🎒 What I Packed for 3 Months in Europe & Africa — Backpack Only!

Hey, I'm Johannes — the guy behind GearUpYourLife.
Welcome to the first edition of this travel-packed, gear-obsessed, slightly sarcastic newsletter.

Most people don’t know this, but I was actually born and raised in Germany.
That means I grew up with precision packing, efficient planning, and a deep, very real fear of forgetting socks.

So when I left to travel full-time for 3 months through Spain, Portugal, France, and Morocco — all with just one backpack — I wanted to put my gear (and my patience) to the ultimate test.

This issue is all about what I packed, why I packed it, and how you can travel lighter without sacrificing comfort — or style.
You’ll get the full breakdown: clothing, shoes, tech, toiletries, and the very specific items that saved my ass more than once.

🗓 What to Expect (and When)

• Wednesdays = Gear Drops: packing tips, favorite travel gadgets, digital nomad tools, and gear reviews

• Sundays = Personal Stories from the Road: routines, habits, reflections — like a journal I’m sharing with friends (that’s you)

Also, something exciting is on the way 👇

Now let’s dive into what actually made it into my backpack (and what definitely didn’t) 👇

🎒 The Backpack – Aer Travel Pack 3

Let’s start with the heart of the whole setup: the backpack.

For this trip, I needed something that wasn’t just “a bag.” I needed a companion. A reliable, sturdy, not-too-flashy piece of gear that could survive hostel floors, airport security, and rainy days in Portugal. The Aer Travel Pack 3 hit the sweet spot.

It’s a 35L backpack, but it carries like a 45. The clamshell design makes it super easy to pack and unpack (a dream when you're switching places every 3-4 days), and the separate tech compartment means my camera gear and laptop aren’t swimming with my dirty socks.

What really sold me? The materials. 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon. YKK zippers. This thing feels bombproof but still looks clean enough to carry into a café without screaming “tourist.”

👕 Clothing: The Art of the Capsule Wardrobe

Packing clothes for 3 months, 4 climates, and countless situations was a real puzzle. But here’s what worked (and why):

👔 Shirts

2 Merino tees (Unbound Merino) – Odor-resistant, temperature-regulating, and still looked fresh after 10+ wears. These are my absolute MVPs. → Get Unbound Merino Tees here

1 collared polo – Great for co-working days or looking just professional enough at border control.

1 short-sleeve button-up – Ideal for hot Moroccan markets and sunny Spanish cafés.

1 long-sleeve button-up – For cooler evenings or when I needed to pretend I wasn’t living out of a backpack.

👖 Pants & Shorts

Outlier Slim Dungarees – Technical, breathable, and somehow still stylish. These took me from city walks to dinner tables without skipping a beat. → Check out Outlier Slim Dungarees here

Rhone shorts – Light, quick-drying, perfect for the beach or an impromptu hike. → Shop Rhone Shorts

🏃 Workout Gear

Running tee + shorts – Because yes, I trained for a half-marathon while country-hopping. Bonus: Running through Lisbon’s hills = great views, questionable life choices.

🛋️ Loungewear

Soft joggers – My go-to for editing days, overnight buses, or just feeling like a cozy blob.

Sleep tee – Simple and comfy.

Lined shorts – Doubled as gym gear and PJs. Efficiency, baby.

🌧️ Outerwear

Packable rain jacket (Outdoor Research) – Folds tiny but saved me from countless soakings, especially in the hills of Portugal. → Shop the Outdoor Research Helium Jacket

🧼 Laundry Strategy

A quick sink wash or laundromat every 7–10 days. You don’t need more clothes — just smarter ones.

👟 Footwear: Two Pairs, Zero Complaints

When you’re walking 15k+ steps a day, good shoes are everything.

LĒM leather sneakers (white) – Sleek enough for dinners, durable enough for long walking days. These were my daily drivers. → Grab a pair from LĒM here

Hoka Clifton 10 running shoes – Light, breathable, and kept my knees happy across cobbled streets and dirt trails. → Shop Hoka Clifton 10

🧼 Toiletries: Compact & Practical

Everything fit into a single Osprey roll-up bag. Lightweight, hangable, and surprisingly spacious — perfect for hostel sinks, shared showers, and the occasional bathroom counter that’s barely bigger than your passport. → Osprey Toiletry Kit

What’s inside:

• Foldable travel toothbrush + toothpaste

• Compact USB-C beard trimmer (Philips) – Small, powerful, and charges with my phone. → Philips USB-C Beard Trimmer

• Razor (safety blade), sunscreen, and nail clippers → Travel Nail Clippers

💻 Tech Gear: Creator Essentials

This was the most important category for me. As a full-time content creator, my tech setup had to be lightweight, reliable, and versatile.

Everything fits inside my Aer Slim Pouch — zippers are smooth, compartments are genius, and it tucks neatly into the top of my Aer Travel Pack 3.

🧠 MacBook Air M2

Light, powerful, and just right for editing 4K footage on the go without turning into a brick in my bag. → MacBook Air M2

🧍‍♂️ Roost Laptop Stand

A posture-saver that folds down tiny and sets up in seconds. → Roost Laptop Stand

⌨️ Apple Magic Keyboard & 🖱 Logitech MX Anywhere 3

• Ultra-thin and smooth typing for scripts and edits → Apple Magic Keyboard

• Glides on glass and great for editing on the fly → Logitech MX Anywhere 3 Mouse

🎧 Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones & AirPods Pro

• For flights, edits, and blocking hostel noise → Sony WH-1000XM5
  → AirPods Pro

🔋 Nitecore NB10,000 Gen 3 Battery Pack

Tiny, TSA-proof, and saves my phone twice over. → Nitecore NB10,000 Gen 3

⚡ Anker MagSafe 3-in-1 Charger

One cable to charge iPhone, Watch, and AirPods. → Anker MagSafe 3-in-1

✈️ Twelve South AirFly

Wireless audio for planes — finally! → Twelve South AirFly

🔌 Universal Travel Adapter

USB-C, USB-A, and works in every country I’ve hit so far. → Universal Travel Adapter🧳 That’s a Wrap (for Now…)

THATS A WRAP NOW

First off — a huge thank you for reading all the way to the bottom of this gear-packed beast of a newsletter.

I know how precious your attention is (especially with Wi-Fi as bad as it is in some hostels 😅), and it truly means the world that you’re here, geeking out over gear, routines, and this wild full-time travel life with me.

If you’re thinking,
"Hey Johannes… this all sounds amazing, but I’m not quite ready to go full minimalist monk with just one backpack…”
I get it.

That’s why I also put together a list of Travel Gadgets Under $10 — small things that make a big difference on the road, from sleep hacks to cable magic to mini comforts that take your trip from “meh” to magnificent.
→ Check out the Under $10 Travel Upgrades

And hey — this is just the beginning.

This Sunday, I’m getting real with you. I’ll share how I (try to) stay grounded while constantly moving:
the struggles, the routines, the small habits that help me stay focused…
and also how I make space to truly enjoy everything I get to experience — and feel thankful for it every single day.

It’s like a travel journal — but one you actually want to read.

Until then, keep your backpack tight, your tech charged, and your deodorant stocked (seriously, don’t skip that one).

Talk soon,
— Johannes
the guy behind GearUpYourLife