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I wear a goretex jacket and a LARGE, STURDY umbrella. Used them during various CF and times of the year. The problem is mainly in choosing proper boots. One crosses small rivers, lots of mud, during many hours of walking. Over the past, pilgrims thought that I looked hilarious (which in fact I do), so much so that they took pictures and published them on camino-related websites.koilife said:I'm setting up my rain kit, and I'd like to know just how significant the rain and wind are in Galicia in late June along the CF....I'm looking for feedback on this approach from those who have actually used a similar system (whether successfully or not), as well as its suitability to Galicia, where I suspect it would be most vulnerable to serious wind with heavy rain.
I'm in the Colorado Rockies. Not quite as majestic as the sections of Canadian Rockies that I've seen, but it's a magnificent backyard none the less. Some areas where we are get a fair amount of continuous rain, but mostly it's sunny mornings, one or two heavy afternoon showers, clear skies at night. If worse comes to worst, I just put up my tarp and hammock and wait it out or camp it out (high and dry, as the saying goes).Terrri said:If it is raining sideways that means it is pretty windy and your umbrella would be blown sideways as well if it is sitting attached to your pack. . . . I also live near the Rockies in Canada . . .
I'll need to get some snapshots together about attachment (possibly this evening after work), but the basic idea is pretty straightforward. I use either velcro or rope ties to attach the handle to my shoulder straps in two places. The lower is at the handle itself and that holds the weight, and the upper controls the pole for stability. I use either shoulder strap, depending on the primary direction of the sun/rain relative to my travel direction. I also adjust upwards or downwards along the curve of my shoulder strap to change the pole angle forwards or backwards. Sometimes I'll use a rolled sock/bandanna between the upper tie and shoulder strap to artificially push it forward when I'm travelling into the sun/rain. This works more or less on all my packs, with some working better for Velcro and others for rope ties.grayland said:Do you have pictures of how you attach the umbrella to your back pack to leave hand free for poles, etc.
Comfort trumps vanity in my book!fraluchi said:Over the past, pilgrims thought that I looked hilarious (which in fact I do), so much so that they took pictures and published them on camino-related websites. I am still sticking to the "system" 8)
Excellent. I'll likely leave the formal rain gear at home and just use the "brolly" and my windshirt. I've never used an Altus poncho (though I've used plenty of others). Given the rave reviews by folks here, I plan to check them out en route (I haven't found them in the U.S.).Tincatinker said:In late June I would place confidence in my umbrella. I carried mine in confidence in April/May 2012 and it saw far more service than my Altus poncho. Though it must be said that when the weather came in sideways the Altus made the match. Crossing the meseta in April in a constant hard cold wind the umbrella was a godsend.
Perhaps a quote from St. Teresa of Avila can be reapplied to the weather, "If this is how you treat your friends, no wonder you have so many enemies."Tincatinker said:When the winds get to far past friendly put your 'brolly down and greet the weather as an old friend.
I actually tried that once, but it didn't perform well in the wind and it was very heavy (somewhere around 24 oz as I recall). It could just have been a bad model that I used, but the weight issue is big (for me).Terrri said:The used to make umbrellas for kid's strollers and the shaft bent so you could easily change the angle. Might be a little heavier but would require less playing around if your plan is to attach it to your pack.
Yeah. I wilt in the sun. I suspect that will be my greatest struggle this June.Terrri said:Part of being able to deal with the weather depends on what you are already accustomed to.
Tech stuff is colder when wet. Also, they tend to dry so quickly that you can get flash cooling, which can be a real problem under the wrong conditions. Good wool is warm when its cool, reasonably cool when its warm, able to dry quickly without flashing, and resist stink (tech stuff attracts and holds stink like the plague). The problem of wool is the price to get good quality. I've been slowly building up a wool wardrobe, with a focus on quality and durability, and I doubt I'll ever go back. Tee shirts, boxer briefs (never had another problem with chafing once I switched), arm and leg warmers, thin glove liners, scarf, and socks. I also found a wool polo shirt that I really like. But, my favorite is a possum fur/merino wool stocking cap; only 22 grams and wonderfully warm.Terrri said:I don't think any of the clothes I am bringing has any wool in them other than some socks. Not sure if the tech stuff without merino wool is as warm when wet as the stuff with merino wool.
i started at the beginning of june, years ago. there was only one half day of rain during walking hours for those 30 days. the cheap poncho was something i swiped from my sister, it could roll up and fit in my pocket. if you wear nylon the breeze will dry you out in almost no time anyway.ramonvanderburgt said:I'll start walking in June, and I'm not planning on bringing a poncho. I've got a rain cover for my backpack and that's it. Am I crazy or is this do-able?
