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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Feedback on our Camino Trip Planning

capun

Active Member
This forum is very helpful with a lot of good feedback.
I wanted to start a running thread of our plans for next year's trip and to get some feedback.
The basics: We are planning to start our trip about the 3rd week of April and due to work schedules we can only do the last 100+ Km, starting at Sarria.

We are flying into Madrid leaving on a Saturday and arriving Sunday morning, my wife has a College roommate and we are staying at her place. We plan to take the overnight train to Sarria, rest that day and start the trip the following day. We plan to do about 20 Km per day and to allow for extra stops/side trips. Our trip day budget is 7 days, my wife's friend is meeting us at Santiago to spend a day there and either fly back or take the train back to Madrid.

- Question 1: Is it advisable to rest in Madrid all day Sunday and take the train Monday night or take the train Sunday night and just rest one day in Sarria.

I am 62 in fair shape (a bit overweight), I have done several 3-day backpack trips with the Boy Scouts in the California Sierras but not lately and lots of 1-day 10-12 mile hiking trips. I am training to get back in shape and get accustomed to multi-day hiking.

My wife is 52 and exercises in a treadmill but needs to get accustomed to hike on a trail with a backpack, which we plan to start doing it soon.

We have started to gather the gear (I'll post the list later) and we are tuning it for cool and rainy weather. My wife usually needs a bit more warmer clothes (specially at night) than me.

- Question 2: Are we wrong to assume cool and rainy weather for that time of the year in Galicia?

If I am not imposing on people, more post to come.
Thanks
 
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Hola and welcome.
Q2) Think in layers with your clothing. It will probably be cool and possibly rain; it could be quite hot and dry.
We use zip off trousers and long sleeved shirts with T-shirt/vests under if needed and carry 2 fleeces (one thin one medium). We have been known to need all layers including both fleeces around this time of year. This year I think it was hotter in April than May! The long sleeved shirt would prevent sun-burn. :)
I feel the cold so carry thin (trekmate or Rohan) longjohns for evening rather than walking. I have walked with my rain trousers on to keep cold wind off - easy to remove when I warm up, unlike the longjohns.
Rain wear:- rohan ponchos, long length and waterproof, breathable trousers.

Buen Camino
 
Greetings from Jerusalem!
Third week of April should be fantastic though the chance for cool weather and rain is always a possibility in Galicia think 15-20C degrees daytime 5C at night perfect walking weather since you never sweat!. Think early Spring, primroses-a protected flower in Spain, hills covered with blue lobelia, foxglove, thorny burnet, hundreds more which I know from here but not in English, in town look for the first wisteria, pansies, tulips, tulips and pansies planted together, fruit trees it should be marvelous, one disappointment, the Spanish do not know the names of their wildflowers, when asked they often think you area bit foolish and answer "flor" – no help. One last word, the countryside in Galicia is magnificent the towns much much less so, plan to stop before or after them all but BEWARE, the Camino is also in use by Galician cows, tiptoe through the tulips that they leave behind, the mud you see on the Camino is not mud.
S
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
One can do this part of the walk easy in seven days...and when it comes to the weather expect the worst or the best of Galicia. Wear layers, keep your pack light and only you will know when you need to rest...if 80 year olds to young children are walking the Camino...you and your wife will be fine.
 
scruffy1 said:
... tiptoe through the tulips that they leave behind, the mud you see on the Camino is not mud.
It was pretty muddy last week - a bit like the First World War, although as far as I know nobody drowned in it.

How to travel from Madrid probably depends where you've come from, times of day, jetlag etc. It would be great if you could enjoy the journey as part of your Camino rather than just getting to your starting point.

After you've had a day in Sarria you'll have had enough, so you'll be ready to move on and will have met a few pilgs on cafe terraces etc.

As already said the weather could be amazing or shocking. Possibly both.

Buen Camino!
 
Thanks for the feedback and please keep them coming :)

To answer some of the comments:

Lise T: We are flying from Sacramento, California and with the stops in-between it looks like we are leaving on a Saturday about 6AM and arriving Madrid about 8 AM Sunday.

Tia Valeria: Yes we are convert to the layering system, we have been teaching our Boy Scouts to use loose layers. We even do snow camping with tents, with the proper training we have a blast. We don't allow any cotton for any camping that may encounter hypothermia conditions (could even be about 50F), Light Loose layers to allow for the air to circulate and insulate. I'll post the equipment we are taking later.

scruffy1: We originally we planning to do the Camino in the fall but my wife's friend highly suggested to do it in the Spring for the same reasons you mentioned. And I was born in a farm so I am well aware of the fresh cow pies :)

kingscrown2014: We could do the walk in 5 days, but we are allowing for any spur of the moment side-trips or just staying longer in a place we like.

tyrrek: We plan to go as light as possible. What I do is write down what I think I need for the trip, lay it down in the floor and start taking stuff out. Most things that we take should be used for other purposes. Like zip-off pants that can be used as short or long pants. And I have heard that there is not much to do in Sarria :(
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Sarria has one of the best restaurants we came across on the Camino -- Matias Locanda Italiana, right on the Camino route. The owners are immensely friendly; the locals like the place, and the food is excellent. There's also a sporting goods store, a ruined tower, and a few other sights. It's a very pleasant place.
 
tericarns: Thanks for the inputs, we'll give them a try.

