Our Road Trip Packing List

Pack for Travel Success

Caroline and I have done a bunch of travel within the last year and though we had to downsize our belongings after our Chinook House Car died, we’ve been having a blast. If you’ve been wondering what all we packed here ya go: Our Road Trip Packing List! (This was before we upgraded to the Ram ProMaster and got outfitted with the Wayfarer Van Conversion Kit.) And be sure to click on some of the links to see gear reviews we’ve done for our friends over at Asheville Trails and Trailful!

Technology

Cameras (2) – We each shoot with a Fuji XT2 (more on our gear choices here)
Laptops (2)
Apple mouse (2) Only one works
Cell phones (2)
Headphones – We started with three sets and are down to one
Goal Zero Charge stick (2)
Back up hard drive (2)
Garmin GPS running watch (2)
1 tripod
Charge cords for everything

Clothing

We share all of our clothing except for shoes which comes in handy because we have twice as many things to pick from!

5 pairs of pants
2 tank tops
2 sweaters
8 button up shirts
2 neck ties
1 pair of rope sandals
2 pairs of flip flops
2 bathing suits
2 pairs of boots
3 t-shirts

Running Clothing

2 pairs of tights
3 beanies
2 long sleeve tech running shirts
4 sports bras
4 pairs of gloves
Rain jacket (2)
Down jackets (2)
Running shorts (2)
Running socks (2)
2 pairs of Hoka running shoes – We love the Hoka Cliftons but have recently switched to the Hoka Bondi 5
1 Patagonia visor
3 hats
10 pairs of regular socks (we’ve worn 6)

Camping Gear

Kelty Double Wide Sleeping Bag (thank Mom and Dad!)
(The bag for the sleeping bag doubles as our dirty laundry bag)
1 big egg crate piece
6 individual cushions we salvaged from the Chinook
Pendleton blanket
1 Leatherman tool
Kuju coffee
2 hydration packs and bladders (we’ve only used one)
1 mini dry bag (never used)
TOPO Y-Backpack
2 Black Diamond headlamps
Green propane bottles
2 lighters
1 Nalgene Bottle (we left this at a gas station in North California)

Cooking Gear

1 Coleman Triton Stove
1 pot
1 pan
1 french press
1 coffee grinder
1 chefs knife (we haven’t used it once)
1 paring knife (we use this a lot)
1 spatula (haven’t used this either)
2 butter knives
2 spoons
2 forks
3 small plate
2 small bowls (We haven’t used the plates or the bowls. We almost always eat out of the pot together.)
2 small cups (We eat and drink out of these)
2 one-gallon water jugs
1 small cooler

Miscellaneous

National Geographic Road Atlas – Adventure Edition
2 insulated coffee mugs
Cigarette lighter USB charger
4 Pillows
3 books (Caroline just finished up Trevor Noah: Born a Crime, Stories from a South African Childhood and I’m reading Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan. We also have Fodor’s Complete Travel Guide to the National Parks of the West
Dr. Bronners soap
1 Dashboard sun shade silver reflector thing
1 Burts Bees chapstick
1 half a roll of paper towels
1 National Park Annual Pass
3 rolls of toilet paper
4 earplugs
2 eye masks (essential for Wal-Mart Parking lots)
1 reusable shopping bag
1 Spotify subscription
2 AAA memberships

Even more random stuff

1 EZ Pass
6 jars of peanut butter (we have one left)
2 jars of strawberry jam
too much cheese to name
8 jars of mac and cheese (we have none left)
2 cases of Wedge Brewing Co. Iron Rail IPA’s (we drank them all!)
1 bottle of eye solution
1 contact lens case
4 pens
3 pencils
$20 in quarters
1 waterproof notebook
2 toothbrushes
1 tube of toothpaste
1 roll of waxed dental floss
3 small hotel shampoo bottles
2 small hotel lotion bottles
2 fingernail clippers
2 bottles of 5W30 Synthetic Oil

Things we wish we had with us

Gloves without fingers (Caroline)
My red puffy jacket (Erin)

What we would leave behind

All the things we don’t use. When you’re living out of your vehicle, even the little things end up getting in the way. After traveling like this for over a month and a half we have a nightly routine where we unload the back (where we sleep) and store everything that we have been carrying in the front. At first it took us forever, now we can move things in about 4 or 5 minutes. Specific things have a home too so that they’re easier for both of us to find. Example: headlamps always go in the center console, gloves and knives in the glove compartment, atlas between the seat, etc. Like most people, we packed more than we actually need but we’re learning all the time and downsizing even more when it makes sense.

Items we couldn’t live without

Besides our tech gear, which we need in order to do our work, we couldn’t live without 4 things: our running shoes to keep us sane, coffee to keep us going, our sleeping bag to keep us warm and our atlas to keep us headed in the “right” direction.

What about you?! Are you surprised by how much (or little?) we have? What would YOU pack for four months on the road? Please leave your comments below!SaveSaveSaveSave

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