My travel gear

Osprey Farpoint 40 (EU carry-on size)

I used to travel with one huge backpack on my back and a tiny backpack on my front. It can’t get more “backpacker” than that, right? Over the years, I learned how to pack lighter and in a more compact way, which allowed me to not have to bring a military-size backpack on every trip.

I chose the Osprey Farpoint for a few reasons. First, I will be lying if said I didn’t check its reviews online. It passed the first test. Second, it is designed to be taken as hand luggage on a plane, which is awesome if you want to re-use your bag on weekend trips if you’re not on a long-term trip. The zips are sturdy and open up all the way, so you can easily reach the bottom of your backpack.

There are two meshed outer pockets for drinking bottles (or flip-flops) and two straps for extra hanging space or to make the backpack look smaller when it’s not entirely full. It has a top pocket and laptop straps on the inside as well, making it a great purchase overall. But spreading the weight between two almost equal backpacks (40 and 34 liters) my back thanks me over and over again.

Osprey Nebula 34 (EU carry-on size)

This backpack is great to use as a daypack, but without having to compromise on space. It’s my backpack of choice to wear on my front as it’s not too bulky and breathes well. It has a padded laptop sleeve in the back, three main compartments and a big meshed outer pocket which can be split into two. As you see, I have fully bought into the Osprey brand, and so far without regrets.

Apple Macbook Pro 13 inch (2018)

Trust me, I have really tried working on a Windows laptop. My first travel laptop was an ultra-small Acer, which was compact but lacked the power to do photo editing or anything else really apart from checking your email.

I am definitely a millennial when it comes to my laptop; I use it for many, many purposes and I couldn’t spend very long without it. On my travels, I have used it to write my blog posts, edit photos and videos, producing some music (nothing serious), DJ-ing on the road, watching movies, and of course checking my emails and social media.

On one of my trips in 2011, I decided to buy a second hand Macbook Pro, which really opened up a new world in terms of my options. The user experience was smooth, and I didn’t have to spend any time fixing the laptop after it had crashed or after yet another maliciously installed virus. I managed to sell the Macbook in 2018 for a good price.

I don’t know many other laptops that would make it for such a long time and keep their value. All while using it daily, mind you…

Canon Eos M3

A few years ago, I had a Canon Powershot with 14x zoom. While it was a very compact camera, the quality just wasn’t anywhere close to that of a DSLR. Because I didn’t want to deal with the bulkiness of an actual DLSR, I went looking for an in-between solution. Voila, I present to you the Canon Eos M3. I actually have an M1, but the M3 is the newer and improved model. It is compact enough to bring on your travels, but with the photo quality that gets close to that of a DLSR. You can also change the lenses, which is great. Most of the pictures on my blog are shot with this camera.

GoPro Hero 5

Video is an important part of everyday (digital) life nowadays, so don’t forgot to bring a video camera on your travels. While often the camera on any modern phone will provide you with adequate video quality, sometimes you want to capture something that requires a little bit more. When you plan to go swimming, diving, mountain biking, driving a 4×4, mountain climbing or anything else that is a little bit more active than visiting a museum, it can be very rewarding to strap on a GoPro and capture it; I have used a GoPro on a few of my 6+ month travels, where I made a movie about my Holi experience in India and my South Africa road trip. Even though the Hero 5 isn’t the newest edition, it was the first to boast proper image stabilisation, waterproof without a case, and a touch screen.

I combine the GoPro with these accessories:

Feiyu Gimbal G6 for steady filming

Lexar 64GB MicroSD card

Waka Waka solar powered light and charger

This sturdy solar lamp is great to bring on your travels. There were many situations in the past where I wished I had some kind of light source other than my super bright phone. The Waka Waka is a nice block-shaped device which has a part that folds out, which allows it to stand on its own. It has a hole which fits on a bottle cap, practically making it a lamp.

I have used it as a hanging light in my tent many times, or when I had to walk into a dark hostel dorm. It has 3 settings, which means that you don’t have to light up the entire room if you don’t want to. The best part? For every Waka Waka sold, they give one to a child in need in a third world country, so that they will be able to continue reading or doing their homework after the sunlight has gone.

Features:

– Charge in the sun or from a wall outlet

– Full battery after 12-18 hours in the sun, 3 hours plugged into a wall outlet

– Charges a smartphone in approx. 2 hrs

– Provides up to 180 hours of light on one charge

– 5 light settings from 5-70 lumens

– SOS emergency beacon

– Light and charger can be used simultaneously

– Made of high impact resistant, 100% recycled PC-ABS

Hi-Tec Alto Waterproof hiking shoes

If you enjoy hiking like me, you want to make sure to have good hiking boots. When you don’t want to spend a fortune, these shoes are a great option. They don’t feel too bulky, have enough tread to endure most surfaces and give enough grip on rocks. The shoes are fully waterproof, making them fit for all weather.