So you’ve been accepted to the WR and you are now frantically asking what do I need? I know before I left 10 months ago, I was freaking out trying to figure out exactly what to get.
This is MY opinion; keep that in mind. Remember that routes do look differently with each Race. With that being said, this is what I strongly recommend you get for your Race:
The Big Item: The BACKPACK!
Here are my thoughts: personally, if I did the Race again, I would 100% opt for the rolling duffle instead of an internal frame backpack.
Why: on MY route, we did no hiking at all, our longest walk with our bags was roughly 1/4 mile. With that being said, I would much rather have had a rolling duffle. It would have been much easier to carry around, easier to pack and unpack, much handier to “live out of” and more logical than a backpack.
If you do want to go for a backpack, I was very pleased with my Osprey Aether 70L pack. I wouldn’t go under the 70L mark.
TENT: This is your decision, but if you have the option to get the MSR Hubba Hubba, go for it! I absolutely love this tent. It is super easy to put up and take down, it’s the right size for you and your pack, and it’s super lightweight. It is pricey, but I think well worth the cost. Be sure to pick up the compatible footprint no matter which tent you decide to buy.
SLEEPING BAG: Don’t bother. Once again, your route is not my route, so you always stand the chance of getting re-routed to Russia in winter, BUT the trend tends to be that all WR routes are now formed with most (if not all) months in HOT countries. I had 11 straight months of summer. I recognized that I wouldn’t be needing my sleeping bag in my 2nd month, and shipped it home. A sleeping bag adds a lot of extra weight and takes up a ton of space in your bag. Unless you really think you’ll need one, I would take my chances. Besides, if you do find yourself needing one, you can find them for sale in most any country you will be visiting (I saw sleeping bags for sale in all 3 African countries I visited). Opt for a high-quality sleeping bag liner instead.
SLEEPING BAG LINER: This is where you need to choose wisely (assuming you took my advice and avoided bringing a bulky unnecessary bag). I would HIGHLY recommend The Sea to Summit Reactor Thermolite. This beauty weighs just 9 ounces, packs to the size of an orange, and will give you 15 degrees of warmth (the perfect amount for what you’ll need in these hot countries) in case of a chilly night. It is worth every penny. I absolutely love this thing, and would tell every racer to replace a bag with this great liner.
SLEEPING PAD: I am a huge fan of Therm-a-Rest brand pads. They are self-inflating, thin but still comfortable, and most of all DURABLE. You are going to want a durable liner for your Race. They offer mattresses that resemble pool floats in design… they tend to get holes easily; I would opt for the models with a more resistant material. These are super easy to wash with warm soapy water and dry in under 10 minutes (in case of a tent-flood).
PILLOW:The Compressible Therm-a-Rest Pillow is your best bet here. I would opt for the Medium or Large, though a medium worked fine for me. These are super comfortable, won’t carry smells from sweat (this will be a constant) and are easily washable. Make sure to have a carabiner on your day-pack, for we almost always have this pillow strapped on it.
TOILETRIES: Do NOT bring extra toiletries of any kind. Bring a toothbrush and your razor and enough shampoo/shower gel for 3-4 days. Toiletries are available EVERYWHERE around the world, AND your WR budget includes a monthly stipend to buy them. Why weigh down your pack and take up valuable space with something you can buy anywhere you will be sent, and for much cheaper, I would add. Guys: Western branded razor blades (Mach3, Fusion, etc) are sold everywhere and they are much cheaper internationally.
TOWEL: You will definitely want to get a pack towel. They are pricey, but don’t get stingy in this area. I used a Sea to Summit Tek Towel all year and it is still holding up great. I would get a Large or X-Large and consider getting two. They do get quite smelly and will need to be washed weekly.
CLOTHING: I don’t know what the current WR packing list says, but I know the one I received told us (guys) to have dress clothes and a tie. I never encountered a country where this was necessary. As long as you have a polo shirt and a nice looking pair of jeans or even shorts (some places) you will be fine in church settings.
WARDROBE: The dry-fit T shirts at Target are perfect for the Race. I would get 3-4 of them, as well as bring a couple of cotton T shirts you wear at home. Bring a pair of blue jeans (don’t ditch them early on…as the Race goes on you will wear them more). I brought a pair of Arcteryx shorts which worked phenomenally and I picked up a pair of Greg Norman khaki shorts in Malaysia after I realized the dry-fit material in golf apparel is ideal for the Race. As a general rule of thumb, get dry-fit clothing you would wear normally, and stick to the kind of clothes you wear at home. I would stay away from loading up on the zip-off outdoorsy stuff. I would recommend bringing a couple pairs of mesh basketball shorts, and it’s a good idea to bring a rain jacket.
SHOES: 9 out of 10 Racers will go buy a pair of Chacos. The other 1 will buy a pair of Tevas. Unless you wear these on a normal basis at home, I wouldn’t waste your money. The trend on my squad after the first month was that most Chacos were either given away or sent home (almost always from people who bought them solely for the Race) and most everybody was wearing flip-flops and tennis shoes. My choice: my 4-year old Rainbow sandals and my Asics tennis shoes. Contrary to what you might be imagining, the Race rarely involves cross- training and mountain climbing.
OTHER LITTLE ITEMS YOU WILL WANT TO BRING
HEADLAMP: This is a must. I would opt for a pricier model from an outdoor store versus the cheaper models usually hanging by the register at Walmart. You will end up using this thing a LOT and you want to make sure it will last. Things to remember when buying one: does it use traditional batteries (AAA or AA; these are found everywhere)? Stay away from 9V and button-cell operating lamps. If you will be reading from good old-fashioned books, you will benefit from a lamp with an optional Red lens setting. I did all my reading on my iTouch, so I didn’t go with the red option. I would choose LED over traditional bulbs as well. I went with the Black Diamond Spot and loved it.
TRAVEL ADAPTER: This is what you want to get. Don’t ask questions, just get it. It is the smallest, handiest, and easiest-to-use adapter out there. It will fit any outlet you come across. You do NOT need a voltage converter. Do not let anyone talk you into bringing one. You will never need it and it will take up precious space in your bag, not t mention add a lot of weight.
Targus World Power Travel Adapter
READING ON THE RACE: I discovered the best way to read on the Race was on my iPod Touch. I downloaded to Kindle app and downloaded books whenever I needed something else to read. Titles will go around the squad and there will be favorites that everyone reads. It helps if you can simply download it; remember…books take up so much space and weigh a lot. If you can adjust to it, I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend using your iTouch, iPhone, iPad, Droid, etc. to read on your Race.
**With that being said, some more thoughts on the iPod Touch (if you have an iPhone same applies…bring it!)
Wi-fi is everywhere. It is super handy to check emails, put up facebook statuses, and text (Google Voice; Get it) when you have your iTouch in your pocket. I would not opt for an iTouch in lieu of a netbook/laptop, but if you have the choice, you will be glad you brought it along!
COMPUTER:Bring one! I used a netbook and it worked out fine. One word of caution: If you are a Windows user, be sure to have anti-virus software running. I didn’t have anti-virus software (used to my MacBook back home) and month 7 my netbook picked up a virus from another Racer (data sticks, external HD’s, and memory cards get passed around daily) which completely destroyed the machine. Luckily, I was able to find a missionary that installed Linux and saved my computer.
**ONE FINAL NOTE**
Sharpie your name onto EVERYTHING you bring on the Race. You will be traveling and living with at least 10 other people that have the exact same item you have; prevent trouble and label all your stuff before you leave home.
