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I hate wet feet so have worn gortex boots on all of my 3 caminos (and multiple other walks/hikes/tramps) and if rain is heavy wear rain pants to prevent rain running down my legs into the boots. I change socks midway through the day so my feet stay warm and dry. Yes, I know that many on the...
We are certainly all different in the way we use and do things😅 I use my poles to get what I want out of them, not what someone else thinks I should be doing! and I would much rather wait for my luggage (poles included) than add to the buy and discard economy - I bring my own drink bottle too😄...
Brought up in New Zealand where no place is more than 130k from the coast - when I was 18 went to visit my sister in Sydney. She asked what I was going to do on a day she was working. I replied that I thought I'd take a bus to Uluru (Ayres Rock as it was known then, in the 80's) I added I...
I use them mainly to keep my hands elevated to prevent swelling, assistance up hills and occasionaly for balance on tricky trails, creek crossings etc. I prefer a relaxed style/rhythm moving them every second step, sometimes together, sometimes alternatively. I am happy with my pace and don't...
Us, completely dry under our hands free umbrellas meeting fellow pilgrims (who walked backwards that day, slack packing) with saturated rain gear and sodden underneath! Somewhere on the Lisbon to Porto stretch May this year:)
I agree with @IaIaone - try mens, particularly if you have narrower hips or no waist. I find they fit my body shape much better than those made for women where they assume we all have larger hips and small waist. I'm wearing mens Outdoor Research zip offs.
Previously I've taken a light weight 7 degree C down sleeing bag but have been too hot so this year (leave in 17 days!) I've opted for a silk liner plus small down (Montbell) quilt as recommended by several people on the forum. It seems so light, I'm a little worried..... but can always layer up:)
I don't where you can buy second hand ones in Sarria but if you are transiting through Santiago it sounds like there will be plenty to choose from there - maybe try Pilgrim House.
I can't help thinking - what happens to all these poles left behind in Spain? - my mind boogles at the thought of thousands of poles discarded in Santiago de Compostella each year! Is there really such a huge market for second hand poles? Maybe someone in Santiago can let us know if they all...
It was very common on the Le Puy route to leave your pack in the foyer/entrance and be given a plastic basket to put your gear in to take to your room. A few times we were given large plastic bags to put our pack in.
I have 3 deuter packs of varying sizes - I find them very comfortable. They all have the trampoline back for great ventilation. I used the 30L futuraSL for my two previous caminos and will take it again in May for the CP.
Ruchira, I am are also doing the CP - from Lisbon - leaving May 14 and are also thinking of just a silk liner with a thermolite one inside it instead of my down 7 degree celsius sleeping bag which was mostly too warm on previous caminos. Also thinking of a small down blanket which others have...
Hi Marye02, my friend Eileen and I are also doing the Portuguese caminho in May - starting from Lisbon on the 14th. We both use 30L Deuter SL (womens fit) packs with the trampoline back which allows for good airflow between your back and the pack. I find Deuter packs very comfortable and have...
Probably a silly question but here goes! So you've sprayed your gear outside in a well ventilated area - avoiding skin contact and inhalation(!) and it has dried rendering it safe to wear/sleep against your skin, how does it then kill bedbugs if it is now 'safe'? I haven't sprayed my gear...
I used to be an avid PCT blog reader, reading many each season where the most common shoe mentioned were Brooks Cascadias - along with the vivid descriptions and sometimes photos of debilitating blisters, so common that many trail towns/trail angels have blister clinics. My theory since most...
I prefer bottles myself as I find it easier to keep track of how much I am drinking/have left. I take reusable metal or naglene bottles to reduce the need for single use disposable bottles, even if reused for a time - imagine the amount of pilgrims each year (?400,000 this year?) If even half of...
I bought a lovely blue Senz in Burgos - umbrella store not far from the cathedral - on my first camino and then took a silver coated compact Senz on my next. Used it most days either for sun or rain. In the sun it's cooler than a hat, lets the air around my head and shades my shoulders. In the...
Wet weather on the Le Puy route ,May 2018, really thankful for water proof boots and rain pants to keep water from filling boots from the top. Usually didn't bother with rain jacket unless it was really wild (one memorable thunderstorm!) Or cold. Just used unbrella which regulated the heat. Yes...
I too dislike damp 'knickers' and prefer to wipe dry. I don't bother with a plastic bag for tissues used for urine - I just fold the paper over and put it in a pocket (it's only urine after all!) and discard in a bin - please don't put face tissues down a toilet as they don't dissolve like...
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