Packing List: The Ultimate Guatemala Experience
- justinsmarkowitz
- Nov 20, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 12, 2022
Why is a packing list important?
Packing lists help you save time planning and make sure your needs are covered. Packing lists, when assembled correctly and well, protect travelers' knees, backs, and stamina through embodying minimalism, while they keep you warm and potentially save your life with proper equipment for the climate.
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But even for people who have travel experience, you'd be surprised at the frequency of over packing. One of my favorite jokes is "Oh, you brought your living room with you, eh?"
To travel like a pro and keep your energy levels optimal with your back and hips relaxed, you need to pack light. But packing light means doing something many people are scared of: traveling with less.
For whatever reasons people haul around massive suitcases with 15 shirts, 12 pants, 7 sweaters, 5 pairs of shoes, 3 jackets (you get the idea...), its impossible to be a balanced traveler with all that stuff. Your priorities might be misaligned if you care more about fashion and accessories than practicality and safety while traveling.
This article is about how to pack your bag to optimize it for The Ultimate Guatemala Adventure Saga, but also contains packing lists that can help anybody seeking to be more minimalist.
The Essentials
Packing lists between Parts 1, 2, and 3 will vary but a few items will be essential in all three:
A Rain Jacket
A Water Bladder (I recommend 3 liters)
Adventure Pants
Synthetic/Wool Hiking Shirt
A decent backpack
Hiking Boots/Trail shoes
Hat/Sunglasses
Here are some recommendations on Amazon, I've tested most of them but not all.
Please know I receive small commissions for your purchases through the links contained in each photo.
1. A rain jacket protects you from sometimes unpredictable weather, and can double as a windbreaker. A rain jacket can save your life, literally. This Eddie Bauer (to the right) served me well one night when my tent flooded and i slept in a tiny cave, and comes in a variety of colors. Many different rain jackets are reliable, but be weary of the cheaper variety from brands you don't recognize... they will sometimes not be very waterproof!
2. A water bladder saves you effort and protects the environment. A lot of the world still relies on plastic, disposable bottles to drink and transport water. With a bladder you'll also be able to drink while walking, instead of stopping and unscrewing a bottle that you're transporting somewhere out of reach in your bag...
3. Adventure pants are the move. Plain and simple. You need something that will protect your legs from branches and bugs, that can keep you warm and also dry quickly, that are versatile enough to climb in, but comfortable enough to relax in. Those are Adventure pants. And I prefer the zip off variety :)
4. A synthetic/wool hiking shirt protects you from rain and sun. Both have good SPF and dry quickly. My personal preference is the sun hoodie, because its hood can protect from both sun and cold. I also usually prefer the long sleeved variety of hiking shirts, for its sun and bug defense.
5. A backpack is like your trusted sidekick or best friend on adventure. It holds everything you need and pushes you to get stronger. Yet to get stronger you need a backpack that will fit you well and not kill you over the course of a couple days. The discount option is orange, and I had a good experience with it. The black bag is a well known brand, Osprey.
6. Hiking boots/trail shoes are another item to keep you warm, dry, and safe on the trails. Their grip is better on unsure footing, and their extra support will be welcomed after long days of walking. Make sure to break them in before your big trip! These are the pair most highly recomended on Amazon.
7. You probably have these already. And if not, theyre much cheaper in other countries. But maybe you are excited to travel and want a new, sporty pair that won't break the bank, you know are polarized and without scratches. I also highly encourage you getting a hat in your destination country, they have cool hats for cheap. And you'll have a souvenir.
8. Good hiking socks reduce friction, are durable, wick moisture, and keep your feet a good temperature no matter the climate- warm or cold. Although a bit more expensive than normal, cotton socks, hiking socks can actually save you in the long run because they absorb more abuse before deteriorating. Make sure you get synthetic or wool socks!
9. A flashlight is absolutely necessary around camp, but also for climbing in the dark. Around camp you'll need a light to guide you towards the bathroom at night, and on the mountain you're liable to hurt yourself without a light to help you pick your steps. I suggest this variety so that you can recharge with a mobile battery as you go, and not worry about charging in a hotel or elsewhere.
Part 1: Into the Wild
Low Mountain Camping Gear
A sleeping bag (for mild temps)
A sleeping pad
Water Filter
Eating utensils
Tent / tarp / hammock
Here are some recommendations on Amazon, I've tested most of them but not all.
Please know I receive small commissions for your purchases through the links contained in each photo.
1. Low mountain sleeping, aka nothing above 2,000 meters / 6,500 feet, requires a mild weather sleeping bag. For anyone skeptical that you could sleep at such an altitude with so little, remember your proximity to the equator. The pictured bag is super light, down feather, and comes in a bunch of cool colors. I've not used it, but the reviews are good and you can also use it as a blanket- not just a bag.
