2 weeks left for my 1st Camino - Last advice and clothes info appreciated

[Saidch]

Hello dear friends! hope you are all well!

Mid May, I will be walking my first ever Camino - The Camino Ingles from Ferrol to Santiago over 5 to 6 days.

Thanks to previous posts, i prepared my itinerary, even though I keep rethinking it, but I beleive it's an adventure, and i will not try to control everything, i will just see where i end up every day and find a hostel.
Things will sort themselves I think.

I have already my backpack, confrotable shoes....
but do you usually wear shorts or pants? any special kind of pants or shorts?

and lastely, do you have any last advice for me ?

so excited to do the Camino!

thanks everyone!
Saïd

 

[J Willhaus]

A lot of people wear zip off cargo pants so you have the option of either pants or shorts and also have a lot of pockets.

 

[chunter]

I carried one of each and a pair of capris. I wore everything at various times. I find it difficult to find comfy zipoffs but have lots of friends who wear them. Capris made nice "non hiking" wear for me .

Buen Camino!

 

[MargiSchmidt]

How exciting for you! Best wishes on your camino!

So much of clothing is personal preference- wear the type of clothing you are most comfortable in.
As an example- I don't like the feeling of branches and brush hitting my bare legs so I wore leggings the entire time - even in 36C / 97F weather and I was fine.
Some of the pilgrims I walked with stopped mid-day to change into shorts...others wore shorts the entire time- even when it felt quite cold.

My biggest advice is to know your own preferences and to honor them.

A comfortable hat with ventialtion was helpful for me...if you are comfortable with hats...if not..it's all good.

My merino wool gaiter / buff came in really handy, serving many purposes: kept my neck warm on chilly days, kept the sun off the back of my neck on high UV days & functioned as a really comfortable black-out eye shade for sleeping in albergues. The antimicrobial properties of the merino wool were nice when I had to miss a laundry day.

I am one of the folks who lucked out with the injinji toe sock liners- 965km / 600+ miles and not a single blister...and I saw some terrible ones on others, so am very grateful for them. Some folks, though, not so much.

And oh, merino wool underwear- again with the anitmicrobial properties---so comfortable!

Just notice things that work for you as you train and start your walk and adjust accordinly.
You are about to start on the journey of a lifetime...enjoy and buen camino!

 

[Kirkie]

I wish you a wonderful first camino. I have no advice.
Except this: walk well, enjoy the people you meet, and the food you find, and return home delighted with your achievement!

 

[C clearly]

wear the type of clothing you are most comfortable in.

This is the best advice.

It is also important to do a trial with the exact clothes you expect to wear while walking. Put on your packed backpack, and the clothes you are considering, and go for a 20 km walk. You will be surprised at little things that might annoy you - a waistband seam that rubs under your hip belt, a pocket that is blocked by a strap, something that chafes on your leg after 5 km, etc. It is much easier to fix or replace these things at home, than on the Camino. When you get home, wash those pants/trousers, shirt, and underwear in the sink and hang them to dry. The next morning, see if they are dry.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Don't let all the talk of a heatwave fool you. Still fairly rainy here in Asturias.

 

[Former member 92300]

Well - for a shorter Camino I don't think what clothes you wear as imperative as on a long Camino, so go for comfort, and no reason why you can't wear what you already have in your closet.

That said - these are my usual recommendations (but keep in mind I also do the long Camino routes):
1 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve shirt. I prefer merino wool, better for temp regulation, quick dry, and doesn't retain smells the way many other fabrics do.

Most people want a combination of shorts and pants - or some do either or. For those that want both - convertible pants are a good way to go because you can just zip off the legs when you warm up for the day. I myself prefer a pair of leggings and a pair of running shorts with a shorts liner (not built in underwear for me - I like the liner to be a bit longer) and/or a lightweight merino wool blend hiking dress (I like it because I don't get exposed when I do need to pee outside.

I bring at least 3 pairs of underwear (1 to wear, 2 to spare) and two-3 sets of socks (one to wear, others to spare). I love Injinji toe sock liners paired with darn tough merino wool cushioned socks.

SUN HAT - I like the ones that have a wide brimmed front but the back is a removable piece of fabric that covers my neck, but I can remove it when I don't want it. Also - doesn't interfere with a backpack.

One down puffy or fleece, and a rain jacket/pack cover or poncho.

But most importantly - don't overpack! If you know you need it, bring it. If you think you possibly "might" need it, you are probably better off leaving it at home. Keep toiletries and first aid kits minimal. Multi-purpose anything that can have more than 1 use (like a shampoo bar can be used for hair, body, laundry)

ENJOY!

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Said
, Lucky you to be doing the Camino Ingles. I see that it is fairly hilly so I suggest that you cut your toenails short the night before you depart home. the reason being that on downhills feet can slip forward in shoes and if nails are anyway long the big toenail hits against your shoe and the jar goes right back to the root of the nail. you end up with black nails and a certain amount of pain.

My second bit of unasked for advice would be to put antiperspirant on to your feet before you put on your socks. this stops your feet sweating and the skin getting soft. I have found that this prevents me getting blisters.

I would be very interested in hearing how you get on, where you stayed etc. I had planned doing it last year and then met a pilgrim who told me he had not met another pilgrim and I kind of freaked out and decided to come from Valenca in Portugal instead. however I still want to do the C. Ingles. It was the traditional route of the Irish. every little port in Ireland has a St. James Church where the pilgrims were blessed before they set off by sea for A Corona.
Buen Camino.