OK. Here's the first pass at my equipment list. All equipment except noted are light, synthetic material.

- 1 Gregory Z40 Backpack (1.5Kg)
- 1 Platypus Big Zip 2L Water Bladder (0.15Kg)
- 1 North Face Cat's Meow Sleeping Bag (1.2Kg)
- 1 ThermaRest ZLite Sleeping Pad (0.29Kg)
- 1 REI Inflatable Pillow (0.113Kg). Yes I need some comfort at my age
- 2 Pairs of Zip-Off legs Pants
- 2 Pairs of Roll-Up long sleeve shirts
- 1 Down Jacket, its more like a shirt and ligher than my fleece jacket
- 1 Altus Poncho
- 2 Undershirts/T-Shirt
- 3 Underwear Boxers
- 1 Light Long Sleeve thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 1 Light Long Pants thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 3 Hiking socks
- 2 Sock liners
- 1 pair Merrell Moab waterproof boots. I need the ankle support
- 1 pair Off trail walking shoes
- 1 pair Shower Sandals (shared with my wife)
- 1 pair of gaiters. Keep pant legs dry and off the shoe tops.
- 1 Walking stick. I'll get this in Spain
- 1 Wide brimmed Hat
- 1 Beanie
- 1 Pair Gloves
- 1 Bandanna. Maybe cotton
- 1 Handkerchief. Cotton
- 1 REI Fast drying towel XX Large. For showering
- 1 REI Fast drying towel Medium. For washing hands/face
- 1 Petzl Tikka headlamp
- 1 Bedbug repellent treated Bedsheet
- 1 U-Dig-It Trowel
- 1 Lexan Cup
- 1 Titanium Spork
- 1 Wide Mouth Lexan container. To mix drinks, shared with my wife.
- 1 Cleaning Kit: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Biodegrable soap, shampoo, Comb, deodorant, Shaver (maybe), compressed Toilet Paper, Lip Salve. Some of it shared with my wife.
- 1 Compact First Aid Kit includes Compeed. Shared with my wife
- 1 Cleanup/Storage Kit: 2 trash bags, 2 Gallon sized ZipLocs, 2 Quart sized ZipLocs
- Notebook, pen, Pilgrims Passport.

To the list you need to include 2 Liters of water and some food. I'll be weighting the equipment and see what's the total weight.

Any feedback and/or comments?
I am still trying to decide on the sleeping bag. I have a Thermolite liner that is supposed to add another 8C but it seems to be too light but it only weights 250 grams and it is very compact. I also have a fleece liner as an option.
 
Here's a first pass at my wife's equipment list

- 1 Gregory Jade Z38 Backpack (1.4Kg)
- 1 Platypus Big Zip 2L Water Bladder (0.15Kg)
- 1 Mountain Hardwear UltraLamina 15 (1.3Kg)
- 1 ThermaRest ZLite Sleeping Pad (0.29Kg)
- 1 Quixote Small Pillow (0.28Kg). Yeah it is large and heavy.
- 2 Pairs of Zip-Off legs Pants
- 2 Pairs of Roll-Up long sleeve shirts
- 1 Down Jacket, its more like a shirt and ligher than a fleece jacket
- 1 Altus Poncho
- 2 Undershirts/T-Shirt
- 3 Underwear Briefs
- 1 Light Long Sleeve thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 1 Light Long Pants thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 3 Hiking socks
- 2 Sock liners
- 1 pair Keen Walking Shoes
- 1 pair Off trail walking shoes
. Crocs
- 1 pair of gaiters. Keep pant legs dry and off the shoe tops.
- 1 Walking stick. I'll get this in Spain
- 1 Wide brimmed Hat
- 1 Beanie
- 1 Pair Gloves
- 1 Bandanna. Maybe cotton
- 1 Handkerchief. Cotton
- 1 REI Fast drying towel XX Large. For showering
- 1 REI Fast drying towel Medium. For washing hands/face
- 1 Black Diamond headlamp
- 1 Bedbug repellent treated Bedsheet
- 1 Lexan Cup
- 1 Titanium Spork
- 1 Cleaning Kit: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Biodegrable soap, shampoo, Comb, deodorant, Shaver (maybe), compressed Toilet Paper, Lip Salve. Some of it shared.
- 1 Cleanup/Storage Kit: 2 trash bags, 2 Gallon sized ZipLocs, 2 Quart sized ZipLocs
- Notebook, pen, Pilgrims Passport.

