One of us is obsessed with buying organizational systems, packages, and bags which leads to this sort of packing list; the other of us is mad about gadgets, electronics, and the newest toys which leads to the packing list below. It is a bit of a problem that our electronics bag weighs more than all my clothes, toiletries, and miscellaneous equipment and that we carry nearly $9,000 on our backs.
But, here's the thing: we use all of itevery single day. Though this list is long, we would not give up any of our electronics because they keep us connected, working, and able to capture the best parts of our travels. If you want the quick and dirty version of our electronics gear, watch this short 2-minute video which captures how we pack in our electronics, including weight and total costs.
Or, if you want the nitty gritty details, come walk through our electronics packing list with us.
Kata KT DR-467 Digital Rucksack: We had two goals in finding an electronics backpack: (1) something padded and well organized so we could safely carry all our gear and (2) a backpack that we could lock easily. After much searching and debating, we chose this one and are so happy we did because we love, love, love this backpack.
The exterior looks like a typical rucksack but the pack is designed to unzip into three main compartments which holds laptops in the back, camera equipment on the bottom, and miscellanea in the large middle compartment. The bright yellow interior helps us find small parts quickly. At $75, this has been one of the best purchases we made.
Lowepro Ridge 10 Camera Case: This tiny case holds our point and shoot camera and extra memory cards and batteries. It is small enough to slip into my purse or a pocket.
Vaio Charger Sleeve: We only use the charger sleeve to store the AC adaptors for both laptops. Because the Kata Rucksack has its own sleeve or laptops, we do not use the Vaio carrying case for the laptops.
Caselogic DVD Case: This case holds 24 DVDs and CDs. DVDs are essential when traveling because we watch them on planes or trains or nights when we are too tired to do anything else.
Vaio VGN-SZ460N: Consumer Digest recently ranked this one of the best ultra-light laptops and we agree. We use this as our primary laptop because it has a built in CD player, SD memory card reader (fantastic for importing photos), and ethernet port which makes it more convenient than the Macbook Air. The laptop weighs in at about 4 pounds and has a bright screen (though not as bright as the Macbook Air). Because ours is a few years old, we have to deal with: (1) Windows Vista, yuck; (2) poor battery life which lasts only one to two hours; (3) the computer runs VERY hot and we cannot keep it on our laps for more than thirty minutes which is why we have the Thermal Defense pad listed below.
MacBook Air: This is the ultimate travel computer. The computer weighs a ridiculous two pounds and the battery lasts or four to five hours. As with all Macs, it is incredibly easy to use, has a super bright screen, and sharp image quality. However, it lacks external drives so we end up using the Vaio to do more of the website-related tasks like importing and managing photos. We have also found that the Mac tends to have more difficulty connecting to Internet Hotspots in other countries.
Targus HeatDefense for Laptops: If your laptop runs hot, then this is essential to keep your skin from burning off. While it isn't as effective as the cooling pads with fans built in, this lighter version does a reasonable job and packs easily.
Logitech V450 Nano Cordless Mouse: Law school gave me the gift of carpal tunnel syndrome so I have to use a mouse to prevent further injuries to my wrist. I love this small, lightweight mouse that is still large enough for my whole hand to fit over it without getting scrunched. The USB receiver is so tiny that we just leave it on the laptop.
Kindles (2): If I had to pick one item that I think every traveler needs, this is it. The Kindle has revolutionized our travel. In the past, we used to carry at least 4 to 5 books each for any trip because we spend so much time reading. Before we left, we downloaded about 60 books onto our Kindles and have read through them in the last three months. In addition to purchased books from Amazon, we also download free e-books from Gutenberg. We recommend purchasing and downloading books before you leave the United States because downloading books in other countries can become very expensive (though now that Kindle has international Whispernet capabilities, downloading in other countries isn't a problem). The only negative is that the Kindle does not allow organization and archiving of books on the Kindle itself. That means that I have to scroll through all 40 books to find the one that I am currently reading or want to read next.
M-Edge Prodigy Hinge Jackets (2): We opted for the M-Edge jacket rather than the cheaper Amazon-made version because it is softer, thicker, and looks more like a journal. They offer the jacket in gorgeous colors.
