Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

Hey friends!

In two weeks, I’m leaving to backpack three continents for nine months on the World Race. I probably have more than I need for less than $500! I will be posting an updating packing list of what I actually used in several months. Here are my biggest tips and my packing list!

 

  1. The “you get what you pay for” principle does not apply here. Dupes can be just as good as the expensive option. Don’t buy anything full price. Buying secondhand is a lot of fun to search for exactly what you want, for a lower price and good quality.

  2. Do you. You’ve heard that every race is different, but even people on my squad are bringing a lot of different things. Do what keeps your stress level down. If it makes you feel better to bring something or just because it’ll bring you joy even if you don’t absolutely need it, bring it! Malls stress me out, so I  really only online-shopped for the majority of my stuff. I say don’t buy anything full price, but don’t stress yourself out the week before Launch. I have a policy that if I need something that first week of September, I’m walking into Target and buying it.

  3. Research. Find out what works best for all types of racers and backpackers, and don’t buy things as soon as you think you’ll need it. Six months ago, I was ready to buy a pair of zip-off hiking pants and would never bring jeans on the race, but I’m really glad my I changed my mind.

  4. Borrow!!! You probably know someone who has been on the Race, and their pack (or their squadmate’s) is probably just collecting dust in their closet. I borrowed my pack from my Dad, and a Chromebook from a wonderful alum.

  5. Don’t buy anything from REI. Don’t do it.

  6. THE. DOLLAR. STORE. I have a whole list of things I got at the dollar store below.

  7. Amazon Warehouse and prime points

    1. Down at the bottom under the description of an Amazon product, a blue line is highlighted with new and used from $… Click on it. The “Used- Like New” condition is just stuff people have returned to Amazon and it costs a few bucks cheaper. Or you can search something and choose the “Amazon Warehouse’ category. This has probably saved me $50.

    2. Prime points! If you have a Prime account, get an Amazon debit card and get points back for any purchase you make, in or out of Amazon. I have applied these at checkout and have saved about $100.

  8. Gear

    1. World Race Buy and Sell on Facebook Marketplace is a group of current and alum racers who sell a lot of great stuff.

    2. Ebay might feel sketchy, but it’s the jackpot for name brands for cheap. If you’re not feeling wholesale, you can select “US Only” to refine your search.

  9. Clothes

    1. Play it safe on the dress code.

    2. Buy what you don’t normally wear after training camp. You don’t need absolutely everything for training camp, so wait and see if you’ll really want it or use it then.

    3. ThredUp, Swap, and Poshmark are my favorite online thrift stores. On ThredUp and Swap, you can put clothes in your cart and pay only one shipping fee, but ThreUp doesn’t have a men’s section. For Poshmark, you have to pay shipping on every item that comes from a different seller, but you can find literally anything on there.

    4. H&M Divided is a blessing from above. Super cheap, basic, quality clothes. Plus, they are working towards sustainable fashion, and are starting with their “Conscious” line. They even have ‘jersey tube scarves’ which you can cut to be knock-off buffs. I got mine for $4.

    5. Sale!! Keep an eye out for sales! Why pay $10 when you could pay 3? This also good when you’re buying new underwear, because that ended up getting surprisingly expensive.

    6. Hand-me-downs! A lot of my clothes have come from my mom and my sister-in-law. This is also a fun way for your broke friends to support you, by giving you some clothes that they don’t wear anymore. It’s a lot of fun to wear something that makes you think of someone you love.

    7. Return what you don’t pack!! I probably wasted $50 by buying things that I ended up not needing or liking enough to bring.

  10. Medications

    1. For some reason, vitamins really add up, so open up a pharmacy membership card and watch for BOGO sales.

  11. Visa pictures

You can get 4 at Costco for $6!! Even at pharmacies, 2 pictures can cost at least $15.

 

Now here is generally how much I paid for my gear. Unless specified, it was from Amazon.

 

  1. $30 or less

    1. Tent (Get one made for backpacking. I got a Yodo one, and I really like it.)

    2. Sleeping bag (Also get one that packs down really small. It’s worth it.)

    3. Sleeping mat

    4. Hammock (Bear Butt is an AWESOME Eno dupe. I love my $24 super soft and strong double-nester.)

    5. Daypack. Most brains of packs detach, so you could use that instead, but I wanted to be able to carry my ukulele and pillow.

  2. $20 or less

    1. Compression sack

    2. 4-pack of Essential Oils from Rite Aid ($14)

    3. Packing cubes

    4. Airporter (search packable duffle bag)

  3. $10 or less

    1. Bug net

    2. Luggage Scale

    3. Outlet Adaptor

    4. Portable battery

    5. 2-pack of Apple earbuds (I got 2)

    6. Headlamp

    7. Footprint for tent, if yours doesn’t come with one (search packable tarp.)

    8. A set of 2 pillowcases (one on my pillow, one as a laundry bag.) Target clearance.

    9. Flash drives (I got 2, one for movies and books, and the other to act as a hard drive.)

    10. A chrystal deodorant stick that should last a year. It was actually cheaper at Walgreens, and saved me about $20 from buying enough deodorant for the whole nine months.

    11. Memory foam insoles for my used running shoes.

    12. Sarongs (used a pashmina one as a towel and a cotton one as a sheet.) I got these at a thrift store for $2 each, but they’re $10 on Amazon.

