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WILDERNESS PASSAGE Trip Packing List
BACKPACKING
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Passage includes 2 phases. Phase 1 is
your wilderness trip. Phase 2 occurs at HoneyRock with all the
other tracks. When you check in, you will pack your trip gear in
hiking packs and the rest of your gear will travel to HoneyRock
for when you return from your trip. We recommend that you
pack two bags: 1 for phase one (all of this will be transferred to
your hiking pack) and one for Phase 2. Read through this list
thoroughly and completely. The Phase 1 list comes first and the
Phase 2 list follows.
Guidelines for Getting Gear
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If you have questions or want some advice, please ask. We’d love to help you
out.
You probably have a lot of what you need sitting in your closet right now.
And if you don’t, your family and friends might, so see what you can borrow
before you start buying stuff.
Top three most important items: a packable sleeping bag, a will-absolutelykeep-you-dry rain jacket, and a broken-in pair of comfortable hiking shoes.
Wisconsin summer weather typically means highs between 70° and 90°
Fahrenheit and lows in between 40° and 50° Fahrenheit. Bring things that
will let you stay warm even on the colder nights.
What HoneyRock Provides
All Group Gear, Plus Some Extras
 Tents/Tarps/Ground Tarps/etc.
 Stoves/Water Filters/Water Purification
 Foam Sleeping Pads
 Backpacks/Dry Bags
 Cookware/Eating Gear/Nalgene’s
 First Aid Supplies/Repair Kits/etc.
Note: If you have some of the above items you are welcome to bring them but your
trip leaders will check to make sure that they are suitable for the trip.
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An Explanation of the Different Types of Clothing Fabrics
Cotton—TRY TO AVOID COTTON. When cotton gets wet, even from sweat, it stays
wet and will not keep you warm. This includes materials like corduroy, denim, and
flannel.
Synthetics—These are materials like nylon, polyester and spandex that are used to
make a lot of athletic-style clothing. Synthetic materials dry more quickly than
cotton, and are able to wick moisture away from your skin to help keep you warm.
Fleece—Fleece also dries more quickly than cotton, and will keep you warm even
when it’s wet.
Wool—Wool doesn’t dry the fastest, but it is odor resistant and will keep you warm
even when it’s wet.
PHASE 1: 9 Day Backpacking Trip
☐ Hiking Boots/Shoes
Critical Gear
You’ll need shoes you can wear hiking 5-10 miles a day carrying a 30-40 lb
pack on your back traveling across terrain that may include mud, rocks, hills
etc. In order to avoid blisters, you will want to wear them around before the
trip to ‘break them in’. We recommend a mid-rise, breathable boot.
☐ Sleeping Bag
Your sleeping bag should:
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Pack down to a minimum of 9”x20”.
Be rated for at least 30 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees if you’re a cold
sleeper)
You can purchase a Marmot Trestles 30 sleeping bag for $79 from
HoneyRock during the registration process.
(http://www.rei.com/product/828305/marmot-trestles-30-sleepingbag#specsTab).
☐ Rain Jacket
Your rain jacket should be:
- Waterproof (not water resistant)
- Lightweight
- Breathable
☐ Headlight/Flashlight
A headlamp is the best option. Make sure you bring extra batteries
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☐ Socks (3-4 pairs)
Socks MUST be wool or synthetic (NOT COTTON). Get yourself a couple of
pairs that are comfortable to hike in, and one pair (warmer/thicker if your
feet get cold) for sleeping in at night.
Upper Body Clothing
Think of all your clothing items as a system that’s going to meet all the different needs
you might have on a trip. The items you pack should be able to be worn together as
layers. The biggest thing to think about here is bringing enough stuff to keep you
warm if it gets cold out on your trip.
☐ T-shirts (1-2)
At least one of these should be synthetic or wool (non-cotton).
☐ Base Layer
Synthetic, non-cotton long underwear top that will help keep you warm,
especially at night.
☐ Long-Sleeve Shirt
Wool/fleece/synthetic (non-cotton). This will be used as an added layer of
warmth, or to help keep the bugs away.
☐ Lightweight Fleece Jacket OR Lightweight Down Jacket
This is your main “keep warm” layer for when the temperature drops at
night. As such, it’s a key piece of gear to have. Fleece is great because it keeps
you warm even if it gets wet. Down is very packable but if it gets wet, it will
no longer keep you warm.
☐ Swimsuit
One piece for women, shorts-style for men. This will be used for taking a
“dip” (swim) while out on trip.
Lower Body Clothing
Again, it’s important to think about how all your different layers work together and
can be combined to keep you warm. With bottoms, a lot of it comes down to personal
preference.
☐ Shorts (1-2 pairs)
Athletic shorts for moving around in.
☐ Hiking Pants
Synthetic, non-cotton, lightweight and quick drying. The “zip-off” kind can be
converted to shorts, which is really useful. Lightweight athletic-style pants
work fine too.
☐ Base Layer
Synthetic, non-cotton long underwear bottoms that will help keep you warm,
especially at night.
