Buy everything you need in St Jean

[sillydoll]

For those pilgrims starting in St Jean and don't have everything they need you can buy almost everything you'll need to walk the Camino in St Jean,

- Backpacks Wilsa, 50 liters, 800 grams, 49.90 EUR
- Sleeping bag Gelert, 600 grams, -5 °, 53 euros
- Sleeping bag Gelert, 800 grams, -9 °, 59 euros
- Silk sleeping bag Gelert, 100 grams, 42 euros
- Cotton sleeping bag Gelert, 300 grams, 17 euros
- Low Salomon trekking shoes gold Columbia, 79 euros
- Telescopic sticks (several Kinds at different prices) 14 euros, 18, 20, 24.50, 27.50 euros.
- Chesnut wood sticks 9 and 10 euros
- Regatta breathable waterproof windproof jacket 73 euros
- Sun hat Columbia 19.95 EUR
- ALTUS raincoat-poncho - 39 euro
- .... all kind of items as socks for walking , breathable shirts and pants and shorts, underwears Odlo accesories Gelert, bookguides, memories of the road, etc. ....

The shop 32 rue de Citadelle - near the Pilgrim's Office
http://www.directioncompostelle.com

 

[Anniesantiago]

Wow! Great post!

 

[Barney12]

For those pilgrims starting in St Jean and don't have everything they need you can buy almost everything you'll need to walk the Camino in St Jean,

- Backpacks Wilsa, 50 liters, 800 grams, 49.90 EUR
- Sleeping bag Gelert, 600 grams, -5 °, 53 euros
- Sleeping bag Gelert, 800 grams, -9 °, 59 euros
- Silk sleeping bag Gelert, 100 grams, 42 euros
- Cotton sleeping bag Gelert, 300 grams, 17 euros
- Low Salomon trekking shoes gold Columbia, 79 euros
- Telescopic sticks (several Kinds at different prices) 14 euros, 18, 20, 24.50, 27.50 euros.
- Chesnut wood sticks 9 and 10 euros
- Regatta breathable waterproof windproof jacket 73 euros
- Sun hat Columbia 19.95 EUR
- ALTUS raincoat-poncho - 39 euro
- .... all kind of items as socks for walking , breathable shirts and pants and shorts, underwears Odlo accesories Gelert, bookguides, memories of the road, etc. ....

The shop 32 rue de Citadelle - near the Pilgrim's Office
http://www.directioncompostelle.com

 

[Barney12]

Awesome helpful list... thank you so much. This is really reassuring to know

 

[NorthernLight]

Take note that the original post is 9 years old. Prices will have changed, gear may have changed. But between this shop and the sports store beside the Carrefour Express, you should be able to get what you need.

 

[MisterH]

My only problem with this, is that I am quite nervous when arriving in a new place and I have no foreign language skills. When I start out I want to have my "happy place" on my own back. It is nice to that almost any problem can be fixed in Saint Jean if your luggage is lost or damaged. On my second trip my checked poles didn't arrive and I was easily able to buy replacements in Saint Jean. Replacement poles cost 20e each in 2018.

 

[Jeanne from Washington]

Wow, I'm glad you pointed out this list was 9 years old. I thought I was getting ripped off with the Altus rain poncho being so cheap. Lol. My daughter is ordering it online from Germany to bring it to me in Paris in a month. It's almost a pound lighter than the one I'm train I'm training with.

 

[Roland49]

Hello!

If you travel like me: arriving with the last train on Sunday evening and walking out of SJPdP on Monday morning at 6am you'll not have a chance to buy anything in SJPdP! Be aware of this fact.

 

[VNwalking]

This may be 9 years old...
But these folks are wonderful. I walked in to buy socks and an altus and was impressed by the inventory. It's true, what @sillydoll posted.

And I was so touched by their kindness - the proprieter walked me down to the post office, and then even paid the postage when I realized I hadn't brought enough cash. No-one does that, these days.
It was a wondeeful start to my camino!

(Of course...I paid them back and then some...)

 

[Anniesantiago]

Wonderful shop. But realize prices are 9 years old and may be higher.

 

[Dromengro]

I googled outdoor sports or camping shops in St Jean a while back and was surprised by how many there are. A far cry from when I was last there, they even have supermarkets now!
I reckon if you can't get it in St Jean you don't need it.

