First Camino in July/August

[NOLA Cajun]

this is going to be my first Camino (Frances). I originally planned it for May/June 2016 but couldn't make it work because of my job schedule. Now the only possible time is July/first half of August. However, I am concerned about a couple of things.
1. No 1 concern is the crowd. How busy is it going to get in July/August? I've read so much about the race for beds and would like to avoid it as much as possible. Will it be possible to walk the Camino without booking in advance?
2. The weather. I'm no stranger to hot and humid (I live in southern Louisiana) but have no experience with the Spanish summer. Can you comment on what I should expect?
3. The gear. I pretty much had it all figured for May Camino. What would be the difference in your gear for May vs. July? Are there any items that you would take with you in May but not in July?
4. Shoes/boots. I expected May to be possibly rainy, so I chose Solomon GTX ultra mid goretex hiking boots. Now I think they may be too hot for July. Is goretex really needed for the summer or should I go with more breathable non-waterproof, non-goretex boots? I know the perennial boot/ shoe dilemma but since I have one weak ankle that has been dislocated several times I really need a boot. My question is mostly: goretex or not.
Any comments/advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Donna Sch]

The weather. I did the VDLP in June/July in the middle of the heatwave. North Spain will be a little cooler but in a heatwave, not much. Avoid walking after 2 pm whenever possible. When you have no idea how much water you will need, assume a minimum of 0.5 litres/hr. You may need 1 litre/hr which is a better estimate. I live in the Australian Outback and have lived in desert areas too so was pretty acclimatised but I still needed heaps. The Spanish drink Aquarius is your friend! Have a read about hiking umbrellas - great for shade and rain.
Start at first light - the dawns are beautiful. I'm not one to go scrambling around in the dark but it was good to be out the door by about 6.30 am. Carry lollies. When your body is under stress and you are also a little dehydrated, a small glucose hit keeps you going.

Get non-Goretex boots. Your feet need to breathe and I would expect the streams to be at their lowest levels. Otherwise your blister risk goes up if the sweat is trapped in your boots.
I did not carry a fleece and never needed it. I had two non-cotton tshirts (Montane Bionic - the one in my profile pic - was brilliant, and an Adidas running shirt), a light long sleeved merino base layer, an Arcteryx windjacket and a poncho. And a sarong as well as my buff. I was prepared to wear everything if I got cold. Occasionally I would break out the wind jacket but it was rare. Never needed the merino base layer walking - it was my albergue top.

 

[Kanga]

July/August is usually hot. I've walked mid June to late July and it was not as bad as I thought it might be. There always seemed to be a breeze in the morning, especially on the meseta. We tried to only walk to 1pm; it did mean early starts.

Consider hiking sandals instead of boots or shoes. Decent hiking sandals - there are a few threads in the forum such as here: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sandals-instead-of-boots.31517/

In the heat I wear a merino singlet as my top, and carry a reflective umbrella, rigged up handsfree. If no umbrella, a long-sleeved loose lightweight linen smock. Watch for sunburn, don't forget feet if you do go with sandals and no socks.

 

[HuffyCane]

Look in the equipment forum. I posted a comprehensive listing of summer gear with reviews.

Get rid of gore tex everything

Buy sandals as backups and to let your feet breathe when resting. Keen, tevas, chacos etc.

Don't take boots. Get breathable shoes built for distance like Merrell Moabs or Hoka Cliftons, ATRs, etc.

I live in North Florida. If you've trained in the heat, you'll be fine. Walking from 6am to 1pm there is about the same as SELA and we did it in record Spainish heat in July.

 

[joe g texas aggies]

I would bring bike gloves and wear them to prevent sunburn on your hands. I walked the CF this April/May and a number of my fellow pilgrims remarked that they wished that they had similar gloves. The gloves will not add much weight and you should not have to carry them in your back pack in any case.
Believe someone said to wear a long sleeved shirt. Agree totally. Minimize sun exposure.
Also agree, non waterproof shoes vs. waterproof boots. About a size larger than you normally wear. Your feet will swell.
You have 152 muscles in each foot. Find some exercises to strengthen those muscles! Your feet will wear down from the stress of walking day after day, carrying a heavy load on your back.
I see from your handle that you are probably an LSU fan. Hope my Aggies do a number on them tomorrow.

 

[SYates]

No Goretex, it only works if it has a temperature difference around 10-15C, meaning it is pretty useless in summer. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

this is going to be my first Camino (Frances). I originally planned it for May/June 2016 but couldn't make it work because of my job schedule. Now the only possible time is July/first half of August. However, I am concerned about a couple of things.
1. No 1 concern is the crowd. How busy is it going to get in July/August? I've read so much about the race for beds and would like to avoid it as much as possible. Will it be possible to walk the Camino without booking in advance?
2. The weather. I'm no stranger to hot and humid (I live in southern Louisiana) but have no experience with the Spanish summer. Can you comment on what I should expect?
3. The gear. I pretty much had it all figured for May Camino. What would be the difference in your gear for May vs. July? Are there any items that you would take with you in May but not in July?
4. Shoes/boots. I expected May to be possibly rainy, so I chose Solomon GTX ultra mid goretex hiking boots. Now I think they may be too hot for July. Is goretex really needed for the summer or should I go with more breathable non-waterproof, non-goretex boots? I know the perennial boot/ shoe dilemma but since I have one weak ankle that has been dislocated several times I really need a boot. My question is mostly: goretex or not.
Any comments/advice will be greatly appreciated.

Hi Nola, I think everything is already said. The only thing I have to say to is that you have a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[NOLA Cajun]

Thank you all for your opinions.

 

[Leigh Macklin]

I just booked for the same time. Hoping to walk from Pamplona to Muxia. Maybe I'll see you!