What to pack when backpacking hot climates
Choosing your backpackers wardrobe for hot climates can be tough, especially if you’re a minimalist or travelling carry-on only. I have 10 main criteria that I try and stick with when buying or choosing items to pack, this way I only bring or buy things I know I’ll wear and won’t regret bringing and taking up valuable space. If you’re like me, you’ll probably also end up buying lots of clothes when out exploring your destination (these rules still apply then) and you’ll be grateful for these space saving clothing hacks when you do. I also like to organise and choose my backpacker wardrobe using closet apps on my phone or iPad. It may seem a little extreme, however I find having picture of all the items and the ability to form outfits to see if they go without rummaging through my entire wardrobe a huge time saver and I just like everything being visually organised into one space and then creating a packing list from it. I use the ‘whering’ app for my backpackers wardrobe, however there are many to choose from.
My Backpackers wardrobe criteria
- Is it durable?
- Is it lightweight?
- Will it travel well?
- What material is it?
- Are these versatile colours?
- How much protection/warmth will it provide me?
- Can I easily take this day to night? Party animal to respectful?
- Do I wear it at home? And how often?
- How much space does it take up?
- How much does the item cost?
Is it durable?
I like to hike and do lots of sporty and adventurous things when I travel and this means I need to take clothes that will last and not rip the second I go zip-lining for example. Durability can often mean a higher price tag, however I’d much rather pay a £30 for good pair of quality sports shorts than pay £5 and they instantly rip and I’m left walking in my undies!
Durability to me also means how delicate an item of clothing is. If something requires hand washing only or is a delicate (rip-able) material, it’s a definite no as it’s not so easy caring for and managing to not ruin these kinds of items when on the go 24/7. If the item was also an expensive purchase, I would be so scared of ruining it on my trip I’d probably save it for a ‘special occasion’ and then ultimately never wear it and could’ve used that space for something else instead.
Is it lightweight?
Being lightweight is always essential whether you’re travelling carry-on only or with a checked backpack. The main reason for this is whilst you may not carry the backpacks on your bag for super long periods of time, you’ll still have to carry then on you’re back for a lot of your travels and having a bag that weighs almost the same as a small golden retriever (around 23kg, that’s the maximum checked luggage capacity!) will certainly take it out of you. Being lightweight also tends to mean taking up less space, so therefore you would be able to pack more, buy more along the way or even save yourself some money and travel carry-on only with your reduced luggage.
Will it travel well?
Essentially, how badly will the item crease it your backpack? I tend to roll my clothes into packing cubes personally, however, I usually end up just packing items the way that gives me the ability to take as many as I can in the smallest space I can. If an item creases really badly; unless I can find an ironing board (most places I’ll be going definitely won’t be supplying one!) or am able to hang it up whilst I have a hot shower (hot showers are few and far between in lot of S.E.A hostels I’m told), it can be basically unwearable without washing. This to me is such a hassle and I would much rather bring something I know I’ll be able to wear when I want to.
Have you seen this post?
What material is it?
Some materials liken silk, nylon and viscose will make you sweat a lot more due to the lack of breathability in the fabric. Others, like cotton and linen can crease more without proper care. Personally, I find finding clothes with a blend or synthetic and natural fibres the best to travel with as they are more breathable and less likely to crinkle and are the most comfortable on my skin. I also, like to buy as sustainably as I can, when I can, and although I do own items from fast fashion companies and they are staples in my wardrobe, I will spend a bit more when I can afford to on sustainable options like recycled materials or bamboo. These items I also find, are often the items that fit perfectly into all these criteria.
Are these versatile colours?
I normally stick to fairly block colours, however I do like to wear some brighter patterns sometimes. My general rule is if the top goes with all the bottoms and the bottoms go with all the tops, you’ll have lots of combinations. I typically tend to wear blacks, greens, greys and whites on a day to do basis anyway, and these colours mix and match really well.
Something else to be careful about depending on where you’re going is how much bright colours make you stand out. In some countries, as a female traveller especially, you don’t want to stand out too much and often brighter colours and patterns can do this. This is obviously not always the case and you should always bring the clothes you’re most comfortable in and best express your personality, however, safety should always be considered a priority when choosing which clothes to pack.
How much protection/warmth will it provide me?
When backpacking in hot climates, your brain will automatically think ‘shorts’, ‘vests’, ‘lot’s of skin’, ‘as few layers as possible’, or at least mine does because I overheat sooo fast. This is not the best way to go about choosing clothes. You MUST have some items that offer sun protection, and some warmth as it can get colder in certain areas of places and weather is always a bit unpredictable.
