Disclaimer: My route traveled to Central America, Sub Sahara/South Eastern Africa, and South East Asia. Your route might be different. Also- a number of these items depend on personal preference.
Let’s start with some tips on where to shop
You’re going on a trip to bring Kingdom. Don’t say that you are going to bring Kingdom and then do the opposite by supporting companies that don’t treat their employees fairly when you have the chance not to. (See some of my first blogs for more on this!) Here are some good companies to support. All of these also have very high quality. Keep in mind you only need a few quality pieces of clothing that will last you a whole year. Don’t be afraid to spend a little more to get a few product that are ethical and will meet the quality you need.
https://www.rei.com/ Great company with high ethics. They sell a lot of Fair Trade Products. They are great to their employees in the states as well.
https://www.patagonia.com/home/ Fair trade, eco friendly.
https://web.facebook.com/TheElephantPants/?_rdc=1&_rdr These are about $20 a piece but are fair trade. Affordable and socially responsible!
https://www.fairtradecertified.org/the-difference/athleta I bought leggings from Athleta. They work with Fair Trade and their clothes are amazing!
https://wearpact.com/ Lower cost of the fair trade spectrum and they have great clothing
Buying second hand: If you find something in good quality, you’re removing a layer of slave-labor sourcing and it’s good for the environment.
Do some research yourself!
- Tip: if you are buying clothes (or other things) on the race- and you meet the person who made it- chances are it’s probably a lot more ethical than your average mass-produced product. I highly recommend doing this. It makes business personal and we are getting to appreciate those people for the skills that God gave them!
Travel
Airporter: Get a XL sea to summit. It should fit any type of bag. DO NOT GET THE GREEN OSPREY BAG. No one can lift it, and it’s awful. Over half my squad used the green Osprey and every single one of them regretted it. A larger airporter will allow you to put extra things in the side of it that might not fit in your big back. Overall, the airporter binds your things together nicely and protects you big pack from travel on planes and busses.
https://www.amazon.com/Sea-Summit-Pack-Converter-Medium/dp/B004SERHNM
Tip: RESIST THE URGE TO DRAG YOUR AIRPORTER. In month one, some of my friends got holes in their airporter from dragging them in a bus station. I’m in month 8 and mine looks brand new because I NEVER drag it. The issue with holes is that they can’t be sewn and it can cause your airporter to rip completely in half. This happened to two people on our squad. You don’t want that.
Big pack: I bought mine online at REI garage because I couldn’t go in person- and it worked out well. Most of their backpacks are like this- but make sure you can strap your tent to the bottom outside of the pack. I also recommend making sure it loads from the front and has lots of places where you can clip on other small things like shoes, water bottles, or hammocks. That helps a lot when packing and not everything fits inside.
Make sure this comes with a rain cover, if not, buy one.
Packing cubes: I recommend getting two sets. For clothes, I used two large packing cubes (the xl are really big), and then I downsized to one. I also used a smaller one for underwear and another small one for miscellaneous things I brought. I also recommend getting a pack of eagle creek, water proof packing cubes. I used one for electronics, one for medicine, and the other I store in my day pack and use for things that I don’t want to get wet when we go on camping-like adventures- especially when it rains. Sometimes on travel day I use that packing cube for an extra outfit as well. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=packing+cubes&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 and https://www.eaglecreek.com/shop/organizers/pack-it-specter-tech-sac-set-s-m-l-ec0a3cwz?variationId=002#hero=0
Day pack: I recommend Patagonia. They are Fair Trade, Eco-friendly, and have great quality products. At the end of month 8 my day pack still looks brand new. You don’t need a huge one- it will be more tempting to fill. They also have a number of waterproof day packs as well.
Carabiners: Bring 4-6 average sized ones to strap things to your packs. I use them for water bottles, flip flops, hammocks, etc. Make sure they are strong- mine also have something that locks it in place.
Key rings: I use these on my daypack, airporter, and big pack. Personally- I feel like travel locks insist there is something worth stealing in your bag- so these are more subtle. Also ensures your airporter does not come open on travel days.
