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No sunglasses? No sunscreen? No toothbrush? no lip balm with sunscreen? (careful, I recommend that as well)
toothpaste
vaseline / something for feet to avoid blisters
soap for clothing
phone
passport and credit cards
You won't need a sleeping bag a light quilt & liner should be fine.
You can buy or find other things if you need more. A 36l pack will be important if the dates you walk turn into a rain storm. Anything else you can find as you go.
Buen Camino
Keith
Yes the most critical is passport & access to cash! Everything else can be forgotten if bad luck crosses your path.No sunglasses? No sunscreen? No toothbrush? no lip balm with sunscreen? (careful, I recommend that as well)
toothpaste
vaseline / something for feet to avoid blisters
soap for clothing
phone
passport and credit cards
YesThis is really helpful. That's on the logic that if it rains I'm going to need to buy more clothes?
Yes I even see them in the backcountry when folks bring in pack horses. But the idea for the Camino is to learn that we have been given a body that needs very little. Our minds then have to figure it out when our comfort zones are challenged. I wish you the best!My sleeping bag is tiny, yes. It's a [checks label] North Face Scorpio, apparently. Summer weight (and I've had some chilly nights pushing its limits because it's the only bag I own) but it seems ideal for this.
MTtoCamino - when I went camping as a child, my mum had a camping sink, together with a camping water tank with tap and a separate collapsible camping basin for the camping bathroom. True story...
I've managed with a 20l pack. I store my sleeping bag outside the pack with a good waterproof bag for it. You'll probably need a rain poncho. It can get very wet on the camino.I need to buy a pack to do my first stage of the camino frances over the last weekend of May (only four days of it - all the time I have for now so just doing SJdPP - Pamplona but intending to go on to finish over 2 - 3 longer trips over the next few years).
Tonight I thought I'd get together what I thought I'd need, just to gauge size for my new pack.
To my surprise everything I want to take fits comfortably in a cheapo 18L bag I use for work, still leaving room for a couple of water bottles in the pockets. About half the pack volume is my sleeping bag and most of the rest is my spare clothes, which I can just about squish into a 3L drysack. I read a couple of threads with consistent advice to pare it right down - so I did. I didn't think I was being that extreme but comparing the volume with the sizes of bags I've read about I'm worried I've overdone it. SJdPP - Roncevalles may not exactly be scaling Mount Everest, but that just means it would be even more embarrassing to die by trying to cross in barely more than a bikini.
So - this is the clothing I was planning to take. Not enough? Stupid/irresponsible? I'm worried about both cold and wet - though I'd add that I'll take a risk of mild discomfort over the guarantee of discomfort through hauling too much stuff. But although I've seen references to brisk mornings I haven't seen anything which actually gives figures what the temperatures are likely to be, especially in the Pyrennees, in v late May / early June.
Top half
- Merino TShirt
- Long sleeved top (wicking/quick dry)
- Fleece top (if it helps this weighs about 225g and came as part of a very bargain basement ski kit)
- Sports bra (x2)
- Lightweight rain jacket
Bottom half
- Zip-off trousers
- Hiking shorts
- Knickers (x2)
(nb no waterproof trousers)
Sundry
- Walking socks x 2
- Walking shoes
- Waterproof sandals
- Merino glove liners, sunhat, sunglasses
- Scarf (silk/wool blend, multi-purpose)
Note - that's absolutely everything so no dedicated sleepwear and it includes the clothes I'll be wearing at any given time. For sleeping at Orisson and Roncevalles I have both a light sleeping bag and a silk liner. (And if anyone thinks the sleeping bag is unnecessary, feel free to say so and I'll just buy a bum bag! May/June seems right on the edge for advice on Orisson/Roncevalles temperatures) Obviously a wash kit, some medical supplies and various sundries are along coming too - I've just listed clothing.
Also note - I'm still going to buy a new pack - the 18L is semi-broken and doesn't have a waist strap. The only question is how much bigger than 18L I need to go. I'd been looking at some 36L, which seemed a common size for others on this forum. But as matters stand things would be rattling around in it and I'm wondering whether to go for more like 22L which would still appear to leave room for the odd sandwich etc without tempting me to throw stuff in just because there's space.
Any and all thoughts gratefully received. Buon camino.
I've managed with a 20l pack. I store my sleeping bag outside the pack with a good waterproof bag for it. You'll probably need a rain poncho. It can get very wet on the camino.
I use large ziplocs from diy/homestore for inside my pack. Some sort of rain jacket/poncho is essential - I see you have rain jacket included. I prefer a poncho. BTW my pack was a discarded former schoolbag belonging to one of my kids.Good to know.
I'd been planning just to keep my clothes and anything else that mattered in drysacs and let the pack get wet. Is that daft? It seemed like that would give me organisation and waterproofing in one hit. (Of course some of the packs come with integrated rain covers anyway)
I need to buy a pack to do my first stage of the camino frances over the last weekend of May (only four days of it - all the time I have for now so just doing SJdPP - Pamplona but intending to go on to finish over 2 - 3 longer trips over the next few years).
