Domino 2015 Question?

[Len Dacombe]

okay, I have a question... I'm starting from SJPP on April 9th. I have my pack weight at about 10 Kg. I was hoping to add my small camera and Garmin GPS to the mix, but am wondering if I should leave the GPS at home. Any thoughts?

I will be carrying my iPhone6 and will likely throw a Spanish SIM card in it, so in theory I could use the Camino App as a GPS .

I'm arguing with myself on what else I should take out of the backpack.

 

[Camembert]

okay, I have a question... I'm starting from SJPP on April 9th. I have my pack weight at about 10 Kg. I was hoping to add my small camera and Garmin GPS to the mix, but am wondering if I should leave the GPS at home. Any thoughts?

I will be carrying my iPhone6 and will likely throw a Spanish SIM card in it, so in theory I could use the Camino App as a GPS .

I'm arguing with myself on what else I should take out of the backpack.

10 kgs ? What's inside ? Everything but the kitchen sink ?
Shave the pack back to approx. 7 kgs . ! All what you expect not to use, leave at home !
I walk with 7 kgs in total and that's heavy enough.
Buen camino

 

[Mike Savage]

That is a tough call and our answers may not help much. Pack weight affects people differently, thoughts on electronics will also vary greatly as will your goals for this trip. Personally I would leave the GPS home as I wouldn't want the weight, the responsibility, the distraction etc. Having said that I have never used a GPS so it holds no real value for me as a traveling companion.

Not sure that helps and it is only my opinion.

Mike

 

[Mike Savage]

As far as the camera goes I could not possibly travel without one though most modern cell phones are up to the task especially with good lighting.

 

[Len Dacombe]

The cell phone won't have the capacity for photos, so the camera is definitely coming. I doubt I can reduce to 7Kg which is well below the 10% guideline, but I will rework the contents and see what I can do.

Will I need long sleeved base layer shirts in early April??

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You may find that the iPhone will eat through data like locusts in a wheat field. Regular use of Maps ran up an ATT bill over $600.

You don't need GPS unless you have fun using it.

Will I need long sleeved base layer shirts in early April??

I would take one. Evenings and mornings can be cool.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Len, what use do you expect to get from the GPS? If you are walking CF, you will have many many arrows showing you the way, plus many pilgrims in front and back of you so you will not get lost. I have never used a GPS, so I really don't understand what adavantages it may bring, especially since the Camino does not follow main routes, but often goes through private land, fields, forest.

 

[Len Dacombe]

Len, what use do you expect to get from the GPS? If you are walking CF, you will have many many arrows showing you the way, plus many pilgrims in front and back of you so you will not get lost. I have never used a GPS, so I really don't understand what adavantages it may bring, especially since the Camino does not follow main routes, but often goes through private land, fields, forest.

I guess I was thinking of the times when I'm in the cities where the markings are more subtle and I might veer off course. That's all. I'm not married to the idea and now that I'm down to weight reduction I guess it's going off the list.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement!!

 

[Len Dacombe]

You may find that the iPhone will eat through data like locusts in a wheat field. Regular use of Maps ran up an ATT bill over $600.

You don't need GPS unless you have fun using it.


I would take one. Evenings and mornings can be cool.

Thanks. Secondary question. Merino wool or synthetic?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thanks. Secondary question. Merino wool or synthetic?

Either ;0) As long as it's light and dries quickly. In other words, I would not depend on wool socks since they are thick and can take a long time to dry.

I bought some Merino long sleeved Ts at Costco, as well as some longjohns in another brand for my 3rd Camino. They both feel a bit itchy and I don't enjoy wearing them but they did keep me warm in May 2013 and did not smell (record cold temps in Spain and I wore them all day, all night, only washing where there was a drier available).

This time I am going back to synthetic. But last weekend I saw some IceBreaker clothese that felt really soft. Actually, my Camino undies are IceBreakers.

People apparently like wool because it does not stink. But if you are hoping for a hot afternoon sun to dry your clothes, you will most likely do laundry daily.

 

[Mike Savage]

I prefer merino wool. If you look for the finer (thinner) threads such as 17.5 micron then it will not be itchy to most people but I am not sensitive to wool's itch any way. I was just on amazon dot com looking at the brand Minus33 and you can get 25% off (through Amazon) if you spend $100 or more . . . so I did!

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Thanks. Secondary question. Merino wool or synthetic?

Hy, I prefer merino wool. I use icebreaker MERINO and these are doing great for me. Wish you a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[scruffy1]

GPS? Here is a picture of mine

With me since 1960.