To the list you need to include 2 Liters of water and some
food.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi!

I think that's too much stuff for late April. You won't really need thermal anything unless you're very unlucky with the weather, and then just use an extra albergue blanket. While you're walking you'll be pretty warm.

One hat only.

The down jacket may be heavy, especially if it gets wet or needs washed - fleeces dry in seconds.

Three pairs of footwear seems a bit much so decide between boots and shoes. Light sandals are great for the evening, but if you take more robust ones they can also be good for walking if you have blisters etc.

I've never got it right, so take any advice from me with a pinch of salt. I just think in terms of 'Something for hot and something for cold. Something for wet and something for dry. Undies and something to sleep in. And boots.'

Buen Camino!
 
tyrrek said:
Hi!

I think that's too much stuff for late April. You won't really need thermal anything unless you're very unlucky with the weather, and then just use an extra albergue blanket. While you're walking you'll be pretty warm.

One hat only.

The down jacket may be heavy, especially if it gets wet or needs washed - fleeces dry in seconds.

Three pairs of footwear seems a bit much so decide between boots and shoes. Light sandals are great for the evening, but if you take more robust ones they can also be good for walking if you have blisters etc.

I've never got it right, so take any advice from me with a pinch of salt. I just think in terms of 'Something for hot and something for cold. Something for wet and something for dry. Undies and something to sleep in. And boots.'

Buen Camino!

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions.

The thermal underwear are actually light base layers, I left them in the list if I decided not to take the sleeping bag.

As for the footwear, the 3rd pair are just for showering and are the cheapest, lightest pair. And it can be shared with my wife.
The other alternative I was looking was to get the Merrell lightweight shoes that you can get them wet and they are supposed to dry out fast. I just did not wanted to walk with wet shoes and I hate Sandals. My wife's Crocs can double up as shower shoes also.

When we hike/backpack in the California Sierras, we normally only take fleece. Like you said, Down gets heavy and loses its insulation when wet. But there are some new type of Down jacket materials that are trying to address those issues. The one we are trying look more like a sweater and are highly compressible. And hopefully with the Altus poncho they won't get wet.
 
It is really worth trying the sea to summit sleeping bag, foot vented can be used as a throw, as complete unzips and 600 grams with a 75 grams silk liner out of Vietnam on alibaba on email order $15.00 au. Sea to Summit has great gear!
 
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Covered the Sarria-Santiago stretch 6 weeks ago, think you can safely leave out the 'U dig it trowel' at home, cafe/bars are plentiful on this part of the Camino and whatever about nipping behind trees occasionally to jettison some excess fluid, you should be able to manage ok for the other matter particularly if you have a good guide like Brierley to let you know how far to the next cafe/bar to avail of indoor facilities. :oops:

Buen Camino

Seamus Sulivan
 
Capun, meant to add, I also carried a 2 litre bladderpack, filled it each day and found I normally only used about a litre daily - this was during a week when dawn temperatures were about 8 C ( 50 F ) but rose by early afternoon to about 28/31 C ( 85/90 F ), frequency of cafe/bars allowing for coffee/fruit juice stops would leave you the option of downsizing to either a 1 or 1.5 litre bladderpack and a commensurate space and weight saving.

Seamus
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
from looking at your list of take a longs, you are going to feel each one of them about three hours out of Saint Jean. I would say reexamine your needs and think you needs.
 
You mentioned doing some training walks in your earlier posts. Personally, I think those are quite important since you said you hadn't done so much walking lately. You will only be walking for a relatively short number of days, but if you want to be able to enjoy them, it's best to have done some decent walking prep beforehand. This will help both your fitness, and help you be sure your shoes and socks are going to work well for you.
To be honest, I wouldn't be too worried about the gear you are taking. So long as you are aware it could be quite cold and wet at that time in Galicia, and that you take layers, really for a few days walking 'anything' will do.
All the best!
Margaret
 
As Margaret says training walking is good. It will also help to see if your pack is about the right weight. We started with a part load and built it up to full weight, assuming a warm/hot day.
Presumably you are wearing part of the list.
The towels, I like 2 because of drying my hair as well as the rest of me. Terry has a mini second towel for face etc. The beanies may not be needed if you have wide brim hats, we found they were sufficient, but I carried a very lightweight scarf to keep my neck warm and silk gloves, also very light.
Buen Camino
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
PingHansen said:
supersullivan said:
the option of downsizing to either a 1 or 1.5 litre bladderpack and a commensurate space and weight saving.
The weight difference between a 2l and a 1,5l or a 1l is not much. Better to keep the more versatile option of 2l, and then only fill it half - especially on Mondays, where some cafés are closed.
Agree 100%. Buen Camino! :)
 
PingHansen said:
capun said:
- 1 Light Long Sleeve thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 1 Light Long Pants thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
Icebreaker?

