Backpacking Europe Packing List [With Kids!]

We opted to backpack Europe and not bring suitcases for ease of moving. Since we would have 34 different stops on our trip, we wanted to be able travel quickly and lightly. Below we share our backpacking Europe packing list, how it went, what we do differently and the things we were so glad we brought with us!



This meant each person in our family of 6 would have a big backpack. Craig had a 46L Osprey Porter, Carson and I had the 44L Hynes Eagle , Melia, Cannon and Knox each had a 40L backpacks and a small electronics bag . Luckily we had a trial run when our family visited Israel with backpacks back in 2020. That was only for 12 nights though! Now we were going for 90+ days!



**It looks like the Hynes Eagle is in and out of stock in the 44L size on Amazon. This could be another good option: Bange weekender.



We would be in mostly warmer places – so we didn’t need any crazy winter gear. That helped! We also weren’t planning on doing anything fancy and if something like that did come up we would just go buy things if we needed to (we didn’t need to).



We also knew we were going to Europe where they would have pretty much anything we needed to buy. Luckily we didn’t need to buy a lot of things!



Backpack







Here we are backpacking during the Las Fallas Festival in Valencia, Spain,



After researching and looking at sizes we opted to go with the Hynes Eagle backpack for me and the kids. We chose the 44L for Carson and I and the 40L for the 3 younger kids. The bags came with lots of extra compartments and pockets.



The front extra pockets were super helpful. I kept the kids raincoats in there for easy access, which we did need unexpectedly a few times, so it was nice I didn’t have to dig through the whole bag to find them. I also put their hat and gloves in there for the same reason. The inside pockets we didn’t use much.



The 44L was a great size for me and I and actually ended up being bigger than what Carson needed for his clothes. But, let’s be honest he wore the same things almost every day in Europe so he didn’t need that many clothes.



Our daughter, on the other hand, who had the 40L really could have used the 44L . . . in the end Carson ended up carrying a few extra things in his bag that were actually Melia’s. Melia also bought a lot more clothes in Europe than any of the other kids. In the end it all worked out. But if we did it again I would get Melia the 44L bag.



Craig actually decided to get a completely different bag and went with the Osprey Porter 46 Travel Backpack.



Osprey Backpack



















Osprey Osprey 10002591 Prior Season Porter 46L Travel Backpack, Black, O/S

Zippered top pocket provides easy access to toiletries and liquids U-zip full panel zip access to main compartment






$211.53



Buy on Amazon









He has had Osprey bags in the past and really liked them. At this price point we weren’t going to buy them for everyone. It made sense for him to get one since he does a great job taking care of his things.



After using it for Israel and Europe he was very happy with the bag. It is a larger capacity at 46L, but doesn’t look like it since it compacts down really well with the compression straps. When wearing the bag it is designed to sit higher up on your back which was comfortable for him.



It is also nice since it converts to a handheld suitcase style that you can get 1 long strap for if you prefer that.



Here’s a nice video from One Bag Travels on how to pack the Osprey to maximize its space. Spoiler** The packing cubes I used are down below on this post.









Osprey Backpack Review



The one thing that was annoying about the bag is it tapers up towards the top so you lose some space when packing since it isn’t a perfect square like the Hynes Eagle packs. It also did not have a place to put a water bottle.



He also bought this Osprey daypack that can hook onto the Porter. However he never hooked it onto the backpack since the bag was already so heavy and instead wore the daypack on his chest with the big pack on his back.









Sale









Osprey Daylite Everyday Backpack, Black, One Size

Large panel loading main compartment provides accessibility to inside contents Dual stretch mesh side pockets provide additional storage options





$64.95
−$6.41

$58.54



Buy on Amazon









Overall he was very happy with the bag and will continue to use it.



Hynes Eagle Backpack



Here is the Hynes Eagle backpack the kids got in the 40L size. The younger kids were 10,10 and 7 when they used these bags in Israel and 12,12 and 10 when they used them in Europe.



















Hynes Eagle Travel Backpack 40L Flight Approved Carry on Backpack Men Large Cabin Weekender Laptop…

Versatile Roomy Compartments, carry on cabin backpack for men women has a large main compartment… Comfortable to Carry, hide-away contoured travel weekend backpack straps are well padded with air…










Buy on Amazon









These were the 44L bags that Carson and I got. Carson was 12 when he used it in Israel and 14 when he used it in Europe.



















