Men’s carry-on packing list for nomadic long-term travel

Packing for any trip can be very overwhelming because you only have limited amount of space to cover for a lot of different scenarios. Packing for nomadic long-term travel is on another level of complexity because the packing list needs to cover for multiple destinations, seasons and countries. This comprehensive men’s carry-on packing list for nomadic long-term travel will cover every item that I carefully selected and why.

Why Pack Carry-On only?

As aspiring minimalists, we made the conscientious decision to live with less as it turns out that less is more. So when it came to packing our stuff, we decided that we would travel the world with a carry-on packing list for long-term travel. Traveling only with carry-on came with the following benefits for us:

• Carry on means less time spent at the airport. Because we do not have to check-in our luggage or even wait at the carousel to pick up our luggage, we spend less time at the airport. We can even be late and still make our flight as we don’t strictly need to be at the airport before the luggage check-in deadline, which can sometimes close an hour+ before boarding starts.
• Carry on means we are less likely to lose our valuable stuff. Because we always have our luggage with us, it is less likely that the airport crew can lose our stuff during transit, especially when we are taking flight connections.  When all of your belongings are in that luggage, this is especially important.
• Carry on means we save money (about a free month of rent per year for us). Luggage fees have exploded over the past few years. We fly on average 8-12 times per year and mostly international. The average fee for the first luggage that you want to check-in is usually between $50-$100 (depending if you fly domestic or international). How much does this cost per year? Well, for years when we are not flying much (8 times) this represents a $400-$600 savings per person. For years when we travel more (12 times) this represents a $800-$1200 saving per person. Which is pretty much our monthly budget of AirBnB rental. And we are not even including additional costs related to additional storage while taking other means of transportation.
• Carry on means we are more mobile. Because we can carry everything on our backs, we are not dependent on others when we move and can even access more remote places. Have you tried to roll your rolling suitcase on a dirt road? 

The Ultimate List

Once we decided that we were going to travel carry-on only, we had to understand what we could travel with. Besides the obvious TSA restrictions of what you can carry, the main constraints were defined by airlines companies themselves. Most airlines allow at no cost two piece of luggage. One item that can fit beneath the seat and another item that can fit inside the overhead compartment. Most airlines allow for the following dimensions:

• For the overbin item: 24″ x 14″ x 9”
• For the beneath seat item: 18″ x 14″ x 8”

Important notes:

• This is currently the packing list for a male who works digitally and travels in warm weather.
• Some of these items are definitely pricey but as an aspiring minimalist, I value quality over quantity and I don’t mind spending more on something I will be getting a lot of value out of.
• Everything on this list is TSA compliant since we travel carry-on only. I usually have my larger backpack that goes in the overhead bin and my smaller backpack that goes underneath the seat.

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Important: This post is about Mr. NN’s packing list, if you want the women’s version, check out Mrs. NN’s Women’s packing list.

Packs

Traveling packs

1. Tortuga Outbreaker Backpack (45L) – Great in many ways that I would need to dedicate a blog post to go for all the feature from this backpack. After trying multiple carry on backpack, this became my primary travel backpack. I use it to carry 80% of my stuff. Super durable, waterproof, made of pretty great materials and come up with lots of organizing compartments. This backpack has been design for carry on travelers as its dimension are: 22″ x 14″ x 9” (most airlines allows up to 24″ x 14″ x 9”)
2. Timbuk2 Parkside Laptop Backpack – This is my second travel backpack. I use this as my secondary storage that will fit under the seat on a plane.

Day pack

1. Quechua fast hiking backpack Helium (27L) – This is my day pack. I love it because it is lightweight, it has a compartment for a water bladder, comes with many pockets which are easy to open and it has a hip-belt that makes sure the weight is properly balanced once the pack is loaded. Also, once empty it can fit in my Tortuga Backpack.

Clothing

Glasses

1. GAMMA RAY Polarized UV400 Sunglasses with Mirror Lens [x2] – These polarized sunglasses are 100 percent UV protected, they look good, are comfortable and are really inexpensive. I do actually carry two of them in case I break/lose one.
2. Reading glasses [x1] – I have a small prescription for my eyes and there were recommended to me while sitting in front of a computer screen.

Hiking

1. NIKE Authentic Dri-FIT Low Profile Cap [x1] – This was gifted to me before we took off on our nomadic trip and I love it. It’s very simple, yet. It is made of 100% Dri-FIT & moisture wicking polyester, which means it will keep the sweat away and remain dry all day!
2. Men’s Outdoor Quick Dry Convertible Lightweight Hiking Pants [x1] – When the weather is extremely warm, I’m using these convertible hiking pants as shorts.
3. Quechua Men’s Forclaz 500 hiking trousers [x2] – These pants are very lightweight and perfect for regular or mountain hikes. I wear them in both warm and cool weather. They come with many pockets which are great for storage. They are made of bi-stretch, lightweight, durable and quick-drying fabric.
4. SmartWool Men’s Hike Medium Crew hiking socks [x1] – We love going on long hikes and we hate blisters, so we wear these!

