Wilderness travel means you can and, for your comfort, should carry a lot less than you do in the regular world. Most experienced wilderness travelers will tell you that they bring about the same amount of gear on a three-day trip as they would on a three-week trip. This packing list has been refined over 50 years of Voyageur Outward Bound School expeditions. Please stick to it closely. It is designed to ensure that you have everything you need to be safe and comfortable during your expedition.
Because our courses are characterized by unpredictable weather, obtaining the proper clothing is crucial. Please bring all the items as described on the "Required Clothing and Gear" list below. You can find these items at camping, outdoor, Army/Navy surplus, and thrift stores. Clothing and gear can be expensive—shop around before you buy and keep these helpful tips in mind:
Your choices should be governed by whether or not the piece of clothing or gear will meet our requirements, not if it is the best looking or newest! Consider leaving the tags on any new items you have purchased and saving the receipts; in the event that an item is not needed for your expedition or you do not use it, you should be able to return it when you get back home.
NOTE: When you arrive for course start, you will not have an opportunity to purchase forgotten items.
If you are looking to shop online, many students use the following websites to find their clothing and gear:
On the first night of the course, your instructors will issue you the equipment provided by Outward Bound and assess all of the clothing/equipment you’ve brought in order to ensure that it meets the requirements of the expedition. You’ll repack exactly what you need into packs provided by Outward Bound. Everything you don’t need during the expedition, including your shower supplies, clean clothes for the trip home, valuables, and electronics will stay in your luggage and be stored in a secure location for the duration of the course. These items will be returned to you at the end of the trip.
Outward Bound will provide you with these items:
You only need to bring what’s on the Required Clothing and Gear list, mainly your personal clothing, toiletries, footwear, and a few additional items. We strongly discourage the use of personal camping equipment on Voyageur Outward Bound School courses because of the heavy wear and tear. We feel confident that the equipment we provide will best serve your needs on the expedition; it will keep you safe, warm and dry. If you have questions about using a piece of personal equipment normally provided by Outward Bound, please contact your course advisor to discuss. If you do decide to bring a piece of personal equipment, your instructors reserve the right to inspect it and ensure that it will adequately serve your needs during the expedition. If they do not think it will work, you can leave it with your luggage at the basecamp during the expedition.
Our packing list is based on layering principles; dressing in several light layers rather than one heavy layer allows you more flexibility as the weather and your exertion levels change. When shopping or packing, it is a good idea to try on all of your layers at once to ensure that they fit over one another. Read the information below to get a better idea of what we’re talking about.
Head
Upper Body
Lower Body
Feet
Personal Gear
Toiletries & Other Personal Items
Travel
Participants will not be permitted to begin their course without their required medications OR with new medications not approved by your Course Advisor.
All medications (prescription, non-prescription and over-the-counter) must:
Your medication container should not include other medications, vitamins or supplements. If possible, bring a back-up supply.
Do not bring non-prescription medications such as aspirin, Advil, etc., unless they are listed in your medical information. We have a medical kit that contains these medications.
Medication updates that occur after applicants are cleared to participate could affect their status on course. Please update your Course Advisor with any medication changes such as:
For participants on youth courses, our instructors carry all prescription medications, with the exception of birth control and emergency medications such as EpiPens or rescue asthma inhalers.
For participants on adult (age 18+) courses, we encourage participants to store their medication(s) container(s) in a zip-lock bag for protection. Pill sorters are not recommended.
Increased physical activity during Outward Bound may cause a change in your menstrual cycle. Prepare your menstruation kit using a zip lock bag even if you don’t expect your cycle during course.
Items to include:
We practice Leave No Trace camping techniques. Therefore, we pack out what we pack in. Instructors will distribute small opaque zip lock bags and small stuff sack for your individual storage of used items.You will dispose of any used items either during re-supplies (approximately every three to seven days) or at course end.
Your instructors are experienced in addressing menstruation care questions or concerns while on course. Don’t hesitate to ask them questions.
