Image by David Clarke
During the first year of our location independent life, we spent around $500 sending various boxes of our stuff back “home” to put in storage. Yup, we weren’t exactly travelling light in those days.
During our 2nd year we got our act together and typically travelled with less than 30kg between the two of us (including our hand luggage/laptop bags). We’ve learned – as many other LIPS have – that you can really get by on very little and that the 80/20 Pareto Principle really does apply…you’ll typically use 20% of your clothes 80% of the time.
As part of our “No Stuff” mentality, we also rarely buy new things – conscious of the fact that whatever we do buy we have to carry with us (it’s a great way to save money too!). We have however stumbled upon a few things which are lightweight and travel-friendly equivalents of their heavy, bulky counterparts and picked up a few tips and tricks along the way.
If you’re keen to keep your luggage to a minimum (and you should be with stricter luggage rules and bigger fees being enforced all the time), these items might help…
Nike Free trainers
Unlike their bulky equivalents, these trainers are super-duper lightweight.
Billed as trainers which mimic barefoot running, these Nike Free trainers are ideal if you want the comfort and performance of decent running shoes but always end up leaving them behind because they take up too much room.
Both Jonathan & I have a pair of these and they’re ideal for the gym, light jogging and general exercise. Another alternative are the Vibram Five Fingers shoes – if you don’t mind the odd stares that wearing these can sometimes elicit.
Wireless Travel Router
A wireless travel router is a useful gadget to carry wherever you go on your LIP journey.
They’re great for making an apartment internet connection wireless – meaning that more than one person can use it at a time.
If you’re in a hotel and need to pay for the LAN connection, you can also use the wireless travel router to make the hotel LAN connection wireless, again meaning more than one person can use it and you can be untethered from the LAN cable.
OneSole shoes
When you’re buying new shoes or selecting which ones to take with you, go for shoes which can double up for more than one occasion.
For example, these women’s shoes from OneSole can be changed to go with all types of outfit, meaning you could almost get away with just one pair of shoes for your whole trip.
They might not win any style awards but unless you’ll be swanking it up on the streets of Paris, Rome or Milan, they’ll do just fine for most LIP destinations.
Kiva Keychain Duffel Bag
A spare bag which can be used as a backpack/day pack is great on location.
You could of course make do with plastic bags but the cooler types amongst you are unlikely to go with that suggestion.
If you have a laptop bag already but don’t want to have to empty it out every time you want to use it as a daypack, this duffel-style bag from Kiva is a handy & lightweight thing to carry round with you as a spare. There are a couple of different styles available – backpack & Tote.
Light My Fire Spork
If you’re staying in a hotel, a hostel or anywhere else where self catering is a cheaper but not necessarily easier option due to a lack of equipment, then a Spork is a must.
These ones from Light My Fire have a serrated edge, meaning they also function as a basic knife, creating the ultimate 3-in-1 eating utensil.
The Sporks come in a range of funky colours, so you take your pick and match them with your laptop bag.
Kiva 3 Currency Wallet
If you’ve ever taken a trip which requires visiting more than one country and using multiple currencies, you’ll know how annoying it can be to have scrabble round in your wallet trying to get the right type of note for the place you’re in.
You could go with the approach of keeping each currency in a separate wallet or you could try using those horrid little plastic money bags.
A smarter alternative is to use one of these 3-currency wallets from Kiva which have 3 separate sections to store different currencies in.
Mini Toiletries
Unless you’re a bit particular (like I am) and prefer to use specialist face products, shampoos and conditioners, buy most of your toiletries when you arrive rather than have to pack them.
However, in the event that you’re arriving during a holiday season or when the stores are likely to be closed, it can be useful to carry some basic toiletry items with you.
These days, you can buy travel-sized versions of your favourites which are enough to see you through a couple of days until you can buy full size versions upon arrival.
Mini Filing Cabinet
I wish someone would invent a plastic sheet to stick in your wallet, which has little pockets suitable to store and carry SIM cards for the multiple countries we visit.
Side note: If anyone fancies helping me design & manufacture one of these, let me know!
For now we use a Moleskine Memo Pocket booklet which basically functions like a mini filing cabinet. We use it to store SIM cards, spare currencies, frequent flyer cards and any other small notes/papers/cards which we need occasionally but not all the time.
Great options here! I couldn't survive without my Moleskines!
I do have to throw my support behind the Vibram Five Fingers, however (which you mentioned, but I feel should have a bigger bio!). These things are great for running, hiking, swimming, going to the pool…they basically serve so many functions and take up so little space that they're the ideal travel shoes. They're also super-cheap when compared to other pro-level, barefoot-mimicking athletic shoe options. I freed up so much space in my carry-on by wearing my one pair of shoes and packing these…shoes just take up so much space otherwise!
Have you tried the MiFi yet? I've been curious about it, but have seem mixed reviews (but mostly from non-LIP people, so I'm wondering how it fits the needs and concerns of constant travelers).
Thanks!
I received a SIM card holder when I bought my phone card at telestial.com. On the back it shows the website of the “Exclusive supplier”:
http://www.oreopraha.com/en/fotogalerie.html
No need to reinvent the wheel?
