The Case for Inexpensive Travel Gear (for Long-Term Travel)

Part 7: Packing Tips for Long-Term Travel: The Case for Inexpensive Travel Gear

I'm a fan of high-quality travel gear as much as anyone else, but when it comes to long-term travel, there are plenty of reasons to consider inexpensive clothes and gear versus tailor-made, "must-have" travel gear.

This is part one of a two-part article; in this article, I'll lay out the pros and cons of opting for inexpensive (or no) travel gear, and in my next article, I'll list the pros and cons of high-quality, travel-specific clothes and accessories.

So without further ado, here are 12 reasons why inexpensive travel gear is preferred for long-term travel.

• Specialty Gear Is (Often) Overkill

• Specialty Gear Requires Special Care

• Laundry is Out of Your Control

• Everything Wears Out (or Gets Damaged)

• Things Are More Easily Lost or Forgotten

• You'll Rarely Have What You Need When You Need It

• You'll Rarely Need the Things You Think You Need

• Everything is Available for Purchase (Often for Cheap!)

• Every Dollar You Spend Will Weigh On You

• Nice Stuff Can Paint a Target

• You'll Wish You Left Space for Keepsakes

• It's Easier to Let Go (When Necessary)

Specialty Gear Is Often Overkill

High-end travel gear often has features you’ll rarely need or use, like advanced waterproofing, ultralight fabric, or technical pockets. While those might be great for specific adventures, they're often unnecessary for everyday travel and can make your gear heavier, bulkier, or more costly than necessary.

For example, many backpacks are designed for multiday through-hiking and come equipped with waist straps, load lifters, sternum straps, and adjustable frames, but if you just need a bag that effectively carries your belongings from point A to point B, a technical backpack is overkill.

Or take my ultralight, packable Marmot rain jacket for example; I love this jacket because it packs down to the size of a lint roller, but do I really need or want an incredibly nice rain jacket (that you can lose or forget), when a 50-cent poncho from 7-Eleven packs down just as small (technically smaller) and keeps me just as dry for the few times I'm caught in the rain?

Historically, the answer is no.

Specialty Gear Requires Specialty Care

Specialty gear requires specialty care; no place is this truer than with the travel world's obsession with Merino wool, but it applies to many "travel-ready" products; puffer jackets (rip easy), ultralight packs (destroyed by UV/sunlight), leather anything (needs treatment), filtered water bottles (requires changing filters), etc.

Let's discuss Merino wool in detail since it's so frequently mentioned by travel gurus.

Merino wool is great in theory - it’s breathable, keeps odors at bay, and lasts for days between washes; but it can be a huge pain when you’re traveling long-term; here's why you may want to reconsider:

1. Merino wool requires careful washing and drying; usually a gentle, low-heat wash cycle (or hand-washing), and air-drying to prevent damage - none of which you can control when you send your clothes out for laundry service.

2. Merino wool is less durable and prone to pilling; this is especially problematic when you're wearing the same few shirts all the time, or wearing those shirts in less-than-ideal conditions (think: snags on trees, friction from backpacks, etc.).

3. Merino wool is often just less comfortable than traditional cotton/polyester/nylon blends; this is subjective of course, but it's a common (and valid) complaint.

4. Merino wool is expensive - whether lost, damaged, stained, or shrunk, one accident can ruin a shirt, and I'd rather ruin a $10 shirt versus a $100 shirt.

So, unless you’re ready to baby your wardrobe, it’s just one more thing to worry about on the road.

Laundry is Out of Your Control

While we're on the topic of Merino care, it's worth noting that laundry will occasionally (if not frequently) be out of your control. Even if you fully intend to hand-wash your clothes - I promise you, that will get old, and there will be times when you just need (i.e. want) to drop your clothes at a 24-hour laundry facility. The second you do this - and the more you do this, the higher the likelihood of losing (or gaining) items, or having your clothes damaged.

Most laundry facilities are good, but mistakes will be made, and if you lose one of your four $100 Merino wool shirts, it can hurt.