Hynes Eagle 44L Carry on Backpack Travel Weekender Duffel Pack Flight Approved Compression Cabin Laptop Bag for 17 inches Navy Blue

New Version. This Travel Backpack adds a Laptop Sleeve (20.5 x 13.8 inches /52 x 35 cm), fits up 17” laptop. Product Specifications. The Carry on Luggage is made of waterproof nylon with frictionless zippers. Dimention: 52 x 35 x 23 cm /20.5 x 13.8 x 9.0 inches; Weight: 1.36 kg; Laptop Sleeve: 20.5 x 13.8 inches /52 x 35 cm; Capacity: 44L.










Buy on Amazon









It seems like the 44L Hynes Eagle is in and out of stock on Amazon. This could be another option:



















BANGE Weekender Carry-on Backpack,45L Expandable Travel Backpacks for Airplanes,Convertible Backpack…

【26-45L EXPANDABLE DESIGN】: Before extended is 26L, dimensions are 19.5x13x6.8inch; after… 【LARGE CAPACITY EASY TO CARRY-ON】:The backpack with many compartments, organization and…






$69.99



Buy on Amazon









Hynes Eagle Backpack Review



After 90 days traveling on multiple trains, airplanes and cars and moving about every 3 days – meaning the bag was opened and closed a lot. My overall review is these bags are great! There were a few rips on inside parts of the bag – mostly due to not being careful when packing and over packing.



I would have to lay on top of mine and Melia’s to get them to zip closed and the zippers held up the whole time!



I also liked that these bags could be pushed down and squeezed into places. Yet the outside material was very durable.



There were a few train rides where the bags would not fit overhead and we had to squeeze them by our feet. But in these cases the overhead area was so small it wouldn’t have mattered what size bag we had!



We only had one issue on a flight for the way home where they tried to tell me the bag was too big when I got to the gate and they were going to check it. I went back and removed some things from my bag, spread them out to the kids bags and really tightened down the straps and went back up and they said it would be fine.



Luckily they let me try and I was able to get it in the overhead bin with just a little push and a shove. Note that my bag was the same size as Craig and Carson, but depending on how you pack (or over pack) they can look like different sizes.



It was super helpful that they had compression straps on the side that you can buckle and really tighten to make the bag smaller. There was also an expander zipper you could open to make the bag bigger.



There was a pocket in the back of the bag for a computer. I felt it would have been quite the hassle to unzip it and get the computer out while traveling, so I opted to get a computer carry-on bag instead. I used that as my “purse” (I actually squeezed my purse in the bag) and 2nd carry on.



There was a water bottle pocket on the outside of the bag which was also helpful for the kids to put their water bottles in. We had each kid bring a water bottle with and this was super convenient.



In the end I would say these bags were perfect for our trip and I would use them again and again!



Electronics Bags For Kids



Funny thing is we bought these bags years ago when the kids were into Pokemon Go. They ended up working out great when we brought them to Israel so we figured we would use them for Europe too.



The kids put their iPads in here, chargers, cell phones, notebook, markers, and any little souvenirs they bought along the way.



They wore these on the front of their body with their backpack on their backs.



These bags worked well since they had a front part that could clip open and closed and they could easily fit a few extra things in there.



I am sure there are bags out there that would be better, but in the end these worked out great. The iPads (10 inch) had to be kind of squeezed in there and it just fit their big headphones , but we made it work.



In the end, one of the zippers totally broke on one of them. But with the extra clip section it was OK and could still hold everything in place.



Electronics bags:



















MOSISO Sling Backpack, Multipurpose Crossbody Shoulder Bag Travel Hiking Daypack, Black, Medium

Larger zippered compartment is compatible with iPad Pro 11 3rd M1 5G 2021,compatible with ipad Air… Dimensions: 15.3 x 7.5 x 3.5 inches (L x W x H). Smaller zippered one for phones, wallet or…






$22.99



Buy on Amazon









Carry On Bag



Craig was able to put his computer in his backpack and since he wasn’t planning on taking it out while traveling and it worked well just having it packed in there. For his 2nd carry on he went with a daypack that we would also use when we were out walking around the cities and exploring.



