Packing a 30-40litre pack (lowe alpine or lifeventure)

Summarized from www.travelindependent.info
(http://travelindependent.info/whattopack.htm)

Not all your clothing need be US$150 North Face or Patagonia (having said that anything that makes you feel cool or is light/compact is well worth the investment).
Consider some pack-it cubes or alternatives to keep clothing together and compressed. Netted bags are useful for items like underwear, so are freezer bags, zip-lock bags or a pillow case to keep dirty items separate. Another good idea is to simply keep things elastic banded together. Better to roll than fold.

Buy/bring from home:
- No more than two T-shirts or similar (1 could be a moister wicking polyester/dry-flo type or similar, made from a special fabric designed to suck sweat away from your body. You can always buy and discard more on the road; 1 polo shirt).
- 1 long sleeve/ thin
- one thin, lightweight (micro) fleece - thicker if in colder climate area (if necessary down jacket
- 3-5 underwear (couple thermal underwear) Moisture-wicking fast-drying underwear (e.g. Lowe Alpine Dry-Flo or ExOfficio brand)
- 1-2 bras
- hat and/or neck gaiter
- 2 pants - Quick drying, light travel types (whether basic cotton or made from a special fabric produced by an outdoor clothing company such as The North Face), internal secure pockets. 2nd one should be slightly heavier. Convertibles are a popular choice (leave jeans at home) (don't bring shorts-touristy, denied entry to most places)
- wrap around skirt
- swim wear
- 3-4 socks
- Teva or Merrell type sandals - sports sandles (broken in)
- Low cut light trail running shoes such as Salomon or North Face's range (broken in)
- heavily vented shoes - Salomon, Teva and North Face all have a good range out on offer.---keep internal bag for dirty shoes or make provisions to carry on outside of bag
- trek-type towel - viscose, or micro fibre 1-2 (small) w/ hook to hang up and a sarong
- umbrella - a light compact micro
- platypus water bottles (flat when not used) w/ strap
- bandana/scarf - head covering if going in mosques
- knife/spork/bowl-lightweight
- swiss army knife-- though can't if taking luggage on as hand carried on airplane
- lightweight sleeping sack/bag liner - silk, peace of mind, don't need sleeping bag
- First aid and cosmetics - chapstick/vasoline, cold/flu pills (with decongestant), something for a sore throat, band aids, condoms or contraceptive pill (see below), antiseptic/antibiotic cream, laxative diarrhoea blocker, Pepto-Bismol or similar (Bismuth: upset stomach and diarrhoea reliever, pill form easier to carry), Hydrocortisone cream (2%) or something else to treat insect bites, a needle (maybe part of a mini-sewing kit) for blisters, perhaps a forehead digital thermometer and of course some pain killers, anti-fungal cream, travel/motion sickness pills, (on longer trips), mouth ulcer (aka canker sores) treatment (especially if taking Chloroquine malaria medication), anti-histamine pills... Don't forget that all things medical are available much cheaper and plentifully on the way. Take a prescription and a doctors note in case you are stopped by Customs.
- Wash kit - shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant/antiperspirant and a toothbrush (& cover) + razor -travel size bottles, nail clipper, tweezers, dental floss, wet wipes, sunblock, washing line (twisted elastic), washing powder, tampons (keeper or mooncup recommended), toilet paper
- vitamin c, vitamin b1 (2 wks before and continue)
- camera - batteries, memory cards, best to buy local pay-as-you-go SIM cards, or 'travel SIM card' jajah.com?
- phone - with calculator, alarm
- head light torch or LED key ring lights (princeton tec)
- sunglasses
- ipod
- Pack - 30-40litre pack (lowe alpine or lifeventure), zip front opening (zips far down), netting/straps on front and sides, w/ cheap canvas/messenger bag
- mosquito repellent - in country can buy plug in mosquito repellent (Goodnight)
- don't bring the guide books, or do..
- combination lock - loop your bag around pole when asleep, small lock for bag zipper
- notebook and pen
- money belt
- pictures of family/loved ones
- compass?
- student id card (cheaper fees)
- atm/ credit card
- extra id card??
- copy of certificates of vaccinations
- updated passport (save old one for "decoy/deposit" use)
- passport size photos - used for various things
- ear plugs
- zip lock bags, empty film canaster (laundry soap)
- photocopies of everything, leave @ home, on internet, and with travel partner
- inflatable travel pillow?
- water - bottled, iodine tablets, chlorine tablets
- pack of cards
- granola bars/ food

DONT
- don't pack white

Don't forget that loads of stuff is available on the way, at a much cheaper price. You will be able to buy most items left at home on any popular route or one taking in semi-developed countries.

a few recommended manufactures: Lowe-Alpine, Fairydown, Teva, The North Face, Rohan, Patagonia, Eagle Creek, Mountain Hardwear, Mountain Equipment Co-op