To ask those of you who have been backpacking

[hmga90]

For your experiences?

On a whim last night I’ve booked a 3 month trip around the USA. I leave next week. Will be entering places with different climates- some will be very hot (Vegas for example) and some I imagine will be cooler towards the end of my trip (eg the trip ends in Chicago)

My packing list so far

3vest tops
3 short sleeved t shirts
1 long sleeved t shirt
Pair of shorts
3/4 leggings
Jeans (travel in to save space)
Short and long pyjama bottoms- 1 of each
2x dresses for night outs/more formal says
Hoodie (travel in to save space)
Lightweight cardigan
Pack a Mac
Trainers, pair of sandals and hiking boots (travel in to save space)
Rucksack, cross body bag and a foldable larger hold-all (thought would be useful to pack dirty laundry in etc)

Travel hairdryer
Travel hair straighteners
Hairbrushx2, hair ties/Kirby grips

iPad/phone, chargers.

Will buy toiletries etc over there as needed.

Will be camping most nights- not overly looking forward to it but will cope. What’s the best way to stay comfortable while camping? Sleeping bag or cheap duvet keeping in mind I will throw it away after the trip. Will buy some cheap pillows. Is it worth me buying an inflatable mattress or shall I just settle with a foam one?

What is the best way to spend money over there? Don’t want to take a load of cash but likewise don’t want to be wasting a lot of money on bank charges

Any advice will be appreciated!

You're mostly camping, but taking dresses for evening/formal? I don't think you're going to need more than one. Although I'm struggling to think of a context where you'd wear a dress at all tbh. Perhaps tell us more about the activities you're thinking of doing if it's city based or more outdoors

Are you carrying your own camping stuff or hiring/glamping? Are you driving?

Hair dryer and straighteners whilst back packing!?

You need to clarify backpacking. In the US it means you are walking to your campsite and carrying everything on your person. If that is the case, you want to start with the best quality, lightest tent you can afford. Same for sleeping bags.

Will you have access to electricity for hairdryer, charger,etc?
Also, do you need a hairdryer and hair straighteners? You are bound to be a bit scruffy and less glam when camping. Nothing wrong with it!

I'd personally add a pair of flip flops for using the showers,etc at the camp site.
A fleece (it gets cold at night)
Mosquito-deterrent?
Torch
Towel
Sunglasses and hat

Have fun!

mosquito repellent I meant :)

Proper backpacking and camping?

Ditch-
Straighteners, jeans and smarter dress, pac a mac. Shortie pjs. One long sleeved top

Take instead-
Proper breathable waterproof jacket with a zip in cosy layer. You can ditch your hoodie then too
Technical quick dry trousers. There are some slimmer leg ones these days that are nicer looking. Take a lightweight quick dry shirt- sleeve can be rolled up and can be worn open when warm. Sleeves down etc when it’s cooler.
Sun hat
Sun glasses
Torch
Water bottle
Swimming gear.

Where are you camping. I have travelled and camped around Colorado. It was INCREDIBLE.

Sleeping bag liner. Went camping with one earlier this year. Game changer for me! Much cosier on cool nights and easier to regulate temp on warm ones.

Bit more info about what you'd be doing would be handy but in lieu of that -

I'd take 2x vests, 2x short sleeved technical tshirts (light and dry quick) - mountain equipment and Rab do great ones. Would go for a long sleeved merino rather than tshirt - keeps you warm and doesn't smell - look in the ski dept at TKMaxx or in the sale at Cotswold Outdoor for all these.
Instead of long PJs would go for merino long-johns - again, light, warm, not smelly.
Wouldn't take a cardie - take a long fancy scarf instead - its multipurpose.
Would take a down jacket - it will keep you warm and if crammed into a stuff sack won't take up much room. Take apillowcase and put the down jacket in - hey presto - really comfy pillow.
Take flip flops - useful from anything from wearing on the plane to those night time expeditions to toilets and in grim showers. Sliders are best - you can wear socks underneath if your feet are cold.
Hairdryer - yes. Straighteners - no. Too heavy. One hair brush - you can buy another if you lose it.
Mat - exped synmat - they are insulated so you don't get cold. Easy to pump up with your hands - no pump required. Small Vango tent, light down sleeping bag with silk liner - this will keep you warm and it's light.
Rucksack and collapsible body bag - look at Rohan for the latter. Keep dirty washing in separate section of rucksack with shoes.

If you're camping a small stove - decathlon do great primus ones that you just connect to a gas canister. If you're camping you'll be glad of it for that first brew in the morning, so a metal coffee cup and tea bags/coffee sachets. A water to go bottle is great too, in case you aren't near potable water.

I can't emphasise enough - pack as light as you can. 20kg MAX - lower if you can get it down to anything less. I've gone heavy and ended up jettisoning stuff within 48 hours.

You might need a bear box if you're camping.

Forget the jeans, the formal dress and the straightners. If the jeans get damp you won't be able to dry them. If you're camping for 3 months you'll look like a tramp whether you take a dress and straightners or not (where do you plan to plug them in in a tent?!)

Buy a holdall with proper rucksack webbing straps or better a proper rucksack. Have you ever tried to carry a holdall more than 100m?!

