So I thought it would be helpful to write a blog for future racers about packing. I’ve learned so much about what to bring/ what not to bring in my past 5 months of travel, and I would love to share with anyone who needs it!
I’ll say that as many packing blogs as you read, the things that YOU should bring will probably never match up exactly with what people write. Everyone is different, and everyone’s packing needs will be different! So I’m going to start by briefly explaining what I’m like at home, then go into why I packed the things I did.
My hope is that this structure will help you pack in a way that is best for YOU as well!
At home in Texas…
- I run every day. At least 2 or 3 miles.
- I drink tea every morning and night. I also go to starbucks a LOT to get chai tea.
- I like to paint and draw when time permits.
- I listen to Pandora or Spotify 24/7.
- I like my clothes to match and be comfortable. I wear big tshirts and I never wear tanks. I always wear vnecks.
- I wear chacos.
- I love long sleeved tshirts.
- I wear jean shorts, cargo shorts, or nike shorts all the time.
- I wear a standard silver necklace with a heart or rose charm from James Avery. I wear a silver promise ring from James Avery. I wear my Aggie ring from University.
- I go to the park and use my picnic blanket to lay on the grass almost everyday.
- If I’m going to write a blog, I have to type it with an actual keyboard.
- Regular Nalgene bottles annoy me because I spill all over myself.
- I keep a journal. I collect pressed leaves in a book.
- I go to sonic happy hour for tea almost every day.
- I eat extremely healthy.
- I don’t read much except for devotionals.
- I love writing encouraging letters to people.
- If I wear makeup, I use my mineral powder compact and mascara.
- I only wear a certain type of undies from aerie.
- I use a hammock all the time.
- I use a facewash from my dermatologist, and face lotion every morning and night after washing my face.
- I LOVE games. Cards, volleyball, any game.
- I keep bulletin boards everywhere, with pictures of family and friends.
My hope is that seeing the comparison of how I did things at home with how I packed for the race, is something you can tailor to your self in a way that is helpful.
So for going on the race, the first thing to remember is that it is not about the stuff! It is about the people! Don’t waste a lot of time before or during the race worrying about what you have/ don’t have.
I got all my gear a week or two before launch, I didn’t even think to get it before training camp! So training camp was an adventure with just a small backpack I used for school, a hammock to sleep in, my blanket, a few tshirts and shorts, and toiletries. But it was kind of cool, because I really didn’t NEED anything else!
That experience immediately put things in perspective for me. No matter what I had or didn’t have, this trip was about God and the people He loves so much!
So then I finally got my gear, and I packed the day before launch.
So I’m going to go through the list above and write about my experience with bringing/ not bringing those things:
- Tennis shoes- I brought a cheap pair of lightweight tennis shoes. In month 5, I am still searching constantly for a good pair of tennis shoes so I can just run like I did at home. At home, I run in brooks or asics. I thought they would have been too big and bulky, but I didn’t realize how much I would miss just being able to use them for running every day. If you’re a runner, there is definitely space to do that still on the race. BRING GOOD RUNNING SHOES. They are ridiculously expensive and almost impossible to find in other countries.
- Tea- I brought 2 boxes of chai tea bags and was so glad I did. In most countries, you can find tea in the store, but not things like chai. Normally just like black tea or green tea. I also picked up a box of Stevia (pure via) sweetener packets month 1 at the mall, and I still am using them daily here in Africa. I was so glad to have them, they are what I use for tea at home.
- Art- I brought my journal, but no paints or colors or pencils. Month 4, I got a pack of colored pens and have used them as my art outlet ever since. They are worth bringing, for journaling and for art!
- Music- Most people on your squad will have lots of music they are willing to share, but you would have to have a device to use like a hard drive or flash drive to put them on to. I don’t have much music of my own since I use Pandora, but it doesn’t work internationally. So what I would recommend and what I wish I would have done is sign up for spotify internationally. It costs $10 per month to use in other countries. I think it is absolutely worth it! There will be LONG travel days where music would be really nice to have. When you get wifi, you can choose all your spotify music and download it to listen to offline. Since I had spotify before, it will not let me register my account for the international version, even though I am willing to pay. So take care of it while your still home!
- Clothes- If you like to match at home, you will want to match on the race. Definitely bring clothes that are COMFORTABLE to wear. My route is all summer season, so the clothes I brought that fit me “normally” or that just are not loose fitting are uncomfortable in the really hot countries were in. I only brought one of my big tshirts, but I wish I would have brought at least 3. I never wear tanks, but I wish I would have brought some for Africa! They are allowed, comfortable, and cooler than big tshirts. It’s so HOT and many places you have to have your knees covered, but there are not any rules about tops. I’ll write more about clothes later.
- Chacos- I brought two pairs. One very thin and one regular with the toe strap. I loved having both, but I ended up sending the thinner pair home after month 4 because it wasn’t really necessary to carry. I would definitely say that even if you don’t wear them at home though, they are an amazing shoe for the race. I cannot imagine not having them! They are comfy, sturdy, durable, can get wet, and I’ve even been able to run or play sports in them randomly.