Camping/Sleeping Items
Tent: Some people don’t bring a tent. I wouldn’t risk it. It’s way easier to try to fit in your pack in a few travel days then have to sleep in someone else’s tent for a month- and your team will get annoyed with you. I slept in my tent for two months inside buildings so far. Your ministry hosts want to offer you the best they can so if the option is available- therefore, I think it’s rare to tent. However- some routes teams tent a lot. It totally depends. Reasons why you might use your tent: going on a camping trip, tenting outside because it’s too hot to sleep inside, keeping away bugs/small animals, or not enough beds at your ministry host. Also- get a tent that is easy to set up. Dome tents only have two poles that are connected so it’s very easy to put up or take down.
https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/144831/mountainsmith-upland-2-person-tent
Rainfly and footprint: If you haven’t ever been camping before, the footprint goes under your tent to provide extra protection. The rainfly covers the outside of your tent to ensure you stay dry if it rains. These work well. When we went camping in Malawi, it poured the rain all night, and I was still dry. You need both of these- make sure they match your tent (most tents will come with a rainfly, but not necessarily a footprint).
Sleeping pad: I got the insulated air sleeping pad from REI. Try out two or three before you make a final decision because everyone is different. The nemo sleeping bed is very similar to the REI one. The tradeoff is that it costs more but is lighter. https://www.rei.com/product/110723/rei-co-op-flash-insulated-air-sleeping-pad
Or https://www.rei.com/product/141845/nemo-tensor-insulated-sleeping-pad
Repair kit: you can patch holes in your sleeping pad and most likely your tent or airporter as well. The issue is that most of the time if there is a whole in your sleeping pad, it’s very difficult to find. Two girls ended up sending their popped sleeping pads home.
Sleeping bag: My route is in the tropics. And it’s HOT. I only use my sleeping bag as cushion to lay on my sleeping pad or my mattress. It has a 30 degree rating and is polyester. Polyester is fluffier (so larger in size) than down, but down is warmer and packs lighter. I don’t regret carrying a sleeping bag is a little bit larger because I have slept on top of it quite a bit. Additionally- some countries we had mattresses with no sheets- you might want to use your sleeping bag. I bought mine from REI.
Hammock: A lot of people have Enos, and they work very well. I’ve seen a lot of other cheaper brands work great too though. Make sure your hammock packs down small and you can hang it from the outside of your Big pack. I regretted not bringing one, but someone from another squad gave me theirs in month 4! You will probably have many months with opportunities to use it. Also- you probably don’t need a mosquito net or rain fly. Most people who got hammocks with those consider them to be large and bothersome. Unless you think you want to try to sleep in your hammock, that is. Personally- I would rather sleep in my tent than a hammock so don’t worry about it.
A single twin-sized bed sheet: Bed sheets will be given to you in a number of places, but I like to have an extra one. Plus is cool and soft. They also can have many uses.
Pillow: Mine I full sized. I think it was worth it. I have also seen some friends cut a full sized, fluffy pillow in half which was smart. The pack down pillows are pretty comfortable too. This is like a sleeping pad- you should try some out before you make your final decision. In some places pillows will be given to you- but most of the time you will need your own. The thermarest pillow is really good too- if I did the race again, I would maybe use this one: https://www.amazon.com/Therm-Rest-Compressible-Backpacking-Airplanes/dp/B079TTRGKD.
Two pillow cases: I put an extra pillow case on for travel day because your pillow will be all over chicken busses, airplanes, trucks, etc. on travel days and you don’t want to sleep with it after it gets dirty. When you get to your ministry take off the second pillow case and use it for dirty laundry. One of the best decisions I made when packing. Also- I carry my pillow as an extra carryon in addition to my day pack. I sometimes put extra things in it that didn’t fit in my day pack like an extra outfit on travel day.
Headlamp: You don’t want to use your phone. In a lot of places in the world, electricity is not as stable as the US. The power might go out for a few hours here and there. You don’t want to use your phone- especially if you are trying to shower and need a light. Also- if you do any camping or hiking trips- they can REALLY come in handy. You don’t want to climb over things with your phone in your hand. Make sure it is fairly strong. Also- store your headlamp WITHOUT batteries. Mine got ruined because the batteries exploded for some reason inside of it. There are many that REI sells which are good.
