The Packing List

Several people have asked what we took on this trip.

The trip had three components: 'backpacking,' skiing and biking. Backpacking was what we did the whole trip: carrying things around in a backpack. We took additional gear for skiing -- namely, skis, boots, poles, gloves, ski pants, long underwear, etc. We posted all the ski-only gear home when we got back to Santiago. Biking entailed additgional gear as well -- gloves, tent, sleeping mats, bike shorts, stove, pot, plates, forks, knives, etc. We mailed a lot of that stuff home, sold it in Mebourne, or simply donated it.

Here is the list of items I carried basically for the duration of the trip. Laura carried a similar amount and type of gear minus the toiletries but plus a first-aid kit, her own and much larger camera, and laundry soap.

Our packs generally weighed 28 pounds.

Vortex backpack (veteran now of two trips, fairly falling apart)
Gregory pack cover (too thin, several tears)
Kathmandu day pack
Mountain Hardware ultralight jacket (also used as a ski jacket; too hot for wet tropical climates, not fully waterproof)
Mountain Hardware lightweight fleece
one pair North Face ultralight long pants
three pairs of shorts (key features: light fabric with lots of zipper pockets)
four t-shirts (two cotton, two wicking)
two short-sleeve button shirts
one long-sleeve t-shirt
two pairs boxer shorts
three underwear briefs
one pair long socks
one pair hiking socks
two pairs short socks
ball cap
Granite Gear stuff sack
Moonstone ultralight 35-degree sleeping bag (second RTW trip)
Smith sunglasses
Chums sunglass straps
Kathmandu microfiber towel (replaced old Sammy chamois midway through)
hankerchief

Keen sandals
Vasque Goretex hiking shoes

calculator
Sansa 4G MP3 (used 1 AAA battery)
Sony Cybershot digital camera (used 2 AA batteries)
Lowepro camera bag
digital camera card reader

pocket knife
diary
address book
small accounting book
graph booklet

REI money belt (unsatisfied with this; bought midway to repace old Eagle Creek belt)
passport
credit cards
ATM card
immunization card
cash US dollars
cash Euro
US dollar Visa traveler checques
traveler checque receipts
driver license

11 AA Energizer rechargeable batteries
10 AAA Energizer rechargeable batteries
Energizer battery recharger
international plug adaptor set

blank postcards
pocket watercolor set
black felt marker

12 zipper plastic bags
two zipper two-liter canvas bags
one zipper four-liter canvas bag

contacts
contact solution
contact case

duct tape
30 feet of line (for clothes drying)
packing tape

an average of 7 novels
one or more guidebooks

Nalgene bottle, one liter
Steripen UV water purifier (used 4 AA batteries; bought midway to replace ancient MSR filter)

Petzl headlamp (used 3 AAA batteries)

swim trunks
swim goggles

shampoo
conditioner
soap
soap case
deodorant
toothpaste
toothbrush
dental floss
razor
Q-tips