10 Backpacking Hostel Travel Essentials

Whether you travel alone or with someone backpacking and staying at hostels is an experience everyone should have and the best way to travel. To be sure you have the best experience you need to be prepared with the basic essentials. These are 10 backpacking travel items that I have found to be essential when I travel and they will help you have the best backpacking travel experience.

1.) Sleep sheet - A must for hosteling a sleep sheet, sometimes called a sleep sack, is usually required at most hostels. A sleep sheet is similar to a sleeping bag but thin like a sheet and often has a pillow case at the top. To save money you can even make your own sleep sheet.

2.) Ear plugs - If you are a light sleeper these are essential backpacking from hostel to hostel. Hostels are filled with travelers just like you, not everyone keeps the same hours or even if they do everyone's sleep habits are different, for example some people snore.

3.) Padlocks - Some Hostels offer lockers to keep your travel valuables safe when you are away from the hostel. They don't supply locks so you need to bring your own combination padlock to lock anything you want safe but don't want to carry around town during the day. You can even bring a key padlock but a combination lock is be easier so you wont have a key to lose. Though, you do still have to remember the combination you set. Also, sturdy TSA approved luggage locks to help deter pick pockets during your travel.

4.) Flip flops - Good hostels are kept very clean but it is still good to keep a little extra caution cause you will be using the same shower that many other travelers use. I always bring flip flops and wear them in the shower and they are wonderful to have when just walking back in forth in the hostel when you are all settle and just need to slip shoes on for a quick trip out of your room.

5.) Zip lock bags - Zip lock bags are great to hold your toiletries and things to prevent spills when traveling but they also come in handy for many things, including organizing small items, while backpacking. They are a must to hold dirty laundry until you can get around to doing your laundry at the next hostel. A zip-lock bag can be great to separate dirty shoes from clean ones. I always bring a couple extra bags for anything thing that may come about. They are always handy to have.

6.) Small flashlight - You can't go wrong bringing a little flashlight. I have found a lot of hostels to have reading lights by each bed but I have also found that some don't. Whether they do or not a flashlight can come in handy for so many things, including middle of the night rucksack rambling to avoid turning on the room light and waking your fellow travelers.

7.) Pack towel - Hostels don't often provide towels so bringing your own is necessary but you're better off bringing a pack towel rather than a regular towel from home. A pack towel is made with absorbent, quick dry material that is perfect for traveling.

8.) Eye mask - If you are a sensitive sleeper an eye mask could come in handy. Staying in a room filled with other travelers on occasion you may come across a night when a fellow traveler pops in in the middle of the night forgetting hostel etiquette and turning on the light while you are trying to sleep. An eye mask and those handy ear plugs could help you continue sleeping like a baby.

9.) First aid supplies - A few band-aids can come in handy when traveling and if your an herbalist like me making and bringing an herbal travel kit is a must. A minor slip and fall in Morocco made me very happy I brought my kit and cinched it as essential for now on.

10.) Hosteling International card - If you are backpacking throughout the U.S.A a Hosteling International membership is beyond essential if you want to stay at the best hostels. Don't count out the membership out if you are traveling overseas. Hosteling International may not run the hostels outside the U.S. but they do have agreements with some foreign hostels and the membership can get you great discounts on hostels and attractions while you are overseas.