He opted for the Osprey Daylite . He wore this on his chest while he had the backpack on his back. While we were out and about he wore it on his back and it was nice since it was so compact and could fit 2 large water bottles.









Sale









Osprey Daylite Everyday Backpack, Black, One Size

Large panel loading main compartment provides accessibility to inside contents Dual stretch mesh side pockets provide additional storage options





$64.95
−$6.41

$58.54



Buy on Amazon









Note that when you add the water bottles on the side it does take up a lot of the room in the backpack. It was a tight squeeze for 6 of us, but we were able to fit all of our raincoats in there and the 2 water bottles.



If you like to have more space you may want to go with something a little bigger. But if you can swing it having something this compact and small and in turn not weighing a ton was a really smart choice. Once we got over being annoyed we couldn’t bring more things in it.



But also we almost never needed all the extra things we thought we should have brought. So . . . if you can make it work.



It also qualified as a personal item for flights, so that worked out well since we didn’t want to pay to check bags or a second carry on.



Computer Bag



For my personal item on flights (on the trains it didn’t matter how big or how much our luggage was), I went with a computer bag so I could easily access my computer to work while we were traveling. I knew we would have a lot of time on trains so wanted to be sure it was easy to get to.



This was a total last minute buy for me as I was just thinking it would go in my backpack. Then I started to really think through the logistics of being on the train! I am so glad I thought about it and got this bag.



I went as small as I thought I could go and still have room for everything I needed. In the end I definitely could have gone bigger. But again was glad this forced me to not accumulate a bunch of things on the trip and keep what I was carrying to as little as possible.



The bag worked out fine. Nothing special. But I did like that it had a zipper and side hook so I could lock the bag when I wanted to. It didn’t come with a lock but I bought one so I could easily lock it.



















MOSISO PU Leather Laptop Tote Bag for Women (17-17.3 inch), Gray

Internal Dimensions: 17.72 x 12 x 4.53 inches (L x W x H); External Dimensions: 18.11 x 12.6 x 4.53… Made of PU leather material, durable and fashion. Effectively protect your computer from accidental…






$47.99



Buy on Amazon









Purse



Originally I was thinking I would just go with a sling backpack for our trip and I would tuck it into the computer bag or my backpack when we were traveling. As I kept researching and talking to people I kept hearing about pickpockets in Europe. This made me nervous about having a backpack on my back where I couldn’t see it and couldn’t tell if someone was trying to get into it!



After going to Europe I saw a lot of people with backpacks on . . . so maybe it would be totally fine??



In the end a friend recommended a Travelon bag and I was hooked! With these bags you can “lock” all of the zipper pockets closed! Well not really lock but hook them closed so it is not easy to open them. My thought was this would replace having to wear a money belt.



I really liked having this bag and the functionality of it being able to “lock”. However about a month into our trip I went and bought a backpack when we were in Germany and ended up putting this bag in the backpack a lot of the time.



I did this since my shoulder started to get really sore from carrying the bag as we walked 5, 10, 15 miles a day! Granted the bag was stuffed full with our passports (we always had these with us), a first aid type of bag with band aids, Tylenol, cough drops, etc. My wallet/ fanny pack and a whole collection of masks for everyone. Plus my cell phone.









Sale









Travelon Anti-theft Heritage Crossbody Bag, Indigo

2 open top wall pockets and a tethered key clip with LED light Easy access, locking front zippered pocket





$60.00
−$4.15

$55.85



Buy on Amazon









When traveling I would squeeze this bag into the computer bag so I could get on the plane with just a carry on and a personal item. I couldn’t zip the computer bag closed, but no one ever questioned it. I just kept the computer bag tucked tight under my arm when we were boarding the plane.



In the end I was glad I got this bag and there were multiple times we were in a crowd of people and I was glad I had this bag with its “locking” ability.



There were times I told myself I wish I had gotten the slightly larger Travelon bag . On the other hand that would have made the bag even heavier as I am sure I would have put more in it!



