Best Low-Waste Travel Kit for Backpackers: Refillable Bottles, Collapsible Mug and More

Comparison table

Specs are from each maker's official product page, checked 23 Oct 2026.

Each item below replaces a disposable that backpackers buy again and again. We only use "plant-based" or "sustainable" where the maker publishes the material behind the claim.

humangear GoToob+: the refillable toiletry bottle

Best overall

humangear GoToob+

• ["Silicone tube and valve;

Best for: Refilling shampoo, soap and sunscreen instead of buying travel minis

Check price

The humangear GoToob+ is a soft silicone squeeze tube with a silicone valve and a polypropylene (#5 PP) cap and ID ring. It comes in three sizes: Small (1.7 fl oz), Medium (2.5 fl oz) and Large (3.4 fl oz). humangear says it's TSA-approved for carry-on, and the Large matches the common 100 ml liquids limit.

The detail that matters in a backpack is the LoopLock, which humangear says makes it the only travel bottle with a locking cap. humangear also says the bottle is BPA-free, phthalate-free and FDA food-safe.

Specs

• Silicone tube and valve; #5 PP cap and ID ring
• Small 1.7 fl oz (45 g), Medium 2.5 fl oz (50 g), Large 3.4 fl oz (65 g)
• LoopLock locking cap

What we like

• Decant from full-size bottles instead of buying minis
• Locking cap for squashed bags

Watch out

• The bigger GoToob+ XL isn't approved for carry-on, humangear says, so stick to the standard sizes for cabin bags

Who it's for: carry-on-only backpackers.

See the humangear GoToob+

Sea to Summit XLite Collapsible Mug: the flat-packing cup

Best for coffee on the go

Sea to Summit XLite Collapsible Mug

• 480 ml volume
• 60 g; packs flat to 10.1 x 10.1 x 2.1 cm
• Food-grade silicone body with glass-reinforced nylon base and rim

Best for: Skipping disposable cups at cafes, hostels and on trains

Check price

The Sea to Summit XLite Collapsible Mug holds 480 ml and folds down to 10.1 x 10.1 x 2.1 cm at 60 g, so it slips into a laptop sleeve or hip-belt pocket. The body is food-grade silicone with a glass-reinforced nylon base and rim.

Sea to Summit says its XLite dinnerware silicone is tested to EU and FDA food-grade standards and is heat resistant to 150°C, and that all its cookware and dinnerware is BPA-free and non-PFAS.

Specs

• 480 ml volume
• 60 g; packs flat to 10.1 x 10.1 x 2.1 cm
• Food-grade silicone body with glass-reinforced nylon base and rim

What we like

• A proper-sized mug that packs nearly flat
• Maker-published food-grade and non-PFAS materials

Watch out

• Sea to Summit says to hold it by the nylon rim with hot drinks
• At the time of checking, some colours were listed as out of stock on the official site

Who it's for: coffee and tea drinkers who want to skip paper cups.

See the Sea to Summit XLite Collapsible Mug

humangear GoBites Bio Uno: the plant-based spork

Best plant-based pick

humangear GoBites Bio Uno

• Bio-resin
• which humangear says is made from sustainably harvested crops
• 15 g; 165 x 40 mm

Best for: Street food and takeaway meals without plastic cutlery

Check price

The humangear GoBites Bio Uno is a single utensil with a fork at one end and a spoon at the other. It weighs 15 g and measures 165 x 40 mm.

This is the one pick in this guide where a maker backs a material claim. humangear says the Bio Uno is made from a bio-resin from sustainably harvested crops that don't compete with local food supplies and are watered by natural monsoons rather than intensive irrigation (humangear Bio). It's BPA-, PC- and phthalate-free, with humangear's lifetime warranty.

Specs

• Bio-resin, which humangear says is made from sustainably harvested crops
• 15 g; 165 x 40 mm
• Fork and spoon in one; spoon holds about 8.1 ml

What we like

• A published, specific material story rather than a vague "eco" label
• Lifetime warranty encourages keeping it for years

Watch out

• No knife end; humangear sells a separate knife, fork and spoon set in the same Bio range if you need one

Who it's for: backpackers who eat on the move and want to stop collecting plastic forks.

See the humangear GoBites Bio Uno

LuminAID PackLite Nova: the solar lantern that packs flat

Best battery-free light

LuminAID PackLite Nova Solar Lantern

• Up to 75 lumens; up to 24 hours runtime
• Solar recharge in 10-12 hours
• or by USB

Best for: Hostel dorms, campsites and power cuts without disposable batteries

Check price

The LuminAID PackLite Nova Solar Lantern isn't a solar panel — it's a light. It charges in the sun or by USB and stores the energy in a built-in battery for night use, so there are no disposable batteries to buy. It packs flat to 4.75 x 4.75 x 1.0 in, inflates into a 4.75-inch cube, and weighs 5 oz (original white model).

LuminAID lists five levels of white light, up to 75 lumens and up to 24 hours of runtime, with a solar recharge time of 10 to 12 hours.

Specs

• Up to 75 lumens; up to 24 hours runtime
• Solar recharge in 10-12 hours, or by USB
• 5 oz; packs flat to 4.75 x 4.75 x 1.0 in

What we like

• No batteries to buy or throw away
• LuminAID says it packs flat for storage or charging on the go

Watch out

• It doesn't charge phones; LuminAID's 2-in-1 Power Lantern models do
• LuminAID says not to charge it through windows, and charging takes longer under cloud
• It recharges over micro-USB, not USB-C

Who it's for: campers, hostel bunk readers and anyone travelling where power cuts are common.

See the LuminAID PackLite Nova Solar Lantern

How to choose a low-waste travel kit

• Start with what you throw away most. Travel minis every trip? Start with refillable bottles. Daily coffee? Start with the mug.
• Check the material claim. Look for makers that publish what the product is made of (silicone, PP, bio-resin) and what it's free of (BPA, phthalates, PFAS). Be wary of a bare "eco" label with no details.
• Mind the liquids rule. For carry-on, keep refillable bottles at or under 3.4 fl oz / 100 ml each.
• Buy once, keep for years. humangear's sustainability page makes the point that using a product for as long as possible is the single best thing a consumer can do for the planet.
• Pair it with the right cover and data. A low-waste kit won't help if you lose your bag or get sick. Look at backpacker-friendly cover such as SafetyWing in our travel insurance guide. A travel eSIM such as Airalo helps you find refill shops and water points (our travel eSIM guide).

Already carry a filter bottle? See our filter water bottle guide to cut out bottled water too.

Our verdict

If you only add one thing, make it the humangear GoToob+. It replaces the travel minis most backpackers buy every trip. Add the Sea to Summit XLite Collapsible Mug if you drink coffee on the move, and the humangear GoBites Bio Uno if you eat street food. The LuminAID PackLite Nova rounds off the kit with light that never needs new batteries.

Shop the kit: humangear GoToob+ · Sea to Summit XLite Collapsible Mug · humangear GoBites Bio Uno · LuminAID PackLite Nova Solar Lantern

FAQ