equipment for june 2008 or 2009

Backpack

Hi, in 2005 I bought an Osprey Aether 35ltr pack and found it was too small. While all my gear fitted there was no room to pack food. Also no outside pockets so nowhere to stash a water bottle, it had to be squashed inside, resulting in the occasional leak!

This year I got an Osprey Talon 44 in the sml/med size which gives 42 litres. And I love it. It's lightweight, has useful outside pockets, and is quick drying. Also has lots of little extras such as a built-in whistle, key-ring etc. As I prefer a rainjacket to a poncho, and it really rained this May, I was concerned about the straps getting soaked, but the high-tech materials meant this was not an issue.

If you find a backpack that fits you well, and is what you want and can afford, then buy it as soon as you can. Pack designs change from year to year, and prices are always rising.

Trudy

Footwear, Sleeping Bag

I did the whole Camino Frances from May 19 to June 20 this year. I wrote quite a bit in the equipment forum here on footwear and other equipment a few weeks ago. Maybe it has dropped out of the forum by now (unless Ivar has an archive), but have a look anyway.

Re footwear: My observations were that people wore either good walking shoes (a slight majority) or light boots. Only minority wore traditional leather boots. I wore shoes with breathable uppers. When choosing footwear, go to a good shop that can check out your gait for problems like over-pronation. Over-pronation can lead to tendinitis, which can be a show stopping injury after maybe a week on the road. Often, such issues don't show up in training walks at home.

Re sleeping bag: Depends when you go. In May/June I was quite surprised at how hot albergues get at night, with all those bodies pumping out heat and metabolising dinner. I mostly used just my silk bag liner, with my lightweight sleeping bag fully open. Most people on my Camino seemed obsessed about closing doors and windows at night, which just made the heat worse. If you go in summer, I guess only the lightest sleeping bag would be necessary. Winter is a horse of a different colour.

Hope these quick notes are helpful.

Regards

Bob M

Packs

I have a Macpac Amp Light 35 and it is fantastic! I had it expertly fitted at Paddy Pallin in Brisbane and after road testing it find that it really fits like a glove with no movement and I have felt no muscles strain. Although it is small and basic it has external pockets for water and other essentials and also has a pocket on the hip strap.

http://www.macpac.co.nz/

I strongly recommend that you have your pack fitted by an expert I found that what I thought I would buy was the most uncomfortable pack I tried and it was totally wrong for my body length and shape.

Cheers
Jacqueline