That's what I thought until I got caught at three alburgues in a row where there was only handwashing and line drying. When the weather is cold and humid/rainy, clothes simply don't dry. The key is to have clothing that works when wet and cold (e.g. critical base layers of wool, avoidance of cotton). Yes, it was very unpleasant slipping into cold, wet clothes that hadn't dried the night before, but a little exertion warms them and then you get on with the day's longer suffering of slogging through endless miles of soul/sole-sucking mud.nokia nokia said:. . . considering that you will be carrying two sets of clothes anyway and that the clothes you are trying to keep dry now during rain are going to be washed at the end of the walking day i don't think i would be too concerned about rainy weather.
Well, on the long, very hot stage from O Cebriero to Samos, I did have chafing problems. My cure-all use of Neosporin wasn't enough, so a day later I made the trip to the farmacia, and the pharmacist there gave me a 6 oz(!) tube of the same kind of heavy, white ointment we used for diaper rash on the boys. Took care of it in a day and I never had another problem. A very small 15 gr tub of ointment will make next Camino's medical kit.koilife said:. . . I've been slowly building up a wool wardrobe, with a focus on quality and durability, and I doubt I'll ever go back. Tee shirts, boxer briefs (never had another problem with chafing once I switched) . . .
Thanks for this information. I've been going back and forth regarding various rain gear options and had just watched a video review of the GoLite Chrome Dome when I came across your post. I think this is the direction I will go. Although, I'm curious, would you consider the Half Dome instead?Having now completed my first Camino using the umbrella + water resistant windshirt and omitting formal rainwear, I thought I'd share my firsthand experience.
We encountered completely unnatural weather --- almost constant rain and cold --- from SJPdP to the first two days into the masseta. All of the locals said they'd never seen the like of it at that time of year. My attire beneath the umbrella/windshirt was only a wool/poly tee shirt, a nylon backpacking shirt, and nylon backpacking pants. Even with highs around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, I was only slightly uncomfortable while walking (although, at those temps I had to be careful not to get chilled when taking rest breaks). The windshirt was breathable for preventing excess moisture buildup on the body and dried quickly. When it was wet through from rain, it still stopped the worst of the chilling effect of the wind.
Additionally, when the sun did come out, the umbrella continued to be a godsend. I used the exact same clothing set (except for the windshirt) on 90+ degree Fahrenheit days. Thus, with only the four ounces of windshirt difference, I handled over a 50 degree delta, and I saved a net of 31 ounces of weight by eliminating fleece and rainwear.
The only concern with the umbrella was that there were more shrub/thorn-lined paths than I expected, and I had to be careful in areas not to snag. My GoLite is very strong, but it's not kevlar.
My great regret was not bringing a set of wool glove liners (my hands were the only part that suffered from cold to any great degree), but that would have been a problem either way.
My next Camino (assuming late spring / early summer), I will repeat the umbrella + windshirt, but might bring an 8 ounce torso shell as an insulation layer for reasons of greater comfort in the event of a repeat of the extended cold.
Al I was just about to sit down to a meal and the picture that sprung into mind has almost, but, not quite, put me off, my dinner. Show how good an apatite I have.I considered using the waterproof I was born with that weighs nothing. Unfortunately it is not wind or UVA proof! Drat! Back to carrying things after all.
I've not used the Half Dome, so my thoughts are based on a general sense of things, and not firsthand use of the Half Dome.Thanks for this information. I've been going back and forth regarding various rain gear options and had just watched a video review of the GoLite Chrome Dome when I came across your post. I think this is the direction I will go. Although, I'm curious, would you considering the Half Dome instead?
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