Fleece or softshell jacket?

[Alenka]

Hello peregrinos!

I am leaving for the Camino next week....will be walking from Astorga.
I was pretty sure about my gear, but not anymore after reading closely the forum posts.
I was planning on taking: base layer tshirt, softshell jacket, wind braker on top (with hood) and a rain poncho. That is the basic outfit.
I would also bring a long sleeve shirt and cashmere sweater vest in case it was very cold.

Now I see people suggesting fleece. Is it better than softshell?
What about a feather vest? any good?

Thank you!

A.

 

[Mark Lee]

What to wear is a much discussed topic on this forum.
One way to decide is to look at the weather on the Camino from past years and kind of get an idea what to expect. Not scientific by any means, but can take some of the guesswork out of it.
Here's a link to a weather website that you can look up past years weather. The link is for Leon, Spain in September 2013 and in Farenheit, but you can convert it to Celsius and also look up other cities. Leon is fairly close to Astorga.
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/LELN/2013/9/20/MonthlyHistory.html

And in my opinion fleece is hard to beat. Very warm for its weight, lightweight and dries fast. Also great for layering.
buen Camino

 

[MeganG22]

When I walked in Oct 2012 I brought both! Softshell North Face and a fleece. Never wore them together- I would usually wear the softshell while walking if I needed something warmer, and then would wear the fleece in the evenings after showering, that way only one item was smelly from the day Other than that I had a long sleeve activewear shirt as my main layer. If you find yourself needing more there will be places to purchase stuff, and if you bring too much you can always ditch things

 

[Alenka]

When I walked in Oct 2012 I brought both! Softshell North Face and a fleece. Never wore them together- I would usually wear the softshell while walking if I needed something warmer, and then would wear the fleece in the evenings after showering, that way only one item was smelly from the day Other than that I had a long sleeve activewear shirt as my main layer. If you find yourself needing more there will be places to purchase stuff, and if you bring too much you can always ditch things

Great help, thank you!

A.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I think it's just a matter of personal preference. I like felted wool, because it keeps me warm and dry, so I take a wool sweater and a windbreaker.
If I REALLY get cold, I put on my ALTUS.

 

[hotelmedicis]

A fleece and a soft-shell are two different pieces of kit. A fleece will keep you warm BUT it still needs a shell to block the wind and rain. A soft-shell will not only keep you warm, but it will also block the rain and wind. (Or so they are supposed to do!) You might want to keep this in mind and think about the need for a shell if you bring the fleece. It can be more versitile if you have a fleece and a shell than just one combined.

Enjoy your walk!

 

[whariwharangi]

You will generate a lot of heat while walking. The problem of staying warm is more likely due to wind ... in which case a wind breaker (or rain coat) is best.

During the evening, when you are not walking, is when you will need something that traps air. Fleece, wool, and down are all good for trapping air. They all have advantages and disadvantages regarding weight, insulation value when wet, drying time etc. I would suggest cost is a major factor, particularly if you won't have a use for the item at the end of the camino.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The worst case is that you have a couple of uncomfortable evenings until you can purchase something more suitable.

If your feet are cold, put on a wool hat.

 

[Magnara]

You will generate a lot of heat while walking. The problem of staying warm is more likely due to wind ... in which case a wind breaker (or rain coat) is best.

During the evening, when you are not walking, is when you will need something that traps air. Fleece, wool, and down are all good for trapping air. They all have advantages and disadvantages regarding weight, insulation value when wet, drying time etc. I would suggest cost is a major factor, particularly if you won't have a use for the item at the end of the camino.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The worst case is that you have a couple of uncomfortable evenings until you can purchase something more suitable.

If your feet are cold, put on a wool hat.

Sleeveless fleece plus either softshell or goretex jacket. The fleece dries fast and if it is sleeveless it is very versatile - not bulky under jacket. We walked in the winter and that was enough, so at this time of year it should be plenty. If your core is warm, your arms being cool don't make you uncomfortable.
Maggie Ramsay
(The Italian Camino - Amazon)