 

[SYates]

If you post your packing list here, we might be able to help you to shave a kilo or so off. As for the GPS - leave it at home, no need for it on the CF! Buen Camino! SY

 

[dougfitz]

I guess I was thinking of the times when I'm in the cities where the markings are more subtle and I might veer off course. That's all. I'm not married to the idea and now that I'm down to weight reduction I guess it's going off the list.

@Len Dacombe, I carry a camera, smartphone and GPS. Sometimes I have used the GPS for navigation, but I would not rely on it in the cities and some major towns along the CF. It is difficult to pick up enough satellites in narrow streets to give you a good fix.

As for pack weight, my ideal walking weight about 80 kg, and for a spring camino my weight target is 20% FSO (from the skin out). With about 3kg of clothing, boots, etc, this leaves me about 13kg for my a pack fully loaded, ie including with food and water, or about 10kg bare weight (without consumables). This is about 12.5% of my ideal walking weight. I wouldn't get too excited if you are already below 10% about making major changes, but if you are carrying things just on the basis that you might need them, think carefully about whether they should stay in your packing list.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Merino wool or synthetic?

Synthetic dries faster. To me, merino wool does not itch any less than other wool.

 

[Sakami]

I've been playing with a new handheld GPS for a couple weeks and it serves a similar purpose for me as do the Camino books and this forum for that matter. It's a way that helps me imagine, plan for and anticipate the trip in advance. Playing with maps is my idea of fun and I know I can't carry a complete set of topos on such a long route. It's a mystery to me how people accomplished this walk for hundreds of years before Google Earth.

It also gives me an opportunity to learn some mapping software I've wanted to become familiar with for wilderness canoe trips. GPS is something I've used extensively for 20 years in aviation, but have less experience with hiking and canoeing. The free BaseCamp software that works with the little Garmin eTrex has been fun to play with and helpful in visualizing the trip. The best downloadable maps for the thing are free via the Open Street Map project and provide a level of detail perfect for walking speed. I'm interested to see how accurate they are/are not. Considering that it constitutes a $150 investment and weighs 5 oz it's something I can carry without worrying too much.

You'll recognize me on the trail. I'll be the guy in front of you with his head down, mouth open, ear buds in, staring at his GPS and blocking the path as I zig-zag along. Feel free to give me a whack with your stick.

Dave

 

[dougfitz]

It's a mystery to me how people accomplished this walk for hundreds of years before Google Earth.

There were probably far more conversations with the locals for a start. It is not difficult to imagine that there was much less farmland and more forest. There would have fewer pathways linking smaller villages. Once on the right path leaving a village, this would have meant less confusing options, etc, etc.

It is also possible that some people made a living as a local guides who might take you from one town or village to the next. Or that in more remote or dangerous parts, that pilgrims would wait until there was someone who knew the way and prepared to walk with a group for both guidance and protection.

 

[jmcarp]

I've been playing with a new handheld GPS for a couple weeks and it serves a similar purpose for me as do the Camino books and this forum for that matter. It's a way that helps me imagine, plan for and anticipate the trip in advance. Playing with maps is my idea of fun and I know I can't carry a complete set of topos on such a long route. It's a mystery to me how people accomplished this walk for hundreds of years before Google Earth...

I must confess to being somewhat of a gear geek myself, and I understand your desire to bring a GPS. However, in this case I find myself in agreement with the overwhelming majority of pilgrims who have walked the Camino -- a GPS is simply not necessary for wayfinding, and if you're that much into the GPS as glorified toy, I feel that you'll be missing part of the Camino experience. But it's your Camino, and if having the GPS along is important to you, then go for it. I'm not sure which eTrex model you have, but mine uses AA batteries and will barely last a full day of continuous use without needing a fresh set of batteries, so be prepared for that burden and expense, or if you have an internal rechargeable battery, be aware that outlet space for chargers is limited in many albergues.

 

[katdavis]

okay, I have a question... I'm starting from SJPP on April 9th. I have my pack weight at about 10 Kg. I was hoping to add my small camera and Garmin GPS to the mix, but am wondering if I should leave the GPS at home. Any thoughts?

Hi Len,
I've carried a Garmin 62S on 3 of the 4 caminos I've walked, but not the Frances. You don't need a GPS on the Frances because of the abundance of arrows but if you wanted to take it to record your tracks, elevation profile etc ... Take it, but u shouldn't need it to find your way. If you do lose the arrows coming into or leaving a town, it's a wonderful chance to interact with the locals - even if you don't speak Spanish, the locals will know you're on the camino and point you in the right direction.