 

[Derrybiketours]

My question is...why are we receiving yesterday's news as a headline topic, this may be helpful but it not up-to-date and IMHO all gear should be bought and tested before arriving into SJPDeP. I appreciate it could be useful for replacing lost luggage but for all I know these shops may no longer be in business. I also expect that they are charging a premuim

 

[trecile]

My question is...why are we receiving yesterday's news as a headline topic

Not sure what you mean by "headline topic", but apparently someone recently found this old thread and responded to it. That bumped it up into "new posts" territory.

 

[Derrybiketours]

The headline is self explanatory as its in bold at top of page or thread and not sure of technical terminology or how bumped posts work but I assumed that it was created as a copy and paste exercise rather than a new post. My original comment regarding accuracy still stands

 

[MisterH]

I googled outdoor sports or camping shops in St Jean a while back and was surprised by how many there are. A far cry from when I was last there, they even have supermarkets now!
I reckon if you can't get it in St Jean you don't need it.

The big problem with waiting to buy in Saint Jean is that you won't have very much time to test them before you have to depend on what you have just bought.

 

[C clearly]

I assumed that it was created as a copy and paste exercise rather than a new post.

If the link took you to this thread, then you have the original thread - no copy and pasting. Over the years, new posts have been added to the end of the old thread. Every time someone adds a post it (like right now), it is "bumped," in effect, as it is awakened from the archives and comes to our attention. We need to remind ourselves to look at the dates on threads. Occasionally old threads are flagged for our attention at the bottom of the page as "OLDER threads on this topic".

Nevertheless, I agree with your thoughts about waiting to buy in SJPP!

 

[NorthernLight]

The shops are handy for those walking in from the chemins in France who need to add or replace a piece of gear, or for those who forgot something at home, or for those who lost something en route, or for those who are in the area and decide they need to do an emergency camino.

And of course the local population who may need to buy sporting goods.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

And if you start the CF in Pamplona there's always Caminoteca just 50m from the cathedral gates.

 

[Barbara]

Or you could do what I did on my first Camino, which was to just use the clothes I already had, and get anything missing along the way. Only thing I bought before leaving was a pair of saddlebags for my bike. I bought some rain gear on the way. Started from home, and flew back via London to visit family in Wales. Had to leave the bike there until my next visit as I managed to hitch a ride home to France on an aircraft on a positioning flight.
You don't NEED a lot of it kit to walk to Santiago. Nice to have light stuff, and all that, but if you are staying under a roof at night it's entirely possible to travel light without spending a lot of money. Just "ahem" take less.
It's not the Amazonian rain forest. There are shops. Also launderettes, restaurants, hotels and bars.

 

[Dromengro]

The big problem with waiting to buy in Saint Jean is that you won't have very much time to test them before you have to depend on what you have just bought.

Apart from possibly footwear, what is there to test? Do people that buy things at home especially for their pilgrimage really test it all first? I agree with @Barbara above, I just wore what I had, and will do so next time, even my footwear I'll just wear whatever I'm wearing at the time and replace them along the way if or when needed, and break them if by alternating with old footwear or walk less miles for a few days.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Apart from possibly footwear, what is there to test? Do people that buy things at home especially for their pilgrimage really test it all first? I agree with @Barbara above, I just wore what I had, and will do so next time, even my footwear I'll just wear whatever I'm wearing at the time and replace them along the way if or when needed, and break them if by alternating with old footwear or walk less miles for a few days.

Walking with equipment, like a backpack, is not only a matter of 'fit', but also 'feel'. It is actually fairly common to find someone who has chosen a backpack, which was fitted properly, to absolutely hate how it feels after using it for a while.

Chafing, pressure points, belt adjustments, padding issues, etc. all can take a bit of time to make themselves known. It's sort of like water torture; at first the teeny things don't seem to amount to much, but as time goes on, they begin to add up to larger irritations. Sometimes, they can add up to a bruise or a blister or a raw spot.

Then there are the usability issues. A backpack is basically a 'home base' containing your bathroom, kitchen, closet, etc. The more one uses something like a backpack, the better it becomes. Figuring out the way you like to keep things organized in the pack, like a blister treatment kit or snacks or that small knife for slicing sausage, and working out a system that makes sense to you takes a bit of practice. What works for things like accessing rain gear quickly, depends on how differing makes and models of backpacks are configured

Something like a hydration system (reservoir or bottles) works in symbiotic relationship with a backpack for most users. It can be beneficial to spend time with how to most easily access the water system you choose, with the model of backpack you are using. Things like side pockets for water bottles, can make it easier or harder to reach external bottles. If you are using a reservoir, a backpack that has exit ports for water tubing and an internal 'sleeve' or pocket for a reservoir, makes a difference in accessibility and control of the water supply.