I'd look at youth hostels instead. They're more likely to be somewhere you can actually reach unless you hire a car (which really isn't backpacking), you won't need to take bedding, and you'll have a chance to wash and dry clothing overnight.

I've been backpacking round Europe and Asia. I found that even a 35l rucksack got very heavy if I was carrying it to sightsee. I took 2 synthetic dresses (dry fast and smell less than cotton), a scarf for wrapping up, jumper, waterproof, leggings for if it it got cold and a merino t-shirt for over the top, socks, sandals, 4x pants. You can go full DofE style, but all you'll remember is lugging stuff around. You won't be able to take such a bag into a restaurant, and you can't move fast if you feel under threat. A 35l rucksack lets you do all of those things.

Are you backpacking as in walking, or driving/RV-ing?

If you're proper backpacking - I.e. carrying all your own stuff and hiking with it then I would ditch the extraneous stuff - take sandals and boots only, ditch the trainers. Don't take hairdryer or straighteners. Take out the cross body bag and the holdall - take a binbag for laundry if you need to. Take one dress, if you must take one at all. Swap cotton / polyester clothes for more technical fabrics - Merino you can wear several times before it gets dirty enough to need washing.

Travel /sports towels. Fold up small and dry quickly. Nothing worse than carrying round a heavy damp towel. Decathlon do some good ones.

If you're camping then I really wouldn't bother with the hairdryer and straighteners. A lot of campsites have token hairdryers in the shower/loo area.

Self inflating sleep mat. They roll up and are easier to transport.

Packing cubes save having to pull everything out your bag when looking for something.

Head torch

Power pack for your phone

I would add:

• one piece swimsuit (or 2) - I often wore this under a day dress/t-shirt and shorts.
• sunhat
• light scarf/wrap (can be good to smarten up an outfit if eating out in the evening).
• power pack/battery pack for phone in case you don’t have access to a plug.
• plug converter.
• light sleeping bag.

Re money, could you look into getting one of those pre-loaded cards (not sure if they do them for the US but they do for Europe and it’s a handy way to carry money). But if camping I think you’ll still need to carry cash.

I’d also make sure you have good copies made of your passport and other important docs in case anything gets lost/stolen, plus list of important phone numbers.

Forget jeans and straighteners.

Only need 1 dress.

Add:
Travel towel, packing cubes, bar soap and bar shampoo (lush are good)

For money get a starling account - no charges for withdrawals abroad.

Are you staying in a tent? I haven’t backpacked in the US but in Australia and NZ we sometimes stayed on campsites but in a hut or cabin so didn’t need a tent? We certainly didn’t take a hairdryer or straighteners, but most campsites had hairdryers in the shower block.

Agree with travel towel and probably reducing shoes to sandals and walking trainers plus flip flops for showers. Torch you can probably use your phone, penknife is very handy.

I had a couple of tops, vest, fleece sweatshirt, shorts, one pair jeans, one dress and waterproofs and washed regularly. You can always buy new ones if they get tatty from all the washing?

Possibly too late to arrange but we use Halifax Clarity credit cards to get cash as the rates are very good and they don't charge a fee for cash withdrawals (thought the ATMs themselves sometimes take a small fee)

@hmga90

Can't add much to what people have already said.

But I'm so jell of you!

Have a fab time!

So if you're camping you'll also be carrying a tent (assume a very lightweight one) & rollmat as a minimum. Really don't think you'll have room for a duvet & pillows!

Revolut card for money without charges etc. And I would take more shorts and fewer leggings. Leggings will be too warm.

Are you doing a trek America type thing? If so I've done one and defo take something smart for Vegas - a few girls were caught out and felt awful not being a bit more dressed up. I'd take more than three tops- for a three week trip I wouldn't be wanting to spend much time doing laundry. Also don't pack anything white - suntan lotion and mosquito repellent and the red sand at the grand canyon/similar ruins it. Flip flops defo and a sun cover up like a kaftan type thing really helped me but I'm very ginger!! Enjoy!!!

You don’t needed dresses, multiple bags and hair dryer or straighteners. I have backpacked America and other countries hot and cold, make your bag as light as possible.

You only need 2 kinds of footwear. flip flops and trainers/walking boots. One pair in your bag, one pair on your feet.

One swimming costume /bikini.

The rest shorts, t shirts, one pair of jeans and a hoodie.

Enjoy

Take a silk dress then that rolls to piss all, some nice earrings for Vegas. You might have to get creative on the shoe front though....maybe buy something that you can goodwill?

So jealous!

Only one pair of shorts? You're going to wear shorts most days till mid October I'd say. I'm in New England and I haven't worn jeans in months.

I'd get rid of most of the leggings for now, and just pack more shorts, then when it starts getting cold chuck most of the shorts and buy some leggings.

A couple of lightweight dresses would be handy instead of lots of shorts if you don't get chub rub.

If you have to carry everything yourself pack the lightest. You can buy more if you need
Travel insurance
Travel vaccinations
Emergency money
Copy of passport & itinerary
Currency
Micro towel
Roll up foam mat to sleep on
Emergency medicine like blister plasters, antihistamines, bandage
Light sleeping bag
I always put a survival bag inside my rucksack, keeps everything dry
Waterproof rucksack cover
Hat
Scarf big enough to use as wrap, skirt