I would say yes to long sleeve base layers in April and I prefer merino because it doesn't get so smelly and dries quickly - I know of some people who don't like the feel of merino though so it's a personal choice.

Buen Camino!

Kat

 

[jbear]

okay, I have a question... I'm starting from SJPP on April 9th. I have my pack weight at about 10 Kg.

I will be carrying my iPhone6 and will likely throw a Spanish SIM card in it, so in theory I could use the Camino App as a GPS .

Len does that 10kg include your water, snacks, and other little odds and ends? If not I'd probably try to reduce a little bit. Something else to consider, if you are like me and a little overweight don't use that number for your 10% ideal. Find your recommend weight and look for 10% of that. But if you're used to walking with that weight in your pack then maybe you are ok with it. For me, 10kg wears me out over multiple long days. However, I can do 15kg if I'm somewhere I need to (back country) I just need to plan a little more time to get to my destination. I think that's part of why hikes like the AT are so challenging.

On the phone, can you put it into Airplane Mode and still use the GPS? If so, that will save you on data. It also helps preserve battery life. When I'm out of the country I try to stick with WiFi (remember its pronounced "weefee" in Spain). Hope that helps a little.

 

[Len Dacombe]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice and comments. I was not "married" to the GPS idea, but being a techie I originally thought "why not?". I have now set the GPS aside because I've asked the question "Do I want to cary this and replace the batteries everyday?" I will likely look for a Spanish Sim card for the iPhone to avoid any roaming charges. I can't see using that much cellular data if I only use it occasionaly to see where I'm actually located (lost). :>)

Has anyone had any experience with Spanish data plans? What's available? Typical cost?

I have removed a few clothing items from the backpack, and a multiport USB charger as I have decided to use the basic Apple iPhone charger cube with a spanish adaptor instead. I had thought the multiport device might come in handy to charge multiple things at once, but the propability of needing to do this will likely be low.

I'm down to 9.3 Kg, now not counting water and snacks (and the Brierly Guide Book). It's too bad the Brierly Guidebook isn't available on PDF, his Map book is??? The new Camino App doesn't contain the same information as far as I can tell.

I have a few other ideas to drop a little bit more weight, but it will probably be minimal.

Question: I have seem that pepole have taken along a "Day Pack" for those times when you want to leave your lareger pack at a hotel etc. Is it worth taking one? I have once which is 316 grams but I don't want to add it in if all I'm going to do is carry it for no reason?

.

 

[Len Dacombe]

GPS? Here is a picture of mine

With me since 1960.

I have one of those too!!!

 

[jbear]

I thought about carrying one. However, even the lightest one I have weighs 7 oz. and that is just Camelback with the bladder removed. So after thinking about how often I walk around with a backpack, I decided to skip it. But I still wanted something to carry my junk around in on rest days and while sight seeing. At first I was going to take a reusable shopping bag, but I'm now thinking a track bag would be more handy. Either weighs about 2 oz. So 5 oz is only 142 grams, but to paraphrase an old saying, "Watch the ounces and the pounds will take care of themselves".

Now if you plan to ship your pack ahead a day pack is a smart idea. Something to hold extra socks, water, and a jacket. I know a person who suffered an injury while walking and did just that. After healing up enough to continue he bought a day pack and would have his main pack transported.

So I guess the short version of all that typing is don't bother with the extra weight. If you decide you need a day pack, buy one along the way

 

[jmcarp]

...I'm down to 9.3 Kg, now not counting water and snacks (and the Brierly Guide Book). It's too bad the Brierly Guidebook isn't available on PDF, his Map book is??? The new Camino App doesn't contain the same information as far as I can tell.
...
Question: I have seem that pepole have taken along a "Day Pack" for those times when you want to leave your lareger pack at a hotel etc. Is it worth taking one? I have once which is 316 grams but I don't want to add it in if all I'm going to do is carry it for no reason?

1. Have you seen this: http://www.ecamino.eu/the-mobile-app/ ?
2. We carried a little roll-up daypack we got at Walmart for about $6 or $8. It rolled up into a ball about the size of an orange. We used them a few times while shopping or sight-seeing in the big cities on our rest days, and also carried them on the plane with snacks and a warm shirt so we wouldn't have to get our big packs down from the overhead luggage bin -- same on the bus from Madrid to Pamplona and SJPdP.

 

[Len Dacombe]

1. Have you seen this: http://www.ecamino.eu/the-mobile-app/ ?
2. We carried a little roll-up daypack we got at Walmart for about $6 or $8. It rolled up into a ball about the size of an orange. We used them a few times while shopping or sight-seeing in the big cities on our rest days, and also carried them on the plane with snacks and a warm shirt so we wouldn't have to get our big packs down from the overhead luggage bin -- same on the bus from Madrid to Pamplona and SJPdP.

