Travel gear for slow travel is a different kind of problem — and we learned that the hard way.

When we left the US to begin full-time slow travel, we packed the way most people pack — for every scenario, every weather possibility, every “just in case.” By the time we reached Da Nang, Vietnam, we looked at our luggage and made a decision. We found a shipping service, boxed up the excess, and sent it back to the US from the other side of the world. Then we started again with only what we actually needed. That process of getting it wrong, then correcting it, is how this gear list was built. Everything here has been used across twelve months and multiple continents — Southeast Asia, Southern Africa, and Europe. Nothing made this list by being recommended on the internet. It made this list by earning its place on the road.

Choosing the right travel gear for slow travel is a different exercise from packing for a two-week holiday. When you’re staying weeks or months in one place, moving between countries without a fixed itinerary, and living out of what you carry, the criteria change. Weight and versatility matter more than volume. Security matters more than convenience. And the things that seemed optional at home — a proper anti-theft backpack, a hanging luggage scale that fits in a side pocket, reusable bags that collapse to nothing — turn out to be the items you reach for every single day.

A Few We Couldn’t Travel Without

Some items earned a permanent place in our kit faster than others. The Pacsafe V 26L Anti-Theft Backpack goes everywhere with us — its security design means we can move through crowded markets and busy transit hubs without a second thought about what’s inside it. The SCOTTeVEST Travel Vest has replaced a carry-on bag on more than one occasion, its pockets handling more than anything that size has a right to. The Digital Hanging Luggage Scale has saved us from overweight bag fees at check-in more times than we can count — small, light, and earns its place every single trip. And the Skylight Frame keeps us connected to family back home in a way that no video call quite replicates — a quiet, constant reminder of the people we’re doing this for.

These aren’t products we were given or paid to mention. They’re things we bought, used constantly, and would buy again without hesitation.

Below you’ll find everything organised by category — Camera & Tech, Bags & Luggage, Clothing & Comfort, and Health & Essentials. Every item links directly to where you can find it. If you have questions about any of them or want to know how we use something day to day, drop us a comment on any of our posts or reach out through the contact page.

We update this list as our kit changes — if something gets replaced on the road, this page gets updated with it.