Carry-On Only Travel Backpack Europe 2025 | Packing Guide

Carry-On Only Travel Backpack Europe 2025 | Packing Guide

Hey travelers, it’s the OCD traveler. In just 72 hours, my family and I are departing for another psychotic summer vacation through Europe. Only backpacks. We don’t stay in any place for more than two nights. So, in today’s video, I’m going to show you just how I pack for carry-on backpacks when I travel throughout Europe. Now, the focus of today is not a particular brand or a particular item. I’m going to show you everything that I pack. Some things you might forget. So stay tuned to decide if you’ve got everything you need to do carryons only for Europe or not. All right. Now, the first thing you have to decide on is what kind of carry-on bag you’re going to take. Now, we follow the advice of the European guru Rick Steves, who says only travel backpacks. We saw countless tourists struggling with their roller bags, pulling them down the old cobblestone streets of Europe, which is why we love these travel backpack options. I have four in front of you. First, this is the Halfday ROR. This is our cheapest bag. It’s a 35 liter stylish bag. It’s going to run 128 $128. Take a look. I do have a 15% off coupon for this bag. Next, we’ll move up to Packsafe with two different options. The first is their 44 L Packsafe Go. If you don’t know about Packsafe, they’re really big on anti- theft technology, and I have full videos on both this bag, this is their $179 Packsafe Go, again, 44 L, and their premier bag. This is the Packsafe EXP45. This is going to run $290. I think I have 10% off coupons for both of those. But the bag that we’ll focus on today is the Gossamer Gear Aerojet. This is a 35 L bag, but that doesn’t include all of these ingenious elastic pockets. All right, before we go on, let’s take a deeper dive into the Gossmer Aerojet. All right. Well, you can’t do carry-on only without a carry-on. So, here’s the 35 L Gossamer Gear Aerog Jet. It’s 35 L. It’s going to run about $225. Gossamer Gar sent this to me, so thanks to them. All right, a couple of things they call out is the effortless organization. As we get inside, there are two dedicated and thoughtfully designed organization structures. It works really well, actually perfectly suited with their compression packing cube set, which I also have, and I’ll kind of walk through as I’m packing, but it’s going to feature a couple of things. In the back, there is a hidden RFID pocket, so that’s going to keep wouldbe thieves away from using a scanner. You can see it’s got this special padded ridge vent that allows you to cool and be cushioned along the way. It’s got these cool stretch pockets here, an adjustable sternum strap. These are all things you’re generally going to want to look for. It’s got a nice elastic, two different pockets on the side. So, think water bottle, think umbrella, nice big pocket on the front if you need something that you need easy access to. Uh, just a thoughtfully designed piece of equipment here. 35 L is smaller than I would typically have, so I’m a little bit concerned that I won’t be able to fit everything you just saw. But, we’ll dive in to see if that’s the case. Now, as I said, I did get the Gossamemer Gear complete packing cube set. So, it’s going to include a smaller mediumsiz compression packing cube. Show you how that works later. This is designed for toiletries, so perfect quartz side. You can pull that right off to go through security. A shoe bag. It also has a large size compression packing cube. And then this thing is pretty ingenious. It’s another large size compression cube, but on the back, it’s got a dedicated pocket for dirty clothes. So, once you’re done at your first stop, pack everything up, throw the dirties in the back, and it’ll make sure it stays contained from a smell standpoint. So, now that I’ve given you an overview of what a good travel backpack would look like, let’s see some of the things you’ll pack inside. All right, before I pack everything up, I thought I’d give you a fly over of everything I’m going to have packed up. I’ll point out some of the things that I think are maybe a little bit unique that you might forget. But here’s a look at everything I’m going to get into a 35 L carry-on backpack. At least I hope to. All right. Now, typically I am your basic TJ Maxx shopper. When you’re doing something like carry on Oly to Europe, you don’t want to get the cheap stuff. So, everything you’re seeing in front of you is from a company called Ibex. It is marino wool. So why does that matter? Well, it’s going to be antimicrobial, moisture wicking. It’s breathable. It requires minimal care. There’s odor resistance that are naturally there. Wrinklefree. And the other thing is it’s thermmorreulating. So if you need to be warm, it’s going to keep you warm. If you need to cool off, it will do that as well. So got a pair of underwear, some shirts, a base layer that I can wear at night, especially when I’m flying. Some extra socks. So this will keep me warm and cool. This is what I’m going to wear largely when I’m on the airplane, but consider buying something made with marino wool. You’re going to be thankful you did. When I travel to Europe, I want to do two things. Avoid pickpockets and not look overly American. I don’t need to get into political conversations when I’m on vacation. So, I’ve got some travelers pants and traveler shorts. These are both from Western Rise. They’re traveler cuz look at these. They’ve got these integrated hidden zippers, so you don’t have to worry about pick pockets as much. have the same thing on the back of these lightweight shorts. Lightweight, easily packable, breathable for the summertime. I do wear slacks most of the time. I’ve also got this pair of shorts from Scotty Vest. Scotty Vest is an anti-pickpocket company. It’s just got all sorts of pockets, zippered pockets, hidden pockets. And what I love the most about these shorts, some branding from Scotty Best, is this adjustable waist. So, as I gain weight eating a bunch of great food in places like Italy, I don’t have to worry about unbuttoning my top button. The other thing I have from Scotty Vist 3D trop jacket. This is a Scotty vest vest that has removable sleeves as well. They’re magnet attached, so if it gets too hot, you can pull them off. But this is great as both a pillow, a jacket, a vest, and a raincoat. So, I always bring this along with me as well. All right, shoes. Finding a perfect pair of shoes for vacation is quite difficult. As you see, these have had some better days, but these are my VJA Campos. This is my primary pair of shoes that I’ll be taking. Again, if you’re trying not to look American, you want to avoid a standard looking athletic shoe. Sneakers, preferably white sneakers are great. I like how these are naturally a little off-white, so I don’t have to worry as much about them getting stained. But what I don’t love about these Vayas is the fact that their glue starts to turn kind of this orange color. That said, that’s what I’m going with. Don’t forget travel adapters. I love this one from Caseify cuz I can just slide this on over the back and it will