Current World Racers tend to have very different opinions about packing list blogs. Some say don’t read them at all, some say they obsessively stalked down every packing blog in existence.
I know that when I was getting ready for the race, I didn’t have a single clue where to begin, which is why I’m writing this. Tents? A how many liter pack? My advice would be skim through some but don’t completely depend on it! Everyone is as unique as his or her personality and so you can’t just copy and paste someone’s packing list in to your life. You also end up buying a lot and dropping a lot. That being said… I’m a month 11 racer and here’s my packing blog.
Words of advice: Don’t bring anything that you wouldn’t use at home. Yes sometimes you’re going to camp but you’re not camping for an entire year, you’re doing life. If you’re not a hat or headband person, don’t bring hats or headbands. Conversely, be realistic. I brought my favorite pair of boat shoes that I wore a grand total of 2 times; that’s just extra weight in my pack! Bring stuff that’s going to make you feel like you but try to think smart about it.
REI, Amazon, steepandcheap.com and EMS (or your local camping store) are your best friends. A lot of my squadmates were able to get super cheap things at REI garage sales or on their 4th of July sale so definitely check those out.
Equipment
Hiking Pack: While some people this far into the trip wish they would have just brought a duffel, sometimes you literally do hike to your ministry spot or across a border. For my hiking pack I brought the Osprey Ariel 65 Liter Women’s Pack. You really don’t need more than a 65-liter pack if you’re a girl. The more literage you buy, the more you’re going to pack. It’s held up really well (except for when I dragged the mesh part across concrete for ½ of a mile). I would definitely advise going to your local camping store to see which one fits you. The staff there will tell you how to adjust it to fit you so you’re not in pain when carrying it.
Daypack: I just got a Northface clearance backpack. It’s going to hold your electronics, bible, journals, external hard drive, stuff like that so it’s going to weigh anywhere from 20-30 lbs. One of my teammates recommends her Osprey Celeste. I recommend one that has a laptop pouch.
Tent: When I used my tent in my 11 months: Uganda: one night, Rwanda: month 1 debrief (a little under a week), India: tented inside the church all month, Nepal: one week in the mountains (We were also supposed tent in Nicaragua but it worked out that we got beds). 4/11 months I’ve had to use my tent. In Uganda and Nepal I shared my tent with a teammate but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bring a tent. Part of going on the World Race means being prepared for anything, including tenting if necessary. Some people sent their tents home after Nepal, which worked out for them, but I wouldn’t advise not bringing one at all. While we live together in community and everyone’s happy to help one another out, everyone needs to be responsible for themselves.
I bought the Marmot Tungsten 2p Tent. I would definitely go with a 2 person as you and all of your junk won’t fit very well in a 1 person. I really liked this one, although it’s not the most lightweight one you can get. The frame bows out and gives you extra corner room. A lot of people got the REI equivalent and it worked just fine for them. What ever you do make sure that you have a rain fly and a footprint.
*Also buy a compression sack for this. Check the literage you need. You’ll be amazed how far down it compresses.
Eno and straps: Hammocks are a great purchase! We had a lot of teamtimes in them. They’re a great place to relax.
Airporter: I bought the REI pack duffel. When I was reading packing lists, I saw a lot of bad reviews on the Osprey one. I’ve really liked mine (except for when I dragged it across concrete for ½ a mile…that will rip it. Don’t do that.) Whatever one you get, make sure it has the capacity for 70+ Liters. At this point on the race, my big pack goes in, then my sleeping pad, raincoat, travel pillow, basically anything I don’t want to carry in my daypack that’s not breakable. It’s great for when your bag is on top of a van for 8+hours. Make sure you but some colorful ribbon or duct tape on the handle so you know it’s your bag! Grey duffels start to blur together after a while.
Headlamp: You need this. All the cool kids have them. You’re going to need to hit the squatty at 3 in the morning and you don’t want to trip over your bag or the cat or the chicken. I bought a cheap clearance one and broke it month 3. There are a lot of popular brands like Petzl or Black Diamond. I picked up a Vitchelo month 7 in a free pile and that’s worked well.
Beds and stuff
Sleeping pad: Do NOT get the Exped Exped SynMat 7 Air Pad with Hand Pump. I thought the hand pump would be easier but I was wrong. I got the wide version of this. By month 6, the seams in the middle ripped and it was like a misshapen pool floaty; two other people on my squad had the same one and it happened to them right around the same time. When we had a layover in LAX, I went to REI and exchanged my defective pad for the REI women’s . As fate would have it, I haven’t had to use it yet. REI is fantastic with returns and if you have a membership they’re able to look up your old purchase. If you get a regular blow up sleeping pad, I would recommend some sort of air blow up bag. One of my teammates has one and it saves a ton of breath and energy. Once again, go into your local camping store and test it out! It may feel a little awkward lying on the sleeping pad with the associate waiting but it’s worth it to get the feel of it.
Pillow: I brought a Thermorest XL pillow. My teammate Carly recommends bringing a regular pillow but definitely a zip pillowcase. When that gets dirty you can just throw that into the wash, whereas my pillow is NASTY.
