Anyone else travel with a backpack nearly everywhere you go? If so, what's in there?

Work laptop (although I use it as my personal laptop too)
Kindle
Bluetooth speaker (JBL clip 4)
Surface Pro 3
Folding mouse
Folding keyboard
prepaid envelope in case I forget to check my knife while flying
notepad and pen
Umbrella
Flashlight (Nitecore T4K)
craft hammer w/ flatheads in shaft
mini ratcheting screwdriver w/ bits
mini tape measure
130w usb-c charging block
10ft USB-C cable
short USB-C cable
adapters for everything
folding lockpicks
collapsible chopsticks
Folding Allen wrench set
sunglasses
passport
compressible shopping bag
20 Ah power bank w/ 65w output
Small folding drone and controller
Probably other things I'm not thinking of right now

Edit:

Koss Porta Pro headphones
500gb Samsung T7 touch external SSD
Surface Pen

prepaid envelope in case I forget to check my knife while flying

Doesn’t list knife. 🤔

Edit: it’s in one of your pant pockets isn’t it?
- It is indeed. Along with my Pixel Buds Pro and chapstick
you are ready for whatever comes your way!
- That's my goal! I like to be the guy that when someone needs something, they go "Oh, SaintWacko probably has it." And they're usually right!
Walking around with your passport is a dangerous game.
- If I managed to lose my backpack, my passport is one of the things I'd be least upset about losing
- Plot twist: I have two of them. Because of fear of losing it.
Tell us about your mini drone!
- It's an old DJI Mavic Mini! Great little drone, folds up small enough to fit in a coat pocket, but it's got about half an hour of battery life. It's one of those things I don't use very often, but when I do there's no substitute
I, too, am a real-life D&D character.
What bag you got?
- The main bag is older gen SwissGear USB ScanSmart backpack, and then in one of the pockets I have an Everki Venue bag that has the surface and its peripherals, the tools, the flashlight, bag, chopsticks, SSD, and charging stuff. It's nice because if I want something more compact I can pull out the Venue and still have almost all my stuff. What I'd really like to find is some sort of modular system, so instead of having bags inside bags I have multiple bags that hook together and I can combine them in different ways depending on what I need
Ah the Koss PortaPros! Excellent choice.

Two N95 face mask
An USB charger
Two USB cords a type C and a mini-B
A pen a pencil a very small notepad
A rigid sleeve for importants documents (actually the menu from a restaurant near my workplace )
A scarf, two gloves, a wollen cap
sunglasses
no-sun-glasses
cloth for cleaning glasses
plastic bags
flashlight

I hate having to put the labtop from work in here that bastard is heavy

You carrying my bag around? Hehe. I also keep a tablet, and a leash and collar for my dog.
- Oh that was that kind of collar…

Wait, is this something characteristic of the spectrum?

I love to take a backpack nearly everywhere with 1st basis supplies

It's a stability thing. The autistic brain tends to want a lot more structure around it. Unfortunately, life can often get in the way of this. A backpack can act as a "safety kit". You know you will always have critical resources to hand, and so are less stressed with unexpected changes.
- We think my son might have autism and trying to engage with the school and health services for a bit of support. So far no luck. Anyway, because of this we're learning a lot and I'm now starting to think perhaps I have a touch of it.
  
  I didn't know a backpack was a thing. I take mine everywhere. Last year I met a group of friends I haven't seen in years in a pub and I took my bag. They asked why do I have a bag. "It's got my stuff in it". They did enjoy trying my flash lights (I sometimes take two in case one runs out. It never has because they're regularly charged)
I think it's more common among us than NTs. Military veterans would probably be another group that has a high prevalence of backpack use.
I had no idea that was a thing. I used to take my backback everywhere to the point people asked me if I sold drugs. Apparently dealers often taken their backpacks everywhere cause of that. Eventually I forced myself to stop doing that, guess I was masking that too without knowing
- One of the dudes on Love on the Spectrum went on a first date with his backpack. But, he was a gentleman and carried it by hand on his side.

Cough drops
Ear plugs (a few here and there)
Microfibre cloth
a lucky charm
pocket-size tissue pack
an emergency $50 bill
an emergency snack
an emergency Linux install USB drive

These are stuff then generally stay in the bag between trips. Stuff like a water bottle I add before almost any long trip out.