M-Edge e-Luminator2 Kindle Booklights (2): If you order the M-Edge Hinge Jacket, go ahead and order one of these. These slim booklights fit perfectly into our M-Edge Hinge Jackets and provide plenty of reading light. Even on the rare occasions when we stay in a hostel with bedside lamps, these booklights work so well that we flip off the lights and use these instead.
Flip 60min HD Camcorder: The Flip has reinvigorated our interest in taking video. This camera is so easy to use that our five-year-old nephew started taking videos from it while we were visiting him. The Flip is about the size of a small cell phone and the USB plug flips out of the top.
Because of its small size, even a tiny shake of your hand will make the video image look like you were bouncing around on a trampoline. We use our Gorillapod to keep the video steady. The video at the top of this post was taken with the Flip.
Nikon D40: At sixteen ounces, the Nikon D40 is the lightest and cheapest of the Nikon SLRs. The shutter speed is a fast 2.5 frames per second and a 6.1 megapixel CCD imaging sensor results in crisp and clear photography. Some argue that D200 or higher is necessary to take world-class pictures because the D40 lacks the functionality of the larger camera bodies. We don't assume that our pictures are world-class, but nearly every picture on this site is taken with our D40 and we are happy with them and happy with this body.
Sigma 10-20 mm HSM lens: This wide angle lens captures virtually everything surrounding you with clarity. Of course, it results in a slight distortion to pictures (such as these pictures of Chewy) but is not noticeable when shooting landscapes (most of the shots of Milford Sound were taken with this lens.) The Sigma wide angle is $310 cheaper than the comparable Nikkor lens and well worth the cost.
Nikon 18-200 mm VR lens: If you have only one lens in your backpack, this should be the one. Though it is an expensive $800 lens, it does just about everything and does everything well. We shoot close-ups as well as far-away wildlife with this lens. For example, we took all our pictures of koalas, wildlife, and scenery in our Magnetic Island post with this lens. If you don't feel like switching lenses, you could get away with leaving this lens on your camera body all the time. (In fact, if you are planning on buying the Nikon D40, we would recommend just buying the body without the often included 18-55 mm and then purchasing this lens instead because this covers the same focal range as the 18-55 mm lens.)
Sigma 120-400 mm HSM OS lens: We just purchased this lens because we wanted a longer focal range to shoot distant wildlife. This one is about $1000 cheaper than the expensive and larger Nikon. It is huge, heavy, but provides great focal length. We are not 100% convinced that it is going to work out for us as we travel.
Tiffen warming filter: We rarely, if ever use this filter and I almost feel like it is taking up unnecessary space in our pack. Some people love them, but we don't have the patience to screw them on and off. This warming lens is a good one and brings out the blues in the sky.
Tamrac Compact Filter Case: This case holds up to three filters and is small enough that we can tuck it into one of the front zipped pockets of our backpack.
Nikon SB-600 Flash: We just purchased this flash because I wanted to take food photography in the evening. Though food photography taken in natural light is clearly better, our initial testing shows excellent results from this flash. It is small and not bulky so we can stow it away in our bag until we need it.
Joby Gorilla Tripod: The Gorillapod is small and maneuverable, so perfect for travel. Though we purchased the DSLR sized Gorillapod, we have found tht it works best with our Flip and Canon SD1200. It takes quite a balancing act to hold up the Nikon D40 DSLR with the 18-200 mm lens and we rarely use it with that camera. One of our favorite effects is to attach our Flip to the Gorillapod and attach the Gorillapod to a pole or tree right before the sun sets.
Lumiquest Pocket Bouncer: For the size and cost, this is a great bouncer for our flash. We haven't played with it too much but have found that we can use it in a variety of configurations.
Lumiquest Cinch Strap: Obviously, we didn't want to put anything sticky on our electronics so this cinch strap is the best option to attach the pocket bouncer to the SB-600 flash.
Nikon Charger: A charger is a necessity. We only bring one because it is fairly bulky and heavy.
2 Nikon Batteries: I highly recommend bringing two batteries. There is nothing worse than arriving at gorgeous location and realizing that our battery is dead.
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS: As we have mentioned in our detailed post on our underwater camera, this is a great camera for the price. We leave the program mode on the camera which allows us to take crisp and clear photos. The great battery, auto focus with facial recognition, price, and small size make this a winner in our books.