Pants

1. Banana Republic Men’s Slim Straight Jeans Medium Wash [x1] – Great for staying at home or going out when the weather is cold. They also look really good and are great for a fancy date night.

Shorts

1. Quiksilver Men’s Everyday Board Short [x2] – I uses these board shorts for both everyday and water activities.

T-Shirts/Tops

1. T-Shirt (regular) [x8] – For pretty much every day. I like the Amazon Essentials Men’s 2-Pack Loose-Fit Short-Sleeve Crewneck T-Shirts for their value and comfort.
2. Sweatshirt [x1] – For cold days/nights. I also like the Amazon Essentials Men’s Crewneck Fleece Sweatshirt for their value and comfort.
3. Shirt [x1] – Because sometimes you want to look extra fancy 🙂

Underwear/Socks

1. MeUndies Boxer Briefs [x3] – For the men reading this, you should check out MeUndies if you haven’t done it already! I discovered them back in 2014 and they have been since the most comfortable and colorful underwear I’ve ever owned. They feel amazing, look great and they are uber comfortable. Feel free to use my referral link to get a 20% discount on your first order. If you don’t love your first pair of MeUndies, they’ll hook you up with a new pair or a refund!
2. Men’s Plaid Boxers [x4] – I used these as my pajamas’ bottoms.
3. Grip Socks [x4] – I discovered these high-quality grip socks when I started to practice yoga back in 2010. They have since become my day to day socks. They have a low profile, so I can also use them when wearing my sneakers. Their great cushion makes them super comfy!
4. Speedo Men’s Endurance+ [x1] – I love water so whether there is a pool nearby I need to make sure I can quickly get in!

Warm gear

1. Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket for Men [x1] – This is my minimalist rainproof jacket. It can be stuffed into its own front pocket, so it can easily fit into my daypack when going for a hike or just going outside for a walk. It has an underarm vent that lets cool air in when necessary and an adjustable hood to make sure that water stays outside.
2. Quechua Helium Wind 500 Men’s Windproof Jacket [x1] – This is an extremely compact yet very efficient windproof jacket that is extremely lightweight and will keep me warm when it’s pretty windy/cold out there. And it is really inexpensive!

Workout

1. NIKE Men’s Dry Miler Running Top [x1] – I used these tops when going out for a run (or a warm hike). The breathable mesh panels and quick-drying fabric help keep me cool. They also dry really quickly.
2. NIKE 9″ Mens Flex Running Shorts [x1] – This is my to go shorts when I need to go for a run. It is stretchy, sweat-wicking and has 2 pockets which are great to store a key and/or ID, credit cards.
3. NIKE Men’s Baselayer Training Shorts [x1] – These are a great base layer when I go for a workout to keep everything in place. The sweat-wicking technology do a great job at keeping me cool when the action heats up and they feel really smooth against my body parts.
4. CEP Men’s Progressive+ Compression Run Socks 2.0 [x1] – I used these compression socks while running. They can also be used on long flights as these socks help increase circulation and reduce the risk of swelling or clotting.
5. NIKE Men’s Zoom Winflo Running Shoes [x1] – These are my day to day shoes. They are super lightweight and are great for running and on moderate hikes.
6. WGOOT Quick Dry Microfiber Travel Towel [x1] – This towel is fast drying, highly absorbent, ultra-soft, has an easy hang loop and is really lightweight and compact. Great when I go workout (running, yoga…) as well as in case of emergency when the places we stay at don’t provide towels.
7. Arena Tracks Swim Goggles [x1] – As an avid swimmer, these are minimalistic but keep my eyes protected and dry when I want to do some laps in the pool or the ocean.

Documents

1. Alpine Swiss Mens Leather Flipout ID Wallet Bifold Trifold Hybrid [x1] – This was given to me as a gift and it has been really convenient to store passport, ID, credit cards and also any loose cash I end up with. I like the compact design.

Tech

Smartphone

1. Apple iPhone 11, Fully Unlocked, 256 GB [x1] – What will we do these days without a smartphone? This acts as my remote controller to our digital world as well as my main camera.
2. Apple Lightning to USB Cable [x1] – To transfer data between my iPhone and my laptop as well as to charge my phone (I haven’t invested yet in wireless charging).
3. Mophie Powerstation External Battery (6,000 mAh) [x2] – I used these power banks as a backup while on a long day ride or hike and where this is not power supply close by to recharge my phone.

