Hello Reader,

Packing for a trip somewhere hot always sounds deceptively easy.

"It's warm," you think. "I'll just throw a few T-shirts and shorts into a backpack."

And then, approximately three days into your trip, you're sunburned, dehydrated, sweating through every item of clothing you own, and desperately wishing you'd packed... well... literally anything more useful.

Ask us how we know.

After backpacking through some of the hottest, sweatiest places on Earth, including months spent traveling around Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America, we've become very opinionated about what deserves precious backpack space.

Because when you're living out of one bag, every item has to earn its place.

One of the biggest mistakes we made early on was packing for what we thought hot-weather travel looked like.

Cute outfits. Multiple pairs of shoes. Way too many clothes.

What we actually needed?

• Lightweight clothing that dries overnight after you've inevitably sweat through it.
• A microfiber towel that packs down tiny but somehow still manages to dry your entire body.
• A reusable water bottle that becomes your most prized possession by about 10 a.m.
• ​Sandals that are actually comfortable enough to walk miles in.
• And enough sunscreen to protect my aggressively pale skin, which has never once accepted the concept of "just getting a little sun."

Honestly, this packing list has been refined through years of trial and error, countless backpacking trips, and a truly embarrassing number of moments where we've looked at each other and said, "Well... that was a mistake."

We've also included some of the little things people rarely think about until they're already travelling.

Things like a dry bag for boat trips and rainy afternoons. A packable daypack that holds everything. Electrolyte tablets for brutally hot days. Laundry soap sheets for washing clothes in hotel sinks. And a surprisingly versatile sarong that's become one of the hardest-working items in my backpack.

Some of these things aren't glamorous, but they absolutely make travel more comfortable.

Whether you're planning a tropical island escape, a backpacking adventure through Southeast Asia, a summer trip around Europe, or anywhere else where the weather forecast is basically just a giant sun emoji, this guide will help you pack smarter.

Because the less time you spend wishing you'd packed differently...

...the more time you get to actually enjoy the adventure.

Here's everything we never leave behind for hot-weather travel!

Until next time,