Do the hipbelt pockets open and close easily? Are they big enough? Does the backpack even have hipbelt pockets? For the varying uses, it seems like a small thing to be concerned with, but it makes all the difference if that is where you carry the cellphone for pictures, or quick grabs for snacks while walking.


The backpack is just one example of why someone would want to purchase large gear and clothing choices ahead of time, and to give them a workout and practice runs. While access to gear and clothing can be done while on Camino, not all gear and clothing are created equal to one's personal needs and preferences.

 

[C clearly]

Or you could do what I did on my first Camino, which was to just use the clothes I already had, and get anything missing along the way.

Apart from possibly footwear, what is there to test?

even my footwear I'll just wear whatever I'm wearing at the time and replace them along the way

Most of us actually do consider all of these options, along with other factors , in our decisions on when and where to purchase various items.

 

[Deleted member 94911]

Wonderful shop. But realize prices are 9 years old and may be higher.
[/QUOT

The big problem with waiting to buy in Saint Jean is that you won't have very much time to test them before you have to depend on what you have just bought.

For those pilgrims starting in St Jean and don't have everything they need you can buy almost everything you'll need to walk the Camino in St Jean,

- Backpacks Wilsa, 50 liters, 800 grams, 49.90 EUR
- Sleeping bag Gelert, 600 grams, -5 °, 53 euros
- Sleeping bag Gelert, 800 grams, -9 °, 59 euros
- Silk sleeping bag Gelert, 100 grams, 42 euros
- Cotton sleeping bag Gelert, 300 grams, 17 euros
- Low Salomon trekking shoes gold Columbia, 79 euros
- Telescopic sticks (several Kinds at different prices) 14 euros, 18, 20, 24.50, 27.50 euros.
- Chesnut wood sticks 9 and 10 euros
- Regatta breathable waterproof windproof jacket 73 euros
- Sun hat Columbia 19.95 EUR
- ALTUS raincoat-poncho - 39 euro
- .... all kind of items as socks for walking , breathable shirts and pants and shorts, underwears Odlo accesories Gelert, bookguides, memories of the road, etc. ....

The shop 32 rue de Citadelle - near the Pilgrim's Office
http://www.directioncompostelle.com

check date of 2011
lockdown in France
stay in bunker awile

 

[Dromengro]

The backpack is just one example of why someone would want to purchase large gear and clothing choices ahead of time, and to give them a workout and practice runs.

But how many, after having bought their gear really test it properly other than a short walk. Like you say it takes a bit of time before their faults are known. And if it doesn't work, do they then buy another then another until it does? Unless they have done a lot of walking before, and most haven't, it's often their first experience of long distance walking, most gear is really tested (and discarded) on the pilgrimage. And then they know what to bring next time.
From what I can see (it's been a long time since I was there) there is more than enough shops in St Jean to kit out a pilgrim with decent gear. There's more choice there than in my local city.

As for backpacks, I've always found the simpler the better, normally cheap old ex army. Like you say the more it's used the better it becomes, so almost anything will do and become part of you eventually. How a bag is loaded is often more important than the bag itself. Although I stopped using a backpack years ago (unless for really heavy loads) as I prefer to carry it on one shoulder, easier to access and saves the back from sweating. In fact I often dispense with a bag and just make a roll of the gear stuffed inside a sleeping bag, tarp, or clothing.

Obviously for most it is probably better to buy before travelling but for me part of the adventure is finding the gear and clothing I need along the way, things that wouldn't be available at home or I wouldn't have thought of buying or even knew existed, It's amazing what you can find or adapt if you have to, whether from sports and camping shops, or ex army stores, flea markets, tourist shops and cheap Asian stores. Probably for a lot less, than kitting out beforehand, and sometimes better but if not then certainly more fun.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

But how many, after having bought their gear really test it properly other than a short walk. Like you say it takes a bit of time before their faults are known. And if it doesn't work, do they then buy another then another until it does? Unless they have done a lot of walking before, and most haven't, it's often their first experience of long distance walking, most gear is really tested (and discarded) on the pilgrimage. And then they know what to bring next time.
From what I can see (it's been a long time since I was there) there is more than enough shops in St Jean to kit out a pilgrim with decent gear. There's more choice there than in my local city.

As for backpacks, I've always found the simpler the better, normally cheap old ex army. Like you say the more it's used the better it becomes, so almost anything will do and become part of you eventually. How a bag is loaded is often more important than the bag itself. Although I stopped using a backpack years ago (unless for really heavy loads) as I prefer to carry it on one shoulder, easier to access and saves the back from sweating. In fact I often dispense with a bag and just make a roll of the gear stuffed inside a sleeping bag, tarp, or clothing.