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☐ Underwear (3-5 pairs)
For women, sports bras made out of a moisture wicking material are
recommended.
☐ Lightweight Winter Hat
☐ Gloves
Hands and Head
Some thin gloves to keep your hands warm on chilly nights. (Note: If you
struggle with cold hands, you might want to bring something a little bit
warmer here.)
☐ Bible
Personal Gear
NEEDS TO BE SMALL. Think pocket-sized. Should include both the Old and
New Testament.
☐ Journal/Pen
Small and packable.
☐ Embracing the Love of God
You’ll be discussing this book on your trip.
☐ Toiletries
☐ Toothbrush and paste (it is helpful to have a small travel-sized tube)
☐ Baby wipes (They’re GREAT to use as a “mini shower” and for general
hygiene. These are REQUIRED for females. Bring 1-2 wipes for each day of
your trip.)
☐ Chap Stick
☐ Feminine hygiene products (Ladies, bring these even if you don’t think
you’re going to need them—the trip environment can sometimes cause an
unpredictable cycle. You should also make sure to bring some panty liners to
help with personal hygiene)
☐ Ziploc Bags (3-4 Gallon Sized)
This is the best waterproofing method out there. These will be used for
keeping your stuff dry and organized.
☐ Mosquito Head Net
Miscellaneous Gear
It’s worth getting a head net that’s made out of black mesh—not green—to
protect against mosquitoes.
☐ Sunglasses
☐ Extra batteries.
Double-A’s. Triple A’s. Whatever your camera and/or headlamp takes.
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☐ Bug Spray
NON-AEROSOL. Some good brands of bug spray: Off Deep Woods Sportsmen
II, Cutter Backwoods Unscented, Off Family Care Smooth & Dry, 3M Ultrathon
Insect Repellent, and Repel Sportsman Max.
☐ Sunscreen
REQUIRED. Anything SPF 30 or over will do.
☐ Travel-Size Container
A 3 oz. travel size container for sunscreen will prevent you from having to
carry a large bottle and will be enough for one trip.
☐ $5-$10
You’ll be stopping for a meal on the way back to HoneyRock from your trip,
and this will be how you’ll pay for it.
OPTIONAL Clothing Items
All this is optional—you don’t need it, but it can be useful if you have it lying around
and want to bring it.
☐ Fleece Pants
If you tend to get really cold, these can be very helpful for staying warm.
☐ Rain Pants
These are really useful when it’s cold and rainy, or when it rains A LOT. You
can get by without them, but they’re not a bad thing to have. If you have
nylon hiking pants, usually those dry quickly enough that they’re suitable for
wearing in most rainy situations.
☐ Baseball Cap or Hat w/ Brim
When you’re on the water and the sun is glaring, this is really useful.
OPTIONAL Gear Items
All this stuff is optional—you don’t need it, but it can be useful if you have it lying
around and want to bring it.
☐ Stuff Sacks
To keep your stuff organized on trip.
☐ Carabineers
Not rock climbing ones, just clipping-together-stuff ones. These always seem
to come in handy, especially for clipping stuff to dry bags on canoe trips.
☐ Nalgene-Style Water Bottle
HoneyRock has these for you to use on trips but some people prefer their
own and they’ll be useful for the rest of your time at HoneyRock.
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☐ Multi-Tool with Pliers/Knife
Nothing fancy, just something that you can use to slice cheese and perform
other miscellaneous chores.
☐ Vaseline
Get a little travel-sized jar to carry with you. Great for chapped lips, chafing,
and blisters.
☐ Buff/Bandana
Useful for all kinds of things!
☐ Crazy Creek or Camp Chair
This is a total luxury item. But it can be nice.
PHASE 2: 5 Days at HoneyRock
Bedding
 Sleeping Bag or sheets/blanket (rated for at least 30°F and easily packable.
Sleeping bags are available for purchase during registration.)
 Pillow
Clothing for activities, team building, free time, and a variety of Wisconsin
temperatures
***Laundry will NOT be available but it is acceptable to wear clothes multiple
times***
 1 winter hat for cold nights
 1 long sleeve cotton or synthetic shirt
 1 sweatshirt or fleece
 2 pairs of pants or jeans
 2 pairs of work pants (old jeans, etc.) that can get wet and dirty
 2 pairs of athletic shorts
 1 swim suit (1-piece or 2-piece that covers like a 1 piece for women, shorts-style
for men)
 5 t-shirts
 2 t-shirts that can get dirty
 1 outfit for Sunday church at HoneyRock (jeans/shorts/skirts etc. are all
acceptable)
 Underwear and socks
 1 pair of old sneakers that can get dirty for adventure challenge activities (ropes
course etc)
 Pajamas
 Personal toiletries (BUGSPRAY, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap,
shampoo, tampons, sunscreen, etc.)
 Bath towel
 Beach towel
 1 pair of durable work gloves for service day
 1 water bottle
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Optional items:
 Camera (optional but great!)
 Sandals (eg. Chacos, Tevas, Keen)
Congratulations! You are now ready for an awesome Passage
experience. See you soon!