Baselayers

[auldies]

Long sleeve, short sleeve, tank or cami for a late April / May Camino Frances?????

 

[MileHighPair]

Spring weather can be unpredictable. There will be very warm (high 20s C) days and near freezing mornings. Snow is not likely, but certainly possible. Be prepared and Buen Camino.

 

[GettingThere]

Long sleeve, short sleeve, tank or cami for a late April / May Camino Frances?????

Yes.

(Seriously - as @MileHighPair says above, weather is unpredictable at that time of year. I walked the Camino Frances last year in April/May, and we had glorious weather, warm all the way apart from some cool mornings at the start. A couple of years previously I think they had snow in May. So - layers are your answer. I wore short sleeves mostly but had long sleeves to layer on if the temp dropped. Plus I had a fleece (used on cool mornings). You just don't know what it's going to do!)

 

[zzotte]

I'm will be walking in early April and here is my layers short sleeve, long sleeve, 100 fleece zip shirt and a 5 oz puffy and light rain/wind jacket This setup has worked for me for many hikes during the Shoulders season,

Buen Camino
Zzotte

 

[Jo Jo]

I always wear long sleeves, even (especially) in the heat of summer. We saw some amazing sun burns in July 2014 on the Frances. The only time I want short sleeves is when 1) there is no sun; 2) but it is still hot and muggy. That is a rare occasion on the Frances, and I can always just roll up my sleeves. YMMV.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[ranthr]

Merino t-shirt and loose merino arms to take off when the morning cool is over, wind/rain layer agaist the wind or rain, and some longsleeved wool or fleece for cold evenings.

 

[frida1]

My 2014 camino francés started on April 10. Long-sleeved microfiber shirt, fleece vest, rain shell were my layers. I had silk long underwear and used it a few times in the morning. My light fleece cap and liner gloves were also used. Most frequently, I just needed the shirt and my pants, but I did need the other gear for mountains/cold mornings. A pair of warm wool socks also comes in handy.

 

[auldies]

I always wear long sleeves, even (especially) in the heat of summer. We saw some amazing sun burns in July 2014 on the Frances. The only time I want short sleeves is when 1) there is no sun; 2) but it is still hot and muggy. That is a rare occasion on the Frances, and I can always just roll up my sleeves. YMMV.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

Thank you Jo Jo
I have to cover up too (drs orders). I am paying the price of too much sun exposure when I was young!
To elaborate on my original post, I will be wearing a long sleeve top
https://www.nikestore.com.au/nike-element-half-zip-685910-696.html
and long tights, but want to buy some base layers to go under the top. I'm not sure whether a cami merino base layer would be sufficient or if you and others think another long sleeve merino would be better. Maybe @GettingThere is right, I will need all of them for different morning temps. It is quite an expense though and extra weight. I was hoping just to buy 2 to go under my tops.
Carol

 

[Kiwi-family]

I wear a long sleeved hiking shirt like you. I wear merino gloves on cold mornings and that can be enough to keep me warm. If it's really cold I prefer to pop my fleece jacket on top so that I can take it off easily - I would usually be too hot with a base layer under my hiking shirt and that would be more tricky to take off on the side of the road! That said, I do take both a long sleeved and short sleeved merino, which are primarilly intended for after walking, but could be used under my hiking shirt on a really cold day.
My husband has always worn short sleeves and starts off the day with a fleece jacket which quickly becomes too hot, but it's not yet warm enough for just his tshirt. This year he is trying a hiking shirt like mine that we picked up in a thrift store!

 

[Seabird]

Thank you Jo Jo
I have to cover up too (drs orders). I am paying the price of too much sun exposure when I was young!
To elaborate on my original post, I will be wearing a long sleeve top
https://www.nikestore.com.au/nike-element-half-zip-685910-696.html
and long tights, but want to buy some base layers to go under the top. I'm not sure whether a cami merino base layer would be sufficient or if you and others think another long sleeve merino would be better. Maybe @GettingThere is right, I will need all of them for different morning temps. It is quite an expense though and extra weight. I was hoping just to buy 2 to go under my tops.
Carol

I've been pondering this same question. I will wear a long-sleeved button-up shirt every day, regardless of weather. I have both a merino cami and merino short-sleeved shirt as possible base layers. I have just about decided to bring only the short-sleeved one. It could also serve as a non-hiking shirt to wear in the evening, while the cami cannot. Having walked in 15F (-9.4C) weather with the short-sleeved merino, the long-sleeved shirt, a fleece, and a wind jacket, I think I'll be fine without a long-sleeved base layer. I can always add my poncho for another layer if needed.