    13. 4-pack of silicone toothbrush covers

  4. $5 or less

    1. Almost all individual pieces of clothing, from thrift stores or clearance sales.

    2. Eye mask

    3. Carabiners and key rings (20 for $5)

    4. Jewelry. I got little things from Amazon and H&M.

    5. Spork. After training camp, no one on my squad was bringing their whole mess kit, and I decided not to even bring my spork.

    6. Tin mug

    7. Bamboo toothbrush from Harris Tetter.

  5. Everything I got from the Dollar Store

    1. Travel-size toiletries

    2. Paracord (just burn the ends)

    3. Journal

    4. Pens. I’ve gotten felt tip and ballpoint, and they work really well.

    5. Sunscreen

    6. Hand sanitizer

    7. Safety razor and extra blades (don’t pack this in a carry on, but it’s DEFINITELY worth the buy; they last absolutely forever and are really small)

    8. Nail polish

    9. 3-pack of microfiber skin exfoliators. One side is like a loofah, and the other is microfiber, which also can take off makeup.

    10. Body spray and cologne

    11. Travel containers for toiletries, jewelry, etc.

    12. Sunglasses

    13. Gum

    14. Contact cases

    15. Sharpie and washi tape (for labeling everything)

    16. Bobby pins

    17. Hair ties

    18. A pack of two travel bottles, a steri-pod, a tiny jar, and a loofah

    19. Playing cards

  6. What I already had

    1. Jeans

    2. Chacos

    3. Rain jacket

    4. Swimsuit

    5. Socks

    6. Spandex shorts

    7. Bandana

    8. Scrunchie

    9. Ukulele

    10. Power strip

    11. Headlamp

    12. 1 pair of earbuds

    13. Water bottle

    14. Pillow

  7. What I borrowed

    1. Pack

    2. Sleeping bag

    3. Airporter

    4. Chromebook

    5. Tin mug

    6. Infuser for loose tea or coffee

    7. Headlamp

    8. Dress

    9. Light sweater

 

Finally, my Packing List

 

Daypack

  • Chromebook and charger

  • Portable battery and charger

  • Phone and charger

  • Earbuds

  • 2 flash drives

  • Journal

  • Pens

  • Light sweater

  • Rain jacket

  • Gum

  • Hair bands

  • Bobby pins

  • Eye drops

  • Chapstick

  • Hand sanitizer

  • Wallet

  • Sunglasses

  • 7-day pill organizer

  • Travel bottle of assorted pills (refilled from “extras”)

  • Envelope of copies of vaccinations, insurance, prescriptions, picture for visas and my passport. (1 of each)

  • Light sweater

  • Rain jacket

  • Water bottle

Pack

20-liter Compression sack

  • Tent

  • Footprint

  • Bug net

  • Sleeping bag

  • Hammock

  • Pashmina sarong (towel)

  • Cotton sarong (sheet)

Clothes- one large packing cube. This generally applies to everyone!

  • 4 short sleeve shirts

  • 2 tank tops

  • 2 basketball shorts (cultural dress code, y’all)

  • Jeans

  • Lightweight, comfortable pants

  • 2 nicer shirts or outfits. I am taking 2 dresses; one tank and one short-sleeve.

  • 1 swimsuit

  • Light sweater (in my daypack)

  • Rain jacket (same)

  • Nikes, but a lot of people on my squad prefer Vans or Converse.

  • Chacos (or Tevas). If you bring jandals, I’d bring one of these two as well.

Small bag

  • 15 pairs of underwear

  • 2 pairs of regular athletic socks

  • 1 pair of crew socks

  • Spandex shorts

  • 2 bralettes

  • 2 sports bras

  • 3 buffs (time to grow out the pixie cut)

  • Bandana

  • Scrunchie

15 toiletries

  • Toothbrush with silicone cover

  • Castille soap (used as toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, face wash, etc.)

  • Face moisturizer

  • Face exfoliator

  • Tweezers

  • Clippers

  • Safety pin

  • Razor

  • Travel bottle of perfume

  • Travel bottle of contact solution

  • Contact case

  • Menstrual cup

  • Deodorant

  • Mascara

  • Eyebrow pencil

My “extras” in a small packing cube

  • 12 ounce bottle of contact solution. Plus the three ounce travel bottle, I think this will last me nine months.

  • Perfume

  • Prescription medications for nine months. I consolidated all my medications and vitamins since the bottles took up a lot of room.

  • Multivitamins

  • Probiotics

  • Vitamin C

  • Melatonin

  • Aleve

  • Tums

  • Year supply of contacts

  • Ukulele strings

  • 3 extra pairs of earbuds

  • Nail polish

  • Ziplock of copies of vaccinations, insurance, prescriptions, individual pictures for visas, and my passport. (3 of each)

Another little bag

  • Paracord

  • Headlamp

  • Carabiners and key rings

  • Luggage scale

  • Pens

  • Sunscreen

  • Outlet adaptor

  • Prescription glasses

  • Essential oils

  • Infuser- for coffee and tea

  • Jewelry (in tiny jar from the dollar store)

  • Eye mask

  • Earplugs

  • Playing cards

Miscellaneous

  • Ukulele

  • Airporter

  • Tent poles

  • Power strip

  • Tin mug

  • Stuffed elephant (my baby brothers have matching ones)

  • Pillow

 

Please comment below any questions or suggestions!! Happy Packing!

Love,

Kate