Obviously for most it is probably better to buy before travelling but for me part of the adventure is finding the gear and clothing I need along the way, things that wouldn't be available at home or I wouldn't have thought of buying or even knew existed, It's amazing what you can find or adapt if you have to, whether from sports and camping shops, or ex army stores, flea markets, tourist shops and cheap Asian stores. Probably for a lot less, than kitting out beforehand, and sometimes better but if not then certainly more fun.

I do not understand your thesis here. You seem to argue against folks trying out and purchasing gear prior to Camino. . a strategy allowing someone to spend a week or so testing equipment. At home, a person can return gear that isn't working out for them, getting either an exchange or refund. They can then pick out another backpack, or other gear to try out.

It may not have occurred to you, but wearing gear while a person is practicing and conditioning at home is a frequent thing for many beginners on this forum to do. A lot of folks will even wear a loaded backpack around the house while doing chores.

And no, not every piece of gear is equal in usability, comfort, fit, quality, or price. Adapting to an inferior fit and comfort is doable, but is neither necessary or beneficial, unless there is no other choice. It is one thing to do an emergency shopping for a backpack, because your backpack was lost or stolen or severely damaged. It is quite another thing to use this 'wait and see and hope' approach as the primary strategy for a successful gear-to-person matchup.

Sure, there are always a portion of people who will not prepare ahead of time, mostly based on ignorance of where they can turn for advice. That is one reason for this Forum, to encourage the development of such knowledge, and to provide assistance to help novices reduce their need to discard unsuitable equipment while on Camino.

After all, we are discussing this issue of equipment purchases and tryouts within this Forum. . . and it is the beginners who are reading this Forum, who are the target market of the guidance that is offered here about all the various Pilgrim related subjects and topics.

Helping to educate and inform novices of issues like gear selection, pre-camino preparation, conditioning issues, lifestyle on the Camino, blister prevention, shoe fitting, etc is of value to a fresh, new beginner. In fact, I would state that the beginner Pilgrims who decided to read and participate in this Forum, are likely to be committed to things like doing some level of preconditioning, making good gear selections and trying out those purchases, and an overall desire to prepare for Camino.

I simply do not see the wisdom of telling someone to wait until getting to Camino, before spending the needed time purchasing the gear and clothing needed. I do not understand, even if true, the acceptance of a strategy that does not work to actively reduce, as you put it: "most gear is really tested (and discarded) on the pilgrimage. And then they know what to bring next time."

In my thousands of miles backpacking, and in helping folks choose gear, I do not understand how it benefits anyone to purchase this type of primary gear at the last minute before heading out on Camino. That seems to me to be a strategy fraught with problems of wasting time and money.

 

[Barbara]

In my thousands of miles backpacking, and in helping folks choose gear, I do not understand how it benefits anyone to purchase this type of primary gear at the last minute before heading out on Camino. That seems to me to be a strategy fraught with problems of wasting time and money.

Yes, agreed. But I wasn't talking about last minute buy. I was suggesting buying rather less, and using things that you use every day. Though this probably wouldn't apply to a backpack, most of us already have clothes and shoes. So we know already which of these are comfortable. Just my two cents worth.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Yes, agreed. But I wasn't talking about last minute buy. I was suggesting buying rather less, and using things that you use every day. Though this probably wouldn't apply to a backpack, most of us already have clothes and shoes. So we know already which of these are comfortable. Just my two cents worth.

My post was not a response to what you wrote, it was to someone else.

 

[Dromengro]

I do not understand your thesis here. You seem to argue against folks trying out and purchasing gear prior to Camino. .

I'm certainly not arguing or even suggesting that anyone should not buy or try out gear first. That would obviously be the best option, (but how many really do test their gear properly first. The amount of gear that seems to be left behind, suggests many don't).
I'm just stating that as the title of the thread suggests you could buy everything you need in St Jean if you arrived without anything, as the variety of shops is enough to be able to kit yourself out with decent quality gear to walk. There's probably more choice in St Jean than many could get at home, unless you live near to a place with a lot of outdoor stores, obviously if you don't you'd order online.
And nowhere did I remotely tell or even suggest that anyone should wait until getting to the Camino, quite the opposite, as I said that I would use what I already had. Just that it would be easily possible. Only someone as daft as me would arrive with nothing on purpose.