 

[auldies]

I wear a long sleeved hiking shirt like you. I wear merino gloves on cold mornings and that can be enough to keep me warm. If it's really cold I prefer to pop my fleece jacket on top so that I can take it off easily - I would usually be too hot with a base layer under my hiking shirt and that would be more tricky to take off on the side of the road! That said, I do take both a long sleeved and short sleeved merino, which are primarilly intended for after walking, but could be used under my hiking shirt on a really cold day.
My husband has always worn short sleeves and starts off the day with a fleece jacket which quickly becomes too hot, but it's not yet warm enough for just his tshirt. This year he is trying a hiking shirt like mine that we picked up in a thrift store!

Thank you Kiwi-family. This is so helpful. I must admit I was wondering how I was going to take my base layers off when I started to warm up. Makes much more sense to layer down from the top and since I will be wearing my long sleeved top no matter what, I think your suggestion is a very good plan.

 

[auldies]

I've been pondering this same question. I will wear a long-sleeved button-up shirt every day, regardless of weather. I have both a merino cami and merino short-sleeved shirt as possible base layers. I have just about decided to bring only the short-sleeved one. It could also serve as a non-hiking shirt to wear in the evening, while the cami cannot. Having walked in 15F (-9.4C) weather with the short-sleeved merino, the long-sleeved shirt, a fleece, and a wind jacket, I think I'll be fine without a long-sleeved base layer. I can always add my poncho for another layer if needed.

Thank you Seabird. I have almost decided as @Kiwi-family suggests to put layers over my long sleeve top rather than having them underneath. It will be so much easier to strip off when I start to heat up. I like your idea of the short-sleeved merino as a 'non-hiking shirt'. Do you have any recommendations?
Gracias and Buen Camino

 

[Seabird]

Thank you Seabird. I have almost decided as @Kiwi-family suggests to put layers over my long sleeve top rather than having them underneath. It will be so much easier to strip off when I start to heat up. I like your idea of the short-sleeved merino as a 'non-hiking shirt'. Do you have any recommendations?
Gracias and Buen Camino

Like virtually everything I'm bringing, I buy what's on sale, regardless of color. My short-sleeved merino top is a Smartwool brand, a lovely maroon color, that I bought from Backcountry.com. The cami was Icebreaker, in aqua, from Sierra Trading Post. I will be the most colorful person on the Camino, as my hiking shirts are teal blue, my fleece is lime green, my windjacket peachy-orange, and my rainpants royal blue. Oh well, I sure saved a lot of money!

Buen Camino!

 

[Janet P]

Like virtually everything I'm bringing, I buy what's on sale, regardless of color. My short-sleeved merino top is a Smartwool brand, a lovely maroon color, that I bought from Backcountry.com. The cami was Icebreaker, in aqua, from Sierra Trading Post. I will be the most colorful person on the Camino, as my hiking shirts are teal blue, my fleece is lime green, my windjacket peachy-orange, and my rainpants royal blue. Oh well, I sure saved a lot of money!

Buen Camino!

I will be in that competition for most colorful as I have also been shopping the sales.
I found some great shirts made of bamboo which wick away and are antimicrobial, they are called icebreaker. A sales person at REI recommended them and I found their website and found sale items there to be more reasonable. I have been training in two tanks and a long sleeve on top. Too expensive for me to buy the non-sale items, but I found some clearance items and it made it worthwhile. I am using the tanks as a camisole and have decided I won't bring a short sleeve, 3 long sleeves instead. They have different weights also. I got a 250 for those cold mornings and 2 of the 200 weight so I can sleep in one and wear the other. It has been working for me on early morning cold trainings. Now that it is warming up I don't get to test them against the cold much, but I love wearing them in the heat. Amazing how they keep me cool and I feel protected. Hope that is helpful. Been Camino!

 

[Seabird]

I will be in that competition for most colorful as I have also been shopping the sales.

Perhaps we will cross paths and can have a picture taken of us in our colorful attire.....

 

[Rob the Slob]

I found some great shirts made of bamboo which wick away and are antimicrobial, they are called icebreaker.

Surely Icebreaker only do merino wool? (But yes, I agree they're wonderful and even better if you can get them at a discount.)

 

[sabbott]

I tested my layers out on a 39 degree walk here at home in Vermont yesterday, and was comfortable once I had walked a bit: tech tee shirt, 150 weight merino long sleeved shirt, Houdini wind shirt (extremely light weight) and over those a lightweight pullover fleece. Plus buff on head. Also have a Packa raincoat that covers me and pack. For bottoms I'm taking merino leggings, hiking capris, and rain pants. Walking mid-April from SJPDP.

 

[auldies]

I tested my layers out on a 39 degree walk here at home in Vermont yesterday, and was comfortable once I had walked a bit: tech tee shirt, 150 weight merino long sleeved shirt, Houdini wind shirt (extremely light weight) and over those a lightweight pullover fleece. Plus buff on head. Also have a Packa raincoat that covers me and pack. For bottoms I'm taking merino leggings, hiking capris, and rain pants. Walking mid-April from SJPDP.

Wow!! Thanks Sabbott. You sound super sorted! Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the options atm, but hopefully it will all come together soon.