A first-time long-term traveler posted their complete packing list to r/onebag before a multi-continent journey from Vietnam to Nepal to Europe. The detailed breakdown—including mouth tape for better sleep and emergency antibiotics—sparked 38 comments offering gentle advice on what to ditch.
The list is a masterclass in what NOT to pack for long-term travel, presented with the earnest over-preparation that every first-timer recognizes.
The traveler packed thoughtfully: a 45L Nemo Women's Persist backpack weighing 9.3kg total, with convertible hiking pants, a Patagonia R1 fleece, a Grayl water purifier, film camera, merino layers, and—this is where it gets interesting—two rolls of tape (one for mouth-taping during sleep).
Experienced travelers responded with the empathy of people who've made the same mistakes:
"You have SEVEN shirts for long-term travel. You'll wear two of them 90% of the time and wish you'd left the other five at home," wrote one commenter.
Another gently noted: "The film camera is a beautiful idea. But carrying film, developing costs, and the weight? You'll resent it by week three. Your phone camera is better than you think."
The most common first-timer mistakes in the packing list:
Too many clothes. Seven shirts, four pants, and five pairs of underwear is reasonable for a two-week trip. For undetermined long-term travel, it's double what you need. You'll find laundry everywhere. Pack for 3-4 days, not weeks.
"Just in case" items. The extra fleece. The backup socks. The convertible pants that can be shorts. You'll use your favorite items 80% of the time and carry the rest as dead weight.
Heavy "nice to have" gear. The film camera is romantic. The Grayl water filter is overkill in most of Asia and Europe where bottled water costs $0.50. The 1L Nalgene bottle is heavy compared to collapsible options.