In spite of the facetious comment I would not leave out the lightweight thermal underwear. Galicia in April can be very cold and wet.


Re: Easter 2013 in Santiago

New postby scruffy1 on 02 Oct 2012, 21:40
JJH
Wonderful idea, Easter in Santiago-do remember that Easter comes early this year, March 31, starting a week or so earlier, presumably from Sarria, you will miss the mountains around O'Cebreiro and snow but it will be cold-a good chance of sleet and hail. 2012 was rainy and cool in Galicia until May and yes it snowed in O'Cebreiro end of April-unusual but can happen. There are plenty of backpack taxi services but no one has started a husky dog-sled option for the Camino-watch the weather!

I have been on different Caminos in the NW of Spain in April / May, every year since 2009. Very rarely have I been too warm. 8)

Blessings on your preparation
Tio Tel
 
Thanks Ping, I show my ignorance :oops: I had the comment from Tyrrek in mind
You won't really need thermal anything unless you're very unlucky with the weather
when I read yours and the brain linked the two!
Not sure about the wool though, although merino can be O.K. My preference would be something like this
http://rohan.co.uk/Product/Detail/MensB ... e=03324595

Blessings
Terry
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
TerryB said:
In spite of the facetious comment I would not leave out the lightweight thermal underwear. Galicia in April can be very cold and wet.
I didn't mean my comment to be facetious either. I just can't see how thermals would have helped much on my Caminos. In late April last year I was in shorts, and although April this year was cooler I was walking in early April and was quite happy without thermals. We can only speak about our own experiences.

Buen Camino!
 
Hola Tyrrek,
I am TerryB's other half. Two years ago we were walking in May and it was so cold that we were really struggling. We had to buy extra layers. I feel the cold, but I know that others don't. This year I took 2 pairs of ultralight longjohns and also long sleeved vests, and we had 2 fleeces each. Happiness :) :) Good in the evening and as sleepwear.

To misquote a line from 'Gone with the Wind' :- "I promise I'll never be cold again"
 
Thanks for the feedback all of you (keep them coming :D )

I'll try to answer some of the replies.

I normally use a very light base layer made of polypropylene (sic), mostly in very cold weather that we encounter here in the Sierras and/or to sleep. When walking during not so cold weather, I normally use a poly T-shirt under my Long Sleeve shirt then add/take off other layers as needed. I sweat a lot so the inner layer is used to wick the moisture. Normally Men don't need that much warm clothes (Younger persons even less) as Women do, at least in our case 8)

We are trying to keep the trip costs low, in some cases the equipment may not be the optimal but it is what we have or we have gotten them in sales and/or outlets.

Some equipment we are buying, mostly for my wife since she has not done much backpacking with our Boy Scout troop. Other equipment was bought since it did not make sense to take our current equipment. For example I use an external frame backpack but it is just too heavy for the Camino.

Sometimes the equipment may be heavier than others but you have to look at comfort and durability. That is the reason I chose the Gregory Z40, I checked several other backpacks but I really liked the fit of the Gregory.

Yeah, the Cat's Meow is a bit heavier but that is what I have. I'll take a look at the Sea to Summit bag as suggested. Other choices that I am looking are a Fleece blanket/sleeping bag or the Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor liner used as a bag. My wife does need her sleeping bag :lol:

I have a digital luggage scale and a precision digital scale (2Kg Max in 0.1g increments) that I'll be using to weight the equipment. The list include everything we are taking, including what we wear.
I'll post a preliminary weight after I collect all of the equipment.

As commented, we'll take the 2L water bag. We'll see the water usage and adjust to it. We don't have to fill it to the top so if we see that we only need 1L that is all we carry. We'll use the water fountains as much as possible too.

Our Troop uses the Leave No Trace principles, that is why I was taking the U-Dig-It.

I'll be very happy to keep the total weight to 10Kg, I have (my wife has not) done many backpacking trips with a lot more weight and over worst trails than we expect in this section of the Camino

I have started to do trail training (my wife not yet), this weekend the Troop is doing a 10Mile Plus hike in one section of the Folsom Lake Trail (6 legs). I'll be carrying the backpack with extra weight usually not needed for a day hike. Part of the training is going to be multi-day backpack trips with the Troop as they prepare to go to the Philmont Ranch High Adventure trip next year.

The Off-Trail shoes that I am looking are Merrell's lightweight shoes. I think they are called Barefoot or Glove fit. I think they weight 6 oz each.

