• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Suggestions for lightening you load

Melensdad

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2016 SJPdP to Santiago, Finisterre. Hadrian's Way, 2015. Sections of the AT + National & State Park trails.
1. Instead of packing 8 beers with you each morning just take 6. Total weight savings: 1.5 pounds. You can always get some Vino Tinto at the little bars along the route to fortify you if you run out of beer.

2. At St Jean, open your pack and remove two or three pairs of shoes. You can mail them ahead to Ivar in Santiago. Weight savings 4 to 6 pounds.

3. Instead of that old kerosene lantern, try a headlamp. By leaving your Coleman 1 Mantle Kerosene Lantern at home and replacing it with a Petzl Tikka headlamp, you’ll decrease your total pack weight by 4 pounds, 11 ounces.

4. If you notice you have a baby with you, run back into town quick and find someone to babysit it while you are on your month long pilgrimage. Babies are heavy and become awkward to carry after several miles. Plus they require lots of extra food and gear like diapers.

5. When you arrive in St Jean, set aside all your heavy stuff and ask your friend to carry it for you. Explain that you are trying to lighten your pack.

6. Try to limit yourself to 3, or fewer, stuffed animals.

7. Portable video game consoles are heavy. Instead of your Playstation Vita (1 pound, 10 ounces), download a few games like Angry Birds, Star Wars II, 80 Days, Asphalt 8, and NBA Jam to your iPhone; these will occupy your time so you don't have to interact with other pilgrims.

8. Instead of packing separate bottles of shampoo, conditioner, mousse, gel, detangler, and hairspray, try using a stylish hat to hide your dirty hair from the other pilgrims.

9. Buy all new stuff. If your stuff is from last year, it’s very likely way heavier than this year’s stuff. Go into a gear store and tell them to give you all new lightweigh hiking stuff, and enjoy the weight savings, plus the shiny newness. If anyone gives you grief, such as your spouse, tell them your old stuff was too heavy and it was giving you back pain.

10. If you have some things that are troubling you, tell them to someone on the way to your hike, or to your friend when you meet at the trailhead. It can be very cathartic to get your problems off your chest. This will lighten your pack, if only metaphysically.

Please feel free to add your own submissions for consideration!
 
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Join our full-service guided tour of the Basque Country and let us pamper you!
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
I agree with all of this good advice, except #6 might be very challenging ....
Yup I agree. If you see my beloved 'sock-monkey' on the side of the roadway please tell him I still love him, but I just couldn't deal with the added weight.



What do you carry it in ?A DRY SACK?
That is how I do it. The 'freeze dried' water is better than the 'dehydrated' stuff because you can use it to keep your beer cans cold too.
 
That is how I do it. The 'freeze dried' water is better than the 'dehydrated' stuff because you can use it to keep your beer cans cold too.[/QUOTE]
As a non drinker I will leave the beer cans so I'm in a win win situation.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I'm two kilos down and have decided to drop my pack weight from around my --ummm---spare tire and junk in the trunk. Yeah. Lots of unnecessary junk, and difficult to secure.
 
I'm two kilos down and have decided to drop my pack weight from around my --ummm---spare tire and junk in the trunk. Yeah. Lots of unnecessary junk, and difficult to secure.
If you use a Fanny Pack you can easily secure the "junk in the trunk" :cool:
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Would that go for a bumbag too? I’m up for any way to trim the load back there
Bumbag or Fanny Pack, either will handle all the junk in the trunk.

A Waistpack, however, takes charge of the spare tire that might be flopping around on the front.

And, since the average shoe weighs about 1# or just under 1/2kg, and since you wear 2 shoes, you have a total of about 2# or 1kg on your feet. But we know that 1# on your feet is equal to nearly 6# on your back, so walking barefoot is the equivalent of shaving nearly 12# / 5.5kg from your pack weight. And if your pack actually weighs less than that then 12# / 5.5kg and you are walking barefoot then you are not actually carrying anything!
 
Bumbag or Fanny Pack, either will handle all the junk in the trunk.

A Waistpack, however, takes charge of the spare tire that might be flopping around on the front.

And, since the average shoe weighs about 1# or just under 1/2kg, and since you wear 2 shoes, you have a total of about 2# or 1kg on your feet. But we know that 1# on your feet is equal to nearly 6# on your back, so walking barefoot is the equivalent of shaving nearly 12# / 5.5kg from your pack weight. And if your pack actually weighs less than that then 12# / 5.5kg and you are walking barefoot then you are not actually carrying anything!
I salute you! Most excellent figuring!
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
You can also cut your toothbrush in half to shave a bit of weight. If you discard the half with the bristles on the end then you can also eliminate the need for toothpaste ... which eliminates even more weight :confused:

But don't you have to add water to reactivate it?
Only if you are thristy. Otherwise it is weightless water.
 
Last edited:
Oh, and no need lug around those heavy international socket adapters with all their extra weight, just 're-purpose' your grooming kit after you clip your toenails. image.jpg
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Good suggestions, but I'm sure you are asking for trouble with No.3. How can you even think of changing something so nicely old fashioned, probably used centuries ago, with something more modern? The medieval pilgrims did use lanterns, so should we!
And No.6 is totally heartless, how could you....:(

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Does anyone know where we keep the helium tanks?
We could be like the guy in "UP" and fly over the Pyrenees? ...... Oooops I guess that would be ?cheating? :p:eek:o_O
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Last edited:
A guide to speaking Spanish on the Camino - enrich your pilgrim experience.

Most read last week in this forum

Hi! I'm traveling to Porto tomorrow and starting the Camino on the 19th, the problem is that I've just weighed my pack and it's 2 kilos more than it should be! Should I get rid of some stuff or...
My son has advised me to delete unnecessary apps, books, podcasts, downloaded videos etc from my iPhone. Saves up to 250gms. Great weight saving hack.
Hello all - thank you all so much for all of the guidance on what is not my only first camino but first hike over about 5 miles! I've headed a lot of advice about backpacks and trekking poles and...
While reading through one of the more recent water bottle vs. hydration bladder debates, I was reminded of something I came across a few weeks ago, bookmarked, and promptly forgot about until said...
I've stopped procrastinating and done my first pack. Was a bit nervous about being under 7kg hand luggage, but on the first try I've come to 5.9kg (13 pounds). (Not counting one set walking...
Hi there! I was on the fence about poles bc I've never used them and as mentioned previously, brand new to hiking. But because I'm in treatment for breast cancer and as such have a decent amount...

âť“How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top