You could argue that you'll check your bag and count your clothes every time, but most of the time your clothes will come back wrapped and taped shut, and you won't even know what's in the bag until you're back at your hotel or hostel.

Remember, you're not at home, socks won't magically reappear three months later!

Side note: I recommend packing for 1-2 weeks and planning for weekly or bi-weekly laundry - details discussed in Packing Tips for Long-Term Travel (coming soon).

Everything Wears Out (or Gets Damaged)

We don't think about this too often at home, because we're usually rotating a comparatively large selection of clothes, but when you're wearing the same 3-4 shirts, 6-7 socks, and 8-10 pairs of underwear, your stuff will wear out eventually, and faster than you think.

In addition to regular wear and tear, there's a higher risk of irreparable damage and stains; a simple oil stain can ruin a shirt, pants can be rendered unwearable by wine, your favorite swim shorts might suffer a catastrophic coral reef rip, etc.

This rarely crosses our mind at home, because it's less likely and less impactful, but when you're packing and wearing a small subset of clothes, the risk and impact of a simple rip or stain can throw a wrench in your perfectly planned travel wear.

Things Are More Easily Lost or Forgotten

You're in a new place, your routine and environment change regularly, and you're changing locations weekly or bi-weekly - if you're anything like me, these changes and inconsistencies increase the likelihood of losing, forgetting, or misplacing items, for example:

• Forgetting chargers in wall outlets

• Forgetting shorts that were hang-drying on the balcony

• Forgetting that one shirt that you hung in the closet

• Forgetting your water bottle in the fridge, etc.

When you're on the move, and you don't have a normal place where you "always put it"; it's a lot easier for things to go missing. Yes, it may be rare, but the more you move, the more likely it is to happen.

And that's just normal operation, imagine adding a few drinks to the mix:

• Sandals left at the beach get buried in the sand

• Towels or shirts left by the pool go missing when you decide to change venues

• Your favorite (and only) hoodie gets left on the back of a bar chair, etc.

  
  

These things are somewhat rare at home (or if they do happen at home, you know where you left them); but when you're in a new place, surrounded by new people, at a place you might never return to, the likelihood goes up.

You'll Rarely Have What You Need When You Need It

Have you ever been caught in the rain without your rain jacket? Or found yourself at a grocery store without your reusable bag? Or found yourself needing a cable because your phone was dying?

These things happen all the time. The unfortunate truth is that we rarely have what we have when we need it; and you'll still end up buying a 50-cent rain poncho, a 10-cent plastic bag, or a $2 phone charger, all of which will continue to work for as long as you're willing to use them.

Planning is good, but all of these things should have an asterisk next to them *useful but not necessary *.

Unless you're willing to carry your umbrella, rain jacket, water bottle, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray, packable bag, jacket, hat, flashlight, charging cable, and a deck of cards everywhere you go, there's a decent chance you'll be buying these small items in the moment, when you need them.

Speaking of unnecessary items...

You'll Rarely Need the Things You Think You'll Need

Here are just a few items off the top of my head that I've packed but never actually needed:

• Bottle opener - either someone has one or you use a lighter

• Deck of cards - available at nearly every hostel, along with a million other games

• Flashlight - you won't have it when you need it and you'll just use your phone

• Umbrellas - a 50-cent poncho does the trick, or you can wait out the rain

• Water Bottles - you'll be buying bottled water in 70% of the countries you visit, which you can reuse for as long as you want - you don't need to pack a water bottle

• Nice "going out" clothes - it seems like a good idea until you get to your destination and realize no one cares what you look like.

• Tablets and eReaders - useful on flights, but quickly become deadweight

This is more an argument for not buying travel gear, versus buying inexpensive travel gear, but it's related and worth noting, and it ties into my next point.

Everything is Available for Purchase (Often for Cheap!)

Everything is available for purchase, often for cheap, wherever you are in the world.

It's easy to think you need to pack for every situation, every environment, every climate, etc., but you don't; we call that fear-packing. The truth is, if you're traveling to a place where other people live, you're going to find whatever you need to live, if you need it.