Tonight I thought I'd get together what I thought I'd need, just to gauge size for my new pack.
To my surprise everything I want to take fits comfortably in a cheapo 18L bag I use for work, still leaving room for a couple of water bottles in the pockets. About half the pack volume is my sleeping bag and most of the rest is my spare clothes, which I can just about squish into a 3L drysack. I read a couple of threads with consistent advice to pare it right down - so I did. I didn't think I was being that extreme but comparing the volume with the sizes of bags I've read about I'm worried I've overdone it. SJdPP - Roncevalles may not exactly be scaling Mount Everest, but that just means it would be even more embarrassing to die by trying to cross in barely more than a bikini.
How do u sleep without a sleeping bag?I've just done 6 days on the Norte with a 12L bag - and half of that was for carrying enough liquid - you could even get rid of the fleece top, zip-off trousers and sleeping bag and still be fine
Silk sleeping bag liner - weighs 140gHow do u sleep without a sleeping bag?
Ok so u travel in sommer? Yesterday night it was pretty cold even in my regular sleeping bag.Silk sleeping bag liner - weighs 140g
I travelled in early May - by the end of May it should be warmer - I walk in Merino wool t-shirts - can also sleep in this if neededOk so u travel in sommer? Yesterday night it was pretty cold even in my regular sleeping bag.
Good point will keep in mind.I travelled in early May - by the end of May it should be warmer - I walk in Merino wool t-shirts - can also sleep in this if needed
Do people get much use out of 35 - 40L *other* than on Camino? A daypack I at least know will get use, if only to carry water and a fleece on day hikes.
I agree about pack weight. The pack is likely to be my single heaviest item even if I go light which is one of the reasons I'm thinking about it so hard.
I wouldn't say money is no object, but I also have an eye to long term use - is, say, a 36L going to be too big for now yet too small for future (non Camino) trips carrying tent, etc? My last, much loved pack (I wore it right into the ground so I've thrown it out but I'd guess 50 litres) saw a lot of use as luggage for more sedate car/train/bus based holidays, with half the contents left in the back of the car for the odd overnight camping trip. Do people get much use out of 35 - 40L *other* than on Camino?
A daypack I at least know will get use, if only to carry water and a fleece on day hikes.
Well done! The best adage is,"less is more". I might add a very lihtweight pair of long johns and rain pants. If you can keep it to 18 liters or whatever that number was even better. Keep the sleeping bag, you may find a nice spot under a tree to sleep. Stranger things have happened.
I just came from south America where I was cycling. I met many back packers with huge back packs. They all had so much crap, they also sported large day packs they carried on the front. I can't imagine what they were carrying. Needless to say NONE of them were doing any real back packing. My point is, we NEVER need as much as we think we do.
In fact, I'm reorganizing to get back on the road and I'm going to cut A LOT of crap from my cycle kit.
Buen Camino!
To answer the question of clothing, the common practice is one on your body and one in the bag. At the end of the day's walking, you shower and dress in the next day's clean clothes and then wash that day's dirty clothes. Unlike backcountry hiking, where stink buildup over four days isn't an issue, your fellow pilgrims on the Camino will appreciate more frequent washing.
I see that with your bra, socks, and knickers, but what will you wear while washing the rest? I suppose you can wear the t-shirt and wash the LS shirt, and then wear the LS and wash the T, but you still have to account for drying times. Alternately, you could simply use your fleece or rain jacket while washing and drying both LS and T. Not sure if your "zip-off trousers" are simply the legs to your shorts, or if they are truly two separate garments. If the later, then no issue. If the former, then you don't have much option for washing those (unless you're going for a scene out of the movie "The Way").
I doubt you'll really need rain pants. As long as your pack is waterproof (or your stuff sacks are), a rain jacket is fine. Many use a poncho to protect both pack and body, but religious wars are also fought here over imperfect rain systems. The integrated rain covers don't prevent ingress between the back of the person and the back of the pack. If all drysacked, your stuff will stay dry, but the pack will get heavier by several pounds from accumulated water.
If all drysacked, your stuff will stay dry, but the pack will get heavier by several pounds from accumulated water.
@quinx,
Depending on what you think the temperature might be at Roncesvalles / Orreaga for your dates you could even think of leaving the sleeping bag at home. Although they don't seem to provide a blanket I understand many other albergue "down stream" do. Make a trade between the sleeping bag and the jacket. Without the bag, if you are cold at night wear everything. After all, this first trip is only three to four days.
I wasn't suggesting that you leave the legs at home. I was just trying to ascertain whether you actually had two separate pair of pants/shorts so you had something other than knickers to wear while doing laundry!I hadn't considered leaving the legs at home but I suppose I could do that.
I wasn't suggesting that you leave the legs at home. I was just trying to ascertain whether you actually had two separate pair of pants/shorts so you had something other than knickers to wear while doing laundry!
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