Canon Underwater Housing: As we have discussed in detail before, we highly recommend this underwater casing. While it is bulky (in a world traveling sense), our underwater pictures outshine all other pictures taken with disposable cameras. It works flawlessly and if you plan to spend lots of time underwater, this is a good purchase.
SanDisk Extreme III 8 GB SD Card: Don't buy any memory card other than SanDisk. It is simply the best. Because we shoot with our D40 in RAW, an 8 GB card is essential. It holds approximately 600 RAW images and we usually fill it up in 1-2 days.
SanDisk Ultra II 2 GB SD Card (2): We purchased this card a while back and use it in the Canon SD1200 point and shoot. We can take about 500 JPEG images in 2 GB of space. We also have a backup 2 GB memory card that we use if either of the other memory cards are full.
Seagate USB 250 GB Hard Drives (2): Our backup plan consists of these two hard drives plus a few online backup systems. We back up our photography, movies, and documents on both of these drives. Each of the hard drives go into a separate suitcase and the laptop is in another bag. In addition, we back up all our photography and videos onto our online Picasa account. We back up all of our financial information into an online Quicken backup file as well. As you can tell, we are pretty paranoid about losing our photography because it is the best reminder of our travels. So far, we haven't lost anything yet, but I am knocking on wood as I write this.
Velcro Cord Organizers: I didn't list out all of the accompanying chargers and USB cords for all these electronics, but, needless to say, there are A LOT. One pack of velcro orgnaizers will keep you from pulling out your hair (or your spouse's).
Kensington Power Adaptor: We like that this adaptor is light, easy to use, universal, and comes in at under $20. Make sure that all of your devices are 220 volt-capable because this does not act as a converter. Converters tend to be heavier and bulkier.
Leviton Plug Splitter: If you ask me what is the smartest purchase we made before we left, then I would point you to this $5 plug splitter that we purchased at Wal-Mart two days before we left. Frankly, I was unconvinced that we needed it but Patrick insisted and I am so happy we bought it. Our power adaptor only charges one piece of equipment at a time, so to charge both of our laptops, and our camera, or Iphone, or whatever, we would need to carry multiple adaptors or swap devices like a mad person. We often have limited time near power cords so we need to be able to charge as much as possible in short time frames and this plug splitter makes that possible. BUY THIS BEFORE YOU LEAVE and don't leave home without it!
Computer Headset: Actually, we really don't like this model because the headset doesn't actually stay on our ear so we end up holding it like a regular telephone. We needed something to make Skype calls and this was the lightest and cheapest we could find.
Audio Splitter: We use this to share movies or iPod music on long international flights or train rides.
iPhone: We have an old 8 GB first generation iPhone and we terminated our AT&T service before we left the country. It is not unlocked nor is it hacked. It is just a plain old iPhone that we use like an iPod Touch - it is our network checker when we have Wi-Fi, Skype dialer, alarm clock, iPod, backup camera, video game system, and entertainment system all rolled into one. We have, on more than one occasion, considered unlocking it to use it as a cell phone in other countries but have found a cheaper method to make cell phone calls that I will tell you about some other time.
iPhone Audio Adaptor: For those of us that got bit by the iPhone bug early, you need this adaptor to plug into standard headphones. (Sigh. Apple - always thinking about form over function.)
Cable lock: Of course, with all this gear, we also need a security system in place. We lock all of the compartments in our rucksack with individual luggage locks (see to the right) and then lock the cable lock around a stationary object (such as a bed, desk, or chair leg).
Victorinox Luggage Lock (2): This great little lock slips through zippers, is TSA approved, and would be difficult for a pickpocket to cut through because it clings closely to the bag. We have two locks which we use to lock up the laptop compartment and the camera compartment. We then use the cable lock to attach the bag to furniture.
MacBook Air Ethernet Adapter: An ethernet port is something Apple really should have put in the MacBook Air. But, would the Air still have fit in a manila envelope? We will never know.
If you have made it all the way through this post, then aside from needing a stiff drink, you probably think we are either crazy or rich to own and carry all this equipment around. I can't speak to the crazy part, especially after this stunt, but we are certainly not rich. We have been slowly building up this gear over the last four years and usually give each other electronics gear as Christmas or birthday presents. The Macbook Air is on loan from Patrick's company so that Patrick can consult for them while we travel and the Sony Vaio is a two-year old computer that we purchased to replace my old laptop. We certainly could travel with less but because we both work while we travel, we use all this equipment.