Towels: Buy a microfiber towel from Amazon. Buy two large ones. I bought two extra large ones which I thought were a little big. They work well and pack down easy. Make sure you buy two because they come in handy and I know a lot of people who have lost there’s and have need to buy a new towel. Or- they smell bad after using it every day. You won’t be able to find one that packs down as nice as this on the field (well, maybe in South Africa), so I recommend getting two just in case.
https://www.amazon.com/Microfiber-Towel-Travel-Beach-Camping/dp/B00NG5D3W8
Medicine
Bottle of Advil
Some Tylenol for colds
Ring worm/anti-fungal cream
Extra antibiotics
bottle of pepto pills
Antiseptic wipes– or something else that sterilizes
Neosporin
Pro-biotics: you might like to use these or you might not like to, up to you.
LICE TREATMENT: Wow, please do yourself a favor and bring this. Lice on the race is very common and most remedies require things that exist primarily in the first world. In many countries, especially in parts of Africa- those solutions won’t be open to you. So, just bring some lice treatment.
Tea Tree oil: bring one bottle for lice. If you regularly use essentials oils- I would bring one bottle purely for lice and another if you use if for something else.
Malaria meds: DO NOT BRING A WHOLE YEAR SUPPLY. The internet seems to mislead you saying that half the world is covered with Malaria- and that is just false. Very few places I went actually had malaria, even though it was portrayed to me by doctors and other Americans that malaria was everywhere. If you are going to West Africa, its way more common than the southern parts. Additionally, look into the benefits of not taking malaria meds BEFORE you buy them. For example- malaria meds often make you test negative to tests at hospitals and it becomes much harder to diagnose. If I did the race again, I wouldn’t take meds. I wouldn’t even buy them. Many people dropped them, so buy them at your own discretion.
Liquid band aid: I covered any small cut I got with it because it’s very easy to get an infection from different bacteria in the air or water. Some people got infections from the air after scratching their mosquito bites.
Waterproof band aids: your first aid kit will have a lot of band aids, but water is not as clean as the US so these could come in handy to protect against bacteria and parasites.
Bug spray: I took a two small bottles of 100% Deet bug spray, and I use it sparingly. This works well. I also picked up a lemon grass essential oil because it repels bugs as well. Both are very small- if you buy a bottle of Off its expensive outside the US and very large. Also- lemon grass could be used for other things.
Other meds I did not bring but could be helpful if you choose:
Yeast infection meds
Lemon oil– acts as purification
Anti-itch cream- you can also buy calamine lotion in a lot of places. Lavender oil works well too. I didn’t bring any and I regretted it. In central America the mosquitoes were BAD and a lot of people were bleeding because they scratched their skin so much.
Melatonin– for bus rides or travel days if you are motion sick or can’t sleep on planes.
Miscellaneous
Water bottles: I brought two life straw water bottles. Its world race policy that that hosts have access to clean water so you don’t need to go crazy with the water purification. Plus each team has a water filter. However, Say you get stranded on a mountain during your camping trip and you run out of water. Or, You are traveling from Malawi to Zambia and you stay in a small hostel overnight. You get in late and you don’t have the right currency. Your hostel doesn’t sell water, and you don’t know where the nearest place to buy some is. Both of those situations happened to me which is why I was glad I brought a life straw. You can drink water from pretty much anywhere and it will be purified. I brought two only incase I lost one, which I did in month two.
*Note at least for my Lifestraw- if I stopped using it for a few weeks, the filter stopped working (I couldn’t get any water actually out of it). This happened with a few Lifestraws i picked up from friends along the way as well. Personally, I would buy a different brand of filter.
Small purse
Small scissors: These come in handy all the time
Multi tool: I barely used mine, but still glad I brought it
Pocket knife: can come in handy while camping, make you feel more safe, or might be used to cut mangos in Malawi 🙂
Metal spork: buy fromREI
Collapsible bowl: bring one- you could make it without one but there are a number of times where it come sin handy
Plastic plate: came in handy on camping trips if you pack food and want something to eat on
Plastic baggies: you need these more than you think. You will be able to buy them along the way though
Small pack of note cards
Journal: This is one of my favorite ministries we worked with during the race! https://www.instagram.com/timberjournals. They are hand-made journals by youth in Granada, Nicaragua. Buy them and support them! You won’t be disappointed.
