I’ll soon be heading cross-country for some time, putting me in a few seasons. Rather than having to carry everything for 1-bag carry-on across all seasons as I’ve done in the past, packing for a car trip seems it would be easy. Plus, I’m staying in my own country with familiar stores/shopping.
However, packing well always presents choices and thought. Tossing everything you think you’ll need and the what-if stuff will only fill and crowd you car’s trunk and make travels more difficult. And it’s always important to keep stuff our of the car to avoid theft.
What I did
2 backpacks. My beloved EagleCreek bag (50L, no longer made) and, for the first time, a 38L BagSmart similar to this one. One for the warm season, the other for autumn weather.
First, pack papers. Copies of your important medical documents — just in case. (My elected representative also had these .)
Here’s what is recommended for Americans:
- At least have a Healthcare Power of Attorney completed and carry a copy with you wherever and however you travel.
- Perhaps have other important papers such as a DNR or advance directives.
- Portable Medical Order (POLST) (Name varies by US state. You can learn about this at polst.org.
- If you have any medical conditions, medications, or allergies, have a current list, and have copies of each prescription at hand when crossing into (or out of countries).
For about 10 years, I had an excellent soft, water-resistant “envelope” for papers. Sadly that company went out of business and I’ve not found a replacement in several years of searching. Those envelopes were great and lasted about 7 years. This time I used zip-sealing food bags. I remain hopeful to find some if I attend the 2027 Travel Goods Show.
Now to the non-clothing stuff
For now, this list is a work in progress. As I select items, I’ll list them here.Then as I travel, I’ll update as needed. (Photos will be added soon.)
Hydaway 25oz Collapsible Water Bottle
I’ve written about Hydaway before as I’ve been using this since 2015. I love having a water bottle that’s easy to drink from but won’t cause a mess by spilling in my car or bedside because the straw/spout folds down. The Hydaway is not big and bulky when not full or not in use because it collapses down on itself to be relatively flat. I also love that it’s not slippery to hold.
I’ve had a few over the years. Right now I’m enjoying a bright red one after years of blues. They also have a 17oz.
You can learn more about it at shop.myhydaway.com. Or shop.myhydaway.com/collections/hydration. A quick web search will show you some of the places you can buy one for yourself.
GoKit: First-Aid kit for On-The-Go
Up until now, I’ve put together my own first aid supplies, creams in my hard plastic toiletry kit, bandages in a small repurposed zippered kit bag. For this trip, I’m going elegant with the First Aid Adult GoKit by Keep>Going First Aid. My kit even has a Tick Remover (with instructions), 2 Nosebleed Plugs, and Moleskin.
There are many other kits, appropriate for families. For example, colorful bandages for kids. Each kit’s contents are clearly shown on their website.
(It’s got such a great pouch that I’m thinking this is a nice gift for a traveler in your life. The “pages” in it add more weight than a carry-on traveler may wish to have, but others I think others will enjoy these.)
I also like that Keep>Going First Aid is a small family-owned business.
Update: A boat at Horseshoe Bend is great for the views but not so much for fake leather sandals. For 6 days after that the antibiotic packets and bandages keep my feet germ-free and hotel sheets clean.
feelgoodz Cotton “Turkish” Towel
I’ll still pack my Matador Packable NanoDry Shower towel because it packs so small and a towel is a must-have. (1979 wisdom that I followed starting with my 1983 travels.)
However, traveling by car I have the luxury of finally getting to really travel with a large, soft, wrap-myself-up-in-it cotton towel. I’ve taken this towel on local overnights. Now it will see much more of the USA. (And I’m hoping for some boating.) It’s perfect for showers, beach, anything…. It’s thin so it dries quickly and packs well without taking a lot of space in your luggage. It was actually created or designed by a backpacker traveler. I met him a few years ago and we had some great conversations.
Update: Staying in hotels or with friends, I didn’t need either travel towel daily but I was glad I brought them.
You can learn about it online at https://feelgoodz.com/collections/artisan-turkish-towels. Last week I saw it in my local Sprouts and I bet it’s in a lot of places by now. I have the original Bayside towel.
Borsali’s Clear Quart Size TSA Bag (2 of them)
Technically this is a packing item meant to carry liquids onto a plane. It is designed with 2 sewn-in (not glued) good quality zippers and smooth rounded corners that allow the zippers to travel unimpeded from the center to the sides enabling the bag to easily carry more than most 3-1-1 ask TSA quart-sized bags.
Full disclosure, I carry very few liquids and for them when I flew in the past, I used a more difficult but better sealed 3-1-1 bag from a company that’s now out of business. My use of sure a bag is only for the short time going through TSA. Then my liquids go back into my hard plastic container.