An emergency Linux install USB drive?? In what scenario would you imagine you would need that?
- Probably one that can live boot and run right off of USB. There's a computer, you might be able to use it without knowing how to log on by booting from that stick. Now you might send/receive messages in a dire circumstance.
- A Frend getting tired of Windows /s

Never leave home without one. I’m always amazed others don’t do it as well.

I carry a 5.11 Rush 72. Uually there’s:

a camera; Fuji X-S20
contact lens cleaner and storage
small bicycle pump
2 sunglasses (Oakley M2 & Ray-Ban Wayfarer)
sunscreen during summer
floppy boonie hat during summer
one/two pocket knives
a single watch storage case, usually with a watch in it
a strip of blood pressure medication
two powdered ibuprofen painkillers
a bandaid or two
a pen

And there’s bound to be something like a roll of candy, a snack, a water bottle, etc in it at any given time.

I love those Wayfarers. I have a pair of Foldies (knock off brand that fold into a sort of little cube) in light blue. Polarized sunglasses are the best!
- They are excellent; very comfortable and always in fashion for those who care. My particular ones are non-polarized.
  
  The Oakleys I have ARE polarized, and for a lot of situations it’s really handy for sure. Great at cutting annoying reflections on water, allows you to see through glass with reflections, etc.

Lol. Read the title and started giggling. Family asks why I giggle, I tell them and they start laughing.

So yes. After losing everything, including the backpack I always have it with me. It's a hard rule - the moment I'm far from it, I need something from it.

The contents are pretty much everything I might need during an average day. Keys, vallet, medicines, a notebook and a pen, bandages, headphones, deodorant.

oh no!! losing that backpack must've been devastating 😩

i've been using the same backpack since 2001. i can't imagine losing it. it's part of my identity. if i don't have it with me, people ask about it.
- The worst was when it was stolen, while I was travelling, 3 hours before it was time to leave for the airport. Obviously my IDs, tickets, money, were all there.

Spare phone charger (USB battery pack before it turned into a pillow)
Micro-USB and USB-C data cables
Ethernet cable
32G USB drive:
- 8G partition with bootable Linux Mint (can you guess what I do for a living?)
- The rest is FAT32 storage
A cheap wireless mouse
Bluetooth earphones (currently Skullcandy Jib True)
Flashlight
Sunglasses
300ml bottle, even if empty
Several plastic bags
Bunch of rubber bands
Fork
Teaspoon
Toothpicks
A tacky collapsible cup
Tweezers (one with a sharp tip, one flat)
Ibuprofen
Photocopy of my medical insurance card
Sometimes an iFixit Essentials kit (not sponsored)

This excludes the content of my wallet.

Why is your piss bottle so small?
- I drink most of it immediately, no need for storage
32G USB drive: 8G partition with bootable Linux Mint (can you guess what I do for a living?) The rest is FAT32 storage

That you specified the partitioning is my favorite part 😆
- I could write a similar list about the flash drives I use at work or at home.
  
  32G stick mentioned above
  
  32G "Imaging" USB stick
  
  400M partition with a customized bootable Clonezilla:
  
  One boot entry that loads the OS to RAM, brings up an ethernet interface with DHCP, and mounts a Samba share to /home/partimag
  
  One that loads the OS and brings up a bash CLI (Clonezilla is basically Debian with extras)
  
  One that loads the OS and mounts:
  
  A second FAT32 partition that contains:
  
  A Debian 11 image
  
  A Linux Mint image
  
  A customized Ubuntu 22.04 VirtualBox OVA image
  
  2G "iHaxit" USB stick with a read-only switch
  
  MAS
  
  tron
  
  Utilities that Windows often marks as malware and tries to delete
  
  128G "Rescue"
  
  Bootable Windows recovery disk
  
  Plenty of space to save important documents before the subject computer is nuked
  
  32G "DO NOT USE" stick that I nuke and reformat for whatever purpose I need (not to be used for storage)
  
  ...plus a lot of optical disks with various Windows installers.

