Patagonia is a bit of a longer trip and I always thought I would need to pack a lot, but I really didn’t need much. If you haven’t already checked out my blog post from my 16-day trip to Patagonia on both the Chile and Argentina side, you can read about it here.
As requested, I put together a list of the gear I packed below, what I wish I brought, and what I brought but didn’t need. Of course, everybody’s trip is going to vary slightly – you might be more into photography and need extra equipment, want to hike less and sightsee more, have a rental car with space for extra luggage, but my packing list is for a 2 week trip in which my backpacking pack went everywhere with me.
Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that the girl in me overpacked with clothing so I could have different options and had zero plans to do laundry. Also, I didn’t bring any food or water – I purchased everything I needed as the trip went on.
My packing list
- Backpack
- Overnight (main) pack: Osprey Aura 50
- Would now recommend Pingora 55 L
- Ultralight daypack
- Overnight (main) pack: Osprey Aura 50
- Clothes
- 2 rain jackets: Patagonia Torrentshell & Marmot Essence
- 2 mid layer/ insulation jackets
- Long sleeve base layers
- 1 pullover
- 2 Nike Pro Dri-fit training shirt
- 3 tanks (2 wicking, 1 normal)
- 3 pairs of leggings (1 fleece-lined, Lululemon is my fav)
- 4 pairs of socks (I like Smartwool & DarnTough)
- 1 beanie: North Face cable knit
- 2 hats: cap &
- 1 sunglass
- 1 buff and 2 bandana
- 1 pair of fleece
- Sports bras and underwear
- Shoes
- Crocs slippers – super ugly but super lightweight (12 oz) and waterproof for hostel’s showers
- Adidas Terrex Hiking Boots (discontinued); see current favorite lightweight hiking boots here
- Camping Gear
- Sleeping bag: 0 deg Feathered Friends (I was paranoid and terrified of the cold even though it was late Summer there)
- Sleeping pad: Thermarest Xtherm air pad
- Rain cover for my pack
- Headlamp (rechargeable)
- Personal items (toiletries, battery charger—lightweight and 2 full charges)
I wish I brought…
- A lock for hostel lockers – this was my first time staying at a hostel so I honestly didn’t even think about it. I ended up buying one in the city and it broke so I had to pay more for
a better quality, itty-bitty little lock - Travel adapter/ power converter – I often forget that not every county uses the same plugs we use in the states…
Leave this at home
- I used everything I brought so there’s nothing I could say I wish I left at home… but I brought a bunch of clothes as you can see above and I found myself wearing the same outfits over and over so I guess I could have done with fewer clothes.
- There are laundrymats all over town and at hostels so you really don’t need to double up much on clothing… but I didn’t take this into consideration when planning.
- 1 rain jacket… I really don’t know why I brought 2. The Essence is so light and durable; it’s my fav but since I got a size too small so it’s hard to layer. I wanted to have a bigger one in case the rain really came down… but I got a new one right before my trip without testing it out and was nervous to rely on it.
How my travel partner and I split our weight
The only thing we shared on this trip was a tent… that he carried. Our trip was half city/ half wilderness so we didn’t need a lot of the common camp gear that we’re used to such as a stove, water filter (because the water is so clean that you can drink straight from the source), etc.
I’ve learned a lot from this trip and although my weight was only 20 lbs on average and not too heavy for me, I made the transition into ultralight backpacking just a couple months after this which you can read about in my Gear Guide.
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Thanks for reading!
*Don’t forget to practice Leave No Trace*
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below & let me know if you have any questions!
Tiff, the owner and author of Follow Tiff’s Journey, is a California/ Colorado-based adventurer and outdoor connoisseur who divides her heart between the Eastern Sierra Mountains and the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Despite her fear of heights, she’s become a seasoned mountaineer, ultralight hiking and backcountry camping enthusiast, expert road trip planner, and a fervent explorer of alpine lakes, natural hot springs, and sandstone canyons.
With 10 years of experience exploring the outdoors, her blog is your go-to source for all things wilderness, offering invaluable insights and pro tips, essential gear recommendations, and awe-inspiring stories from her adventures.
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