I do have this App on my iPhone. I don't think it has all of the location background info in it , unless you have to click on each waymark in the maps. You may have to have cellular data turned on for this App to be really useful on the trail. Hence my quest to explore a spanish sim card.

I also notices that the knife and Fork waymark doesn't always mean that foods is available. It could just be a water font. Not sure why they didn't use a different symbol for the water fonts (like in the book)?

 

[JP]

I carried my Garmin GPS in my pants side pocket from SJPDP to Santiago and never used it to get directions and I get lost in my backyard at home! I would try to get my pack down to 8 Kilos, biggest mistake we made on our Camino was a large heavy pack.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Thanks. Secondary question. Merino wool or synthetic?

Hy , I prever Merino wool . Wish you well and a Buen Camino , Peter .

 

[Kathy F.]

Len, like the others, I advise you to leave the GPS. You won't need it on the CF.
You seem to be working on dropping the weight on your pack. Continue. SY suggested that you post your pack list here and we can offer suggestions - feel free to do so, lots of people do.
If you have your iPhone, why do you want to take a camera also? I thought the iPhone took beautiful pictures? Consider the weight of any chargers/batteries, etc.
I took a day pack for exactly the reasons you suggest - something to use during the day when your pack is laid on your bunk! I used a free string bag I got as a promotional item at a fair. Worked for me.
I bought a Spanish SIM card - it wasn't expensive. I suppose it saved me some money but I used it only once or twice during the whole trip. I never had to navigate with it and made only two in country phone calls.
Buen Camino!

 

[dougfitz]

Len, like the others, I advise you to leave the GPS. You won't need it on the CF.

There is very little that one needs! I don't think a GPS is necessary, but neither is a smartphone, nor a tablet. If you carried any of these, it is because you made the choice that it was valuable to you to use that device to make a record, keep in touch with your family, etc, etc. I wouldn't carry a tablet, but I wouldn't be recommending that one shouldn't nor making a value judgement that someone who carried one didn't need to use it. Beyond explaining the pros and cons, there is a bit of 'to each his own' here.

 

[Len Dacombe]

Len, like the others, I advise you to leave the GPS. You won't need it on the CF.
You seem to be working on dropping the weight on your pack. Continue. SY suggested that you post your pack list here and we can offer suggestions - feel free to do so, lots of people do.
If you have your iPhone, why do you want to take a camera also? I thought the iPhone took beautiful pictures? Consider the weight of any chargers/batteries, etc.
I took a day pack for exactly the reasons you suggest - something to use during the day when your pack is laid on your bunk! I used a free string bag I got as a promotional item at a fair. Worked for me.
I bought a Spanish SIM card - it wasn't expensive. I suppose it saved me some money but I used it only once or twice during the whole trip. I never had to navigate with it and made only two in country phone calls.
Buen Camino!

The iPhone won't have enough spare memory for all of the pictures I want to take. It has a good camera for sure.

How safe are your backpacks when left in an Albergue? Just wondering.

 

[dougfitz]

How safe are your backpacks when left in an Albergue?

You will find a wealth of advice on this across the forum, and the basics don't change. Make sure you are carrying your valuables (cash, cards, phone, camera, passport, credential, etc) at all times, and there is then low risk leaving the backpack unattended. Some places on the CF (2010) had lockers. I didn't see any lockers on the CI and Camino Finisterre last year, but I wasn't really looking.

 

[Kathy F.]

I agree with Doug. I didn't have any problems leaving my backpack in the albergues. I took my valuables with me all the time, even in the bathroom. I think I've listed them before, but just to jog my memory, my valuables were:

• passport
• credit cards
• cash
• iPad
• phone
• credencial

Everything else in the backpack consisted of stuff that no one wants - band-aids, dirty socks, half-eaten power bar, etc. For the most part, the albergues are safe because we are all in the same boat. This is one of the basic lessons I got from the Camino. It confirmed my faith in humanity (I think I'm a bit of a Pollyanna, anyway). We all realize that we all take care of each other in the long run. We share, we give, and we also learn to take (in the most appropriate ways, of course). We look out for each other.
Of course, some people have a harder time resisting temptation than others. That why we help them by keeping our valuables secure.

By the way, of all the things on my list of valuables, my credencial was my most valuable. Everything else could, eventually, be replaced - cash, passport, phone, etc. My credencial was/is irreplaceable.

Buen Camino

PS - iPhones don't have a way to add a memory card? I don't know - I have a Samsung.