Thank you to all my supporters who have encouraged, donated, and given their time toward the World Race! I only have $2,176 left until I am fully funded! I could not have made it this far without you.
Without further ado, here is the answer to the golden question: “What do you pack?” Here is a video and a packing list to explain it all!
Video Link: https://youtu.be/1OSEt3pGBfY
***NOTE: I am not taking everything on this list, but some of these things are helpful suggestions or ideas given to me from other racers. Hopefully this helps the next generation of World Racers!
Gear:
Osprey Ariel 65 L Hiking Backpack – The newer Ospreys offer an Anti gravity system to keep the pack from smothering your back. They will be indicated in the description with an AG.
Osprey Daypack 20-25 L Or Eddie Bauer Daypack 25 L
Coleman Sleeping Bag
Homemade sleeping bag liner – A friend of mine sewed a sheet together and it works great! Plus it saves you $30
ProLite Self Inflating Sleeping Pad – You need to go to REI and try them out before you commit.
REI Dash 2 Tent – Because who doesn’t like a freestanding tent that weighs only 2 lbs?
Hammock and Hammock Straps
2 Compression Sacks – one 5 Liter, one 10 Liter. I wanted to separate my sleeping bag and tent, but if you want to put it all together they should fit in a 16 Liter sack. It’s possible you may need an even smaller compression sack for the tent (Some places sell 2.5 liter sacks).
Sea to Summit Duffel Air Porter – It seems pricey, but it also double as a rain cover so you end up saving a little bit of money.
Sea to Summit Collapsible Bowl
Spork
Lifestraw – I used my LifeStraw Month 2 because the water tasted like a swimming, but eventually I got used to the taste. So far have not found any other use for it.
Eagle Creek Pack It Compression Cubes – GET THEM. DO IT. Make sure you get the Compression Cubes and not the regular Pack it System.
Eagle Creek Pack It Compression Bag – Great for Compressing Fleece, Flannels, and Jackets.
LifeSystems Mosquito UltraNet – Impregnated mosquito nets are the way to go. I also reccomend checking out ENO hammock nets.
Extra Stuff Sacks – Only if you LOVE organizing.
Toiletry Bag – I found one on Amazon that was deep and wide. It has organized a lot of my little things and can hang from doors and nails. It’s about $10 and can be found here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y9FYI7S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Water Bottle – Make sure it’s easy to clean and doesn’t store bacteria in hard-to-reach areas. Your water bottle WILL smell bad on the race. You can also pick up a water bottle cleaning tablets at REI if you are not good at washing dishes 😉
Clothing:
Think about doing Capsule Clothing: Choose 3 pretty colors and 3 neutral colors to coordinate your outfits:
Workout Clothes:
2 Dry fit Shirts
1 Regular Tee
2 Pairs of Basketball Shorts
1 Pair of Loose Cotton Capris
Pants:
3 Pairs of Columbia Shorts – A must if you’re going to Central America. I wish I would have had these during my time there. I invested in shorts at Sears that went down to the knees and they were way too hot.
3 Pairs of Cotton or Satin Pants – Harem Pants can be found all over Etsy. I have 2 patterned and one plain black. I actually recommend doing only one patterned pant. Make sure they match all the colors in your capsule!
Skirts:
2 ankle length Wrap Skirts – One of mine is a neutral brown, the other is patterned skirt.
Dresses:
1 midi jersey dress – Can double as a skirt by putting a shirt on top of it, make sure it is light weight and has sleeves! I chose a black one.
Shirts:
3 sleeveless top – Great for lounging.
3-5 lightweight sleeved tees – Plain colors work great, but it’s okay to have a patterned one, too (make sure it matches all your capsule colors). I chose black, brown, grey, mint green, and purple. The lighter weight they are, the better.
Cardigan:
1 patterned cardigan kimono – Good for dressing up any outfit.
Undergarments:
Underwear – If you’re active, pack as much as humanly possible. You may even pack some brand new underwear to open halfway through the race.
Sports Bras – Bring at least 4 Sport and 1 normal. I also have a sport that can double as a normal bra.
Bralette – For lounging and sleeping. Can double as a normal bra in most situations.
6-8 Socks
Hat or Baseball Cap – I don’t recommend packable wide brimmed hats. They don’t unpack nicely and look beat up when you take them out.
Shoes:
Chacos
Merrell Pace Trail Runners
Sanduk Flip Flops – (Can find at Burlington Coat Factory for $12-$20)
Flats (Optional)
Flip Flops (Also Optional, but great for hostel showers)
Laundry Accessories:
Laundry Powder and Dryer Sheets – Bring these to training camp for sure! On the Race, you can find laundry powder everywhere.
Tide To Go
Laundry Mesh Sack – A must for Dirty Clothes, especially during travel days
Wash Bin – One of the girls on my team brought a packable one to training camp and we loved her for it.
Outfit Accessories:
Jewelry – Choose cheap and light stuff. You can also get compact organizers that are small and have 9 separated squares. These will keep everything from getting knotted. You can also buy jewelry along the way when you get to the field.
Watch – Yes.
Jewelry Repair Kit – For times when big pliers can’t fix everything. My squad mates have loved me for this one.
Headband – Gotta keep them stray hairs back.
Toiletries:
On your basics, pack enough for 10 Days worth.
Basics:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Soap
- Toothbrush
- Toothbrush Holder
- Toothpaste
- Listerine
Other:
- Olay Facial Wipes – Infused by water so they are lighter to carry
- Biodegradable face wipes AND baby wipes
- Hairbrush
- Comb – Also consider bringing a Lice comb and Lice Shampoo
- Nail Clippers
- Tweezers
- Nail File and Nail Polish – If you’re into that.