I forgot the money pouch. For soap I use a "Camp Soap" that is used for washing clothes, dishes and yourself and it is biodegradable. I didn't think about a compass, I hear that the last section's trail is well marked according to the Bierley's book. BTW, we are both native spanish speakers, we should be able to communicate with the local people.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I just noticed that you don't seem to have a whistle on your list. We carry one each attached to the pack. Useful not just in an emergency but, because of the way we tackle hills, I could have attracted Terry's attention if necessary. We never needed to use them but it was good to have them, and much better than trying to shout :) .
 
Sienna Moon said:
It is really worth trying the sea to summit sleeping bag, foot vented can be used as a throw, as complete unzips and 600 grams with a 75 grams silk liner out of Vietnam on alibaba on email order $15.00 au. Sea to Summit has great gear!

Can you provide more data? Like the model and the fill type and the place you got it? Maybe the link?

At 600 grams it looks like a Down bag, here at REI I looked at one Sea to Summit but it was over $270 for their Trek1 version.

Thanks
 
Unfortunately ours was more, Australian website, but it's advantages far out way the cost as we are travelling for 6 months and it is our bed for two mid 60's year old.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Sea to Summit has a very comprehensive web site. I travelled with their gear including a two man tent in torrential downpours last year and was warm cool and dry all the time.
 
Capun

Definitely no need for a compass on the Sarria - Santiago stretch, very well marked and with Brierley's guidebook you would have to try very hard to go off route, only area's I had to pay close attention to were through Melide and Arzua and Brierley's instructions were useful then. There is a tourist information office on the route about 1 mile before O Pedrouzo ( Arca ) which is about 12 miles before Santiago and they have free very accurate street maps of Santiago available which I found very useful for getting my bearings in my 2 free days after finishing.

Buen Camino

Seamus
 
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supersullivan said:
Definitely no need for a compass on the Sarria - Santiago stretch, very well marked and with Brierley's guidebook you would have to try very hard to go off route, only area's I had to pay close attention to were through Melide and Arzua and Brierley's instructions were useful then.
Absolutely right. The towns and cities generally are the most difficult to navigate as the arrows are more difficult to spot. In the countryside it's pretty easy, especially with all the other pilgrims around. Some of the larger towns and cities along the Camino have brass scallop shells embedded in the pavements to help, but I'm not sure if the towns Seamus mentions do. They're relatively small so you can't go too far wrong anyway.

Buen Camino!
 
REI Outlet had a Lafuma +45F bag for $45, it was a year end closeout. It only weights 600 grams and with the compression bag it packs very small.

I expect it to be good enough inside the Albergues even in mid-April
 
capun said:
tericarns: Thanks for the inputs, we'll give them a try.

OK. Here's the first pass at my equipment list. All equipment except noted are light, synthetic material.

- 1 Gregory Z40 Backpack (1.5Kg)
- 1 Platypus Big Zip 2L Water Bladder (0.15Kg)
- 1 North Face Cat's Meow Sleeping Bag (1.2Kg)
- 1 ThermaRest ZLite Sleeping Pad (0.29Kg)
- 1 REI Inflatable Pillow (0.113Kg). Yes I need some comfort at my age
- 2 Pairs of Zip-Off legs Pants
- 2 Pairs of Roll-Up long sleeve shirts
- 1 Down Jacket, its more like a shirt and ligher than my fleece jacket
- 1 Altus Poncho
- 2 Undershirts/T-Shirt
- 3 Underwear Boxers
- 1 Light Long Sleeve thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 1 Light Long Pants thermal underwear. Also for sleeping.
- 3 Hiking socks
- 2 Sock liners
- 1 pair Merrell Moab waterproof boots. I need the ankle support
- 1 pair Off trail walking shoes
- 1 pair Shower Sandals (shared with my wife)
- 1 pair of gaiters. Keep pant legs dry and off the shoe tops.
- 1 Walking stick. I'll get this in Spain
- 1 Wide brimmed Hat
- 1 Beanie
- 1 Pair Gloves
- 1 Bandanna. Maybe cotton
- 1 Handkerchief. Cotton
- 1 REI Fast drying towel XX Large. For showering
- 1 REI Fast drying towel Medium. For washing hands/face
- 1 Petzl Tikka headlamp
- 1 Bedbug repellent treated Bedsheet
- 1 U-Dig-It Trowel
- 1 Lexan Cup
- 1 Titanium Spork
- 1 Wide Mouth Lexan container. To mix drinks, shared with my wife.
- 1 Cleaning Kit: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Biodegrable soap, shampoo, Comb, deodorant, Shaver (maybe), compressed Toilet Paper, Lip Salve. Some of it shared with my wife.
- 1 Compact First Aid Kit includes Compeed. Shared with my wife
- 1 Cleanup/Storage Kit: 2 trash bags, 2 Gallon sized ZipLocs, 2 Quart sized ZipLocs
- Notebook, pen, Pilgrims Passport.

To the list you need to include 2 Liters of water and some food. I'll be weighting the equipment and see what's the total weight.