Change of clothes for my kid
couple of hair ties for kiddo
pouch (charging cables, blocks & headphones)
kindle
wet wipes
notebad & pen
medical bag (needle, emergency meds, bandaids Powerade packet) -powerbank
sometimes pocketknife (depending on pants worn)

Bonus: Cannon T7 with 24mm EF-S f/ 2.8 (when I’m feeling artsy)

That’s it i think.

chap stick
second pair of glasses in another color in case I need to match my clothes
wipes for glasses
noise canceling ear buds
a pen
meds
charged travel charger with solar cells for recharging
plug-in charger with cable
laptop with accessories: mouse, stylus pen, backup battery for pen, USB charger for back up battery (can't be too safe!)
hoodie
whatever else I may need for the specific occasion

Sunglasses

Phone charger

Chapstick

Deodorant

Perfume

Glasses wipes

Lighter

Kleenexes

Hand sanitizer

Passport

Pens

Scarf

Sweater

Socks

Notebook

Binder

Work apron

Extra water bottle

Sunscreen

A metric fuck ton of receipts

Gum

A metric fuck ton of receipts

I feel this in my soul
What's up with the receipts?
- Too lazy to clean them out. One goes in every time I buy groceries, and I only get rid of them when I clean the backpack every month or so (or when I lose my name tag).

In my backpack:

0.75L Water bottle + a smaller one if I'm going far
Mechanical pencil, extra lead, eraser, notes and paper (all in one plastic folder thing)
Usually my laptop and charger
Headphones
USB power adapter
USB-C cable (for The Phone)
Earplugs
Multi-tool (Leatherman wave+)
Hand sanitizer, multi-purpose cleaner (in a tiny spray bottle),
Hand lotion, vaseline, sunscreen
Tote bag
Bicycle tire hand pump (usually travel by bike)
Extra inner tube
Tire changing tool
Extra bicycle lights
MicroUSB cable (for the lights)
Gaffer tape, gauze, disinfecting wipes (and whatever else is in my first aid kit)
Nalaxone (seen one too many OD's)
Small powerful magnet (emergency access through some electronically locked doors)
Condoms (as if; emergency water storage lol)
Permanent markers
A Pen

In my various pockets:

Facial tissues/paper towel
Two more bicycle lights
Cheap folding knife w/ window breaker and seatbelt cutter
The Phone
The Wallet
All weather notepad
Another pen
Funny shaped Rock (and Stone) that I play with if I get nervous

Why so many bicycle lights?
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_D44PHUbIE
- Not all the places I go have lighted streets, so I want to be prepared in case one dies or is lost.

I like this question, yes I travel with a backpack.

vape liquid
coil making kit, sisors, cotton, stainless steel wire, hobby wire snippers
18650 battery's
backup headphones
tissues
a drink
wallet and intern physical cash
jacket/jumper
hat
USB c charger and cable
3 usb 32gb sticks, ventoy, films
pocket knife
bird seeds

I used to carry some general purpose rope but I dont do that now lol

I really should bring bird seed around with me. There are some friendly crows that I'd like to be friendly with.
- I always thought I should try this but I have a vague memory of something I read about corvids. If you befriend them they’ll following you home, waiting for more and if you stop providing they might start being aggressive towards you.
  
  Like I said this is just a vague memory and I have nothing to back it up. If someone has information about it being wrong, please share.
Bird seeds is an excellent idea. Got a thing for pigeons.

Lets see..

My work bag has:

Laptop/charger
Faraday pouch w/ work phone and badge
Water bottle (covered in stickers)
Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, moustache wax, deoderant, and ADHD meds in case I forget them before leaving for work
Chapstick
Handwarmers
Charging cables
Pen and notepad
Backup protein bar
Mini first aid kit
Fidget toy (begleri)

My personal bag gets repacked regularly depending on the outing, but typically has items from the above list plus:

Multitool/iFixit toolkit
Meshtastic radio node
BTECH radio handset
Solar battery bank
Steam Deck, type-C hub, HDMI and Ethernet cables
Flash drive w/ Ventoy, Linux disk images, and PC repair utilities.
Portable hard drive w/ media
Bluetooth keyboard

Are the meds in rx bottles? Don't want the police to think you just have speed on you.
- Of course. Work would kick me to the curb if they caught me bringing unlicensed meds into the office. XD

Flashlight (off)

Lighter (10/100 Butane)

makeshift hammer

makeshift crowbar

pocket knife

smartphone (UPS) (80/100 Battery)

whistle

needs a screwdriver made from a chunk of steel and some tape and its perfect

USB power bank
multi-tip charging/data cable (C/micro-B/Lightning)
bandages
ibuprofen
nail trimmer
small Maglite
tiny tin of petroleum jelly (I dont like chap-skick)
reusable silverware + chopsticks
iPad Pro 10.5 & pencil
Samsung Note 8 +512GB card (for music, podcasts, notes, OTG storage)
headphones (Moondrop Chu2)
pen & pencil
sewing kit in a tiny mint tin
Dirtywave M8 music tracker (my current obsession)
Leatherman Juice Pro + Victorinox eyeglass screwdriver
Leatherman Squirt S4
cotton bandana & eyeglass cloth
combination USB-A/C microSD card reader
elastic band(s)
OM System LS-P5 field recorder
aux cable

I'm sure there's more I've forgotten but there is a cat on me so I am unable to move until he leaves. Sorry, I dont make the rules.