Bible
Jump rope: I was on a jumprope team in high school so this was something fun I brought. I have used it during kids ministry or working out.
Small notebook for paper: you would be surprised how hard it is to come by paper in many areas of the world
Pen
Pencil
Eraser
Tape
Clothes
Light-weight rain jacket: this might be one of the most important things you bring. You WILL regret it if you forget this. I carry it with me almost everywhere if its rainy season.
1 maxi dress
2 maxi skirts
Two knee length dresses
2 pairs of soccer shorts
1 pair of “cute” burmuda shorts (most people bought their from old navy)
Two tank tops (I bought solid colored tank tops that could be used for working out or paired with a skit)
1 t-shirt
4 nicer shirts
1 pair of Jeans
1 elephant pants
1 Patagonia flannel: I sent this home in month 4 because I realized it was so hot I would never use it. Just a thin long sleeve shirt was fine for me but it depends on your route and your tolerance to cold weather.
2 long sleeve t cute t-shirts
1 swimsuit: one piece. You might actually use this quite a bit especially if you’re in a beach or if you ever stay in a hostel with a pool so make sure you actually like it
3 sports bras (one Athleta because you could wear it every day and it won’t wear out)
3 normal bras
20 pairs of underwear (have a few to open up half way through the race)
Don’t stress about clothes too much. You can buy clothes almost anywhere for cheaper than the states. In Central America, there are awesome second hand Ropa Americana stores. In Africa, a lot of piles of cheap clothing are sold on the street. You will also probably want to purchase traditional clothing in a number of countries. In Africa, you can get a chitenge between 3-5 dollars or a custom skirt made for as low as 8. I also encourage this because 1. Your money is going to hard working locals and not slave labor 2. The people in those communities will really appreciate that you dress like them.
Some clothing tips by continent
Central America will most likely follow the normal world race dress code. You can wear long shorts, tank tops, etc. most places.
Southern/Eastern Africa is all about long skirts. Some large cities like Lousaka, Zambia- not so much. All skirts have to COVER your knees. They don’t have to be maxi, but that’s what I always wore for the most part. Have at least one when you land on the continent- but don’t stress just buy them there. A lot of people don’t really care about what you wear on top so tank tops are okay- at least from my experience. (South Africa is much more relaxed clothing wise).
South East Asia everyone wears pants. Jeans or leggings all the time(you can’t wear leggings but the locals do). And it’s very hot. Also- our shoulders have to be covered a lot of the time. If you are in predominantly Muslim areas- ankles and a majority of your arms have to be covered to.
My ward robe changed a lot by continent. Also- when you go to Africa- the red dirt stains everything. Do not wear something if you’re afraid of getting it dirty.
Shoes
Rainbows
A pair of shower shoes
Tennis shoes
Keds
Tips: I wear my rainbows all the time. Some people prefer burks- but they are also heavier. I barely wear my tennis shoes except when I hike, swim in a lake, go running, or go on an adventure. Even when I work out with my friends it’s usually in doors and I don’t need shoes. You probably won’t wear them much.
Chacos can be good for waterfall hikes or certain adventure days. They are also heavy. Unless you really like them, and wear them already, DO NOT buy some specifically for the race. I know people who dropped them.
I wear my Keds every once in a while, but when its so hot, I tend to just wear rainbows. I could go without them.
Jewelry: maybe bring a little bit, but I recommend buying some from local vendors at the markets which are EVERYWHERE. I also recommend getting to know some local vendors. You get to meet the artisans, it’s way cheaper than the states, often better quality, great souvenirs because it’s small, and the money is going directly to them. you can talk to them about their business, their families, and pray for them for their business! One of my favorite activities.
Electronics
Waterproof phone case: When it’s rainy season, I feel like almost everything I own gets wet. You do not want to risk it with your phone. In cost Rica my phone got swept away by the ocean- true story. And because it was not water proof my phone got destroyed. You don’t want that. Just get a water proof case.
Lap top or iPad: Doesn’t matter which one but I have been involved with a lot of businesses during ministry. Not having my lap top for that type of ministry would be hard. Also beware that it is something you have to take care of as well. Two of my squad mates lost or broke their laptops on the race. Take that into consideration.