Any feedback and/or comments?
I am still trying to decide on the sleeping bag. I have a Thermolite liner that is supposed to add another 8C but it seems to be too light but it only weights 250 grams and it is very compact. I also have a fleece liner as an option.

Well, I decided to do some cleaning up of the list.

Here's my current list

- 1 Gregory Z40 Backpack (1.5Kg)
- 1 Platypus Big Zip 2L Water Bladder (0.15Kg)
- 1 Lafuma 45F Sleeping Bag (0.62)
- 1 Pair of Zip-Off legs Pant (0.395Kg)
- 1 Pair1 of Roll-Up long sleeve shirt (0.3Kg)
- 1 Down Jacket, its more like a shirt and ligher than my fleece jacket (0.35Kg)
- 1 Altus Poncho (0.5Kg)
- 2 Undershirts/T-Shirt (0.32Kg)
- 2 Underwear Boxers (0.16Kg)
- 1 Light Long Sleeve Base Layer. Also for sleeping. (0.19Kg)
- 2 Hiking socks (0.22Kg)
- 2 Sock liners (0.05Kg)
- 1 pair Merrell Moab waterproof boots. I need the ankle support (1.0 Kg)
- 1 pair Off trail walking shoes. Merrell Mix Master 2 waterproof (0.57Kg)
- 1 pair Shower Sandals (shared with my wife) (0.18 Kg)
- 1 pair of lightweight gaiters. Keep pant legs dry and off the shoe tops.(0.07Kg)
- 1 Walking stick. I'll get this in Spain
- 1 Wide brimmed Hat. (0.085Kg)
- 1 Headband. (0.0347Kg)
- 1 Pair Gloves (0.042 Kg)
- 1 Bandanna. Maybe cotton (0.046Kg)
- 1 Handkerchief. Cotton
- 1 REI Fast drying towel XX Large. For showering (0.264Kg)
- 1 Petzl Tikka headlamp (0.079Kg)
- 1 Bedbug repellent treated Bedsheet (0.124Kg)
- 1 Lexan Cup
- 1 Titanium Spork (0.0152Kg)
- 1 Cleaning Kit: Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Biodegrable soap, shampoo, Comb, deodorant, Shaver (maybe), compressed Toilet Paper, Lip Salve. Some of it shared with my wife.
- 1 Compact First Aid Kit includes Compeed. Shared with my wife
- 1 Cleanup/Storage Kit: 2 trash bags, 2 Gallon sized ZipLocs, 2 Quart sized ZipLocs
- Notebook, pen, Pilgrims Passport.

To the list you need to include 2 Liters of water and some food. I'll be weighting the equipment and see what's the total weight.

A couple of questions
- Do you need a sleeping pad? Since we have the treated besheets I thought that should take care of it
- I am still undecided on the second pair of lightweight shoes. Its a safety item in case of the boots getting wet, causing blisters, etc.
- Should the extra pair of shoes be waterproof? (cheaper and lighter).

Thanks
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Do you need a sleeping pad?
I don't think so. They can be found abandoned in the donation boxes all along the camino. Should you find yourself without a bed, you can borrow a sleeping pad from a fellow pilgrim!
 
Buen Camino mis amigos,
I just finished a Winter Pilgrimage last week & thought I would add some additional input:

Walking Plan:
I did Sarria to Santiago in 5 days. Some do it in 4 so 7 is very doable. If possible, start off with easier days & build your distance as you become accustomed to walking. I also found the route exceptionally well-marked so you should be good.

Packing List:
Excellent advice already given, I would also recommend Sea to Summit Dry Packs. Put your gear into the pack, put the pack into your backpack. These are not expensive. They compress your gear into a smaller size & will all but guarantee absolutely bone-dry gear. I would also add a backpack cover for same purpose - keeping things dry & clean.

Ditto others on 1 pair of trekking boots only. If they are good quality waterproof as your's are, they will remain dry. You can also put newspaper in them at night to accelerate drying.

Ditto others on whistle. Very useful for emergencies. Do a Google Search on signaling protocols too.

For your second pair, I highly recommend Crocs. They can be used in shower & going out. They are lightweight & flexible for packing.

I did not see a Swiss Army Knife. You will need it if you want to carry along wine, cheese & chorizo. I also bought a Spork but that was only item I never used.

I did not bring a sleeping bag & I never needed one even on a Winter Camino.

Travel / Jetlag:
I am a seasoned international traveler. It takes 1 day per time zone change to fully adapt. You are looking at a **9 hr time difference** not to mention the fatigue associated with flight changes & long haul flights. I would recommend you rest for 2-3 days before you walk so you can enjoy it rather than being tired & miserable for half a week. Perhaps you could travel to Burgos &/or Leon combining rest with some light sightseeing before you head to Sarria for your pilgrimage.