Basic first aid or MacGyver first aid stuff.. Multi tool... Nail clipper kit.. Few pens... Lockpick set... tablet... And... A spare charger cable... .. Also my work keys and badge..

I think that it...

Do you practice with the lock pick set? Been thinking about getting into it.
- Yeah I just have a couple locks in my backpack that I practice and okay with when I'm waiting for stuff.
How often do you end up using the lock pick set?
- Not often. Honestly I just carry a couple locks to practice with when I'm bored and waiting for something.

I chose a purse over a backpack.

Vape juice and battery charger
Hank of paracord
Basic Swiss Army knife
Napkins (also in various and multiple pockets, I always have napkins).
Plasticware, chopsticks, condiment packets (whatever is extra from carry-out)
OBD2 Bluetooth code reader
Headlamp
Medicine (prescription and OTC)
Gum
Eyeglasses screwdriver
Charging cords (I have a couple of large batteries, but I don't always carry those)
Pen
Jersey gloves
Ear plugs, cheap and individually wrapped, because I ride a motorcycle and will hand them out, and my son is a musician and has friends over and I make it rain earplugs.

I got panniers for my bike and ever since I have gone off wearing a backpack. I use a tote bag now if im not cycling. Backpacks make my back sweaty.

Backpacks make my back sweaty.

Yeah, I get that. But...they also squeeze you 😀

Not on a spectrum I believe, but I can't leave my house without a backpack holding:

A universal charger with a splitting cord for all popular connectors, a powerbank.
Two pocket knives and one or two boxcutters\scalpels with exchangeable blades.
0.5-1L of water.
Usual medications against head, stomack pain.
Snacks and a fork\spoon.
A book for leisure, a e-ink book and a notebook.
A black marker and various pens.
A rope I can use to carry multiple things.
Carabins for the same reason.
More usual options like plastic bags.
Spare lighters and a flashlight.
A copy of my ID to access services.
Headphones and reflective glasses to turn off the surroundings when I need it.

Surprisingly, all of them came up handy in different contexts. Guess, just walking with all these things is a little training.

What's in the bag? 😟 What was in the baaag??? 🥺 What's in the bag? 😭 WHAT'S IN THE FUCKING BAG?! 😡🔫

I use a Maxpedition Prepared Citizen Deluxe backpack. It looks like a JanSport, but it has a bunch of internal pockets. I added extra pouches and velcro pockets, made my own zipper pulls, and modified the straps.

I've gone a little overboard with the contents. Really need to reduce the weight. I've got a couple multitools in there, first aid kit, tourniquet, class III backpack armor, meds and snacks, Flipper Zero, earbuds, magnifying glass, charger cables, batteries, hygiene kit, pens and journal, a couple flashlights, water bottle with a filter, beard brush, and hidden cash.

Haha, aaaabsolutely. I have:

My portable game console (Retroid Pocket 3+).
My cable pouch (need a charger for a 20 year old iPod? I got you fam. HDMI? No worries. USB micro B? All good. For some reason I hate being caught out without the right cable).
My 60w UGREEN Gan USB A/USB C charger.
At the moment, the book I'm reading (Relativity Visualized).
My journal. I don't write in it every day but sporadically.
My medication.
Battery bank.
Laptop (ThinkPad T480).
Deodorant.
Hair wax.
Toothbrush.
A pen.
My home and work keys with tag trackers on each and a multi tool on my home keys.
External SSD.
Umbrella.
Ear plugs.
Contigo go cup.
A lighter.

Headphones, phone and wallet stay in my pocket.

Ooh, deodorant is a good idea!

Related question: what size backpack do y'all use? Every time I find a good one I start adding more stuff and then I want a bigger one to fit more 😭

mine is around this size with 3 compartments: large/main, medium/middle, & small front pocket.
I can't remember if mine is 32 or 35 litres. It's a good size. Not too small and not too big, but big enough to shove a bit of shopping in. There have been a few times I needed a bigger one but it's a decent trade off for practically.
I stick with ~30 liters. I can put my usual stuff and have place for some groceries.