Sleeping Bag: Check your route (the weather conditions) and evaluate yourself. Except for Nepal, I could have gotten by with just my sleeping bag liner. I always run hot so I barely used my sleeping bag. However, I know that some of my teammates used theirs more, even when we had beds with sheets. Carly recommends the REI Women’s Flash if you can find it on sale; I think the majority of girls on our squad got this one. Word of advice: if you know you don’t like Mummy Sleeping Bags, don’t buy one! I think it’s a syndrome, World Race Shopping, when all of a sudden you’re convinced that you need this item or you’re not going to survive the race. Take a breath and don’t impulse buy!
*Also buy a compression sack for this. Check the literage for this. You’ll be amazed how far down it compresses.
Sleeping bag liner: I bought a cotton liner. You can wash it when it gets dirty rather than washing your whole sleeping bag. Normally on my sleeping pad I just used this.
Clothing and storage
Packing Cubes: All of my team agrees that we will be using these after the race.
I bought 2 large and one double sided, which was great for smelly clothes. You can buy different colors so you know bottoms are in green, tops in red, etc.
Clothing is the most variable thing on the trip. You’re going to drop a lot and you’re going to buy a ton (.75 cent dresses? Yes please!). Modesty is different in different countries. Assume that knees and shoulders are a no-no and be pleasantly surprised if they’re ok. *Bring a mesh bag for dirty laundry
Shirts: Brought 2 T-shirts, dropped 1. Brought 3 colored V-necks and one white, dropped the white (bring a black). Brought 3 tank tops (1 for sleep, 2 for wear), picked up 3. Brought a cute black sleeveless button up that’s gotten a lot of use. Brought two other “cute” shirts; one sent home one dropped. I also brought a cami that I haven’t worn much.
Pants/Skirts: Brought a maxi skirt from Target, picked up a black high-low long skirt month 1. Brought cotton capri and full length leggings, these have been my every day ministry pants. Brought some India type flowy pants that I dropped in Nepal. Brought jeans, dropped.
Dresses: Brought 0, picked up 5.
Underwear/Bras: Bring what you’re comfortable with. People talked about bringing exofficio underwear but at the end of the day you may be happier with your lacy Victoria’s Secret. I was. Bring 15+ pair, Carly brought 30. Hand washing is harder on them and it’s easier to have to do laundry less frequently. A lot of people like to put a couple pair in a plastic baggie until the ½ way point. I brought 2 sports bras and 2 regular bras. Just be aware that your weight is probably going to fluctuate. I’m writing this in my last week of the race and of my 2 regular bras the one is now too big and the underwire in the other just snapped. RIP. I still recommend them though.
Socks: I brought 3 pair and I think 4 would have been good. You’re going to reuse clothes before they’re completely dirty. When you’re doing manual labor for a week straight, those dirty socks can get a little dirtier.
Shoes: Chacos! People put up a fuss but they’re my everyday shoe on the race. Bring sneakers (I got a trail running shoe). Flip-flops (something sturdy like Rainbows) are good for when you don’t want to wear your chacos. I used my Chacos as shower shoes (I rarely did that), but some people prefer to have a cheap old navy type flip flop for that. I brought my boat shoes and ended up dropping them. They just weren’t world race practical.
Assorted: I bought a bikini in Thailand; a lot of people brought tankinis. Bring a raincoat and a sweater! A sweater is good for those times where you can’t show your shoulders but you still want to wear that cute dress.
Accessories: Bring what you like. Bring a watch that has an alarm and a glow function. I wear earrings every day so I brought those too. There are going to be days where you just want to feel pretty so bring some make up. Don’t bring your whole case but a little mascara or eyeliner never hurt anyone.
Toiletries
Quick dry towels are great. They may smell a bit after a while so just make sure to wash it. The only toiletries you really can’t find are tampons and stick deodorant. Your team supplies budget can cover shampoo and stuff. Bring your ibuprofen and Excedrin. Clinics are great and cheap for if you’re sick or get a rash, but regular pain relievers are harder to come by. Whether or not you’re a believer in essential oils, Tea Tree (for skin) and Peppermint (for headaches) will go a long way. Tums and Dramamine are great as well. I recommend bringing a hanging toiletry kit, like something that you could find at L.L. Bean. Bring a couple extra razor heads. Sunscreen is good. Some sort of body spray is nice because goodness knows you’re not always going to smell your best.
Electronics
Computer: This is pretty much an absolute must. One of my teammates broke her computer month 1 and it was a struggle for her. I think you could get by without one but blogging, movie watching, iTunes, saving photos off of a camera, etc. definitely make having one worth it. I personally brought my 13 inch MacBook Pro (circa 2011 with a disk drive). While my teammates say it weighs a million pounds (it definitely does weigh more than a MacBook Air), I’ve appreciated having 2 usb ports and a disk drive. MacBook Airs are totally great. Apple is better at finding and maintaining wifi (sorry teammates with PC) but just bring whatever laptop you have. Make sure you have a plastic case on it.