Yes there is a lot of good advice on this forum especially for beginners much of it from yourself and also a lot of conflicting advice, as naturally what works for one doesn't for another and only personal experience will tell you that.
I think if I was a beginner then I could become overloaded with too much information and possibly think that I had to have the latest often expensive technical gear to be able to walk to Santiago, when many would probably already have footwear, clothing, and even possibly waterproofs and rucksack that would be suitable and already tested and be better than buying new.
I think it's the same now with any activity, many seem to think you have to have the latest gear, even if it not really any improvement on last years.
But there again I'm happy climbing the hills in my tweeds and wellies, nor do I see the need to follow the latest trend and encase myself in lycra, for a days cycle.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

(but how many really do test their gear properly first. The amount of gear that seems to be left behind, suggests many don't).

That question is not important. We do not base advice to others on this Forum based on worst outcomes, but on how to AVOID worst outcomes. What is important is relating to others what the best practices are, and in that regard what the best practices are is matched by what this Forum encourages beginners to do.

I'm just stating that as the title of the thread suggests you could buy everything you need in St Jean if you arrived without anything, as the variety of shops is enough to be able to kit yourself out with decent quality gear to walk.

Yes, one could buy everything they needed. . . and I gave reasons why that would be a poor practice to do.

I think if I was a beginner then I could become overloaded with too much information and possibly think that I had to have the latest often expensive technical gear to be able to walk to Santiago, when many would probably already have footwear, clothing, and even possibly waterproofs and rucksack that would be suitable and already tested and be better than buying new.

I disagree. Too much information? I read just the opposite. . beginners seem to be craving to find as much information as possible. Gear and clothing discussions on the Forum are far too broad, and have far too many views offered for me to believe that a beginner would be mindlessly driven to think that they can only walk a Camino with the most expensive, and latest, most technically advanced gear.

Too much information? Well that addresses the concern you also voice that the varieties and variations of gear and clothing is covered as to what works for a wide variety of conditions, and for a wide variety of people.

Latest and greatest technical gear? It is important that folks understand the possibilities of what choices are available. Some of that gear can be expensive, which is why most of us balance such information with caveats to consider budget vs long term use.

Is the Frogg Toggs poncho or rain jacket too expensive at 15 to 20 Euro? It is one of the best technical pieces of raingear I've tested, and yet it's budget would be suitable for most. It is certainly more affordable than other commonly voiced options.

It is also a bit of a straw man to mix the subjects of using new gear vs used gear, the cost of bleeding edge gear, and when is the best time for purchasing gear before the Camino. These are completely individual topics.

ALL of my gear on Camino and most backpacking trips is used. Being 'used' means that I have had time to assess it, and to know that it works for me. So if someone is using 'used' gear that they already have, I am never going to argue that someone should replace serviceable gear or clothing with brand new gear.

The only time I have read of anyone offering different advice, is if it is in response to someone asking if there is a need to replace equipment that they think is too heavy or too worn. The biggest concern I have is that there are periodic arguments, in which someone asserts a belief that a backpack can be too big to use on Camino. There are beginners who have read this, and have then decided that they need to get a different backpack.

I frequently point out the fallacy of such arguments, and point out that buying a special Camino-sized pack is a waste of money. However, if the issue is that someone wishes to replace a worn backpack, or a heavier backpack, then I will gladly point out those options.

Many beginners do not own basic backpacking gear to use on Camino. . . no backpacks, no sleeping gear, no adequate footwear for long hikes or walks. In these cases, discussions will tend to focus on their requests for gear purchasing advice. Many times, borrowing a friend or relative's gear is mentioned as an option, and the advice for getting a proper fit and testing out such gear for comfort and usability applies, just as if the gear is new.

Talking about the latest and greatest gear is going to be a part of many threads and posts surrounding discussions about equipment. Talking about the alternative options available, for the most expensive choices of gear, will also enter the discussion and does seem to be the majority focus whenever equipment and clothing is discussed. Folks are smart enough to sort through the information and choose what is best for their needs and budget. It is not the role of the Forum to be a nanny, and decide for others exactly how much money should be spent on gear or clothing.

It seems to me that the role of this Forum is to provide a range of 'Best Practices' which will help assure a beginner's success at meeting whatever goals for a Camino that they have set for themselves. Knowing that a worn out bit of gear or clothing can be replaced while on Camino is part of that essential knowledge, as the OP focused on. It helps to overcome the need to add the extra weight of 'packing fears and just in case items'.

That is a different issue, I think, than the point of this discussion.

 

[MisterH]

When I go on the trail ANYWHARE I always have old friends in my pack. These are things that have proven to me their use. Some of my older "pack friends" are several years old and may be a little out of style, but I know exactly what each one will do and how it will do it. I like walking with friends.