Laptop cover: Make sure it is waterproof.
2 ear buds: I was able to pick up extras on international flights as well.
3 chargers: especially if you have an iPhone because most of the world outside the US uses android. They are easy to loose or get mixed up with other team members
Hard drive: to share movies and pics
Kindle: I didn’t bring one, but it can be nice. I downloaded books to read in my Mac. Before the race, I barely had any time to read books for fun. On the Race, I have read 9 books in about 8 months. There are months where you have A LOT of free time. Also- if you end up in a village, you might be bored a lot.
Hair straightener: I love straightening my hair so I brought one. If you do this you also need a heat converter when you buy adaptors. If you plug it into a normal adapter in Africa or Asia- you might kill your straightener or the electricity at your ministry host.
Adapters: DO NOT plug in your electronics across continents without these.
Extra phone glass: In case yours breaks
Things I didn’t bring that can be useful:
5 way headphone splitter
Speaker: movies, workouts, ministry, etc
Power strip: helpful to have someone on your team with one, but not everyone needs one. I don’t use my electronics a ton so I didn’t worry about it.
Camera: if you like to take pictures- then its worth it. If you weren’t into photography before the race, I recommend just using your iPhone.
Toiletries
Hanging bathroom bag: find one that is not bulky.
Small shampoo and conditioner: When you go to Africa- white people shampoo/conditioner can be hard to come by or its expensive so it’s work bringing full bottles when you go there. If I did the race again I would bring lush shampoo bars. They are amazing, pack lightly, and last a long time.
I would recommend buying a shampoo bar from www.missjennyssoap.com. They are a great small business, all natural products, and I bought mine for $5.
Mascara: I brought 3
Make up: if you wear make up bring it- if you don’t, then don’t bring it
Mirror: there might be a month or two where you barely have a mirror. Training camp you will also probably not have a mirror. I brought a decent sized one and I don’t regret it.
Face wash
Make up remover: note that this is expensive in central america
1 nail polish: fun to share or use for ministry purposes
1 nail clippers
2 metal nail files
2 tooth brushes and 2 caps
Listerine
Dental floss
Extra fluoride toothpaste: I brought this in addition to regular toothpaste
Hair ties
Small rubber band hair ties for braids
Bobbypins
Some people bring white strips for the race. See my comment in the tips section.
Razors: You can buy razors anywhere. Also, use conditioner as shaving cream
Small brush
Baby powder: natural dry shampoo
Sunscreen: is also very expensive abroad. I never use it- but the sun in the tropics is VERY hot. If I did the race again I would bring a small stick of sun screen to use in my face if I was going to be in the sun all day
Deodorant
Hand sanitizer: wish I had brought a small bottle
Qtips
Tweezers
Shaving Bar: Don’t want to have to worry about using your condition or finding shaving cream? Buy a long lasting bar here from an amazing small business! Plus its really affordable www.salemfarmstn.com
*OTHER TIPS:
Buy EVERYTHING prior to training camp. Bring it with you. Chances are you will use a lot of these items during training camp more so than on the race. IT also allows you to see what you like and what you don’t like. Training camp is a trial run with all your gear. Also- adhere to dress code during training camp. Its an actual dress code unlike high school and most places I have been where they say there is a dress code but really isn’t.
Sign up to be an REI member when you make a large purchase because you get a percentage discount.
You can pick up a blanket from your first cross-continental flight
Over the counter medicine is accessible. It really is- so don’t stress. Pharmacies are everywhere. Also- the adventures first aid kit that every team has is very complete and has almost anything you would need.
Need to whiten something? Your teeth? Your white Keds? Anything else? A girl in Honduras showed me that baking soda with whitening tooth paste is just as effective, so I recommend using that because it’s cheaper and probably better for your teeth.
If you know early that you’re going on the race- watch REI, marmot, and other top brands for their sales. I got a lot of my gear discounted.
Find a way to mark your electronics with tape or something so that they don’t get mixed up with other squad mates.
DO NOT BRING a mosquito net- hosts should provide these for you in Africa where you need them.
Packing can be fun. Don’t be stressed. Its part of the process!
