You’ve booked your sessions, you know your trainer is bringing the equipment, and you’re arriving in Barbados in a week. Now comes the surprisingly tricky question: what do you actually pack to train in?

Training outdoors in Barbados is a different proposition to your gym at home. The heat, the humidity, the fact that you might be going from a 7am workout straight to a beach day — it all changes what you need to wear. Here’s exactly what works and what doesn’t.

The basics: what Barbados heat actually means for training kit

Barbados sits at around 27–30°C year round with consistent humidity. Even an early morning session — and most of my clients prefer to train before the heat peaks — will have you working in warm, sticky air. Your body will be working harder than it does at home even before you’ve done a single rep.

That means anything heavy, non-breathable, or loose enough to flap around is going to make your session more uncomfortable than it needs to be. The good news is that the kit that works here is the same kit you’d wear for a hot yoga class or a summer run — you probably already own most of it.

For women

Tops

A lightweight sports bra or a fitted racerback vest is ideal. Anything with a mesh panel or technical fabric that wicks moisture away from the skin will serve you well. Avoid cotton — it holds sweat and gets heavy. Loose t-shirts can be fine for lower-intensity sessions but tend to get uncomfortable quickly in the heat.

Bottoms

Fitted leggings in a technical fabric, or shorts. For outdoor sessions, shorter lengths are generally more comfortable — long leggings are absolutely fine but can feel heavy by the end of a session in full sun. High-waisted styles work well for anything involving core work.

Sports bras

Support level depends on what you’re doing — my sessions mix strength, kettlebell work, and circuits, so a medium-to-high support bra is a safe choice. Lighter styles are fine for lower-intensity work.

For men

Tops

A lightweight technical t-shirt or vest. Many of my male clients train shirtless — that’s absolutely fine for outdoor sessions, it’s Barbados. If you’d rather keep a top on, anything that wicks moisture is the right call. Avoid heavy cotton.

Bottoms

Fitted shorts in a technical or stretch fabric. Board shorts look great but aren’t ideal for training — they’re heavy when wet and restrict movement during lunges, squats, and anything dynamic. Compression shorts underneath are worth considering if you run warm.

Footwear

This is where most people get it wrong. Beach sessions aside, you want a proper training shoe — not running shoes, not flip flops, not the casual trainers you packed for evenings out.

A cross-training or gym shoe gives you the lateral stability you need for kettlebell work, circuits, and anything that involves changing direction. Running shoes have too much heel drop for strength work and can actually increase injury risk during certain movements.

If you’re only doing beach sessions in the sand, bare feet are completely fine — sometimes preferable.

What to bring to each session

• A full water bottle — I’ll always have one but bring your own too
• A small towel if you run hot
• Sunscreen — sessions are outdoors and the Barbados sun is strong even early in the morning
• A hair tie if needed — sounds obvious but easy to forget

What I bring

All equipment comes with me — kettlebells, resistance bands, suspension trainer, mats. You don’t need to source or carry anything. Your only job is to turn up ready to work.

One more thing

If you’re training as a group — family, friends, colleagues — it’s worth having a quick conversation before your first session about footwear in particular. I’ve had group sessions where half the group arrived in flip flops and we’ve had to adapt on the spot. It works out, but the right shoes make a real difference to what we can do together.

Any questions before your sessions, just get in touch — that’s what I’m here for.