Being a girl who loves to dress well and pays attention to her style is at odds with backpacking. But these backpacking tips for women will prove to you that it’s possible!
I have always been slightly affected by hoarding disorder, which means that my wardrobe was full of beautiful clothes for any occasion doubles of the same shirt, because, well, just because, and unique vintage pieces borrowed from my mum and my lovely aunt. I was used to receiving clothes bought online on a weekly basis… it feels amazing to purchase so much stuff online that you end up forgetting what’s in the parcel when it gets delivered. In order to put a stop to my compulsory online shopping, I decided to unsubscribe from every mail list. From EVERY online store.
But this didn’t really solve the issue. How to choose between hundreds of clothes? What do I really need to bring with me?
People were astonished when they realize that I had to fit all my stuff in only one backpack… ONLY ONE.
Functionality over elegance was my new mantra. All of a sudden, weight and size become more important than color matching, multifunctionality becomes my keyword.
THE ULTIMATE BACKPACKING TIPS FOR WOMEN
•THE BACKPACK
60/70 liters is more than enough for a girl, you will never hike with such a huge backpack but you have to be able to lift it and walk for few kilometer so…do not stuff it like a turkey.
I am not a fan of top aperture backpack, I prefer the ones you can open from the front for easy access to all my stuff. However, if you have to buy a new backpack, I strongly suggest getting one with a separate pocket at the bottom where you can put shoes or dirty clothes so you can keep the rest fresh and clean.
Add on your list an optional daypack: it is very useful for weekend getaways or to travel light while visiting the cities when you don’t need most of the stuff.
This one’s mandatory: get a water-resistant cover for both your small and big backpack. weather is always unpredictable!
•EVERYTHING IN ITS RIGHT PLACE (a lovely song isn’t it?)
Be organized, use practical pouches to separate your clothes, here you can find the one I ordered from Amazon! Organizing your stuff in separated compartments saves you a lot of time and space. I usually divide all the items according to their function (t-shirt, pants, underwear…) but you can also divide it as complete outfits, it’s up to you.
I’m a ziplock bag lover: they are so versatile and useful. Therefore you can organize all your stuff and they are waterproof!
Buy a small container for your beauty lotions, I would rather have more small containers that I can fit everywhere in the backpack instead of having one huge container full of shampoo.
In conclusion, put all your pouches and bags inside a big thick plastic bag (as big as your pack), this gives you extra protection in super rainy days. You do not want to find yourself carrying a soaked backpack full of wet clothes.
•CLOTHES
9x – Pairs of Socks (3x long, 3x short, 3x extra warm)
8x – Pairs of underwear
2x – Bras
3x – Sport Bras
3x – Tank Tops (Good for summer & also an extra layer for cold weather)
1x – Thermo tights
2x – Short trousers
3x – Long trousers (don’t forget your sweat pants)
1x – Waterproof trousers
2x – Leggings (this is a MUST, they will become your best friends!)
5x – Cotton T-shirts
2x – Cotton t-shirts long sleeves
3x – Dri fit t-shirts (both short/long sleeves)
2x – Sweatshirts (maybe a hoody)
1x – Fleece hoodie
2x – Flannel shirts
1x – Cotton shirt short sleeves
2x – Neck scarves (1x ultralight, 1x extra warm)
1x – Wool hat
1x – Pair of gloves
1x – Waterproof parka with detachable inner jacket
1x – Lightweight waterproof jacket
1x – Ultra light down (any of these are just perfect)
1x – Dress
1x – Shirt (you’ll never know)
2x – Nice Blouses (again, you’ll never know!)
1x – Maxi scarf (it can turn into a turban, scarf, towel, skirt…)
1x – Bikini (you can mix & match it with your sports bra)
1x – Sneakers
1x – Hiking boots
1x – Everyday light shoes
1x – Flip Flops (not expensive, you’ll break them anyway)
•WORK CLOTHES
1x – Resistant long trousers
1x – Cotton t-shirt
1x – Long sleeved base layer
1x – Fleece top
1x – Lightweight jacket (that you don’t care that much)
1x – Work gloves
1x – Waterproof boots cover
•TECHNOLOGY
1x – Universal 110/220 power adapter
1x – Micro USB to Lightning adapter (not everybody has an iPhone)
1x – Power Bank
1x – Laptop + charger
1x – eReader + charger (USB to Micro USB cable)
2x – iPhone charger
1x – Long lightning cable
1x – iPod shuffle + adapters
•EXTRA
1x – Playing cards
1x – Bum bag
1x – Cable organizer
1x – Drawstring backpack
1x – Red lips pencil
•GEARS & UTILITY
1x – Sunglasses
1x – Foldable water bottle
1x – Pocket knife
2x – Padlocks
1x – Inflatable neck pillow
1x – Needle & thread kit
3x – Carabiners
3x – Waterproof pouch (S,M,L)
1x – Sleeping bag liner
1x – Lightweight sleeping bag 15°
1x – Customized enamel mug
1x – Waterproof pouch backpack
1x – Pen
1x – Notebook
1x – Sleeping Mask
1x – Headlight
•BEAUTY
1x – Basics makeup kit (mascara + concealer + blush)
1x – Razor
2x – Small containers of shampoo (These small travel container form Muji are just perfect)
2x – Small containers of body wash
1x – Small container of body/face cream
1x – Toothpaste
1x – Toothbrush with plastic case
1x – Lip balm
1x – Deodorant
1x – Pack of cleansing wipes
2x – Nail files
1x – Nail clipper
1x – Hand cream
2x – Microfiber towels (M/L)
1x – Comb
1x – Pocket mirror
•MEDICAL KIT
1x – Pack of tampons
1x – Pack of sanitary napkin
1x – Antibiotic
1x – Contraceptives
1x – Painkiller
1x – Arnica cream
1x – Aspirine
1x – Plasters
1x – Sunscreen
1x – Anti-diarrhea
1x – Gauze
1x – Mosquito repellent
1x – Thermometer
1x – Tea tree oil (works on almost anything)
LOVE IT? PIN IT!