Alex Arias

This is for the folks who want to travel to a different country with just a backpack. No checked luggage and not too many possessions.

This is the gear I use and the system I've built around it. I believe this system can work for generally any male above the age of 14.

Quick credential check. I've backpacked through parts of Europe and Japan for 2+ months each. Prior to these expeditions, I was in the Navy and lived on a ship, so naturally, I was living with minimal possessions during this time, as well.

The main backpack is the Osprey Farpoint 55 Travel Pack. You can think of this bad boy as your home base. It will hold all your cloths and I leave it wherever I will be sleeping for the night.

It does come with the Farpoint Fairview Travel Day Pack. This is where I keep my laptop, a few books, water bottle, a few accessories, and maybe a jacket. I'll take this with if I know I'll be gone for the whole day and edit its contents accordingly.

These 2 bags pair beautifully with each other. I prefer the large pack as a backpack and wear the day pack in front of me. They connect to each other seamlessly so that you don't have to wear the front pack awkwardly.

A toiletry bag is definitely an unsung hero of travel. I prefer one made of canvas for durability.

A cross body bag is such a secret weapon within this system. Perfect place to store important items like a passport, phone, earbuds, and room keys. Something to keep close and away from pickpockets. Also great for quick runs away from your sleeping quarters that doesn't constitute bringing a day pack.

Packing cubes work so well with this system because backpack space is precious. The way these cubes compress clothing is so effective and organizes things perfectly.

A travel laundry bag is something I highly recommend to not overlook. It's simple, cheap, and saves my clean clothes from becoming smelly.

A very nice to have is the hero clip. Great in a ton of situations where you don't want your bags touching the floor e.g. in a public restroom stall.

Arguably the key to this whole system has to be my folding method. I learned this in the Navy and it has served me surprisingly well throughout life but especially when I backpack. Throwing your clothes into your bags as a giant unfolded ball is big mistake because it's not utilizing space efficiently and taking a few minutes to fold your clothes before setting out to a new place is well worth the time.

I hope this info aids you well fellow traveler. Godspeed!