Please bring your prescription eyewear and any applicable backup options. For glasses, a glasses leash is helpful to prevent loss during an activity.
For participants who wear contact lenses, you must bring your prescription glasses as backup. Be sure to bring enough contact lens solution so you can be diligent in your contact lens routine while out on expedition.
Please be aware that the use of contact lenses in the backcountry does carry more risk than when at home. A great level of diligence and hygiene is required to ensure you do not damage your eyes.
You will be outside during your course. To maintain your health and comfort, the best protection from biting insects, skin irritation, and sunburn is a physical barrier of clothing. Bring the required clothing and gear listed – it's essential to your comfort and safety.
Living outside and exposing your skin to the elements can lead to dry skin. If you have a cream you use to care for dry skin or other related skin-health, consider bringing any creams or prescription creams you've found useful. Be sure to ask your course advisor any questions you might have.
It is your responsibility to follow your instructor’s directions and monitor how your skin reacts to the changing environment. Let them know if you encounter skin concerns before they present a barrier to your participation.
As you pack your toiletries, if you're traveling by air to your course, please review the TSA Carry-on Requirements for liquids.
Here are a few tips caring for long, kinky, or curly hair while on course:
Before course, consider putting your hair in a protective style, allowing enough time for your head to adjust prior to the start of your Outward Bound course. Be sure that your protective style will fit underneath a helmet. Suggested protective styles include:
Voyageur Outward Bound courses are rugged and the way you will travel is very unique. Your boots will be one of the most important pieces of equipment that you bring. They will need to be comfortable and perform well in a variety of different environmental settings. Follow the guidelines below to ensure that your boots fit well and meet the course requirements.
Boots must have strong ankle support, a protective sole and the ability to drain water from the inside out. Your instructors will teach you how to take good care of your feet, but everything starts with having the right boots. It is important to allow airflow to your feet. For this reason, avoid all-leather and all-Gore-Tex boots, which trap moisture inside your boot. Some leather and Gore-Tex are OK, and probably unavoidable, but try to minimize them as much as you can. Boots should have as much water-shedding, breathable, mesh material as possible.
If you are participating on a multi-element course with a backpacking component, your boots may or may not dry out from day to day, depending on the weather conditions you encounter.
Here is a list of boots that work well on Voyageur Outward Bound School canoeing and backpacking courses. If you have questions about a boot that’s not listed here, consider the essential requirements – your boots must be sturdy with a strong, protective sole, have full ankle protection (high-top), and allow water to shed/feet to breathe. If you still have questions about a boot not listed here, send an email to your course advisor for their input; include a link so they can view the boot online.
Brand |
Model (s) |
Merrell |
|
Other options: | Look for a sturdy, protective sole, full ankle support (high top), breathable (not waterproof). |
Start by trying on at least two or three different boot options. Put the first choice on one foot and the second choice on the other. Make sure that you’re wearing the same type of wool socks that you plan to wear during the expedition (refer to the packing list for more detail) and fully lace up the boots. Start by standing on a downward slanting slope and try to jam your toes towards the front of the boot. Next, take a walk around the store.
Boots undergo extensive wear and tear during the course and may not be of much use after the course. For this reason, consider a less expensive boot.
Break in your boots before the course begins! Wear them around town, school and at home as much as possible (several weeks). This simple activity cannot be over-emphasized and is one of the easiest and most important steps in preparing for a successful and comfortable wilderness adventure.
Your Camp Shoes are worn each evening and morning at your campsite. They get packed away in a safe spot while you travel so they remain dry. Camp shoes should be lightweight, sturdy running shoes, not sandals. Full coverage shoes are required while you’re cooking and working around the campfire to protect your feet from hot embers and boiling cooking-water.
Some Voyageur Outward Bound School courses finish with a Challenge Event that often involves a running component, and some groups do morning runs or day hikes. You can use your camp shoes for these events. For this reason, you’ll need sturdy running shoes NOT fashion or skateboarding type sneakers.
