Expedition Packing Essentials

I find packing to be one of the most difficult parts of an expedition. This is partly because of all the complex and critical items one must bring as a photographer, but also because of the gear and clothing needed to be comfortable when doing my job in far flung places. I worry about forgetting things and I worry about bringing too much, it brings out the worst of my overthinking. Packing is a week’s long process of adding to and removing from my piles. Planning and research I enjoy, but packing I loath.

So I appreciate staple items which I know will perform and always go into my pile without too much thought. I expect items on this list to be multipurpose, robust, look good but also feel good (if clothing items) and take up minimal space. This is a list of some of the key items I grab every trip.

I typically go to temperate or arid places, rarely am I in the tropics, so my list skews accordingly. In an ideal world my expedition packing list would be almost all staple items, with a winter/summer variation.

I would love to hear your absolute must have items that have proven worth space in your suitcase on repeat.

Fjallraven Keb trousers (curved fit for me). This was a recent acquisition when I became a Fjallraven Guide (brand ambassador). I wore them for three weeks straight in Mongolia, with only two hand washes. They were extremely comfortable, attractive, seemed to repel dirt even in the Gobi, built for life in the field and the pockets are brilliant. I kept my money and passport in the zipped pocket, my knife in the upper one, sunscreen stick and chapstick (see below) in the mini pocket, and still had space for camera caps and wipes in the remaining ones. I have since worn them on a farm shoot and they will be in the ready pile from now on.

Icebreaker Merino 200 Oasis Long Sleeve Thermal Half Zip. I bought these in a few colors for skiing, but it has become a travel staple as they are warm, classy looking in gray and black, as it is wool it doesn’t stink when it’s a bit well-worn, its light weight it’s easy to wash in a sink or small bucket, and provides a lot of warmth without taking a lot of space in the suitcase.

Carve Oahu Shorts and Vuori Dash Shorts both in beige. They are comfortable, versatile, nice looking and have pockets.

Classic braided woolen beanie from Kerry Woolen Mills. I bought this hat during an artist’s residency in West Kerry, Ireland when I realized that living in a stone cottage with a peat fire is chilly even in April. This hat goes with me everywhere as it is warm, never loses its shape (hand wash of course), and always looks sharp. Plus a hat covers a multitude of sins on trips and the wools is warm even when wet.

Chacos women’s z sandals. I have walked through two pairs of Chaco’s (which takes serious mileage over years) and am a longtime devotee. They are great sandals for real distance walking and in muted tones can transition into looking nice with a sundress. They are also super easy to clean.

Danner Inquire Chukka hiking boots. I bought these for my trip to the Azores but have now worn them in Mongolia, Chile, across New England and am a fan. They are comfortable, robust, but unlike many hiking boots are also nice enough looking to walk into a restaurant after a day in the woods/desert/mountains.

Goodr sunglasses I always travel with sunglasses. And love these sunglasses as they are chic, have a robust build and are polarized. Also because of the price point if you lose them or sit on them it is not the end of the world. (You do want to travel with them in a hard case as the lenses can get scratched pretty easily.)

Dan Soap. I always have a ziplock bag of Dan Soap for washing laundry in a sink or bucket. It literally pulls the dirt out with minimal effort and because it is natural, if I don’t have a lot of water I do not have to worry about skin irritation if I don’t rinse all of the soap out. Never travel without it.

Raw Sunscreen I use these products at home and away, daily. Sunscreen my friend, sunscreen-mineral is the safe choice btw. At home I use the Raw Tinted Face Moisturizer spf 30, but I prefer the stick for places you don’t want to be touching your face or need to reapply easily throughout the day in the field. I swear by the Badger Balm mineral sunscreen chapstick.

I always have a Montana logo trucker hat packed in my pile for additional sun coverage, although I prefer a hat with full sun coverage, I haven’t found one that travels perfectly.

MPowered Solar Lamp is essential for easy light when I’m somewhere electricity is limited, just put it in the car dash to charge and you can hang it in your tent, hut etc. It also makes a great leave behind gift for a host family.

Gerber Multitool Having at least a basic multitool is important, even if you don’t need it, someone in your party will and they will appreciate your preparedness.

Trader Joe’s Instant Coffee Packets with Creamer and small bars of Dark Chocolate are always in my travel bag, as coffee and chocolate are items you never want to be without and in a pinch the chocolate bars can become a gift. I also always have wet wipes, and often get the Trader Joes full body wipes.

I have still not found a great drinking water solution, although I have tried many different filters and tabs, so if you have one that is great on the go, lightweight and works, please let me know!