then in Chicago, I met the co-founders of a company called Mennä and they introduced me to my favorite travel thermos. It’s the only thermos that can start & stop a tea infusion!!!
Use my code rocky10 for a 10% discount. 🙂

Menna One Travel Tea Thermos

Travel Tea Thermos with Steep & Stop!
(Mennä: rocky10)

Dragonwell Green Tea

Dragonwell Green Tea
(Adagio)

Samurai Mate

Samurai Mate
(Adagio)

White Ayurvedic Chai

White Ayurvedic Chai (Adagio)

MISCELLANEOUS

This section is for more of the “not necessary” but “nice to have things.” If you feel compelled to try any of these things, I have them and do enjoy using them! They certainly make traveling a little bit easier!

Suitcase Scale

Suitcase Scale
(Any)

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable Batteries
(Energizer)

Cable Organizer

Cable Organizer
(Any)

TSA Approved Luggage Locks

TSA Luggage Lock
(Any)

The Rocky Safari