be, look at that, automatically EU compliant. Keep in mind this will be the EU fashion, just those two different prongs. I think the UK uses a slightly different set, but I love this match with this cord. It’s got two different USBC’s, so I don’t even need an additional extension cord or any kind of an outlet splitter. This should handle most of my needs. But don’t forget a travel adapter. And ideally, if you have more than one charging area on your adapter, it’ll set you up for success. It may rain and you might not want to shell out the $200 for this Scotty vest raincoat. So, consider getting a travel umbrella. Even one of these cheapo throwaway ponchos. I’m taking all three just to make sure that I can cover up my bag and everything else if it starts raining. We are going over to the Adriatic Sea, specifically Croatia. It appears to be pretty stony. So, I’ve got three different things. As nondescript a bathing suit as I have, this is not short like Europeans wear. Pretty Americanized bathing suit, but I’m taking this bathing suit from Viori. I also have this microfiber beach towel that I’ll include. Pretty lightweight, doubles as a blanket if I need it. And last but not least, some relatively light beach shoes because certain areas of the Adriatic, for example, are supposed to be very rocky. So, I know I have to pack all of this. All right, we’re going for 10 days. I’m packing for four to five. So, it’s important that I have something that I can wash clothes in. So, first and foremost, I have these sink suds laundry detergent. So, if I get in a pinch, I can drop a packet of this in the sink along with my underwear, anything I want to quickly wash and dry overnight. So, I’ll take some of those along with me. And then these wash ease are awesome. A threein-one laundry sheet. So, not only is it your detergent, it’s also your softener and static control. So, comes in these little pads. I cut them down because we do relatively small sections of laundry at a time. But all you have to do is take one of these, drop it in with your clothes, wash it. It’ll add the fabric softener. You either throw it into a dryer or wait for the dryer cycle to begin, and it’ll act as static guard as well. But these are ingenious for travel. Both of these are a necessity for me. All right, some other basic things you don’t want to forget. I’ve got some face cream that’s got SPF in it. It will be sunny while I’m there. Some cool moistening wipes if I need to wipe off in between showers. Keep in mind your two things you’re not going to find in Europe, and that is cold medicine. You’re also not going to find washcloths. This is a traveler’s washcloth. It dries very quickly, but it’s like a brillow pad. So, it’s a little bit rough, but it’s better than nothing. Take some cold medicine with you. Even if you don’t need it, you won’t be able to get it in Europe. So, if you need a decongestant or you need anything to help you with coughing, nasal congestion, consider taking something in case you get sick. And then any other medication that you could need, obviously, take that along with you. And then I’ve got and then I have a little first aid kit with some Dramamine. I know we’re going to be out on the Adriatic Sea. My son has a peanut allergy. So, we have these cards that we get from Equal Eats. It says everything a server would need to know about the peanut allergy. I’ve got these for this trip in Italian. I have it in French, Croatia, and Slovenia just to make sure I can communicate that message. Some large band-aids, some waterproof covers, just some basic things you’d have in a first aid kit. All right, now that we went over all the gear that we’ll be taking, it’s time to pack it up into the Gossamer gear packing cubes. So, you can see I’m taking my socks and putting them into my shoes. Then, I will get this into this perfectly sized shoe bag. Now, I wear a size 11 US. There’s definitely room for up to a size 12, maybe even 13. Next up, I’m going to roll up my underwear and get this into the smaller size compression packing cube. really optimizing my space with all of the underwear and undershirts that I’ll be needing. And then I compress it down. Now, if you’ve never used a compression cube, it just has an additional zipper that lets everything zip down into its tightest form possible. Next up, I’m rolling my pants, my shorts. I’ll put this into the larger size compression cube along with my bathing suit. And then I’ll get some of those nicer shirts on top. And then I’ll zip it down and then hit the compression zipper again. As you see, just a couple of clothing articles left. So, I’ll get the remainder of those into this final mediumsiz cube. This is the one that’s got the backside that’s perfect for laundry. I’ll go ahead and put in those washies, packets, some of my laundry items as well. And get that compression zipper going. Again, this has got the two sets. So, as you can see, I’ll put the towel as well as my Scotty best jacket behind. And everything is packed up. And now it’s ready to go into the Aerojet. I really like the fact that this had a customized set of compression cubes. So, for $85 additional dollars, you can get that five piece set and I had to finagle it a little bit, but eventually got it to go in nicely. You can see the shoe bag. You can see the medium, the large, getting everything in order. Again, you’re going to want a little bit of trial and error. So, you’re going to want to test it out. I did love this toiletry bag. It’s quartiz. It held everything I possibly needed. And if I had to take it out for security, it was nice and easy to take it out. So, as I continue to get things organized, there it is. I can now start using those outside mesh pockets for my cords, my medicine, all of those items that I recommended you bring. I’ve now got it folded up and I can use that external pocket for my water bottle. Put my passports and things. We’ll get that into the back into that RFID protected pocket. There’s an additional laptop pocket sleeve. And I’m putting things that that I need quick access to in the top front. But there you go. I love that exterior pocket. I’ve got everything packed up. We are good to go. So, we’ll wrap up this video with my final thoughts on packing for Europe. All right. Well, there you have it. That’s my list of things that you need in order to have a perfect carry on only trip to Europe, but now it’s your turn. Tell me in the comments section below, what did I forget or what did I pack that you just thought was crazy. All right, if you found this video to be helpful at all, I’d ask for two different things. First, like and subscribe. It’s free. It’ll help the channel. Next, if you decide to order any of the items that we had listed today, take a look at the description. I’ve linked to companies like Ibex Wool, Gossamer Gear, Packs Safe, even some of the more niche things that you’ll find maybe only on Amazon. But if you use those links, you might qualify for some exclusive discounts. It’ll help save you some money and it’ll help the channel. But hey, in the meantime, I am the OCD Traveler reminding you to plan, travel, and repeat. Take care, everybody.