Additional info:
If you have an intl phone (GSM that is unlocked already. If not, they can be easily unlocked & it is legal to do so), you can buy a local SIM from a place like Movistar & have cheap data/text/phone. I paid something like 3.50euro per week for unlimited internet, 250 min or so of phone / text. It is also quite nice to have in event of an emergency. Remember you dial 112 in Spain, not 911 like in US.

Most US carriers except Verizon generally offer GSM phones.
 
ericandbeethoven said:
I would also recommend Sea to Summit Dry Packs


I do have compression bags, I need to check if they are waterproof.

ericandbeethoven said:
I would also add a backpack cover


The Pack comes with a backpack cover already, plus I was counting on the Altus poncho to keep the pack dry while walking

ericandbeethoven said:
1 pair of trekking boots only. If they are good quality waterproof as your's are


The problem with the Merrell's is because of their mesh design for ventilation, water may get through. But I forgot the old newspaper trick, good input.

ericandbeethoven said:
I highly recommend Crocs


Sorry but I have this phobia agains crocs and sandals, yes I'll pay the penalty in weight but you'll never see me on those :)

I already put the whistle in my list, they are the REI (very loud) emergecy whistles that I use during the trips with the Boy Scouts.

About the phone, unfortunately we have Verizon which is a pain when we go to Peru and they are not compatible. We were not planning to take cell phones, so we could get away from them. I thought there were enough people near by that we would not need it for emergencies.

We have travelled before with the family, that is why we allocated a day to rest at the front end and at the back end of the trip. Unfortunately we are time limited, othwise we could have also gone to Lourdes and Fatima as we originally wanted to do it.

Good feedback, thanks.



ericandbeethoven said:
I did not see a Swiss Army Knife


Oops, It is in my Excel Spreadsheet plus a couple of other items I may not have put in the list.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I thought there were enough people near by that we would not need it for emergencies.
What if you are the people near by when the emergency happens? :wink:
 
Well, it is official !!!

We have just purchased the airline tickets. Flight stopping in Houston, Newark before arriving in Madrid. We will be leaving April 20th and arriving April 21st.

We'll start from Sarria, allowing a week to arrive to Santiago (side trips?) then returning to Madrid for a few days with my wife's college roommate before going back Saturday May 4th back to California.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Doing some equipment tune-up as the time approaches.

We are going to add a pair of lightweight shorts if we need to wash/dry the hiking pants.

My wife saw a video travelogue (November time frame) and there was quite a lot of rain in Galicia.
With your experience, how much rain are we going to expect in Late April-Early May.

My lightweight gaiters are water resistant but not waterproof. I have a pair of waterproof gaiters but they are about 200 grams heavier.

We have a lightweight down jacket/sweater which weight 350 grams, my lightest fleece jacket is about 800 grams. Do you think that with the Altus poncho we can be ok with the down jacket?

CP
 
Code:
how much rain are we going to expect in Late April-Early May
In April from Sarria to Santiago it could be none or it could be daily!

The Altus will be great with the down. I used a GoLite down with it, and was plenty warm and dry. The downside of the down was that it got wet in the rain, so was not suitable for rainy evenings.
 
Getting the down jacket wet is a worry, I just found out that my wind proof Land's End Fleece jacket is about 610 grams. I am starting to think that the extra 250 grams of the Fleece may be the way to go due to their fast drying feature.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Ok. After some Slash and burn of the equipment list, here's version 3

- 1 GoLite Jam 50 Backpack (850g)
- 1 Platypus Big Zip 2L Water Bladder (150g)
- 1 Lafuma 45F Sleeping Bag (620g)
- 1 Pair of REI Sahara Zip-Off legs Pant (475g). A bit heavy but..
- 1 Pair of ExOfficio Roll-Up long sleeve shirt (300g)
- 1 Sierra Design Breathable Jacket (454g). I may go for a lighter jacket.
- 1 Ferrino Trekker Poncho (480g)
- 2 Undershirts/T-Shirt (320g)
- 2 Underwear Boxers (160g)
- 1 Colombia Light Fleece Pullover (240g)
- 1 Marmot Lightweight Fleece Pants (260g)
- 2 Hiking socks (220g)
- 2 Sock liners (50g)
- 1 pair Merrell Moab waterproof boots. I need the ankle support (1.0 Kg)
- 1 pair of Mountain Hardwear Conduit gaiters (211g)
- 1 pair Off trail walking shoes. Merrell Granite (380g)
- 1 pair Shower Sandals (shared with my wife) (180g)
- 1 pair of Mountain Hardwear gaiters. Keep pant legs dry and off the shoe tops.(211g)
- 1 Walking stick. I'll get this in Spain. (300g?)
- 1 Wide brimmed Hat. (85g)
- 1 Headband. (34.7g)
- 1 Pair Gloves (42g)
- 1 Bandanna. Maybe cotton (46g)
- 1 Handkerchief. Cotton (13g)
- 1 REI Fast drying towel XX Large. For showering (264g)
- 1 Petzl Tikka headlamp (79g)
- 1 Bedbug repellent treated Bedsheet (124g)
- 1 Emergency Whistle (6g)
- 1 Sea to Summit Delta Cup (121g)
- 1 Titanium Spork (15.2g)
- 1 Sunglasses (25g)
- 1 Gerber Mini Knife (39g)
- 1 Leatherman Mini MultiTool (45g)
- 1 Money Pouch (57g)
- 1 Sports Wallet (43g)
- 1 Sports Watch (38g)
- 1 Compact First Aid Kit (71g). Shared with my wife
- 1 Compact Camera (180g)
- 1 Charger (70g)

