CaminoKate0214
Member
- Apr 21, 2015
- 49
- 176
- 56
- Time of past OR future Camino
- June/July 2015 (CF, 100 miles), June/July 2018 (CP, ~40 miles, too hot!)
Hi Kate.When I did the Camino in 2015, I went in summer since I was a teacher. This time, I'm going 1 September through the end of November. How should I pack AND how do I keep my pack light? Thanks.
Shorter daily sections. I'm a slow walker.3 months is a long time on “the Camino”. Are you planning some side trips, or shorter daily sections ?
I am tooShorter daily sections. I'm a slow walker.
Great list, but seems like a lot of weight. How much did all this weigh? I'm 265 now, and last time I kept the weight to around 12-14 lbs.In a word, layers!
You will enjoy that time of year!
You want to be able to mix and match layers for all weather conditions, and still have something warm and dry for the evening. In the coldest weather you will wear almost everything. In hot weather you will have to carry most of it! I take almost the same things regardless of the time of year. By very careful selection, I still keep my pack under 6 kg (excluding water).
On the "favourite shirt" thread, I listed all my top layers:
My bottom layers are:
- Merino sleeveless tank top - I wear this always while walking
- Synthetic walking/sun shirt with long sleeves and collar - I wear this always while walking
- Very light merino long sleeve for warmth if needed while walking
- Merino zip-up sweater
- Rain jacket
- Merino tee shirt for warm evenings and nights
- Down vest (sleeveless) for cold evenings and nights
- Second very light merino long sleeve shirt for evenings and nights
Important accessories are:
- Walking trousers - whatever type you prefer
- Evening trousers - I use merino wool sweat pants or long johns
- Rain pants - Can be pulled on over walking ones
- Wool buff
- Gloves - I would take 2 light pairs for October-November
All this I can really get behind. As I mentioned above, last Camino I kept my backpack to around 12-14 lbs. I weigh 265, so I'm hauling myself plus my "turtle shell" of kit also. I will go with this. I have a rain jacket, most kit already.I join the chorus of "layers!" I walked last October (tail end of Sep to Nov 1) from SJPP to SDC. Some mornings I wore almost all the clothes I packed: lightweight long underwear top and bottom, smartwool-ish long sleeve from Costco, smartwool t shirt. I prefer a fake-down jacket over fleece, it packs small into its own pocket and weighs little, and that would be my outer layer until I warmed up walking a bit every morning. Thin gloves, a Camino-for-Good buff (shout out to those good people!), and a wool cap. By the end of October, a rain jacket. Wore the same one pair of pants for the whole camino, the kind with zip-off legs. That's my entire wardrobe there, minus the extra pair of undies, sports bra, and columbia-brand dress plus clean blouse for evenings...the long undies and dress became my night clothes on really cold evenings. I prefer a down blanket rather than a sleeping bag, tucked inside a sleeping sheet (saved weight and room -they tuck nicely into a stuff sack inside my pack). Used everything, wanted for nothing, six weeks...@mspath was my inspiration - Thank you Meredith! - read her blog and see if it resonates for you. Buen Camino! It will be lovely.
My pack (excluding water and my warm-weather walking clothes) weighs about 13 pounds. Of that, about 4.5 lb were "spare" clothes. I like to be self-sufficient and also to do my shopping at home, so I try to take everything I expect to need.Great list, but seems like a lot of weight. How much did all this weigh?
Good on you for keeping the pack weight down! My total pack weight was 11.4lbs...I'm going on pilgrimage along Camino San Salvador this coming fall and have a lighter, smaller, better-fitting pack which will take another pound off. And lighter trail runners, which seem to help me feel I'm carrying less weight. Gotta say, the physical pilgrimage of walking with heavy shoes and back taught me a lot about patience and endurance...Would very much like to feel I've "graduated" from the "class" and am willing to make myself available for other lessons! Wishing you all the best...All this I can really get behind. As I mentioned above, last Camino I kept my backpack to around 12-14 lbs. I weigh 265, so I'm hauling myself plus my "turtle shell" of kit also. I will go with this. I have a rain jacket, most kit already.
@Becky 59 I plan on walking part of the CF in a macabi skirt in October. When you say "light leggings," can you suggest a brand? I'm confused between tights, leggings and base layer bottoms. (I'm not a regular leggings wearer.) I got a very comfortable pair of REI brand midweight tights (to me they seem a bit like old-school thermal underwear), but wonder if they will be too warm. Thanks!When I walked the CF last fall, I walked in a hiking skirt (Macabi) with light leggings underneath in the am, when it was sometimes down to low-30's F (2-3 C). It was frequently warm enough by 10-11 am to slip off the leggings and finish the day with just the walking skirt for my "bottom" layer. (Just a plug for the skirt, lol!)