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  1. kmrice

    The Packa vs Altus Poncho

    Have you actually tried a Packa? We’ve used ours for several thousand miles over thirteen years and can attest that they are completely waterproof. The pit zips also helps a great in reducing condensation. Don’t know what the MT900 costs, but we have found the Packas to be well worth the cost...
  2. kmrice

    The Packa vs Altus Poncho

    5’7” 160lbs. My shirts are 16x32. Medium seems to be right for me.
  3. kmrice

    The Packa vs Altus Poncho

    Just got my replacement Packa. It's a medium and weighs 328 gr. My old one weighs 329 gr; that's great, every gram counts!
  4. kmrice

    The Packa vs Altus Poncho

    I'm 5'8", carry a 48L pack, and use a medium Packa. My wife's pack is a little smaller, probably something like 45L. She's 5'4" and uses a small Packa. Karl
  5. kmrice

    The Packa vs Altus Poncho

    We've used our Packas since 2013, walking well over 5,000k of caminos in Spain and Italy. Love them. The ability to carry one deployed on your pack, and easily get into the jacket if the rain starts up again is fantastic. The pit zips let in a great deal of air and reduce sweating a lot. Mine...
  6. kmrice

    What does "good shoes" mean?

    I tend to say go with the boots you have and like, with one caveat: make sure they work well for you on continuous long days of walking. I’ve worn the same boots (Keen Targhee 3s, mids, waterproof,) for several thousand miles of pilgrimages now, but on my first Camino a pair of boots that had...
  7. kmrice

    Pants or Shorts? Second pair of Shoes?

    Rodrigo, from Mexico, may already have a little Spanish!
  8. kmrice

    Pants or Shorts? Second pair of Shoes?

    After 3,000+ miles of caminos, I’ve settled on the following: 2 pairs of zip off convertible pants, but only taking one pair of the legs. I prefer to walk in shorts, but occasional overgrown paths or colder mornings make me happy to have long pants available. 1 pair of hiking boots (Keene...
  9. kmrice

    Help! Pack too heavy! — CF Sept & Oct — Senior Woman

    Only one set of legs but BOTH pairs of shorts I should have said.
  10. kmrice

    Help! Pack too heavy! — CF Sept & Oct — Senior Woman

    Consider getting two identical pairs of convertible (legs come off to make shorts) and only taking one set of the legs. That’s what my wife (senior woman) and I (senior man) have done on caminos for years.
  11. kmrice

    The Perfect (almost) Backpack?

    Thanks, Dougfitz. I’ll check out some of the other Ospreys. I’ve really liked my Exos but the current model has no belt or strap pockets like my older one. I’d miss them.
  12. kmrice

    The Perfect (almost) Backpack?

    Any two compartment packs you can suggest? I’ve used my Osprey Exos 48 for 2,400 miles amd love it. The single compartment is my only complaint. My Osprey will need replacement in the not too distant future. I don’t like the current version and so would appreciate any suggestions. I promise not...
  13. kmrice

    Too big shoes?

    We trained heavily for our first Camino in boots the same size as our regular shoes. They felt great and we thought they fitted perfectly. After five or six days on the CF, however, blisters damn near killed us. Finished the CF in sandals. Since then we’ve walked nearly 2,500 miles in boots...
  14. kmrice

    Trekking poles, and testing foot wear

    Colin Fletcher (The Complete Walker) pointed out that using a stick turned him from an unsteady biped into a stable triped. That was back in the 1960s, before walking poles were invented. Two walking poles turn you into a really, really stable quadruped. I’ve walked 3,000 miles of caminos and...
  15. kmrice

    Italy - phone sim?

    Vodafone offers both eSIMs and physical SIMs.
  16. kmrice

    Italy - phone sim?

    I’ve used Vodafone many times since 2014 and their service has worked very well. Generally good signal, very helpful stores in Roma Termini, Siena, Milan and Assisi to get the SIMs installed. Price for lots of calls and data seems reasonable, although I have not comparison shopped.
  17. kmrice

    Mystery Ranch Packs

    REI sells Mystery Packs.
  18. kmrice

    Trekking Poles Turned Me into the Flash

    A long time ago, in The Complete Walker, Colin Fletcher explained that a walking stick converts an unstable biped into a stable “tri-ped.” I took this advice to heart and used a stick when hiking from the 70’s until 2012. My stick was a free piece of bamboo; carpets used to come rolled up around...
  19. kmrice

    The Packa

    We used ponchos for a Camino in 2008; in gale force winds in Finnesterre they were a complete disaster. Bought Packas for the CF in 2013 and have loved them ever since. Goes on pretty easily, and if you are expecting rain, or are between showers, you can come out of the jacket and leave the...
  20. kmrice

    What (if anything) I did wrong?

    Bought a Vodafone SIM for my iPhone 7 in Italy last August, about €30, good for at least 28 days (I'm thinking it was 30). It worked seamlessly in Italy, Spain (including its islands), France (including Corsica) and Portugal (including the Azores) with no problems. I was able to recharge (paying...

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