A family at a mountain lake trailhead with kids and packed bags

Journeys

A family trail day, packed in order

A 45 L bag in the car or lodge, a 20 L daypack on a parent, water for little hands, and a list that starts with the car seat.

Traveler
Solo backpacker Couple Retirees traveling together Young family Business traveler
Travel mode
On foot Cruise Road trip Carry-on Rail

Length and climate

Optional. These notes stay on this page, so the link stays shareable.

What this trip asks of your gear

The car seat and the stroller leave the house before the backpacks do. Then come a 45 L clothes bag, a Daylite for snacks and layers, and bottles the kids can actually hold.

Luggage

A walking 40 L with published carry-on geometry.

Shoes

A zero-drop trail shoe. The waterproof boot and the mid GTX are the wet or cold days.

Shirts

A light hoodie you can rinse. The sun shirt and the trail tee are the exposed day.

The kit for this trip

Each pick solves a problem this trip creates. Read why before you buy.

Osprey Farpoint 40 men's travel pack

Osprey

Osprey Farpoint 40

Osprey lists 40 L, 3.486 lb / 1.581 kg, and 22 x 14 x 9 in, plus the All Mighty Guarantee.

  • Solo
  • Couple
  • Family

$185 to $200 Price checked Aug 23, 2026

Check price
Osprey Daylite 13L daypack

Osprey

Osprey Daylite 13L

Osprey lists 13 L, 16.9 x 10.2 x 7.9 in, and 1.09 lb on the UK Daylite page.

  • Solo
  • Couple
  • Retirees

$70 to $80 Price checked Oct 12, 2026

Check price
Nalgene 32 oz wide-mouth bottle

Nalgene

Nalgene 32 oz Wide Mouth

A Tritan 32 oz / 1 L Wide Mouth. Nalgene publishes the material on nalgene.com.

  • Solo
  • Couple
  • Family

$14 to $18 Price checked Aug 23, 2026

Check price
Trtl travel pillow in grey

Trtl

Trtl Pillow

A fleece wrap with an internal support stay. Trtl says it packs smaller than a U-pillow.

  • Solo
  • Couple
  • Retirees

$49 to $70 Price checked Aug 23, 2026

Check price

Also on the list

The small things people forget on this kind of trip.

  • Pack one comfort object you already own. It is not on our gear list and does not need to be.

Describe you and your vacation

Tell us the details and get a packing list built around your exact trip.

Open the planner
All packing lists

A beach week with kids

A young family road trip in the heat: one hatch bag, a snack daypack, and a plan for wet swimsuits.

A Disney trip

Disney packing list for a family week: a 35 L hotel bag, a daypack for the parks, a 13 lb stroller, and the bag-size rule Walt Disney World prints.

Winter camping

A solo trek in the cold: a 40 L walking bag, a light shell, a fleece, and a pillow that belongs in a tent.

Same traveler, different trip

Cruise
Road trip
Carry-on
Rail