Kindle: If you’re a reader please bring this! I bought the Paperwhite before I left and it’s one of the best decisions that I’ve made. The battery life is incredible and there’s so much down time when you’ll be able to plow through books. An interesting thing about the race is it makes your concept of “sharing” a little different. Check out libgen.io .
External Hard Drive: Do it! I almost sent mine home at launch and I’m sooo glad I didn’t! In addition to backing up your computer, you get thousands of movies. I have a 1TB and I wish I had brought a 2TB. Just make sure that if you have a mac or a pc, you make your hard drive compatible to both before you start loading stuff on, that way you’ll be able to share. Seagate is a really popular one that’s worked well. I personally got this one but like I said, as long as it’s 2TB and it’s a reputable brand you should be good.
Converter/Adapter: Get a multi-continent one. I picked up another small one for $3 in India just for their outlets because they were different. Related to that, some people brought power strips, which is helpful when there are two outlets and a teams worth of electronics. I brought one of those combo plug usb ports and have used it fairly often to charge my computer and kindle with one plug.
Books and things
Bible: This is another must. Bring a version that you’re comfortable with, don’t go and get one that you’re not used to. It’s a huge comfort to read the verses that are near and dear to you. Some people brought study bibles, which seem a bit bulky to me. Journaling Bibles are all the rage now. I brought my NIV clear cover student study bible from 2011 and that’s worked beautifully for me. It’s a personal size so it’s not huge nor is the print microscopic. If you like ESV I would recommend one of their thinlines. They’re about $15 or you can get prettier designs for more (#familychristian).
Journal: I said I’m not a journaler and I’m on my second one. You’re going to want it for team times, daily journaling, Listening prayer and the lot. You can pick up notebooks around the world but I liked having my two from home. My teammate Rae recommends the B&N brand.
Coloring Book: Adult coloring books are so much fun! You can use it as some stress relief or keep yourself focused on a sermon. Also bring colored pencils. I picked up an extreme dot-to-dot in Malaysia and I think it’s the coolest thing ever.
Writing instruments: Bring colorful pens (I regret not bringing more), a pack of dollar store pens, a pen you like and a pencil at least.
Miscellaneous
- Nalgene: I like the narrow mouth
- Caribiners, Clothes line, Baby Wipes, Superglue, Cards, Spork set, Sunglasses, Bobby Pins
- Notebook: lined paper for scrap
- Lighter: I picked mine up in Malaysia. Definitely not for everyone, but it was helpful in the months that you want to have a bonfire, or the gas stove needs a light to start and you can’t find the matches.
- Pocketknife: One of the most useful things that I brought. You don’t need anything fancy; I got mine from Family Christian for $5 all decked out with a Bible verse. It’s just helpful for that string that needs to be cut, or the 5 gallon water bottle that you cant get open without a knife. Most of the world uses glass bottle sodas and being able to open those is pretty convenient.
- Sewing kit: your clothes and your airporter ARE going to rip.
- Batteries: while you can find batteries all over the world, they’re a heck of a lot more expensive. Bring some AAs (check what your headlamp or camera takes) and you’ll be thankful.
- Bug Spray, Febreeze
- You should get a Schwab card. No foreign transaction fees or ATM fees!!!!
Things that I didn’t bring that I wish I would have
- iPhone
- More colorful pens: you’re going to write a lot on the race. Sometimes its just fun to have colors!
- Pictures of my family and friends: I have hundreds on my computer but there’s something about a real photo tucked into your journal that I wish I had.
- Headphone splitter: a couple people had this on my squad and it’s pretty helpful for when not everyone wants to watch a movie or you’re on a bus.
- Duct tape: colorful is preferred. Airporters rip and sometimes you just need pretty decoration to hang things up with.
Things I brought that I didn’t need
- Extra headphones. All of the blogs say bring 3 pairs. I used one the entire time but stuff happens so it’s probably smart to bring an extra
- Earplugs: I don’t use these at home and I’ve never used them on the race. Yeah sometimes things were loud but you just get used to it. If you use them at home then maybe you would use them here! Totally personal preference.
- iPod: this is 100% a personal preference thing. One of my introverted teammates didn’t bring one and then bought one in Cambodia. I think it’s the best purchase she’s made on the race; for introverts it may be your escape. You may want to listen to music when you journal or put in headphones when you’re trying to sleep. Personally I’m not a listen to music while I do things person, nor can I sleep when listening to music so I’ve used my iPod a total of maybe 3 times. *Case in point: I just read this paragraph to my teammate who’s been with me all 11 months and she said “You have an iPod?”
- Rain cover: I’m still not sure if mine is for my bigpack or my daypack. Look at the weather for your route though!
- Dry Sack: didn’t use it even when we forged a river 12 times.
- Jeans: I hate jeans in the states so I don’t know why I thought I would wear them here.
Wow that was so long!!!! It may be 1/2 the length of my senior thesis and I’m sure I missed a million things. I’ll go back and update eventually but my hope is that this at least helps one person!
God bless you on your trip.
Katie
