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  1. Houlet

    Do I really need a compass?

    Under normal conditions you don't NEED a compass the route is well marked however in fog or other bad weather it could save your life. Personally I always have a map, a compass a whistle and torch and hope never to need any of them.
  2. Houlet

    Cheap but fine equipment

    For rucksacks ebay is perfect, so many people buy one and use it once. I got a pristine used Berghaus Freeflo 30 +8 much cheaper than the fashionable brands It is now less than perfect as I have used for the Camino Frances, the Via de la Plata, the Camino Norde, and several other trips. It is...
  3. Houlet

    Ready to look at new footwear for Camino

    I too have always worn boots however this year I tried Merrel walking shoes and found out the hard way they are not for me. I tend to walk fairly quickly and average 30 - 35 k per day, With the shoes, on the second day my left achilles tendon was tender and of course I walked another 30 k on day...
  4. Houlet

    What did you bring on the Camino that you wound up not using?

    1, I ALWAYS take a survival bag on every walk and luckily have never had to use it. It doubles as a dry sak so no extra weight really. 2. I wish I had packed a corkscrew, Spanish wine bottles rarely have screw tops.
  5. Houlet

    Bottle vs hydropack

    The bottles vs bladder thing is personal choice, I always wanted a bladder but when I bought one, didn't like it so returned to using bottles. Be careful not to carry too little water though, water is not always as available as on the Camino Frances. On the Via de la Plata for instance the...
  6. Houlet

    We have all been there ...

    I met a small slightly built Belgian lady two years ago, (62 kg she said) She carried all her own cooking materials neatly packed in tupperware type containers, olive oil, herbs and spices etc etc all in an enormous back pack, I dread to think how heavy. She had started at St Jean, and came by...
  7. Houlet

    Water bladder troubles

    Trying to start an argument from nothing does not mean you are right - Doug. As I said in my original post :-"Each to their own."
  8. Houlet

    Water bladder troubles

    You only have to buy it once and refill the bottle for the rest of the trip though.
  9. Houlet

    Water bladder troubles

    Like lots of the gadgets on others people's cars I coveted a water bladder and eventually bought one last year. AND like lots of these gadgets when I actually used it I found I much prefer bottles especially the ones you get free surrounding "supermercado agua." Each to their own.
  10. Houlet

    What DO men put in their backpacks?

    Agreed, almost all decent bottled Spanish wine has a real cork, twist off caps are rare.
  11. Houlet

    How much distance do hiking shoes last?

    You are right, my son, daughter and myself used Brasher Hillmasters for years and they were excellent. I then bought a pair of the Chinese made new improved and lighter Hillmaster II which were rubbish. They were lighter, because they had less tread, thirteen months from box to bin. I believe...
  12. Houlet

    How much distance do hiking shoes last?

    I think it's a bit like the "length of string" question, much depends on the underfoot conditions walked. At home a high percentage of my walking is on soft going and the uppers tend to go before the soles, This year on the VdlP, and more road and hard surface walking, my boots were pretty...
  13. Houlet

    What DO men put in their backpacks?

    Just the absolutely necessities, a dozen beers and a bottle of whisky.
  14. Houlet

    10 reasons to use trekking poles

    X@#£$%&!!!! I'd get zigged off if these young whipper snappers yielded to me! But then I'm only wrinkley on the outside. :) (67 yo)
  15. Houlet

    10 reasons to use trekking poles

    And...... the rubber tips prevent them from inpaling fellow pilgrims. Many times I've had people with the poles tucked under their arms turning round and hitting me.
  16. Houlet

    10 reasons to use trekking poles

    This is another classic 'con'. If you carry them rather than use them, they are a burden and not an aid. I must admit I find it difficult to understand how you might lose a set of poles. They are not something that is going to slip behind the mattress at an albergue and be left behind! While...
  17. Houlet

    10 reasons to use trekking poles

    Personally I have never used them but each to their own. Applying common sense, it takes approx. the same amount of energy to walk a specific route whichever way you do it. Whatever energy or strain you may save your legs has to be transferred somewhere else on the body. The added balance...
  18. Houlet

    Rectangular sleeping bag

    Last May I used a Karrimor from Sports Direct. Weight 700 g, Current cost £13. http://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-travel-rectangle-sleeping-bag--781189?colcode=78118902 I'm sure it can handle a Spanish summer.
  19. Houlet

    Cheap Backpack (On a Budget)

    e-bay is your friend if on a budget, there are lots of good value used bags out there. Get the details from the manufacurers or suppliers sites then look for what you need.
  20. Houlet

    To take a sleeping bag or not?

    I took, and needed, a sleeping bag and my summer version weighing about 700 g was perfectly adequate.

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