You can deck yourself out in shorts, sandals, and beach towels in Southeast Asia for $7, you can pick up a $5 umbrella in rainy England if you're caught in a storm, you can blend in perfectly with a 66° North jacket in Iceland if you get blindsided by winter.

Every place you visit will have weather-appropriate clothes, which means, you could get on a plane today with just your phone, passport, and wallet, and be perfectly comfortable (minus a few dollars) shortly after you land, anywhere in the world.

I'm not saying you shouldn't plan ahead, but buying the latest and greatest travel clothes and gear before you leave the country is overkill at best, and a waste of money at worst.

Speaking of wasting money...

Every Dollar You Spend Will Weight On You

When I was planning my first 6+ month overseas trip, I went a little wild on travel gear; I bought I nice travel backpack, a few Merino wool shirts, an eReader, and a tablet.

The problem was, I worried about my stuff all the time. I was worried someone would steal my fancy $250 travel backpack, I was worried when I dropped off my shirts for overnight laundry, I was worried about leaving my tablet in a locker at the hostel.

On top of that, I rarely used or needed any of it; I "read" audiobooks instead of using the eReader, I barely touched my tablet (except for the first 15 minutes of my first flight), the backpack carried my stuff, but a $30 backpack would have done the same job, and while the Merino wool shirts were great for multi-day wear, my "regular" shirts were equally fine and more comfortable.

The extra stuff caused more worry than I gained in usefulness, and I quickly realized that peace of mind was far more valuable than having the latest and greatest travel gear.

NOT caring about your stuff is worth its weight in gold when you're traveling long-term.

Note: A good rule of thumb to follow - if you're not already utilizing or wearing it at home, you don't need it for travel.

Nice Stuff Can Paint a Target

In addition to being worried about losing my stuff, I also felt like a target; not that anyone likely cared, but when you're walking down a street carrying a backpack that costs as much as some people make in a month, it doesn't feel right and you stick out like a sore thumb.

Even if it's only in your head, I'd much rather blend in than stick out when traveling, and every dollar you wear has the opposite effect; AirPods, iPhones, and dress clothes may be perfectly normal in the places you're used to, but think about how everything will look in a small village, half-way around the world.

You'll Wish You Left Space for Keepsakes

You're about to embark on a huge, round-the-world journey (presumably), wouldn't it be nice to bring home some keepsakes? And I don't mean trinkets or souvenirs for friends and family, I'm talking about actual, useful items that you can wear or use regularly, that were purchased in another country, and that will always remind you of your time there.

Instead of packing a hat, why not get one while you travel? Instead of packing a winter jacket, why not go shopping and find a local brand in the country you're visiting? Time is on your side, and shopping in a foreign country is fun, embrace it!

And if you love it, but don't need it when the seasons change, you can always ship it home or donate it to a local charity.

It's Easier to Let Go (When You Need to Declutter)

Long-term travel often involves making quick decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. With cheap gear, there’s less guilt when you need to lighten your load or leave something behind, whereas, with expensive gear, you might hesitate to minimize, even if it’s weighing you down or it becomes unnecessary when the seasons change.

I can’t stress this enough, one of the biggest benefits of opting for inexpensive gear is the ability to leave it behind when you no longer need it; and that doesn't mean wasting it or throwing it in the trash, it can be as simple as donating it or leaving it behind for other travelers.

Conclusion

I said it before and I'll say it again, I love high-quality travel gear as much as anyone, but when it comes to long-term travel, inexpensive gear is sometimes the better choice. The less you care, the less you'll worry, and the less you worry, the more fun you can have while traveling; and... maybe you'll come home with some new favorite items.

Whether you opt for inexpensive or specialized travel gear is up to you, the real takeaway here is that you don’t need specialty travel gear to travel, and in fact, it can cause more worry than its worth; for every premium product, there are inexpensive alternatives that perform just as well.

Now that I've laid out the arguments for inexpensive gear, let's explore why you might want to invest in high-quality travel gear, and what to look for.

Read Next: Part 8: The Case For High-Quality Travel Gear