2. Sleeping pads come in all varieties but I'm serious when recommending you get an inflatable variety. They save room, are lighter, and more comfortable compared to the solid, rolled varieties (I have often found the rolled varieties disintegrate more quickly because they tend to live outside of your bag, being attacked by branches and elements). Literally, the only downside is your potential to pop it, but c'mon, just be careful. There are tons of varieties on Amazon. This was my choice.
3. A water filter will give you peace of mind from whenever you drink water... instead of nervously watching your companions, waiting to see if one of you gets sick from the river water. You'll also be saving the environment from empty plastic bottles. With this filter, you fill the bag and then squeeze water through the filter and into your water bladder, bottle, or mouth.
4. When camping, it's always a good idea to be able to eat easily. While I love chopsticks fashioned from twigs and a pocketknife, they're hardly as practical as a decent set of cutlery and a bowl. And they're also a heck of a lot more durable. You'll also be thankful for cutlery when you're tired and don't want to think about anything but hassel-free eating what ever is in front of you.
5. You've got a few options here to be comfortable in the low mountain:
5.1 A versatile, easy to assemble tent virtually guarantees you a (semi) clean, dry place to sleep free of bugs and high winds. Tents will keep you comfortable wherever Part 1 goes, but they do come with a bit of added weight. This tent is for two people, but the extra room is ideal for your bag. If you're traveling with someone you'd like to share a tent with, I recommend a 4 person tent.
5.2 Electing for the hammock and tarp combination exposes you more to bugs and rain but also saves weight because you're not carrying around a tent or sleeping pad. If you couple your hammock with a tarp and bug net, like in this product on amazon, you'll be protected from rain, sun, wind, and bugs. Partially. A warm sleeping bag will be necessary, as a hammock means you'll essentially lose heat from all sides. NOTE: hammocks universally offer less protection than a tent, but are more dynamic and more comfortable for some.
Part 2: Volcano Chasers
High Mountain Climbing Gear
Heavy Jacket
Gloves
Long Exposure Camera
1. The heavy jacket for this part is specifically for alpine moments without sunlight. You might not wear this everyday, but with cold temperatures on Acatenango, Santa Maria, and San Pedro, you'll be especially grateful for its protection. You have two options here: a windbreaker/waterproof layer plus a puffy jacket underneath, or a ski jacket. Either works.
2. Gloves will really help you, especially on Acatenango where temperatures will hover around freezing at night. Synthetic is always ideal, but anything will help. Find an old pair lying around your house, or try out these glove-mitten hybrids that I use. They're warm, dynamic insofar as you can slip a finger out and use your phone, although they are a little bulky.
3. A long exposure camera will allow you to capture Volcan de Fuego's famous eruptions at night. The red-hot flying pieces will really captivate you, and showing everyone back home what you saw will bring you great satisfaction. GoPros, DSLR cameras, and some cell phone cameras with exposure settings are necessary to capture the explosions.
Part 3: Northwestern Wilderness
Warm-Cold Camping Hybrid
Sleeping Bag (for cold)
Sleeping pad
Water Filter
Eating Utensils
Tent
All of this gear is the same, essentially, as Part 1: Into the Wild. But, because I'm a gear junkie, here are a few more options you might enjoy browsing.
1. The first sleeping bag on this list is dynamic enough to be used in colder temperatures. But maybe you'll need to wear a jacket in the colder areas, or get a sleeping bag liner if you're nervous. Here is an option for a liner that you can add to your bag if you're nervous about temperature.
2. Never underestimate the importance of a sleeping pad! A good night of sleep equals an enjoyable next day, and if the sound of water and crickets aren't enough to coax you into sweet dreaming, you'll need a decent sleeping pad.
3. This specific model of filter uses gravity, and so you can hang it from a tree at camp time and just feed it into a bladder or bottle. Super easy, plus a water filter saves your guts from bad water, the planet from unnecessary platic bottle waste, and overall gives you peace of mind. Peace of mind and intact guts are two precursors to a good trip.
4. I saw this set that included a bowl and cutlery and thought instantly- how great and convenient. Let's share this for anybody feeling lazy.
5. This tent is a bit higher quality than the initial suggestion, but the complete tarp will keep you warmer and more protected in bad weather. This part of the trip you'll actually do better to have a tent, so I scratched the hammock option. Bottom line is that you juat don't want to be sleeping in cold weather in a hammock. I've done it plenty of times out of laziness and ended up sleeping in the fetal position to keep warm.
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