- Cleaning Kit: Toothbrush (19g), Toothpaste (26g), Dental Floss (8g), Bath soap (33g), shampoo (), Comb (9g), deodorant (44g), compressed Toilet Paper (28g), Lip Salve (6g), Mosquito Repellent (39g), Sunscreen (39g), Small Kleenex Pack (22g), 2 Platypus Cleaning tablets (15g), Purell (43g), Talcum Powder (61g). Some of it shared with my wife.

- Medical Supplies: Compeed, Paper Tape, LeukoTape P, Foot Powder

- Cleanup/Storage Kit: 1 20Gallon trash bags (35g), 2 Gallon sized ZipLocs (22g), 2 Quart sized ZipLocs (12g), Woolite().

- Document Kit. Notebook (47Kg), pen (6g), Small Sharpie Pen (7g), Pilgrims Passport(20g)

- Emergency Repair Kit: Duct Tape (27g), 2 #2 SBinners (14g), 2 Clothes Pins(), Sewing Kit(), Small Rope(), 5 Plastic Ties (8g)

To the list you need to include 0.5 Liters of water and 0.1Kg of snack foods

With the water and foor allowance I am up to 9.265Kg Off-skin (that is everything not including me butt-naked). Pack Weight is 6.615Kg.

I still need to update the weights of some items but I think I am going to be able to meet the goal of 10Kg Off-body and 7Kg in the backpack.

Note that some of the "shared" equipment has ended up in my pack :D

So far my wife's pack looks to be about 8Kg Off-body and 5Kg in the backpack
 
Looks good. Are you really carrying 2 pairs of gaiters or are they double entered? and maybe added in twice (I didn't check the adding up :) )
Terry carries my sleeping bag and towel, but I carry his 'tidy' shirt giving us both reasonable weights.
Still working on our needs for later this year.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Well Ladies and Gents, we are two days away from leaving California for Spain and the start of our Camino experience. And by the looks of the weather forecasts the rain has let-up :)

I want to thanks all of the people who have bothered to answer our question.

If anyone is interested I'll post the detail list of equipment we are taking and after the trip we'll post what we did not needed and what we could have taken.

Currently my skin-off carry-on weight is 9.148 Kg without water and snacks. The pack weight is 5.697 Kg without water and snacks. I ended up taking the "shared" items :(

My wifer's skin-off carry-on weight is 7.9913 Kg without water and snacks. The pack weight is 5.125 Kg without water and snacks.

We still have to add some minor weight to it for items we will pick up in Spain and for asumptions. Like money, coins, Credential, actual weight of the walking stick, etc.

Thanks to all
 
I'm really loving this thread! Seasoned walkers who know how to write a list and really think about it. I like very much that the rucksack is weighed first (I didn't weigh mine until I got home after my first time out here and found it weighed over 4 and a half pounds!).
I also like the 'clean up kit' at the end - should be compulsory before a pilgrim gets their passport! (well, ok, we could ask pilgrims to bring that).

Only you know, from your own experience, the layers and clothing you need - and it is true - Galicia can be hot and sunny or wet and cold, crikey - worse than England sometimes.

All I would say is ditch the sleeping pad and compass and add a corkscrew (and whistle). :wink:

You are going to have such a good Camino

Buen Camino pilgrims
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I made some changes to the revised list. My Golite Jam 50 pack has a built-in whistle, fairly loud. My wife is bringing one since she decided to take the Gregory Jade Z38. She did not like the frameless Golite Jam 35.

As for the compass, I don't think it is needed with the roads fairly well marked. That is based on previous feedback and the road guides.

In any case We decided to take a phone just in case of emergencies and it has a couple of aps with maps and route info, plus it has a built-in GPS.
 
We Made it !!

We completed the Sarria to Santiago section last Sunday. We fly out to California this Saturday.

I'll post a equipment post-mortem when I get back
 
Cool!! Well done!!

It will be interesting to read your choices now you have carried it all - I look forward to it :wink:
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-

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