Essential Hosteling Accessories

That's me, Sputnik, at the Valley Hostel in Lauterbrunnen,
Switzerland, where I went during the summer 2010.

As I’ve mentioned previously, my dad and I spent a month touring western Europe last summer. We were on a budget, so we stayed mostly in hostels, with the occasional small hotel or B&B thrown in the mix. Here’s a list of items we brought and found immensely helpful, and a few items we wish we’d packed.

Sleep sack. Some hostels will require you to rent sheets, or might not have any at all. And then, of course, there are the hostels with questionable cleanliness. A sleep sack will keep you clean under the covers. You can get cotton sacks, or splurge and get silk, which are much lighter and smaller. Check out the Sea to Summit collection ($26.95-$64.95, www.rei.com).

The lightweight Jetlag Alarm Clock
takes up barely any room in your
pack. (Courtesy A+R)

Portable alarm clock. You don’t want to miss the sights (or your train)! Pack a lightweight one to save space. Try the Travel Alarm Clock (Rick Steves, $15.95) or Sam Hecht’s Jetlag Alarm Clock (www.aplusrstore.com, $40).

Ear plugs. Every hosteller has stories about snoring bunkmates or drunk and stumbling spring breakers. Unless you sleep as deep as the Mariana Trench, you’ll be glad to have these on hand. You might also want to pick up a sleep mask for the same reason.

A good paperback. Not only does a good book help pass the time, but many hostels have book exchanges, so when you’re done with the one you bring, you can choose another one. A book that somehow involves your destination is a nice choice.

Headset. No one wants to hear the other side of your Skype conversation. Get a lightweight, USB headset, complete with a microphone, to easily voice- and video-chat over the internet. Try the super lightweight Freetalk hands-free device, which also helps to cancel out that background hostel noise (shop.skype.com, $49.88). Jade also recommends the Skullcandy line of headsets (skullcandy.com).

Deck of cards. You don’t need to speak the same language to connect over a card game. It’s also a great diversion if you’re stuck inside or outside your hostel during lock-in or lock-out hours.

The FlexiLock allows you to
secure your belongings.
(Rick Steves' Travel Store)

Combination lock. Most hostels have lockers of some sort, but often they require you to supply your own lock. A combination lock is better, because then you don’t have to worry about misplacing a key. When hostelling, though, make sure to keep the really important stuff (passport, credit cards, big bills) in a money belt, and keep that money belt on you at all times, even when you sleep! I like the FlexiLock, which has a flexible cable, allowing you to secure your stuff in lockers, on trains and elsewhere (Rick Steves, $9.95).

Netbook. If you’ve got the space, a netbook (smaller and lighter than a regular laptop) will be immensely useful. You can Skype, Facebook and e-mail, and you can also use it to confirm hostel reservations, check museum hours or catch up on the news. In my experience, most hostels have internet, and if they don’t, they can recommend a nearby internet café. Since there’s no way to protect your stuff fully while hostelling, don’t invest in expensive or attractive-looking netbooks (or really, any technology).

Clothesline. Dry out hand-washed laundry or wet clothes overnight using a packable clothesline. You can get some that have clips attached (like REI’s Hang-up Clothesline, $9.50) or with braided elastic, so you can stretch it and hold clothes in place (Travel Clothesline, Rick Steves, $9.95). Also pick up detergent, like Tide Liquid Detergent Travel Sink Packs, with just enough soap to wash a few clothes in the sink.

If you can think of any other essentials, mention them in the comments!

-- Sputnik