If I had to summarise my life, and particularly my years as a student, it was a continuous succession of packing/moving/unpacking/packing/moving/unpacking… After moving here and there several times, sometimes just for three or four months, I ended up identifying and building a list of essential items for running and sports. I learned to streamline the number of things I really needed to take with me, and tried to favour those which I could use for different practices to optimise space (and weight) in my luggage. So here is my sports essentials packing list for travel and expat life.
Running
Running shoes
I would even say a pair of running shoes, a spare pair of new running shoes, and a pair of old running shoes. Depending of the country you’ll be moving to, finding running equipment, and especially shoes, can be at best tricky, at worst close to impossible. I never took a spare one but to some extent I wish I did in Uganda, as proper running shoes (that are not fake) can be really hard to find.
Besides, I always take a pair of old shoes I can use for various purposes such as hiking (if not too technical), for any other sports (going to the gym, boxing, playing football with colleagues) or just for traveling. When backpacking, I usually wear these old running shoes, as they are more comfortable if I have to walk a lot for visiting, and I can use them for a touristic run as well (2-in-1 = saving space in your backpack!)
Trail shoes: only took starting from Uganda (after 9 months), I also use them for hiking.
Running clothes
Whatever the country and the climate, I always take shorts, tee-shirts, a legging, a long-sleeved jacket, a pair of gloves, a buff and a rain jacket. In hot climate countries, I don’t use warm clothes for running, but I may need them for hiking in colder regions (I used my running legging and jacket for hiking only one year after moving to Uganda… you never can tell!)
Pharmacy
- Tiger balm, gaultheria essential oil with vegetable oil: I often have small (or more serious) injuries, so I could not go without this combo. I use red tiger balm for minor pains (my old tendonitis or shin splint coming back, typically) and gaultheria essential oil (a few drops mixed with oil) for many purposed, such as treating my tendonitis, contractures, massaging for muscle recovery, etc.
- Tennis ball for massage: if you don’t have a massage stick, a foam roller (or if you don’t have space to take it) or anything like that, an old good tennis ball can do the trick very well.
- Anti-friction cream (bloody blisters…)
Other essentials
- Sports watch with charger (also for swimming, spinning etc)
- Identification wristband (for safety for running and open water swimming)
What I don’t yet have but should consider having
- Flipbelt (to take my phone)
- Whistle
- Mini tear gas spray (for security)
Hiking
- Sleeping bags: a thin sleeping sheet and thick warmer one, ear plugs and head band
- Floor mat
- Hiking shoes and/or trail shoes + a few pairs of good socks
- Hiking clothes: if you are going to tropical areas, favour long sleeves and pants to protect yourself from mosquitoes (and ants. And leeches. And stinging plants). And of course, a rain jacket.
- Head torch: this one can be useful when traveling in general if you go camping in the bush, or just if your lodge has no power. Personally, I even used it at home in Kampala for cooking when there is a power cut (because of course, power always goes off when it’s dark or when you start preparing dinner…aaargh)
- Gloves: to protect yourself from the cold, but also from any kind of stinging and biting things
- Mosquitoes’ repellent (I always take it but rarely use it to be honest, the most efficient way to protect yourself is to wear long clothes)
- Water bottle (the one I use every day)
- Survival blanket
- Knife
- Filtering straw and/or purifying caps
- Blisters plasters
- Power bank (mine died so I actually go without it now), even better, solar-powered power bank
- Toilet paper/paper towels
Zoom: LifeStraw and other filtering devices
I bought a filtering straw before going to Vietnam to avoid plastic bottles as much as possible. I chose a LifeStraw because at that time it was the only brand I read about, and the pioneer in terms of water filtering. It’s a personal water filter you can use to purify any kind of water: from the tap, from a river or a lake, even from a dirty puddle… just immerge the tip of the straw in water and suck-up.
So far, I mostly used it while travelling in Vietnam and Uganda, but to be honest, I don’t find it very convenient. Indeed, you cannot adapt it to a bottle, it has to be immerged in water. So I always bring a small plastic cup with me to pour water in it and drink from it. So rather not adapted when you are on the road, or walking and visiting a place. I mostly use it while in the hostels and lodges to be able to drink tap water instead of buying bottled water, or when I am pretty sure to come across a source of water during a hike.
Some brands offer now bottles or flasks with integrated filters, so that you can carry drinkable water with you, or straws that can adapt to a camelback, which in my point of view are two much more convenient options. Also, be careful to remove the remaining water from the straw (by blowing) after use, and to leave it open to let it dry (which usually takes a week…).
Swimming
- Swimsuit: I always bring a spare one. Again, in countries where swimmers are not rife, it can turn out to be pretty challenging to find equipment.
- Swimming cap
- Swimming goggles
- Microfiber towel (also very convenient when you travel only with a backpack, it takes very little space)
- Watch and wristband (for open water)
- I gave in in Morocco and finally bought a pull-buoy and hand paddles, I have no idea where I will find space to take them with me though 🤔
Work out / stretching
- Mat: the same one for hiking. Actually it is not an exercise mat at all, but it does the trick for workout, pilates, yoga, recovery stretching, etc.
- Elastic bands: a good alternative to weights, they virtually take no space. I have a long one and a pack of mini bands.
General essentials
- Sunscreen: maybe one of THE things I need to buy when I’m going back to France to take back with me. You can find some in Africa in large supermarkets, but it’s very expensive and the choice is limited. In South East Asia (but also increasingly in Africa), most cosmetics and skin care products are packed with whitening agents, chemicals that are actually banned in Europe as they are toxic.
- Aftersun lotion (aloe vera gel)
- Cap
- Long headscarf: this is a good example of a versatile item. You can use it to protect your head from the sun, from the cold, wrap it up around your waist to enter temples and mosques, to protect yourself against mosquitoes…
- Sunglasses
- Plasters, sticking plaster, bandage…
- Anti malaria drugs (malarona) for tropical countries but never used it
- Purifying water caps
- Shaker with vegan protein powder (in my case, hemp). With time, I realised that I only really need to take the protein powder, and that I can go without the shaker.
- Iron supplements: since I’m prone to anaemia, I always bring back several packs of vegan iron supplements
Voilà, it seems a lot, but in reality it is not taking so much space, as many items can be used for several purposes. I hope it gave you some inspiration and helped you not to forget anything!
And you, what’s in your sports essentials packing list?