But that said, I immediately LOVED this Bosali clear zippered bag for another use. I have been using it regularly since I’ve had it, for 2 years now. Not for flying but for each hotel, rental, and hospital stay. I love that I can easily see everything in it. One or two of these are replacing one of my ¼ size eagle creek packing cubes. (My hair has become naturally curly so I no longer need my beloved Conair Travel Smart® hair dryer and round hair brush, which made that cube ideal.) I suspect a lot of people will find this Bosali bag very handy for everyday access to packed items such as makeup, hair clips, and more. My makeup fits in a hard-sized zipper pouch that easily fits in the clear bag as well.
For those of you seeking a good 3-1-1 bag, check out the photos on their website to see how much more you’ll fit into the Bosali bag. And you may want to buy the set of four.
Update: I brought both of mine with me. Easy and convenient in my backpack as I took things out of them more than daily. I also keep the same items in them at home. They help organize my dresser drawer and make moving several times a year easy. I really do love that it’s 2 zippers rather than 1.
LifeStraws
When traveling I have never been fussy about tap water and I’m not a fan of plastic bottles. But I always prefer to be safe for a just-in-case. At times, I’ve taken iodine tables, then light-based purifications. This time, especially with fires and wild weather, I’m taking two LifeStraws.
LifeStraw Peak Series Solo Water Filter
and
LifeStraw Sip
SoapStandle® (2 of them)
I’ve always been a bar soap gal and bar soap is certainly the easiest and wisest option for travel. But the goo… at home or traveling, the issue is always the goo as the bottom of the bar as it sits in a soap dish. In 2024 I was introduced to the this amazing little push-in soap stand. I’ve been using it at home for quite a while, so it’s coming with me. (I’m bringing 2 bars, my shower bar and sink bar, and both have SoapStandles.)
Update: I used on Dove Soap bar at a time, and am so happy I had a SoapStandle. It kept my soap perfectly clean and un-gooky. And… it always fit in my Matador FlatPak. My soap was always perfect.
FlatPak™ Soap Bar Case by Matador (2 of them)
I’ve been using Matador’s FlatPak™ for years now, since it was first introduced. The FlatPak is a soap-sized bag that somehow allows moisture out by not in. With it, our somewhat wet soap can be packed and doesn’t come out gooey.
The only issue I’ve had all these years is that it gets bottom-gooey when on a shower shelf or counter. So for this trip my soap has a SoapStandle as well.
Update: Whether I was in over-100-degree weather or the cold frost (keep-your-windshield-wiper up overnight) of St Louis, my soap was always perfect, my FlatPak always clean inside. Actually cleaner than it every was before the SoapStandle.
I strongly recommend having both any time you travel and aren’t using your hosts or hotel’s soap.
Matador FlatPak™ Soap Bar Case
The final part of my soap dilemma is for shared shower situations…
For now have a soft plastic soap holder that suction-sticks to smooth shower walls. I don’t have a brand to recommend. I’ve been using it in my shower for about a year, sometimes for my soap bar and sometimes for my shampoo and conditioner bars.
Viori Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
I’ve tried about 4 brands of Shampoo/Conditioner bars but not liked any and never used them up. Then, in March 2024, I met some reps from Viori at The Travel Goods Show. Made with rice water and containing nothing toxic or unnatural, it sounded great so I promised to try the samples they gave me. (Having been through 3 kinds of chemo and proton beam radiation, I was no longer willing to gamble my hair and health.) It is now all I use.
The very next day I appeared at the show and people complimented my hair. Traveling or at home, Viori is the only shampoo that I use now, for over a year.
Update: Since discovering Viori, it’s the only shampoo that I’ve used. I was thrilled when they got into Sprouts, a CA chain. Great selection. Instead of just one full-size bar, I came home with 3. I travel with my Viori in my 2nd Matador FlatPak.
Viori Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Inflatable Pillow — Cabeau Air Tne
This is actually an Inflatable Travel Pillow for comfort in a plane, train, or such. But for me it’s my bed pillow – or couch pillow! I love my great chiropractor-designed pillow but of course it’s too large for travel, even by car. I discovered long ago that with a few (not all) travel pillows, the neck and sides cradle my head whether on my back or side. They’re great for couches because no space above my head is needed. And they easily fit into my 1-bag travel (the phrase I coined years ago). The double height of this pillow, the soft fabric, and the inside seams make this pillow particularly good for sleeping. It’s polyester, which I typically cannot tolerate, but here, it’s not making me itch. I just got this pillow 4 months ago so this is my first travel with it. We’ll see how well it lasts. I’m using it now, as I put my other pillow in storage already and I slept very well with it.
Update: I was excited to have this but the back was too high for a sleeping pillow – as are all but one travel pillow. I gave it to someone who flies a lot and was happy to have it. I still love my original Go Travel Memory Foam pillow, which I use often in any bed. However, I no longer see on their site. I hope to see them again at the 2027 Travel Goods Show to try their current models.
more to come