Packing List
How Our Packing Lists Have Evolved
Both the Covid pandemic and our commitment to a sustainable future have impacted aspects of travel planning, including the way in which you pack for an adventure.
We have also adjusted our approach to personal hygiene to limit sources of transmission of infections effectively reduce the number of items that may be shared between guests. Personal drinks bottles is the most notable new requirements we request SwimTrekkers bring on all of our trips.
Travel Essentials
For a safe and enjoyable SwimTrek trip, we recommend the below list of essentials. For some locations, specific equipment requirements are included on the trip pages within the Trip Info section. SwimTrek will supply swim hats, water and electrolyte drinks and refill your bottles throughout the trip.
In addition to your daily non-swimming clothes, we also recommend that you bring the following items:
| Item | Item | Item |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming Costumes (x2) | Swimming Goggles (x2) | Towel |
| Aqua Shoes | Sandals or Closed/Walking Shoes | Warm Clothes and Waterproof Jacket |
| Eco Friendly/Natural Shower Products | Eco Friendly Waterproof Suncream | Anti-chafe balm |
| Sun Hat and Sunglasses | Small Daypack/Dry bag | Personal Drink Bottle |
We recommend bringing two pairs of goggles, one clear lensed and one mirrored lens. On warmer trips, we also strongly recommend sun hats, Factor 50 sun cream and insect repellent. Whereas adventures in more temperate climates call for woolly hats, gloves and layers of outerwear.
If you would like to use a wetsuit, rash vest, snorkel, or fins during your swims, please ensure that you bring these with you.
Coaching Camps
If you are joining us on one of our coaching camps, we ask that you bring the following if possible:
-Swim training fins
-Central swim snorkel
-Kick float or pull buoy (Hawaii Coaching Camps only)
We understand packing limits may restrict the items you can bring but they will assist with your development.
Travel Essentials Explained
Clearly Marked Personal Drink Bottle
The guides will no longer distribute shared drink bottles. Instead they will fill up each individual guest's personal bottle. We recommend bringing one bottle but if you want a bottle for isotonic and a bottle for water, then please bring a second. Please ensure these are clearly marked to help our guides distinguish each personal bottle.
Goggles
We recommend that swimmers bring a pair of goggles (one clear lens and one tinted lens) suitable for varying light conditions. Different goggles suit different swims, depending on conditions and how you even feel on the day.
Suncream
Suncream is essential for skin protection when you swim - your legs, back and neck are particularly exposed, as well as your face when sunlight reflects off the water. Sustainable alternatives are marine-friendly, reef-safe and eco-friendly can help to mitigate the impact we have on the nature around us.
Sting And Sun Protection
Swimming in the sea is a fantastic experience, but some dangers/irritants (jellyfish, sea urchins...) might be present during your swims. While we work closely with locals to reduce the chance of you encountering these fantastic creatures, we do recommend bringing a Long-sleeved Rash Vest for UV protection, which will protect against jellyfish stings.Long Sleeved Rash Vest (Rash Guard/Rashie). Rash vests are quick drying and fit close to your body, but they also allow free movement in the water, without too much drag. They come in different styles and thickness, often around 0.5mm thick. The seams are a flatlock construction to reduce the risk of chafing.
Anti-chafe Protection
We currently provide petroleum jelly for all swimmers to use to prevent chafing during swimming. Whilst petroleum jelly is effective, it is not a sustainable substance. We are committed to improving our practices and are working hard with suppliers and alternative products to a finalise a long-term, sustainable solution. However, until we have found this, if you have an anti-chafing product that works well for you and is environmentally safe, please ensure you include it in your suitcase. We have found that rash vests are also incredibly helpful in both reducing chafe as well as protecting from the sun.
Shampoo
We encourage you to bring eco friendly shower products, gel, shampoo and conditioner where possible. We know the damage pollutants can have on the very environment that we enjoy. We are also working closely with our suppliers to introduce environmentally friendly products on a daily basis.
If you would like to use a wetsuit, rash vest or fins during your swims, please ensure that you bring these with you.
If you have any specific questions, or simply seek further information, please visit our FAQ or contact us directly and our customer support team will be happy to answer your queries.
Still need a little more information? Check out our: What to pack for your swimming holiday blog.
To find out what SwimTrek guides pack, read Elodie's: A SwimTrek Guide's Packing Essentials
Explore the SwimTrek Shop to pick up any essentials you might need for your next adventure.
