JA Camp Success 2025

General Tips for packing:

• UPDATE: YMCA will be providing linens for all participants. You're welcome to bring your own
• Do not pack any essential items in your checked luggage such as valuable, medication or electronics
  • Important: if you are bringing any medication, please ensure you’re bringing them in their original container (prescriptions in prescription bottles with your name and over the counter meds in their original casing) – this is to avoid them being confiscated if they cannot be easily identified
  • If you are packing any large electronics, such as a tablet or laptop, be prepared to take it out at security as it usually needs to go in a separate bin for scanning
  • If you’re packing any battery packs (power banks) please put this in the personal item you’ll be bringing on the plane (lithium batteries often are required to be in carry on)
• If packing any liquids (in your personal item or checked luggage), put these in a sealed ziplock bag (if there are any leaks they’ll stay contained in the ziplock)
• If you happen to have packing cubes (optional and only if you happen to have them), these are great for organizing your personal belongings in your bag, large ziplocks also work well
• Packing an extra plastic bag (i.e. garbage bag) or laundry bag is convenient to have in your checked luggage for packing laundry to come home
• Pack some extra socks and underwear… changing everything before going to bed will keep you warmer at night
• If packing a water bottle to bring in your personal item, remember to empty it before going through security – most liquids are not permitted to go through security (you’ll be able to fill it up again once you’ve gone through security)
• If you need to save space in your checked bag, if you’re packing a coat you can bring this with your personal item onto the plane with you
• Checked luggage doesn’t have to be a suitcase, it can be a duffel bag, hockey-style bag or backpack as long as it is still within the size/weight limitations of a standard checked bag with the airline
  • See the Air Canada luggage calculator for size/weight limitations
  • If you’re using a bag with lots of straps (i.e. backpack) consider tying a clear garbage bag around it so it doesn’t get caught in the conveyor belts – some airports may ask you to drop items like this as the ‘oversized luggage’ section if it has pieces that may get caught
• Do not tie additional items to the outside of your checked luggage (i.e. do not tie a pair of shoes to the outside of a backpack or use straps to attach the sleeping bag, it’s likely these may become separated on the conveyor belts and could become lost (everything should be on the inside of the bag)
• Pack the most compact sleeping bag and pillow you have to save space in your checked bag
• Rolling clothes up can help save space if your bag I getting full

General Tips for Travel:

• Take a photo of your government ID and give a copy to someone at home
• Take a photo of your luggage before checking it at the airport (to be used to identify your luggage should it not arrive with you on your flight, unlikely it will be needed but helpful if it happens)
• Label all your gear clearly with your name (and ideally your local JA Charter) so it can be easily identified if it is added to a lost and found
• Include a label/luggage tag on both your checked luggage and personal item with your Name, Address, Phone Number and Email
• Reminder – you are only permitted to bring on personal item onto the plane (not a personal item and carry on) – this must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you on the plane
  • personal item adheres to the following dimensions: 33 cm (13 in) in height, 16 cm (6 in) in depth, and 43 cm (17 in) in width.