What We Packed For 3 Months In Europe







Shoe bag – after walking all over Europe I knew we didn’t want our shoes touching our clothes in our bags! So got everyone 1 Shoe bag. Since we were each bringing 1 pair of running shoes and 1 pair of sandals 1 bag was plenty.









Sale









YAMIU Travel Shoe Bags Set of 4 Waterproof Nylon with Zipper for Men & Women, Black

【Great for travelling】Good design for home and travel use. Great for travelling, carrying shoes… 【2 Perfect Sizes of Choices】Set of 4, 2 standard sizes +2 X-Large sizes= Perfect size for both…





$21.99
−$7.00

$14.99



Buy on Amazon









Underwear/socks bag – we had extra shoe bags so each person got one of these to use for their underwear and socks bag. So that their underwear and socks didn’t end up all over their bag! It worked out well.



Packing Cubes – Craig got these Eagle Creek packing cubes because they fit perfectly in his Osprey pack. They’re very durable and are compression cubes so they pack down nicely.



















Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Compression Packing Cubes S/M – Durable, Ultra-Lightweight and…

SET INCLUDES two compression packing cubes for suitcases–all made with tough, lightweight silnylon… WATER-RESISTANT to protect all your travel essentials from the elements and from each other if need…






$39.33



Buy on Amazon









Laundry bag – Everyone got one of these laundry bags. This is where their dirty clothes would go between wash cycles. It worked out really well because the same amount of clothes stayed in everyone’s backpack and the dirty stuff was separate from the clean.









Sale









Kikkerland Travel-Size Laundry Bag, World Map, Multicolor

World map design travel-sized laundry bag Built-in pouch, inner loop and carabineer





$12.22
−$3.22

$9.00



Buy on Amazon









Toiletry bag – Everyone but Knox ended up with one of these in their bag to get all of the cosmetics, deodorant, oils, etc over to Europe that we wanted to bring. Melia also had her own for all her makeup and extra things she wanted to bring.



If you want tips on packing these check out: Tips For Packing Your TSA Approved Quart Size Bag.






















TSA Approved Clear Travel Toiletry Bag wih Zippers Carry-on Travel Accessories Quart Size Toiletries…

TSA APPROVED — Made of clear PVC fabric, WANDF toiletry bag strictly follows TSA 3-1-1 liquids… HIGH-QUALITY FABRIC & REINFORCED SEAMS — Utilized 0.6mm thick transparent PVC, WANDF transparent…






$11.99



Buy on Amazon









These worked out great and made it through our whole trip.



I also got this bag and put non liquid things like headbands, extra bandaids, etc in here for when we flew over. Once we were only doing trains and the liquids didn’t matter I moved my liquid stuff in here so I had a nice easy place to find all my personal things I wanted when getting ready.



I was really glad I did this. Or else my stuff was in multiple toiletry bags in different backpacks. Plus this was a much easier setup with the compartments for me to keep my stuff organized.



















JOWODETA Makeup Bag Travel Large Make up Case Organizer Cosmetic Bag Women Girls With Compartment…

MATERIAL: This makeup bag is made of PU leather and nylon lining. (Note: Cosmetic accessories are… SIZE: 9.84″x7.48″x4.72″/25CMx19CMx12CM(LxWxH)










Buy on Amazon









What Clothes To Pack







We went with 4 of everything and 10 underwear. In the end it wasn’t exactly 4 of everything, but it was pretty close.



Day to Day Clothes




4 t-shirts



10 underwear



4 long sleeve shirts



4 shorts



1 sweatshirt



4 pants



4 socks




We didn’t buy anything new or extra for these clothes. We just packed what everyone already had. I ended up with an extra sweatshirt and a few other things. But overall it was plenty! At the end of the trip I was still happy with what I was wearing and there really wasn’t anything I wish I had brought with me. The simplicity of only having these things with me was so nice!



I do highly recommend these pants. They aren’t expensive, are comfortable and held up well with all the walking. I brought 3 pairs of these with all black :).









Sale









CAMPSNAIL 4 Pack High Waisted Leggings for Women- Soft Tummy Control Slimming Yoga Pants for Workout…

BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK – 4 pack leggings all in one. Durable materials, Made for high intensity… HIGH RISE DESIGN – The high waisted leggings for women controls your tummy well and fits your body…





$30.99
−$3.00

$27.99