- Long Sleeve tshirts- I brought one Colombia dry fit, and I love it! I wish I would have brought a regular long sleeve too, but month 3 in Honduras was COLD so I bought like 4 long sleeve tshirts from a thrift store for 50 cents each 🙂
- Shorts- I did not bring my jean shorts, but wish I had. I ended up buying a pair. They are great to wear in most countries, especially for off days! I brought 2 nike shorts and haven’t missed having more. I brought 2 cargo shorts down to my knees, and one just below my knees. I love having these, and wear them all the time!
- Jewelry- I didn’t bring my necklace, and I really wish that I had. Though it’s been nice to not have it when were around kids a lot, because they would pull at it and mess with it, I do miss having it for other times. I did bring my promise ring and haven’t taken it off since we left! I left my Aggie ring behind. I miss it, but I’m glad I left it.
- Blanket- I brought it and I am SO glad I did! I use it every day still on the race, just like back home. It’s a blanket I got in Western Africa a few years ago. It’s just a huge part of me, and I’m glad I made room for it! I brought it in place of my sleeping bag liner.
- Electronics- I brought my new iphone 5 with a lifeproof case. This has been perfect. I can take it into waterfalls, it can get dirty and sweaty and touched by a million kids, and still be great! It was a gift from my parents, and totally worth taking. I brought a camera as well, but I sent it back home month 4 because you can really just use your iphone to take pictures and they are easier to upload. I didn’t bring a laptop, but I had a small one sent to me on the field. It’s called the HP Envy and it is amazing! It’s both a tablet and a laptop. The keyboard detaches. It has a desktop and also apps. The only thing I thought it had that I was disappointed that it didn’t was a CD drive.
I didn’t bring a hard drive, but I would definitely recommend bringing one so you can share music and movies with all of your squad mates! They are so small and can hold a TON of media. Including your pictures if you bring a camera.
I would also say that though I don’t have a go pro, they are the perfect thing for the race! If possible, save up and get one. They are small, kids don’t mess with them really, they sync to your device so you can make cool videos, and they are just so easy to carry in your pocket!
- Nalgene- My friend gave me her small top nalgene. I LOVE the small mouthpiece. Just make sure you bring carebeaners too, so you can clip your water bottle on to things!
- Journals- I brought two and that seems to be perfect for me. If you write a ton, you can buy another somewhere along the way. Don’t waste packing space or be weighed down by more than two though, unless you’re really picky about the type of journal you use! For the year, I’m just pressing my leaves in my journal and will transfer them into my leaf book when I get back. If you have a hobby similar, find a way to keep it! Think about how you’re going to make it work before you leave.
- Sonic Happy hour- I get tea or green tea with raspberry. I brought some crystal light packets on the race and wish I would have brought more than two boxes. They have raspberry green tea and regular sweet tea flavor, and whenever you can get cold water, they are amazing to have. It’s pretty close to going to sonic happy hour! I also stocked up on a probiotic that is in small crystal light sized packets of powder. They are called “Go Live” and are flavorless and are dissolved in water. I dissolve them in water with my crystal light every day that I am on Malaria medication, because your body needs to keep building good bacteria to fight off the bad! This was a huge priority to me, and I am SO glad that I brought them. I would definitely recommend.
If you’re more of a soda drinker, soda is everywhere. No worries 🙂
- Eating Healthy- though you can’t really bring food with you, I will just say not to fear! If you want to eat healthy on the race, it is definitely doable and in the budget. Just advocate for it during the months your team is cooking for themselves! Produce is so cheap in other countries, you just have to know what to do with it! Be creative!
- Books- I didn’t bring any, but have ended up reading some that have been passed around the squad. I wish I would have brought at least one devotional book to start with though. I’ve missed having one! I would recommend bringing a book, then trading with squadmates along the way as you finish it.
- Notecards- I brought some with envelopes from target, and I have LOVED having them! I wish I would have brought more than one pack, because there always seems to be opportunities to send letters to people back home or just to encourage hosts or teammates. If you like writing notes to people, bring a few packs.
- Make up- I didn’t bring any, but there have definitely been times that I wish I had. I’m really picky about what make up I would use, only my mineral powder from my dermatologist and my Covergirl waterproof mascara in a bright green tube. I found some mineral powder in Honduras and some mascara in Haiti, so I have them now for occasions like church. You’ll want to have a little bit, even if it’s only for once every few weeks.
- Undies- I brought 10 pairs. I wish I would have brought more, because I will only wear this type and some of them have broken in hand washing 🙁 I’m having another 7 pair sent from the states with a teammate coming soon. I would definitely say bring 15 pairs of undies that you like. And be careful about lace… it rips easy on the race!
- Hammock- brought it. Love it. Use it all the time. Sleep in it when I can! Definitely a MUST!
- Facewash- If you don’t bring what you like, you’ll waste a lot of energy trying to get it somehow! I have two tubes and a large bottle of my face lotion, and I am so glad. It’s worth the weight, I have to wash my face twice a day!