Laptop

1. Apple 15″ MacBook Pro, Retina, Touch Bar, 2.9GHz Intel Core i7 Quad-Core, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Space Gray [x1] – The most expensive item in my backpack. This is also the equipment I’m using the most on a daily basis. This is the 2017 model that I’ve purchased in 2018 at a great discount. Love the 15” screen, the i7 processor, and the 4 USB-C ports which provide me with plenty of connectivity. This model came with 16GB of memory (RAM) and 512GB of solid-state storage which is great.
2. Apple USB-C Power Adapter [x2] – Pretty much mandatory if I want to use my Macbook Pro. Because most of my work is done on my laptop, I have two of these in case one of them become lost or damaged

Audio

1. Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones, Noise Cancelling [x1] – I used these headphones when working, on a plane or on any long commute. The noise cancelling technology that Bose developed is pretty impressive and remain best-in-class.
2. Monoprice Large-Driver rechargeable Bluetooth Wireless Earphones [x1] – I used these earphones usually when I’m going out for a walk. They are less bulky than the Bose ones and are lighter as well.
3. Apple EarPods with 3.5mm Headphone Plug [x1] – I carry these with me as a backup. They came with my iPhone so I did not really paid for it.

Photography

1. Canon EOS Rebel SL2 DSLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm STM Lens [x1] – I downgraded from my Canon 7D Mark II to the SL2 to save space and weight. With the impressive progress in camera quality that we have in our smartphones, I might ditch this completely in the future.
2. Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens [x1] – This is my day to day lens. Excellent for portrait as well as landscape.
3. Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens [x1] – I use this lens to shoot wildlife.
4. Canon Battery Charger LC-E17 [x1] – This is essential to be able to charge the battery of my Canon DSLR SL2.

Videography

1. DJI Spark [x1] – I love videography and this little drone can do some amazing things. Check out my Youtube channel to see some of the videos I’ve shot with it.
2. Remote Controller for DJI Spark [x1] – When I initially purchased my Spark, I did know if I needed a remote controller as you can fly the drone using gesture control. It turns out that without the remote controller, your Spark isn’t gonna fly very far, so I decided to purchase this later on.
3. DJI Spark Intelligent Battery [x3] – I have 3 of them so that I can fly for a full day without running out of battery! I usually can fly between 10-15 minutes with one battery

Trackers

1. Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS, 40mm) – Space Gray Aluminium Case [x1] – This is my health companion. It helps me stay active daily and also works as a great way to filter the notifications from my phone.
2. Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable [x1] – This is essential to be able to charge my Apple watch.

Storage

1. WD 1TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive [x2] – I have two of them. One to backup my entire laptop and the other to keep a copy of important documents. I also back up most of my documents in the cloud
2. SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable External SSD – USB-C, USB 3.1 [x1] – I use this to supplement the storage of my laptop for any movie/photo editing I’m doing which requires pretty fast write/read speeds. I also like how small and rugged this SSD is. It comes with an adapter if I need to plug it in a standard USB-A port.
3. SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSDXC UHS-I card [x2] – Essential to be able to record footage from my drone. I have two as it always good to have backups!
4. SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB SDXC UHS-I Memory Card [x2] – I love these very fast SD Cards. They have never failed me in capturing pictures with high shutter speeds or videos from my DSLR.

Others

1. Audio Cable Splitter [x1] – If you want to share a movie/podcast on a plane or on a long bus ride, this is super handy and takes almost no space.
2. Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter [x1] – Because Apple decided to ditch the audio jack on their phones, I need to carry this if I want to plug my earphones.
3. Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter [x1] – I need this to either connect any USB-A device to my laptop as well as an external monitor.
4. Apple USB Ethernet Adapter [x1] – hen there is no wifi or the wifi is very slow, I use this adapter to connect directly my laptop to the Internet router. (no pictured above)
5. AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Micro B Cable [x1] – Required to charge my drone (as well as my portable battery packs).
6. Ugreen SD Card Reader USB 3.0 Card Hub Adapter [x1] – I use this to download pictures from my DSLR (SD Card) or videos from my drone (MiniSD Card)
7. Multiple USB Wall Charger, [22W/4.4A] Lencent 4 Port USB Travel Adapter [x1] – I use this to charge most of my device at night. It also acts as an international travel adapter.
8. Anker 24W Dual USB Car Charger [x1] – I use this when we rent a car so we can charge our phones.
9. Google Chromecast [x1] – I use this when we have a TV and want to stream movies directly from our laptops or tablets or use a TV as a second screen.
10. Universal Power Adapter, International Travel Adaptor (Original product: Lenmar AC150USBK Ultracompact All-in-One Travel Adapter with USB Port) [x1] – This is pretty much required when we travel in countries that don’t support the American standards.
11. Warmstor USB-C USB 3.1 Type C Female to USB 3.0 A Male Adapter Converter [x1] – I use this adapter to connect my USB-A devices to connect to USB-C ports.
12. AmazonBasics USB 2.0 Cable – A-Male to Mini-B [x2] – I use these cables to connect my micro USB Mini-B devices (mainly external hard drives) to my laptop.
13. Syntech USB C to USB Adapter [2-Pack], Thunderbolt 3 to USB 3.0 Adapter [x1] – I use this adapter to connect my USB-C devices to connect to USB-A ports.
14. AmazonBasics USB Type-C to USB Type-C 2.0 Cable [x1] – I use this cable to connect my USB-C devices to my laptop.
15. PETZL – Tikkinia Headlamp, 150 Lumens, Standard Lighting [x1] – Whether you go camping, hike too late, or want to come back home from a remote location late at night, these are quite useful as they can provide light for hours and fit well on your head.
16. SwissGear TSA-Approved Travel Sentry Luggage Locks [x2] – When we need to lock our valuable somewhere, this becomes handy. It is also TSA compliant so we could also use it if we need to check in one of our luggage.
17. Apple Lightning to USB Cable [x2] – Extra cables to transfer data between my iPhone and my laptop as well as to charge my phone.