- Contact Lenses – Enough for the year. Air Optix 1 month contacts are the brand I use. Your eye doctor may discuss the daily contacts. MAKE SURE YOU TRY THEM FIRST. They were too dry for me and would take up too much room, but my squad mates love them.
- Contact Solution – 2-3 bottles. If you’re going to Asia, you will be able to pick some up easily.
- Contact Cases – Make sure you change them every 3 months.
- Glasses
- Glasses Case
- Lens Cleaner and Cloth
- A couple rolls of camper’s toilet paper
- Poo-Pourri – You can never be too prepared. This will last about 3-4 months with the 8 oz, but it’s well worth it. Choose your months wisely.
- Razors – The 5 blade ones last a very long time. You can save room by purchasing the kinds that have blade cartridges.
- Make Up – I felt led to leave this at home. But there are days where you want to feel pretty, so this may come in handy.
- Unbreakable Mirror
- Hairties
- Bobby Pins
- Feminine Products – Enough for 4 months. Some women on my team went with Menstrual Cups. Definitely not my style but if you like them, they save a ton of room in your pack. Also consider bringing feminine wipes.
Preparation for the Outdoors:
- Sunscreen
- BugSpray
- Off Wipes – Easy to get through an airport and always handy. The OFF Botanicals worked super well!
- Carbolic Germicidal Soap – Also another way to ward off mosquitos, but it smells very bad.
- Aloecaine Burn Gel – Black Tea is also a great method for taking the burn out of sunburn. I am very pale, so I used every bit of my aloe Month 1 and 2.
Medical Supplies:
- Medical Adventures Kit at REI – Has all the fixin’s.
- Extra bandaids
- Extra Antibiotic Ointment
- After Bite Cream – Pretty sure I used a whole bottle at training camp.
- Doxycycline – Malaria Meds
- TUMS
- Coke Syrup – This is not joke! It’s another way to ward off tummy aches. Other cultures have the original recipe of Coca Cola, and it has amazing healing properties for your stomach. If you get a tummy ache, find the nearest Coke.
- Probiotics – Take these even when you’re in the states! They are amazing! They really helped when I had an upset stomach.
- Lice Shampoo and Comb – (As mentioned earlier)
- Sinus Meds – A must even for training camp and on the field.
- NyQuil – Also a must for training camp and on the field.
- Ibuprofen
- Benadryl – This is super useful when you have too many bug bites and can’t fall asleep…
Tools:
Leatherman Multi Pocket Tool – They have travel friendly ones that are super lightweight!
Electronics:
Worldwide Universal Wall Adapter – Can get an all in one on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073SWNH4G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Extension Cord – I found a small one (also on Amazon) at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y5MLVRJ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Smarty Pants Phone – I have an iPhone 7, but any old smartphone will do. This is handy for taking pictures and storing them. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the iPhone 7 because there is not an audio jack and you have to bring their special headphones or a small adapter that can get lost easily. My teammate has the Samsung Side note, you can pick up extra glass screen protectors for $4 at Ross. Also, if you want to go on the race without a phone, power to ya.
Headphones – I’m bringing 3 pairs. Can also pick these up at Ross for super cheap.
Headphone Splitters
External Hard Drive – Great for storing ebooks and photos.
Acer Chromebook – MacBooks work great, too. I love my Chromebook because it’s cheap, 1 lb, and stores everything in the Google Drive. Contrary to popular belief, it does have offline capabilities! If it ever got lost or stolen, I also wouldn’t be heartbroken because I paid $90 for a brand new one.
Computer Charger
Camera
Camera Charger
Extra Camera Memory Card
iHome Bluetooth Speaker – Yes.
Runner’s Armband for Phones – Even great for lounging
Any adapters you may need.
Waterproof Bags – I put my electronics in these. They were found at Gander mountain, but there are several other options at outdoor stores.
For the Artists:
Guitar – I chose the Cordoba Mini at Guitar Center. I bought it used and then got Pro Coverage. They will replace the guitar if it is lost, stolen, or damaged.
Gig Book – Sometimes you forget chords to your favorite song. Write them down in a little notepad that is lightweight and doesn’t take up too much room.
Pocket Trumpet – Yes I’m considering this. Lightweight, compact, and something that Latin America will love.
USB Condenser Mic – If you like overdubbing your voice or making part tracks. Can also use recording apps on your phone.
Two Sided Markers or Water Color Markers
Colorful Sharpies
Fat, Black Sharpies – For everyday use.
Pens
Reading and Music:
- Bible
- Journal
- ebooks
- Spotify Premium – Only $10 a month and you can listen offline.
Safety Precaution Items:
- Uncuttable Body Purse – Very safe. They also have some that are RDIF protected.
- RDIF Protection Cases – You can get these at REI for your Credit Cards. They keep you from getting your identity stolen.
Honorable Mentions:
Frisbee – Because Ultimate Frisbee can be a universal language.
Sewing Kit – A must for mosquito net repairs.
Yoga Block – Really great for those of us with back problems. You have options – regular yoga block or the 3 minute egg block. I would test them both out and see what works for you.
SLEEPING MASK AND EARPLUGS – Bring them to camp, too!!!
Vegetable Peeler
Documentation:
- Copies of your Passport – ALWAYS. Take this on outings instead of your passport
- 6 Extra Passport Pictures – About $30 at FedEx
- Proof of Yellow Fever – I would honestly do copies of this, too
- Power of Attorney Proof – Both General and Medical
- Credit Cards – I went with Barclay, others have gone with Charles Schwab. Neither charge an international fee, which is great.
- Handy Wallet– for all your documentation
Anybody else have suggestions?
I’m sure I will be adding to and taking away from this list quite a bit in the coming months. I hope this helps you future racers! Be sure to check out my video and remember, distribute weight in your pack evenly and put the heavy stuff toward the bottom-middle!