- Games- I brought a volleyball deflated and a mini pump, and absolutely loved having it to play with! It got stolen in my first month at the beach sadly… but if you like volleyball, bring one! It doesn’t take much space. I also brought bananagrams and cards, and love having both of them! It is so fun to have games. I wish I would have also brought phase 10 or uno. There is always down time, and games are worth having if you love to play them!
- Pictures- Something I wish I would have done, was print out pictures of family and friends to carry with me. You don’t always have wifi, and it would be great to have pictures to show my teammates and people we meet who my family and friends are. It would also be nice to have to decorate your tent with. Bring some 4×6 prints of pictures, baby clothespins, and a string, and your tent will feel like home. 🙂
I want to go into more detail about clothes because I think that’s where people have the most questions!
Shoes- I brought TOMS, Chacos, tennis shoes, and bought a pair of flip flops somewhere along the way. This has been perfect for me. TOMS for feeling nicer, flip flops for showering, chacos for everything, and a good pair of tennis shoes for running, sports, and working out.
Tops- what would have been perfect for me:
3 bright colored tanks
4 loose fitting vneck tshirts like I wear at home
3 regular big tshirts for sleeping and working out
1 or two drifit “coaching tshirts” like I wear at home for coaching and working out
1 henley (quarter length) cotton tshirt
1 or 2 nice shirts for church
1 long sleeve tshirt
1 flannel button down
Bottoms- what would have been perfect for me:
2 knee length cargo shorts (I brought a black and a green, both drifit Columbia)
1 pair of cargo capris (I brought one green pair of drifit Columbia)
1 pair of “normal” shorts (either jean or other shorts that you would wear in the summer back home)
1 pair of jeans (mine are cropped and I love having them for nicer things)
2 skirts
2 nike shorts
1 pair of basketball shorts
1 pair of Columbia athletic shorts with pockets ( I wear these every single day! Love em!)
1 pair of black capri leggings (perfect for when it gets chilly at night or just to wear as pants in some places)
Random other things I’m glad I brought-
Carebeaners
Extra headphones
Nail polish
Extra bobby pins and hair ties
Chapstick (Burts Bees oh yeah)
Camping Toilet Paper (these come in SO handy. A lot of random places we go to during travel days don’t have toilet paper)
Tea Tree oil (my favorite scent! I love having the little bottle in my tent or just using it to put on bug bites)
Small face towel
Serrong for a regular towel (these are easy to find in coastal places)
A speaker
Black Diamond headlamp
Like I said before, what you need to pack for your race is going to look different from anyone else, because you are different! But my hope is that comparing what I was like at home with what I took or didn’t take on the race will be a helpful way for you to look at what things will be best for you to bring. If something is special to you, then make it a priority. Wear what you wear at home, bring things that make you yourself!
Okay, Gear.
I ended up being fully sponsored by Kelty, so they sent me all my gear and I love it!
Day pack- The Kelty Watts. It is their smallest day pack model, and I’m thankful because it carries all I need it to carry (My bible, journal, laptop, phone, headphones, change of clothes, and other small things like snacks and gum.) It has been perfect for taking on weekend trips or day trips, and is awesome to have something so small on travel days!
Big Pack- The Lakota 65L. I loved it for the gray and teal colors, and it’s accessibility. I can get into the big compartment from the top, sides and bottom. I love the cover flap pocket on the top and the storage space at the bottom. It’s a great model, but I do sometimes wish I would have brought a bigger pack so I had more wiggle room! I end up putting my tent on the outside strapped on the bottom, and have to strap my sleeping pad and blanket to the outer sides. This is fine, but I would definitely recommend bringing an AIRPORTER! They come in so handy because on big travel days you can stuff things inside of it and not have to worry about not having enough actual pack space.
Tent- I brought the Sierra Designs Lightening. It has side ventilation, but the rain fly is permanently attached on the top and even makes an overhang over both side openings. I love the model because I don’t have to mess with a rain fly, it still stays cool at night, and it has such a wide top that it feels like a little home, while still traveling light and small. Sometimes, I do wish I had the option of sleeping under the stars, but the rain is so unpredictable that it would be risky to even sleep without a rain fly on!
Sleeping pad- Kelty Recluse. It is very small to travel with, but inflates to be very big, which is super nice! It is completely air filled, not padded, and it pumped up by hand. Though it takes a while to hand pump it, I only have to do it once at the beginning of the month. It is definitely worth the work because it is SO comfortable!
Sleeping bag- The Kelty 35 degree gray and teal dry down. Absolutely LOVE. It is filled with what feels like a super light weight down comforter, but is completely waterproof, super light, and compacts down in its tiny stuff sack almost as small as a softball! It is extremely soft to the touch and I just love it. I even used it at home for the few days before leaving on the trip!
Packing Cubes- The Eagle Creek 3 pack of packing cubes, 3 different sizes. I absolutely love having these. All of my clothes fit in the big one, all my underwear, socks, and sport bras fit in the medium one, and all my medicine and probiotic packets fit in the small. These are amazing!
If you read this and have any questions, PLEASE ASK! I would love to be a help to you in any way possible by sharing what I’ve learned about how to pack for this trip.
So keep things in perspective, know what’s important to you, and have fun making your packing list your own!