I have pretty pale skin, and much to my dismay, I burn like there’s no tomorrow. On super sunny days and when the UV is high, you should always have some form or cover for your body. Whether that be a T-shirt, a sarong or a beach cover up/kimono, having an extra layer to protect you from being burnt, even if you have sun cream on is a must. Even if you don’t wear it on the day but have it in your day bag for example is much better than not having anything. I will always choose to be a little warmer for an hour or two than have sunburn for a week. It’s also good to have cover if you are burned so it doesn’t get worse.
Can I easily take this day to night? Party animal to respectful?
Having outfits that can be transitioned between a day of hiking to a full-moon party is a high priority in a my backpacker wardrobe. This saves soooo much space because you won’t be having to worry about packing enough outfits for two a day or extra items that you may only wear once or twice, and if your trip is 6 months long for example, that seems like a waste of space.
It’s also SUPER important that you pack some respectful clothing that can be worn if temples or when visiting more reserved communities. This would involve wearing clothes that cover arms and legs, are not see through or revealing, however, sarongs are also acceptable most of the time. If you’re planning to visit places like this, make sure you do your research on what you can and can’t wear before hand so you can dress accordingly. Personally, I’d always pack one ‘temple outfit’ just incase and I’ll make sure they’re clothes I’d wear anyway whether I need them or not.
Do I wear it at home? And how often?
One thing I think is probably MOST important is whether you wear or would wear the item at home going about your day to day life. That’s not to say that if you live in somewhere freezing all year round, you should be expected to wear coat, hats and scarfs in Thailand, but if you imagine where you live being the same temperature as where you’re going, would you still wear that top or that dress? This not only helps me cut down on my slight shopping addiction, it also helps me be more realistic with my purchases. I might see a top that makes me think ‘I’ll wear it when I go to Columbia’ for example, but I might then get there and realise I just don’t reach for it like I would with my favourite top instead (if you’re curious it’s my grey solo crop top), just like I do at home. It’ll help you narrow down your clothes to what you really wish to take and the ones you can live without.
Have you read this post?
How much space does it take up?
I have mentioned this a few time within this post, however I cannot stress how valuable your space is in your backpack, especially if you’re travelling carry-on only. Choosing smaller, lightweight and compressible clothing is essential to me when travelling, partly because I’ll buy lots of souvenirs whilst I’m away I can guarantee it, and I’d love to have the space and ability to do that. Another reason being, I can bring more non-clothing items like camera accessories, fins and snorkel (this is definitely a want as opposed to a need but it’s nice to have your own sometimes) etc. The main reason for me however is less space = less weight! This is not always true, but for the most part, and with most of my clothes, that is the case. I will do anything to make my bag lighter as I do suffer with back pain from time to time, and having a heavy load will just agitate it. It’s also feels like such a hard task when lugging around a heavy bag on and off public transport and just an unnecessary hassle really.
How much does the item cost?
This may not sound that relevant, however I think this is one of the most important things for me when choosing what to pack/buy. If I know I’m going somewhere that I’ll do lots of activities and be getting sweaty and dirty (which I definitely will when I do volunteer projects) I don’t want to be ruining or losing my more expensive, nicer clothes so bringing cheaper options that won’t break the bank to replace is a rule I follow as much as I can. I do have some more expensive items in my backpacker wardrobe that I just can’t avoid bringing, however, and these items are usually my high quality items like coats. Coats are made to be battered by the elements and protect you whilst doing so, this does mean I do look to invest in better quality items because I know they’ll hold up and last me a long time.
Like with the coats, I would never want to sacrifice durability because of a price tag. I would much rather spend a little bit more to for higher quality that won’t rip instantly.
Staples I’d recommend to have in your backpack
- A range or short sleeves and vests – short sleeves provide just a little more protection so don’t just pack vests, even if it’s just one t-shirt
- One thin long sleeve top – this is totally down to personal preference but I always travel to warm climates with one long sleeve item and cold climates with a short sleeve item as I don’t want to get caught out and I can always layer a short sleeve and I’m just very much a long sleeve person
- A set of sportier clothing options – I live in sports clothes but even if I didn’t, it’s much nicer doing higher intensity activities in sports clothes
- A black playsuit or jumpsuit – these are probably the easiest items to take from occasion to occasion and still work and there’s no effort to throwing it on at all
- Clothes with pockets!!!! – I hate how women’s clothing is often made without pockets and when I find shorts for example with pockets, I will wear them until they’re absolutely threadbare because they are so useful and I will always lean towards convenience
- Birkenstocks or similar – personally I have dupes at the moment (but they work perfectly) but I’d love to get some waterproof birks because they’re so versatile and can be worn hiking and on nights out and doing day to day activities and they will last soooo much longer than flip flops
DISCLAIMER: This post is not sponsored, these are my honest opinions and product recommendations
