How I Pack
Things to consider and what I bring on a summer trip to the land of aloha.
We haven’t managed to get away for a proper family vacation in the past two years. Since I’m feeling a bit out of practice when it comes to this type of trip I’ve had to think hard about what to bring. As a family we have so much stuff we need for the kids and everything — it’s going to be important that I do my best to limit my personal luggage.
Since I’m packing I thought it could be fun to share some of what I like to travel with here. It’s a bit late in the game to to talk about a lot of summer stuff but this should be helpful either now or in the future.
Hawaii as a destination demands some slightly different and specific things versus what I normally take on a trip. It’s going to be warm, sunny and the time will be full of activities and I want to maximize versatility for activities and maximum relaxation. Hawaii is a bit sportier and more informal than where I typically go, so I need to think differently about what to bring. Hope this is helpful.
Bags: The few times a year I will travel with a backpack is when we go to Hawaii or on family vacations. I don’t love backpacks generally speaking, but it’s important to have my hands free to carry kids, kid stuff and everything else. My two favorites for backpacks —which both happen to be Montana companies —are either from Evergoods or Mystery Ranch. The Black Hole bags from Patagonia are popular (along with some other bags from The North Face) but they are all just too logo strong for me. If I need a duffle I typically bring my Goruck Kit Bag which is one of my all time best purchases. Those Kit Bags are modeled after bags that military special forces use and the 57L is well-made and huge. These bags are also a great overflow bag to pack just in case you need some flexibility in coming home. MIS CALIF makes a simple and light tote to bring as a simple everyday bag while around town.