Let’s just say that GMac and CMac have different philosophies on packing. GMac takes more of a scientific approach and tries to go for maximum efficiency with his packing while CMac goes more by feel and maximum versatility in her packing. We’re not saying one is better than other so you can choose what style you prefer.

Although we’ll outline two different packing strategies we are aligned on luggage. For business trips and some personal trips we go with roller bags and due to the amount we travel we prefer a durable well made bag. We’re currently using mostly Tumi luggage and have a range of bags from them. They’re on the expensive side but we’ve put them through a beating and they have held up well. We’ve found cheaper bags don’t last so we prefer to spend more on good luggage. For transparency we are not sponsored by Tumi and can only speak of our experience with the bags, not our experience relative to other brands in this category. If your trip has one destination or you’re mostly moving between cities and hotels we’d recommend roller bags.

Once your itinerary starts to include places and locations that are off the beaten path or you’re heading outside of cities or you’re in countries without as much modern infrastructure we take backpacks. They’re just easier to handle if you’re going to be walking or hiking, especially if you’ll be on dirt roads or tracks. We use a range of backpacks from Osprey.

Whether you’re travelling with roller bags or backpacks it is important to bring a day pack. For work it’s our laptop bags and when travelling with backpacks we bring some day packs.

GMac’s Packing Strategy

GMac goes for maximum efficiency when packing and tries to make sure every clothing item that goes in the suitcase or backpack is versatile and will likely be used on trip. To maximize efficiency and versatility certain fabric and brands are preferred. These include:

Wool Shirts and Socks – Wool is extremely versatile fabric and naturally resists bacteria growth that is associated with body odour. In addition wool natural keeps you cool or warm depending on air temperature. Both of those traits are beneficial when trying to maximize the versatility of your packing. Wool shirts as an example will get dirty with dirt but will generally not carry smells. There are a couple of brands out there that make wool shirts and socks. However, GMac has settled on Icebreaker and owns a selection of short and full length shirts and sweaters as well as socks. Although we have socks from a number of other manufacturers the shirts and sweaters are all from Icebreaker.

Versatile and Stretchy Shorts, Pants and Shirts – Modern fabrics have changed the game for GMac for travel pants and shirts. This applies to both business and leisure travel. There are a number of companies that offer pants that are suitable for dress occasions but can be equally at home on a hike. GMac has settled on lululemon pants, specifically the ABC and Commission pants. These pants look like dress pants but with the stretch fabric they can double as hiking or travel pants. Similarly look for similar characteristics in a dress shirt if you’re planning for nice dinners. GMac has ‘stretchy’ dress shirts from both lululemon and UNTUCKit which can be used for dress occasions as well as another layer for activities.

Now that we’ve got the materials GMac likes down here is the list of items that we take for a roughly a 2 week trip assuming you’re not doing laundry on the trip. For anything longer than 2 weeks we bring roughly the same items and assume we’ll need to do laundry.

• 4 Icebreaker t-shirts (3 no collar and one with a collar)
• 2 light Icebreaker long sleeve shirts
• 1 long sleeve dress shirt (ideally with some strecth)
• 1 heavy Icebreaker sweater
• 3 Pairs of Shorts – GMac goes with a selection from lululemon because they’re made with athletic material and can be both dressy and comfortable
• 1 bathing suit
• Exercise clothes – Shorts and T-shirt for most trips(Optional)
• 1 pair of jeans
• 1 pair of travel pants, stretch athletic fabric. 2 pairs if hiking.
• 1 belt
• 10-14 pairs of underwear
• 6-8 pairs of wool socks
• 1 Rain shell (Add insulating jacket for colder weather)
• 1 hat – prefer Tilley hats because they provide great protection and are versatile
• 1 pair of sunglasses
• 1 pair of lightweight gloves
• Flip flops
• Hiking shoes or running shoes depending on itinerary
• Light pull on shoes that can be used for a nice night out
• 1 lightweight towel
• 1 Buff – just a versatile piece of clothing
• Toiletries
  • Toothbrush
  • Dental Floss
  • Toothpaste
  • Hairbrush/Comb
  • Moisturizer
  • Hair gel
  • Contacts and contact solution
  • Shampoo and conditioner

CMac’s Packing List

CMac is more free flowing with her packing strategy. Her main parameter is the size of her suitcase/backpack and how much space is available in other suitcases. It’s a little chaotic for GMac but it seems to work on the most part. Although most trips CMac has a surplus of unused clothes and some clothes that are used a lot.

General Packing Items

In addition to the clothing items above here are general items that we also bring with us while travelling.

• Laptop and Charger
• Phone Tripod
• Waterproof case for phones (Get one that allows you to take photos underwater)
• Chargers, adapters and charging cables
• Headlamps
• Hand sanitizer
• Wet wipes
• Deck of cards
• Rain ponchos – if hiking
• Matches

Finally we also bring a well stocked medical kit with the following items.

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen
• Acetaminophen Cold and Sinus
• Loperamide (Imodium)
• Gravol
• Benadryl (For Allergic reactions)
• Afterbite
• Aloe (For Sunburns)
• Sunscreen
• Anti-malaria medication depending on destination