Doing the Camino without carrying a backpack

[Scary Hat]

Hi everyone!

I have wanted to do the Camino Frances for several years. I began studying Spanish, reading
as much as possible, etc.

I have some degenerative neck and back issues, so carrying a backpack will not work, but walking
without a pack is ok. A fanny pack with water and food for the day would work for me. I postponed going last fall and had steroid injections done, but they did not work.

Any thoughts on how I can do the pilgrimage given my physical constraints? Am I dreaming, or can it be done?

Tom

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I met an Australian man (ex-SA) who broke his collarbone early in the Camino, and who could then no longer carry his pack. (He had walked the Camino before so it wasn't his first experience.) He paid to have his pack transported each day using one of the baggage services. Not all albergues accept packs from these services though, so I am not sure if he sometimes had other people who helped him with it over short distances within a town/village.
Margaret

 

[grayland]

A fellow Pilgrim here in Seattle recently did a Camino using a Hip/waist pack from REI. I am sure they are available elsewhere.
He was able to carry everything except his very lightweight sleeping bag which his wife carried.
He also has a very severe neck and shoulder problem and cannot carry a conventional pack.
It worked well for him. Perhaps something like this along with some pack transportaion would work for you. Don't give up on your Camino. It is not a dream. You can do it.
Buen Camino

 

[dougfitz]

There was an older French couple doing the Camino Frances at the same time as me in 2010. She carried a pack and he towed a mono-wheel trailer with a box attached. Theirs was well made, but it didn't look like a commercial production.

You may be able to find something similar.

Regards,

 

[Freetime]

Chariot Carriers makes a 2 wheeled, tow behind carrier with hip belt. It can be found at http://www.chariotcarriers.com

You can find more if you insert "hiking tow behind trailer" as your google search criteria.

Tony

 

[Abbeydore]

good luck Tom, probably carry my partner's, cause of her arthritis, then we walk @ the same speed :lol:, shame there are not double beds then we could save weight with on sleeping bag(s), guess we should take one tooth brush yuck!, :lol:

 

[Freetime]

Re: Re:

shame there are not double beds then we could save weight on sleeping bag(s)

You could do what the Navy does and "hot bunk". One sleeps first while other is awake then switch. :grin::lol:

 

[ArianaStan]

Hi! We did a part of Camino, from Ponferrada. On this part of Camino we met many opportunities to walk without backpack. We used it twice. For example, from alberque from Vilafranca to O Cebreiro we paid 7 euro and a taxi get our backpack. In Portomarrin I saw many announcement in hotels and for 2 euros (if I remember well) they pick up luggage from the hotel and carry to the next stop.
Important thing is to know where you will stop next (alberque, pension, hotel) because they had to know where to deliver the luggage.
But I am sure that you will find another pilgrims who do the Camino in group and they have a car to carry their luggage. We also met a group of Germans who had only light backpack and their luggage were in a van. We asked them to help us once because my husband had a problem with their anckle and I couldn't carry two backpacks. And they take our backpacks and we met with the driver in the center of Palace do Rei.
So, be confident! If you will do this pilgrimage you will be helped!
Good luck!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Baggage services are available everywhere along the Camino. The one-legged pilgrim I met could not carry a backpack and used a baggage service for every stage.

 

[Scary Hat]

Thanks to you all for the advice and encouragement. I will do it!

I had no idea that there were ways to do the Camino without going the full-on tour group route.
Not a bad idea, but it would be prohibitive for me.

Blessings and thanks again to you all!

Tom

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Look at the Mountainsmith lumbar packs....

http://mountainsmith.com/products.asp?p ... egory2Id=0

If you are going during the summer and don't need to bring as much "stuff", then I could see you doing the Camino with just a lumbar pack.

We had a pilgrim come through Sto Domingo de la Calzada in October pulling one of those wire grocery carts with her stuff in it. She loved it. She had walked from Irun.

There are options out there! Do not be discouraged.