I like backpacks as they are convenient to carry my stuffs.

a tote bag
USB-C charger
headphone case
ANC earphones
Airpods for extensive walks
Earplugs
aluminum water bottle
pen
permanent marker
knife, fork, and spoon
paper napkin
paracetamol
paper

Caffeine, melatonin and different painkillers. A book, my ID and priority card, a water bottle. And if I'm traveling I add an external battery and cables, a console. I also tried to put in my comfort food but it's chocolate and it melt.

trauma kit

tourniquet

clotting agent impregnated gauze

a couple chest seals

trauma sheers

small OTC pharmacy
sun screen
lactose pills for friends
booboo kit
tampons and pads for friends
Armytek Zippy keychain flashlight
a couple 5 ah phone batteries so I can give one away if I need to
tool kit

tailor's measuring tape

long titanium spoon

sharpening stone

tweezers

small amount of silicone lube (squeaky things annoy me)

tape

zip ties

Leatherman wave +

Leatherman bit kit

3 inch titanium cressent wrench

compact titanium combination socket and bit wrench

paper and 2 in one sharpie

lighter

backup dog poop bags

doc bronners soap

small sewing kit

wet wipes
cord cut in convenient lengths
spare socks
seasonal accessories (sun hat, merino neck tube, knit glommits)
cotton bandana
check in case I forget to bring one when I pay rent
plastic reusable bag if I need to carry more stuff than my bag's expanding pouch can hold
single wall stainless steel water bottle
fig bar
chocolate covered almonds
pepper gel
emergency debit card in case I forgot my wallet
small folding opinel knife for food
spray bottle full of alcohol
3x magnification monocular for bird watching
little pouch to keep dry leftovers in
a couple kn95s with different strap styles since some of my friends like the ones that go on your ears

All of that fits in a 9 liter Poler Hip N Bindle

Now this is how it should be !

I love the combination of preparation for both your own needs and that of others :3

Yup.

Usually have a bottle of water, sun glasses, umbrella (yeah both, the Uk is wild), tablets, weed, cigs, grinder, keys, pen, and headphones.

ANC headphones, ANC earbuds, wax earplugs, foam earplugs, silicone earplugs, Loop earplugs <-- yeah this autism thing really should've been clear a lot earlier in life
Laptop, 2x 20Ah 100W power bank, 10Ah power bank, GoPro
Travel adapter, spare watch charger, 2x 3m USB-C cable
Half a pharmacy "just in case"

Yes, and I'll include other items I carry on my walker as well: Steam Deck Battery Packs for phones/devices no less then 4 two way radios Ham radio gear Charger cables for everything I own. A change of clothes baby wipes Medication My other wallet. note takeing stuff a laptop? (Sometimes) TI-83+ Graphing Calculator (Gotta have my trusty old guy) Kindle EPI Pens Water Bottle Snacks Other stuff I probably forgot.

I use to, then people started to stuff my bag with their shit, so I stopped.

Normally it would hold something warm,some liquid, a portable speaker, and a notepad.

Depending on where I'm actually going it would slightly change.

Omg you guys are my people! I had no idea this was an autism thing.

I go everywhere with a backpack containing:

Laptop
Charger
Phone charger
2 TB hard drive
Cord adapter
Earplugs
First aid kit
Moleskin patches
Hi-vis vest
Wet wipes
old iPod
Pencil sharpener
Daily planner
Diary
Pencil case containing colored pens for my color-coded planner, ink fineliners in various thickness, pencils and brush pen
Water bottle
Emergency meds
Current book
Sewing kit
Umbrella
Extra pads
Shopping bag

I also wear a fanny pack containing:

Smaller wet wipe packs
Narcan
Multitool
Pens
Dried tinder conk fungus and a pack of matches in case I need emergency tinder
Fentanyl test strips
Earbuds
Portable battery to charge my phone with
Carabiner
Bus passes for two different states
Hair ties
Pen flashlight

Given that I have scoliosis, I do occasionally leave the house without the backpack because I guess not being in pain matters a little....

I only travel with a backpack when taking my bike (which is most of the time I'm going anywhere other than across the street) and I just have my bike lock in it (it's more for bringing stuff from the store home). But seeing some of these other responses, that's likely to change.

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