Silke + Kieran's Top 10 Must Haves for Travelling Light

We would not choose any other backpack for on the road. The Osprey Atmos / Aura is big enough to carry everything you need for those long trips on the road but also small enough to be classified as hand luggage on planes (if you don't over-pack). 

The AG (Anit-Gravity) System makes sure that most of the weight is on your hips and not hanging on your shoulders and on top of that it has all of the compartments necessary to keep things organised for easy access on the road.

Staying hydrated on the road is a must and to make sure that we are doing our bit for the environment (and our wallets), we don't want to be buying plastic bottles all of the time. That's where these amazing bottles come in. 

I always choose to go for the 32oz as I find that is enough for a full day just in case we don't find anywhere to refill. Along with that, these bottles are super light and very durable meaning that they are perfect for, and capable of, taking any bashes on even the craziest of adventures.

When looking for clothes bags I didn't think so much about it, just that I didn't want my clothes stuffed into my backpack and spilling out every time I opened a zip. When I tried these I realised just how handy they were. 

The waterproofing might seem over the top as not many of us plan on swimming with our backpacks on... at least not intentionally but this I use mostly for the vacuum-like feature. I can fill each bag and then sit on it to compress it down to half the size. Plus it's just a great way to keep all of your clothes separate and organised plus I like to keep one free at all times for any dirty washing.

Imagine walking for hours and stumbling upon the most beautiful, secluded beach in the middle of nowhere, no one around, only you and the sound of the waves. The thought of leaving to find a hostel somewhere close by is the last thing on your mind... this is where we found our Ticket To The Moon Hammock to be our best friend. 

We could stay by the beach all day, enjoy the sunset from the comfort of our hammock then fall asleep between two palm trees, under the stars, rocking with the sound of the waves and know that when we awake in the morning the ocean is only a few steps away... now that right there is the dream.

This might seem unnecessary but, when you're out on the road all day there is nothing better than finding a nice shady spot between the trees, throwing up your hammock and relaxing with a gentle swing. We found it also handy when we were waiting for buses!

Deciding what footwear to take on your travels can be a logistical nightmare when travelling light. Having the appropriate shoes for those long days of walking or boots for hiking, and what about a nice pair of shoes for going out? We are not going to lie, all of these things crossed our minds, but when we found these Vivo Barefoot boots we found all of them rolled into one. 


To start, we just love how they look, but the minute we put them on we knew that we wouldn't ever buy from anywhere else. They're so comfortable, light and are designed to keep your feet moving in the most natural way possible so you feel like you could've been walking barefoot the whole day, without having to deal with the hot grounds.

If that 32 oz Hydroflask didn't quite last as long as you hoped as you're sweating it out under the hot sun, it may be good to bring a backup. Trekking through amazing mountains and past epic waterfalls, don't you just wish that you could drink straight from that waterfall safely? Now you can! 

With Lifestraw you can drink directly from rivers even if the water looks a bit cloudy as this straw protects you against bacteria, microplastics, parasites as well as reduces the levels of sand, dirt, and cloudiness. Plus its super compact meaning you can just slide it into the side of your pack for easy access.

We have tried a few travel towels and couldn't quite find the right one until we discovered Sea to Summit. 

This travel towel folds up to be super small so is perfect for throwing into your day pack for a day out at the beach but also it was the first towel that we tried that even after a few months on the road, still dried us after showers or a dip in the pool. Plus with its fast drying technology, it is quick and easy to dry off before rolling it up and popping it back in your pack.

Keeping your money, passport, phone and any other important things safe is a MUST and this belt was exactly what I needed. It's big enough to fit all of the above inside and small enough to be discreetly concealed below my t-shirt. 

I found it perfect for those long train journeys across India where I could use a rope lock to attach my bag to the seat, pop the keys (and everything else) into my waistbelt and fall asleep peacefully knowing that my belongings would be safe while I rested up for another adventure when we arrived.

Two in one! What more can you ask for on the road? Who wants to carry a pair of shorts and a pair of trousers when you can carry one pair that can become both. I honestly think I wore these pants for around 90% of our travels!

They're super light, super comfortable and have few handy zip pockets to keep everything safe on any adventures. Then when evening creeps in and it starts to get a little bit colder I could simply zip on the bottom halves and voila, I have trousers and all I had to carry was two zip on legs that fit easily in my back pocket.

Okay, so we weren't hacking our way through the jungle with this, or helping to rebuild someone's engine that had just fallen apart on the side of the road, but it did come in super handy for everything that we needed, which was mainly food-related. 

We always love taking fruit with us on our adventures but what are you going to do with pineapple and no knife? This swiss army knife sliced through all of those problems helping us to enjoy a fresh and slightly less messy snack on the go.