Toiletries

1. Kattee Mens Travel Toiletry Bag [x1] – Keep all of my toiletries together.
2. Bamboo Toothbrushes [x1] – It has charcoal bristles, a wooden handle, is BPA Free & eco friendly. Oh and they are also sustainably grown in recycled biodegradable packaging.
3. Toothbrush Holder [x1] – This has a suction cup that keeps my toothbrush away from dirty surfaces.
4. Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Travel Toothpaste [x1] – We usually get toothpaste once we arrive to a new place but will carry a small tube that we can use during our commute time.
5. Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Moisturizing Lip Balm [x1] – Keeps my lips always hydrated 🙂
6. MUJI nail clipper Made in Japan [x1] – This is pretty small, very sturdy and does the job!

Note: I usually will buy razors, shaving cream, soaps and actually most toiletries items once I arrive in a specific location as they are usually inexpensive and are just taking unnecessary space while traveling.

Miscellaneous

Compression/Organization

1. Eagle Creek Travel Gear Luggage Pack-it Specter Tube Cube, White/Strobe [x1] – These weigh next to nothing and do a good job at minor compression and bag organization. I use this long one for socks and underwear.
2. Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Compression Cube Set, White/Strobe, 2 Pack [x1] – These weigh next to nothing and do a good job at minor compression and bag organization. I use these two for pretty much every other piece of clothing.
3. SGT KNOTS Mesh Bag [x1] – We use this as our laundry bag. It helps us organize clean from dirty clothes.
4. Ziploc Slider Storage Bags [a few] – I always have a few of these Ziploc storage bags in my backpack if I need to store any loose items.

Sleep gear

1. Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask [x1] – For when I take red-eye flights to make sure I can get a good night of sleep.
2. Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone Earplugs [a few] – These are great earplugs that I heard about from Tim Ferriss. Unlike foam earplugs that are inserted into the ear canal and then left to expand, these are effectively smeared over the ear opening. They fit perfectly and block everything.

Hydration

1. Simple Modern Wave Water Bottle – 17oz [x1] – This water bottle is insulated so they can keep both waters hot (for 10 hours!) or cold (for 24 hours). I used the 17 oz capacity but you can get up to 34 oz if needed.
2. 2L Hydration Pack Waterproof [x1] – I put this in my backpack when we go hiking. It can store up to 3 liters, which is usually plenty for a full day being active outside.

Kitchen

1. Vremi Silicone Food Storage Containers with BPA Free Airtight Plastic Lids [x1] – This kit comes with 4 collapsible containers of different sizes. They are a great way to reduce our footprint when we need to pack our food on the go. They can double as great storage contain too.
2. To-Go Ware Bamboo Travel Utensils [x1] – These utensils are durable and I make sure I have a pair always in my backpack so that when we go out or on a hike, we can make sure we have some utensils handy if needed. It is also a good way to be respectful of the environment as we’ve been reusing them for many months now.

Others

1. First Aid emergency kit [x1] – We carry this in our backpack as much as possible. We haven’t used it much yet but I’m sure it can be life saving when needed.

Putting everything together

So here you have a men’s carry-on packing list for nomadic long-term travel.

How much does all of this weigh? Total weight is about 33lbs (15 kg) which I usually divided in 22lbs (10kg) on the Tortuga Outbreaker and 11lbs (5kg) on the Timbuk2 (these numbers include the weight of the packs themselves).

How much does all of this cost? Since we love numbers we have the detailed breakdown for each item category. Simply fill out the form below and we will send you a copy of our spreadsheet to you instantly!

Do you think some items are redundant? Would you suggest others for us to consider? Please let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.