Nice one – love the mini filing cabinet!
Wow! I didn´t know about the spork. What a great idea :). I always try to keep my luggage to a minimum, I don´t like to pay more for excess weight :).
Great tips here. Thanks for sharing.
Great post and some cool stuff you've found. One thing I'm finding is that travel size toiletries are very hard to come by in Brazil. My daughter is taking a week long trek to Iguazu Falls and we can't find any small toiletries or even small plastic containers to make due. If you're thinking of taking mini excursions you may want to think of bringing some extras along. Im also in love with some shoes I got by a company called Privo. I'd never tried them before our trip but they'r great! Comfortable, durable and lightweight. Plus easy to get on and off in airports!
I received my first spork about two years ago and have been using it ever since. It works perfectly as a lunch-utensil here at school; I throw it in my lunchbox and no matter what meal I'm having, I am prepared. Not only do I use it in my every day life, but I carried it to Ireland with me when I spent 4 months there earlier this year. It worked wonderfully, not only to eat with, but also to stir whatever I was cooking!
There are two negative comments that I have (one of which is matched by a positive):
1. my spork broke in my backpack on the way over to Ireland. No idea how I managed to do that, as it survived a number of backpacking/camping trips, about a semester of daily use at school, and the summer usages. Fortunately (good point!) at about 3 EU it was cheap and easy to find a replacement.
2. You CAN melt your spork, so I don't recommend trying to use it as a spatula on a hot pan! :D At least, you can melt the ends of the tines. I whittled off the melted bits with my pocket knife and continued using it for another 6 months.
I love my Nike Frees, but apparently, i know people who complains about their lack of cushion hence prone to injury. I think the running method is important for those who use this shoe. I find it's suitable for chi running, but others might like it for different reasons as well, e.g. lightweight. :)
Your duffle bag link is stuffed up! I like your shoe ideas – both new to me – shoes are the heaviest items for packing – especially for men – would the light weight nike stand up to light hiking? I know the thing about not buying anything – I am currently eyeing my summer clothes – which will be no use to me after this summer – wondering if they will fall apart before the end of summer!
A question I have regarding LIP lifestyle and and equipment. I feel the iphone is a great multi-purpose device (phone, mini computer, gps, organiser/PDA, camera, ipod, etc.). However my research shows that if I was to buy it (outright – not linked to a phone network contract) in the UK (or the US) it would be locked to that network and I would not be able to go to a different country and buy a SIM card / Pay as you go option from the local iphone official network as the phone would be “stuck” to the original’s country official iphone network (ie O2 in the UK). That sounds like a huge drawback for a “global nomadic life”. Options would be to “unlock” the phone (not really like that idea) or get stung with roaming charges (completely hate that idea!).
Did you guys manage to figure a solution to this (iphone or alternative)?
Thanks
Jez
Spork.
Sorry, I just had to say it.
Great tip on the SIM holder, Christian – far better than the plastic bag mine is in! *gulp*
Great tips, Kidda. What we're really looking for is the ideal carry-on bag that complies with the ever tighter regulations, weighs almost nothing as has wheels! Where can I find a bag that is 55×40x20 ( 56×41x21! that weighs a kilo or less and can be wheeled – getting old and the shoulders ache after a while!
PS, thanks for using the photo!!
I tried to like the Spork but I find it just doesn't work that well. Travel chopsticks and basic cutlery don't take up that much space nor add weight.
Hey Colin – you're right, the Vibram's should probably have a bigger mention given the great stuff people say about them but I haven't tried them yet so I'd be guessing! Good to hear your thoughts on them…been meaning to get a pair for ages.
Not tried the mi-fi yet – that's from Verizon in the US right? Would be interested to know how/if it travels too with roaming charges etc. Anyone else tried it?
Ooooh, yes that's exactly what I've been looking for. Thanks so much!
The best thing about the spork is its name ;) You're right about excess baggage – it can get pretty expensive. Thanks for stopping by to commend David.
Thanks for the tip about Privo, Carmen – they look pretty comfy :)
LOL, thanks Matthew – perhaps there's a post in there – 10 unconventional uses for sporks or 10 tips for getting the most from your spork :)
Good to know about the melting thing.
Link fixed, thanks Lis.
The Nike's would probably stand up to light hiking (we both climbed up Lion's Head in Cape Town in ours) – although they're not the most structured/supportive of shoes so that's something to consider for hiking over rougher terrain.
Good question Jez! I have been back-and-forth over getting an iPhone for months (I *so* want one). But as you mention, buying one from O2 (or even Orange & Voda now they're in on the game) gets prohibitively expensive as soon as you start to roam with it & are charged data roaming fees. I checked these out and it's like £10 per 1MB or something silly like that.
The only alternative that I can come up with is to go for the iPod Touch instead…and when you're overseas just connect wirelessly. It does pretty much what the iPhone does except of course the phone functions but if you're using wireless to connect, you can always the use the Skype app.
For me, I think that'll be the best way to go since I'd probably be connecting wirelessly overseas anyway, in which case I don't need the phone/GSM functionality.