So it looks like I will actually be traveling a bit this year. Here is my constantly changing itinerary.

Backpack:

I wanted something unbranded, plain and unrecognizable when it came to a backpack. I gave up my initial goal of just trying to fit in by wearing whatever the locals were wearing when I realized that I was going to be in Laos, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Paris and wouldn't find something that looked native everywhere.

In the end I chose a Eberlestock Halftrack Backpack in Black.

Day Bag:

For my day bag I was looking for something that would fold into nothing, was super light, durable and waterproof. The only thing I found that seemed to work was this North Face Base Camp Messenger Bag.

The day bag holds all the stuff that didn't fit into the big backpack and that I decided I don't mind carrying around all day. Notable contents include my new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Digital Camera and the crazy bright Fenix TK11 Tactical Flashlight and a Pentax Papilion 8.5x21 Porro Prism Binocular which I bought for the opera a while ago but which I have learned make for a great makeshift microscope.

Backpack Contents:

This is the part that has taken most of my energy for the last two weeks. I have bought and returned many different versions of most of the contents of the bag, and have been living out of the bag for the last week to try everything out since much of the stuff here is new to me.

Since the list of links referencing the image is going to be crazy, the stuff that is newly revealed in each picture is highlighted in a reddish color.

Unzipped:

First layer removed:

Second layer removed:

Third layer removed (main sections empty):

Pockets inside main section emptied:

Top and side pockets emptied (backpack now empty):

Contents of small pouches and bags opened or emptied:

Casio Pathfinder Watch:

Totally excessive, but entertaining, I bought the Casio Pathfinder PAW1500T-7V for this trip. It tracks barometric pressure, temperature, altitude, the tide, phases of the moon and it is a digital compass. It also syncs its time via radio signals from all the atomic clock broadcasts around the world and it recharges itself from the solar panels on the face as you wear it. Should be fun, at least until I get mugged for it.

Gloves:

I'm a sucker for new glove technology, especially if they are super thin. These are Giro Remedy Gloves With D30 Crash Pad Black which I guess are supposed to be mountain biking gloves. The palm is made out of some new style of treated ultra thin leather and it has a D30 'crash pad' which is that cool new material that is soft until impact when it instantly hardens.

Waterproof Trail Running Shoes:

I spent a week or so researching online and trying on shoes all over LA, looking for something with a ton of airflow that is waterproof and trail proof and comfortable to run in. I ended up with these Merrell Waterpro Maipo shoes that seem to do the trick. I have been wearing them for almost a week now with and without socks. They get a good amount of airflow, I don't think they are quite as cool as sandals, but I also want a shoe I can wear in urban areas without looking silly so I'm willing to compromise.

You can sort of see through the mesh here on the toe and on the sides (the orange color is the inner sole showing through).

This is a shot of the inside of the shoe, you can tell from the light coming in how much open mesh there is.

Leg Wallet:

I was intrigued by this Eagle Creek UnderCover Leg Stash, so I have been using it to carry around my passport and some spare credit cards to see if it's reasonable to travel with. I am surprised at how comfortable and stable it is when mounted around your calf as shown. I will probably use this on my trip if I have stuff I don't want to keep in my waist belt.

Products of interest:

The giant list of links under the pictures isn't all that helpful, so here are some of the more interesting things I like.

Groom Mate Platnum XL Nose Hair Trimmer

This thing is actually pretty fun. I bought it because I needed something smaller than the electric nose hair trimmer I already had and this is tiny and doesn't need any batteries. I've only had a chance to use it once, but it was really interesting to operate a trimmer by hand since you feel like you have a lot more control. I will carry this whenever I travel now, and it might even end up replacing my fancy electric one.

Andis SlimLine Cord/Cordless Rechargeable Trimmer

This is another product I was really surprised by. I realized while packing that my current beard trimmer wasn't dual voltage so I started looking for something new that was small, light and dual voltage. This Andis SlimLine Cord/Cordless Rechargeable Trimmer kept popping up on my web searching so I tracked one down in a pro beauty supply shop in LA and started using it a few days ago. It's made entirely out of very light plastic, which gives it a really cheap feel but once I started using it, it became clear that the blades are very good quality. This trimmer is part of the Andis Professional line so the battery is designed to last for a full 8 hours of trimming and it can operate corded or cordless. The trimmer length guides come with some strange sizes like '3 day', '5 day' and '7 day', but I found the '3 day' is exactly what I've been looking for in a trimmer this whole time, it's a perfect movie star stubble length. I also found that the motor and blades are good enough to easily cut the rest of my hair too, so I am pretty excited that I can now carry just one very small very light trimmer with me on my trip.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Digital Camera

I feel a little cliche about being so excited about this camera, since it seems that the whole internet can't stop talking about it, but I really have to agree. It takes great pictures, it's easy to use and it looks and feels great. When I tried to get this one Amazon was selling it for $250 over retail, but I managed to find someone in Hong Kong selling new ones for retail on eBay with overnight shipping.

Nexto-eXtreme3 320GB Digital Hi-Speed OTG Backup Storage

This is my photo backup solution for the trip. It takes CF and SD cards and either copies or moves the images from the cards to the drive. I have no idea how well it will work out, but it has been well reviewed by many professional photo journalists online, so I'm hopeful. I love the novelty that the entire menu system is navigated with a single button using short, long and double clicks even though it's hard to use.

Aquapac Small Camera Case

This very light waterproof camera case serves double duty as protection for my Nexto-eXtreme3 320GB Digital Hi-Speed OTG Backup Storage drive and for my Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 Digital Camera. It has two very clear panels on it so you can safely shoot and view pictures through it with no distortion, the rest of the bag is thin super flexible rubbery plastic so you can manipulate all the buttons easily.

OverBoard Waterproof iPhone Case

This is just a basic iPhone waterproof case. It has a capacitive touch screen friendly plastic window that lets you interact with the phone easily.

Monster Cable Outlets To Go Power Strip 4 Outlets Black

I have been using this power strip for a while now, but it has saved me many a time and for this trip it means that I only have to carry one plug adapter for all my gear. I really hate to buy anything from Monster Cable due to their abusive trademark policies and their worthless audiophile claims, but I haven't been able to find another travel power strip that is as good.

Kensington International All-in-One Travel Plug Adapter

This is a very good implementation of the now classic all-in-one international plug adapter. It lets you convert just about any country's plug to any other, but without any accompanying voltage conversion. I've made sure that everything I'm bringing is dual voltage compatible, however, so I prefer this smaller adapter. One thing to note is that it does not pass through the grounding from american plugs, so I may die.

Fenix TK11 Tactical Flashlight

Outdoor Research Bug Bucket

Hat:

This is the Sunday Afternoons Sun Tripper Cap seen earlier in the backpack. This time on my head for anyone curious.

I like that the brim has a hinge for folding.