Travel gear companies have been founded on a certain fear: that if you don't have an ideal product, your journey will be a disaster. I was also a victim of this fear back in 2019-2022. The outcome is that in my cupboard, I have a lot of good ratings and professionally photographed items I buy that I reach for maybe 5% of the time when packing.
Here are my 6 regrets
Here are my 6 regrets and what they cost me, why they didn't work, and what I have now instead of what I had prior At the end of the day, the things that can't work are those that attempt to do too much, or that claim to solve problems most travellers don't have.
This was purchased for an intended European trip in 2022. I went to Switzerland. It featured a laptop sleeve, a separate shoe compartment, an RFID-blocking pocket, a bottle holder, two hip belts, a rain cover, and a detachable daypack. It seemed like a committee backpack without any traveling experience. It costed me nearly 6,800 in Indian rupees and you tell me why wont I regret buying it, all I felt was a big weight on my back. The first problem was at the airport. When full, it was 13 kg empty-of-clothes, that is the structure itself was that heavy. The second was that there were 47 compartments so I couldn't find anything. The third was the worst at 70 litres, it made me have to fill it up. I have never ever traveled lighter than the size of the bag that I was carrying.
The pitch, one device, every country, four USB ports, no more carrying multiple chargers. Reality: my phone put to bed in Vietnam for an overnight charge using the trickle charged prongs in two different sockets, with the result that I got about 60% charged; then it was the size of a brick, with the USB charge only at 0.4A. The bigger problem: Most modern destinations have USB-C ports in hotel night tables. Hotel design, which is more than 10 years old, largely solves the universal adapter problem.
Again, I'll explain here as I regret and I need to be specific. The towel is actually rapid dry. It's also similar to drying yourself with a polyester shirt in the sun. It left such a bad and permanent smell that lingered in my backpack after being used 3 times on 4 days trek in Himachal, and refused to give it up to any kind of detergent I tried. And what actually bothered me is the pungent smell that kept coming from my bag. And it's not about me only, no one would like it if their bag and other belongings kept inside smells bad.
This one is a bit of a dicey one as there is a big fan base for packing cubes. I tried. I really did my best for two years. What I found: The weight increases, again what is the point. The empty cubes weighs atleast 400g They have the same size whether half full or not a half full cube uses the same amount of space as a half empty cube. They cause false organisation: I would type "shirts" and "pants" and then type both at once Compressing them only moves the wrinkles to your clothes, not to get rid of them.
I purchased this prior to my maiden solo trip as all blogs in 2018 stated this was a must purchase. Worn for one day. I got so annoyed because it was attached to my waist for the whole day and then I removed it, kept it into the drawer until the trip was over. On the 5th day I didn't think about it anymore. It was more uncomfortable than a sandwich board, more visible than a t-shirt, and more effective in signaling tourist with valuables hidden here.
The most predictable expense I witnessed while traveling. The shampoos are very small and 8 times the price of the full size bottle per ml. Mini (and micro) toothpaste that dries out on day 4. Small, leaky bottles of moisturiser inside your bag, ruining a shirt.
Just a basic 40 Litre top loading rucksack (any good brand with a budget of ₹3,500 max). One large pocket, one top pocket for a water bottle and two side pockets for a packed jacket. That's it. Easy to use, compact, and light with a weight of only 1.2 kg when empty.
A small Type-C/G/D adapter (the cheap ₹150 one from any electronics shop plus two USB-C ports) and a 65W GaN charger. The charger can charge overnight for my laptop, phone and camera battery; and the adapter weighs 30 grams.
A thin cotton hammam towel, ₹350 from any handloom co-op. Folds up in 4 hours on a line, doesn't smell, is a beach mat, a scarf at cold airports, a picnic mat and a sun cover on the bus windows.
Single laundry bag for dirty clothes. All clean items go directly into backpack, rolled. Saves space, saves weight and eliminates one whole class of pre-trip decisions.
I had a spare debit card and a copy of my ID in my bag in a sock at the bottom. Normal pockets with cash and primary cards. The most important security measure is to be aware of surroundings, not a polyester pouch against your skin.
One set of silicone non-disposable travel bottles for ₹120. I carry my essentials from home only and then refill them on the next trip and leave them when I am not at the trip. I have used these same four bottles for 4 years.
The items I wish I had not brought were all the same in that they had one thing in common: They were something I wished to be more specialized or more abundant than was necessary at the moment. One thing I have found with my travel gear is that it has a single function and doesn't claim to have any others.
I have a concept in my mind that says "the fewer the better". I still have a kindle, a tiny DSLR and a power bank that's twice as heavy as it needs to be simply because I trust it. I don't want anything in my bag to be there for looks, that's not why it's in there.
I have one piece of advice for anyone reading this: When you're preparing for your next trip, put all the items you've ever put in your suitcases out and ask yourself: Was I really using this? If it doesn't, and you recall the trip was fine – then it doesn't need to be this time either. Do not rely on something the industry and advertisements are showing because at the end it is going to be you who is going to carry everything.
Common Questions
Quick, practical answers to the questions travellers ask most about Travel Tips.
it's a psychological one a larger bag makes you fill it up. A 40 Litre top loading rucksack will weigh less, be easier to manipulate at airports, and allow you to only pack what you need.
In most cases, no. A lot of contemporary hotels already provide USB-C outlets in the bedside tables. A single Type-C/G/D adapter (around ₹150) with a 65W GaN charger, which charges the battery of your laptop, phone and camera in one day.
They dry in a few minutes but get a lingering odor that will not go away with detergent. Better buy a thin cotton hammam towel at the price of ₹350, which dries up in 4 hours when dried on a line, doesn't keep a foul smell and can be used as a scarf, beach mat or sun cover.
Packing cubes are heavy (at least 6 x 400g), and don't really save space — a half-filled cube takes up the same amount of space as a full cube. You can just roll up clean clothes and put all your laundry items in one laundry bag to save space and weight, and eliminate the decision making process.
A money belt is cumbersome to wear, cumbersome under clothes, and it certainly draws attention to the fact that you are carrying valuables. The much simpler solution: take an extra credit card for emergencies, and put a copy of your ID in a sock at the bottom of your bag, then use only cash in your pockets. Situational awareness is the best sort of security.