✈️ Stop! Don’t pack for your Europe trip until you see this.

I just packed for 10 days in Europe — all in one carry-on backpack. In this video, I walk you through exactly what I brought, how I packed it, and why this setup worked in real travel conditions (no checked bags, no excess gear).

Whether you’re planning a minimalist trip in Summer 2025 or just want to travel smarter and lighter, this is your complete Europe carry-on packing guide.

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🎒 FEATURED GEAR (Affiliate links — clicking helps support the channel!)

▶️ Backpacks & Packing Gear:

Gossamer Gear Aero Jet Travel Backpack: https://alnk.to/9bw58ky

Gossamer Gear Packing Cube Bundle: https://alnk.to/h6Ibh1L

PacSafe EXP45 (10% off w/ code OCDTRAVELER): https://alnk.to/h6Fjmau

PacSafe EXP45 (Amazon): https://amzn.to/4a7C8lO

PacSafe GO 44L (Anti-Theft): https://alnk.to/5ufLfEx

PacSafe GO 44L (Amazon): https://amzn.to/3xei5E9

Halfday Roamer Backpack (15% off): https://halfday.therave.co/H3CHIZ6P5WYM3FUQ

👕 Travel Clothing:

Ibex Merino Wool: https://alnk.to/dWexCpq

Ibex (Amazon): https://amzn.to/45nIKfZ

Western Rise (Amazon): https://amzn.to/4kWKVM4

SCOTTeVEST (Amazon): https://amzn.to/3IOv8l8

🔌 Chargers & Travel Adaptors:

CASETiFY Charger/Adaptor: https://amzn.to/4lRNGQe

CASETiFY Cable: https://amzn.to/3U1FIYy

🧼 Laundry & Travel Misc:

SinkSuds Travel Detergent: https://amzn.to/4535ssn

WashEZE Laundry Sheets: https://amzn.to/46vjqFV

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⏱ CHAPTERS
00:31 Choosing Your Carry-On
01:45 Gossamer Gear Aero Jet
03:05 Gossamer Gear Packing Cubes
03:44 What to Pack?
04:08 Specialized Travel Clothing
04:21 Ibex
05:07 Western Rise
05:36 SCOTTeVEST
06:18 Get the Right Shoes
06:50 Don’t Forget: Travel Adaptors
07:24 Don’t Forget: Rain Gear
07:39 Don’t Forget: Towel & Water Shoes
08:10 Don’t Forget: Laundry Items
09:00 Don’t Forget: Rx & Washcloths
10:14 Packing the Pods
11:32 Packing the Backpack
12:38 Final Thoughts