So you’re going on the World Race, huh? Let me begin by saying something real clear. I’ll even say it loudly for the people in the back!
DO NOT STRESS ABOUT WHAT YOU PACK FOR THE WR. YOUR GEAR IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT, AND YOU WILL BE OK.
I was told this, and I didn’t listen. I was too caught up in the hype and anxiety leading up to Training Camp and Launch. But I wish I would’ve listened and calmed the heck down.
You should focus more on preparing your heart than preparing your pack.
Anything that you truly NEED you will be able to find in the countries on your route. Or you’ll borrow your teammate’s. Or your host will bless you abundantly. You’ll be taken care of.
All that to say, PACKING CAN STILL BE FUN. And being prepared is still a good thing 😉
It’s Month 11, and I’ve dropped and picked up a lot of things along the way. Climates and cultural appropriateness have fluctuated along with what I carry. But here’s my rendition of a WR Packing List:
THE BIG STUFF:
- Pack. Mine is a Gregory Women’s Amber 60 L. It’s endured with little-to-no wear and tear this whole time. I can load it from the top as well as unzip the whole front. Lotsa pockets. I’m a big fan. Also, GET AN AIRPORTER for all those travel dayz. Mine is a Sea to Summit and allows me to still wear it as a backpack. Size Large is advised (so you can stuff last-minutes items in!).
**I will be really honest and beg you not to buy a pack that is larger than 60L. I wish mine was smaller sometimes, but I also have plenty of room for my belongings. Even if you are mentally prepared to carry a larger pack, you have to consider the weight. Most airlines will make you pay an additional fee if your bag exceeds 50 LB or 23 KG, and many of my squadmates have had to re-evaluate things before boarding!**
- Daypack. I have a 20L collapsable Eddie Bauer backpack that I LOVE. Barely fits my laptop or giant water bottles, BUT it’s held up this whole time and helps me avoid buying unnecessary things that won’t fit lol. I use it almost every day. Plus, I already had it before the race.
- Sleeping Bag. Mine is nothing fancy lol I think it’s Coleman? In my opinion, brand doesn’t matter too much here. YOU SHOULD GET A STUFF SACK FOR IT THOUGH. Make that thing as tiny as possible. Also look at your route as well as what seasons you’ll be in. You don’t need a super warm sleeping bag for those summer nights in Africa 😉
- Sleeping Pad. OK. I messed up here. I ordered like a $30 one from Amazon, and it got a hole within the first 4 months. However, I can sleep pretty much anywhere AND have been super fortunate to have a real bed 9 of the 11 months (“real bed” does not equal “comfortable bed” lol but still a blessing!). I recommend that you venture out to your nearest REI and literally lay on different sleeping pads in the middle of the store. NO SHAME. You gotta find what’s comfortable for YOU!
- Tent. I’d recommend a 2-person tent because, ya know, your pack is the size of a small person. I used my tent every single day of training camp and then only a couple days of the whole race! But I have squadmates who have had to whip theirs out a handful of times. Lightweight is KEY here, people. This will probably be the heaviest thing you carry, so keep that in mind!
CLOTHING:
**this is what I currently have with me at the end of my race**
- 9 shirts -2 long sleeve, 2 tank tops, 5 short sleeve
- Sweatshirt and a flannel
- 3 pairs of shorts – 1 athletic, 2 “normal”
- 1 dress
- 1 maxi skirt
- 1 pair of leggings
- 1 pair jeans
- 1 pair of “flowy” pants 🙂
- swimsuit
- LOTSA underwear (bring as many as you can!)
- 3 pairs of socks
- 3 sports bras
- 3 pairs of shoes-tennis shoes, birks, and chacos.
- a beanie and baseball hat
- $3 slippers from Nepal
- rain jacket
- sunnies
- scarf (I’m lookin’ at you, India + Nepal!).
**A few notes about clothes: RESEARCH YOUR ROUTE AND DA WEATHER. We went from “hot as heck, wear as few clothes as possible” Botswana to winter in Nepal (I was very glad to have my beanie, a long sleeve, and flannel!). We’ve been by the ocean a handful of times so my swimsuit has been vital! ALSO, bring clothes that you like (but maybe don’t love) and that you feel cute in. Being a Racer does not mean that you have to feel grungy every day for almost a year. Nope. Especially ending the race in Europe, I want to feel like a normal human being and blend in as well as possible. And free tables!! You will swap SO MANY articles of clothing with your squadmates. And you will be buying new clothes throughout the race, no doubt about it.
ALL OTHER RANDOM THINGS (LOL):
- Reusable water bottle. Brand does not matter. Bring one that you already like using at home and that’ll hold enough fluid ounces to keep you hydrated!! I started the race with a Camelback, threw it away Month 4 after an intense build-up of dirt in the mouthpiece (ew!), bought a aluminum one at a convenience store in Botswana, threw that away in Month 8 after a lingering smell of mildew, and I’ve since just been buying plastic water bottles and re-filling them. I have friends who have Nalgenes who LOVE them. I have friends who have Hydroflasks who LOVE them. Bring what works for you!
- Head lamp. (for situations when simply using your phone light would be irresponsible haha).
- Laptop. I have not regretted having mine with me a moment. In my opinion, it’s so much easier to write blogs, send emails, etc. on a physical laptop as opposed to a tablet or your phone. Also, doing logistics for the squad is a whole lot easier this way too 🙂 Also team movie nights. Is it the heaviest thing in my day pack on travel days? Absolutely. But I’m sure glad I’ve had it.
- Towel. I started the race with a $5 beach towel from Target that I didn’t feel a need to replace until Month 6 (bc I found an IKEA!). Most of my squad brought microfiber travel towels that have almost all been thrown away…lemme be the first to tell you that they get smelly real fast and don’t actually dry you off that well!
- Contact solution. I know I said that you can find everything you NEED abroad…however, contact solution is hella expensive!! I started off with two large bottles and a travel size and am v glad I did.
- Baby wipes. Because toilet paper is NOT universal.
- Outlet Converter. Outlets also aren’t universally the same. Make sure you find one that will covert voltage as well (or you may accidentally electrocute yourself!). I’d also recommend one that has a few USB ports in it too. Sometimes the house you’re living in only has one available outlet and ya got a whole team needing to plug shtuff in! And while you’re at it, bring a portable charger. It’ll be your lifesaver on travel days.
- Portable speaker. For team worship and movie nights. For jammin’ while you do manual labor. Because life without music is sad.
Ok. So. Is this everything I’ve had with me throughout this whole journey? Nope. But to reiterate my point from the beginning, you’re gonna be just fine. Bring what you’ll use. Don’t focus too much on being 110% prepared for any and every situation. Living abroad is like living at home except, well, you carry all of your belongings on your back.
Allow Papa to use you. And He’ll provide all that you need. And if you have any questions AT ALL, please reach out to me! Always glad to discuss different brands or gear 🙂
Oh! And leave some room for some sweet souvenirs!
Your World Racer,
Katie