None of these items are required and you will be fine without them. Please only buy them if you plan to use them again after your course or you think they will be of great assistance to you during the course. You may be asked to leave these items behind depending on pack-size and weight restrictions.
i-pods, MP3 players, computers, i-pads, and GPS devices?
Cell phones, tablets, GPS devices and all other electronic devices (exception-digital cameras) are not permitted on course. Electronic devices can be distracting and disruptive to the wilderness experience. Stepping away from these devices encourages participants to focus on their experience and their crewmates.
You are, however, more than welcome to travel to and from your course with whatever technology you choose. When you arrive, we’ll have you turn off all electronic devices and leave them in your luggage. Your luggage will then be locked in a secure area during your course. At the end of your course, you’ll get everything back. Additionally, please do not bring any emergency response technology. Your instructors will carry emergency communication devices.
cameras?
Cameras are welcomed at Voyageur Outward Bound School. We recommended waterproof disposable cameras. If you elect to bring a non-disposable camera, we advise that you store it in a small “dry bag” or plastic zip-lock bag. Our courses are rigorous and there is a risk of losing or damaging your camera.
For digital cameras, we ask that the memory card(s) be blank; please back up your photos and erase your memory cards prior to arriving for course. Cell phone cameras, tablets, and any other Wi-Fi enabled electronic devices with built-in cameras are not permitted on the course.
my cell phone and use it as a camera?
No, if you’d like to take pictures, please bring a camera that does not have cellular capabilities. No cell-phones will be allowed on the expedition.
a book?
Unless it’s a natural history identification book, we’d ask you to leave books at home. You’ll be very busy during your expedition and will want to spend your downtime with other group members, sleeping, and just relaxing in nature. Books also get damaged easily. You can bring a book for your travel days but don’t plan to bring it on the expedition.
a pocket knife?
Please do not bring any knives with you to your course-start. Your instructors will provide knives as they are needed throughout the expedition.
my own camping gear (sleeping bag, tent, etc.)?
We strongly discourage the use of personal camping equipment on Voyageur Outward Bound School courses because of the heavy wear and tear. We feel confident that the equipment we provide will best serve your needs on the expedition; it will keep you safe, warm and dry. If you have questions about using a piece of personal equipment normally provided by Outward Bound, please contact your course advisor to discuss. If you do decide to bring a piece of personal equipment, your instructors reserve the right to inspect it and ensure that it will adequately serve your needs during the expedition. If they do not think it will work, you can leave it with your luggage at the basecamp during the expedition.
fishing gear?
Every day you will be traveling from campsite to campsite working your way back to the Voyageur Outward Bound School basecamp or your pick-up location. You’ll be very busy with the daily chores of traveling and living in a wilderness setting and there may not be time for fishing. For this reason, fishing is not a typical activity on most Voyageur Outward Bound School courses. However, if you are very interested in fishing, an exception is sometimes (not always) possible. In these cases, you will need to ensure that you have the correct permit/license, bring one small collapsible pole and one small (paperback book size) fishing tackle box. Outward Bound will provide a fillet knife. Call your course adviser if you are interested in fishing during your course, but please understand that it may not work-out due to other course goals and logistics.
over the counter medications?
Voyageur Outward Bound School Instructors carry an extensive First-Aid kit with ample supply of over-the-counter medications like pain relievers and antacids, among other supplies. Instructors also carry prescription epinephrine injections in case of an anaphylactic emergency. You shouldn’t need to bring your own OTC medication. However, if you frequently take something specific, please consult your course advisor to discuss whether you should bring it or not.
tobacco, drugs, or alcohol?
Tobacco, drugs, and alcohol are NOT permitted on course, this includes both time spent in the wilderness and at basecamp.
Please also DO NOT bring valuables, jewelry, makeup, candy, gum, or large amounts of money.