What are your favorite electronics equipment for your travels? Anything here that you think is unnecessary or that is better replaced with another item? Let us know if you have any questions about what we chose and why we chose it because we (and, by we, I mean 90% Patrick and 10% Akila) have spent a lot of time thinking about this stuff. Too much time, really, as you can probably tell from this post.
[Ummm, so, if you click on any of the links above and purchase something from Amazon, we will get a tiny amount of money - like maybe enough to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks. I'm just telling you this because the FTC thinks you aren't smart enough to figure this out for yourself. Everything listed above we reviewed after purchasing it ourselves and we have received no endorsements for any of the above review.]
Very cool video! I think everyone loves seeing people packs ( ...see honey I'm not crazy :) ) Are you concerned lumping all of your tech into one bag? Also how many bags do you have when traveling between destinations?
Thanks Scott! In total, we each have 1 backpack we carry on our back (mine is really small and this one is Patrick's) and then we each have a larger backpack that we roll. We carry on everything except for Patrick's backpack which is 24 inches so just a bit too large to carry on. Everything fits compactly and works out nicely.
At first, we were really worried about carrying all our electronics in one bag in case it gets stolen but now we are so happy we made this decision. Basically, we don't worry much about our other bags because they only carry clothes, toiletries, and other small items, so they are much easier and cheaper to replace. We focus all our security efforts on this bag and make sure that it is well locked and looked after wherever we go. It is not possible to get to the laptop area while the bag is on Patrick's back so our most expensive items are always safe. And, because, there is padding underneath the camera area, slicing the bottom of the bag wouldn't make the cameras drop out.
I have nothing to say about the equipment, since I am guilty of the same obsession with techy gadgets that *must* come with me. However, it's the thought of lugging all that stuff in a backpack that gets me!
Oh my dear lord. That's all I can say. I loved seeing what you guys are packing - and there ARE two of you, but it's just hard to believe that you are carrying nearly $9 grand in electronics! Holy cow how fast it adds up! :-)
Great video, I think everyone like seeing people packs Are you concerned lumping all of your tech into one baggage? Also how many bags do you have when traveling between destinations?
Gourmantic, We did so many test packs trying to reduce the weight but Patrick said that he doesn't mind lugging the stuff around. I don't carry it - it's too heavy for me!
Shannon, I know exactly what you mean! The money adds up so fast. The bulk of the costs are in the laptops but we really love having two laptops with us. I think, if we weren't working while on the road, we would just have one.
Flip, it is a lot! Luckily, we haven't lost or forgotten any gadgets yet. But, Patrick does have a knack for losing sunglasses - he is on his fifth pair since we left the U.S.
I can certainly understand your obsession with gadgets and electronic gear. We're the same :)
I was interested in seeing the Kindle here and that you love it. Books take up a lot of space and weight in our bags as well, but I've been hesitant to exchange them for a Kindle because I thought reading from a screen would get annoying and difficult on the eyes. But from your description, especially as avid readers, maybe I should reconsider and we should add this to our shopping list.
We're considering getting the SB-600 Flash since we keep finding ourselves on microfinance photography projects with a woman who works in almost complete darkness (i.e, one light bulb or tiny window). Glad to hear you've been happy with yours until now.
We used to travel with a VAIO and a Mac (PowerBook G4), but the hard drive died on the VAIO. The machine always was hot, but we think it just overheated in Guatemala when Dan was running a virus scan and it fried the hard drive (now he has a Mac). You're smart to travel with a cooling pad, not only to protect your skin but also to cool the machine down.
Audrey, If your concern is the screen, don't hesitate in buying the Kindle. The screen does not bother my sensitive eyes (I had lasik several years ago and staring at screens for long periods of time annoys my eyes). The e-Ink technology looks exactly like a paperback book and because there is no backlighting, it does not tire your eyes like a computer does.
We have spent a lot more time working with the SB-600 and I think it is a good purchase if you mainly focus on taking pictures of people. We took most of our Christmas pictures with the flash and they turned out really well - some of the flash pictures are better than ones we took in daylight. I still struggle with the flash and food photography because food ends up looking flat and unappetizing even with the diffuser.
And, I'm glad to know that there are other electronics obsessed people out there!
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