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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Hanging Bags etc in the Shower

Waka

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Some but not all, and other routes too.
Good Morning Pilgrims

I'm off next week and I'm in the process of finalising all those last minute things. I have a question regarding the shower cubicles, is there anything on the back of the doors that I can hang the likes of washing bag, clean cloths, valuables etc?
If not I still have time to go and source some sort of hook arrangement.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hi, my wash bag has a loop on it, so I can hang it on the door handle or door knob (if there is one!) :rolleyes: Clothes and towel over the door if there is no hook. Jill
 
My spongebag hangs from a hook. On that hook I have tied a loop of elastic. I can either use the hook (over a curtain rail or door hook) or the loop of elastic around the door handle. Works for most places. I took a light plastic 3-way hook one year but never used it

If you don't have enough weight in your pack (!) it is always useful to include a short length of elastic and several short ties with velcro on the ends.
 
Hi. Every shower arrangement each day is different. This last walk, I did take a light plastic hook. Primarily for hanging my pack off the end of the bunkbed (so it did not have to go on the floor, or take up a chair). I often used the hook for the shower too, so it will stay in my Camino gear.
 
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Generally I found there mostly was some way around it that dident involve bringing anything extra. Arrive to the shower with as little as possible and you will find a spot. Some have a cubicle inside a cubicle arrangement which is very convienient
 
Kanga and Phlipilgrim's ideas, taken together, are the optimum solution in my experienced opinion. This works ideally in an albergue. I use a variation of this myself.

As I stay in hostals whenever possible and usually have a room to myself, or sharing with another interested pilgrim, my preferred method is to use TWO very large (but featherweight) plastic "S" hooks, hooked over whatever passes for a curtain rod in the room. I buy the "S" hooks in a bath supply shop or China store.

To the bottom curve I attach one or two, long "can" band, rubber band or two. The bands can be used without the "S" hooks if necessary. These long (30 - 40 cm, 18 - 20 " +/-) rubber bands are sold in many grocery or DIY stores to attach plastic bin liners to trash cans.

I buy bands that are wider, about 1 cm (.25 in). The choice to use one or two bands to a side depends on the expected weight of the laundry I intend to hang over this rig. I usually use two to each side, just-in-case. Besides, the bands have a myriad of uses and are long enough and tough enough to use as a tourniquet in an extreme medical emergency, or simply to attach stuff to the outside of a rucksack.

From these long rubber bands, I hang one of my hiking poles extended to the longest length possible, about 130 cm long (51 in.). The result is a horizontal hanging rig for drying clothes. It works even on the end of a bunk bed with tubular railings. In essence, it replaces having a shower / tub curtain rod to throw your clothes over.

Finally, I carry FOUR lightweight, plastic travel hangers. The hooks swing down to double over the horizontal part. I found them deep in one of my storage closets. They were purchased to use with regular luggage years ago and forgotten. Each hanger weighs 42 gms. (1.5 oz). All in, they weigh as much as a bar of soap.

They fit, two to a side in my rucksack, where they serve as vertical stays. I use smaller rubber bands to hold them together in pairs.

The hangers enable me to maximize the efficiency of whatever drying rig I use, no matter where I am staying. They hold shirts or jackets easily. I use some of the few short wooden clothespins (10) I carry to fasten socks, underwear, towels or pants (tops and/or bottoms) to the hangers. The hangers hang perpendicular to the hiking staff "clothes rod" I described above and expedite drying.

I hope this technique helps...
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
@dogfitz, @jsalt, Kanga, @Phllypilgrim, @movinmaggie.

Thank you all for the response, I do have some spare dry sacks so they should do and if there's no hooks then they should be alright on the floor.
Somehow I had visions of carrying a massive steel meat hook to hang everything off, including myself.
My other half has just been putting a first aid ket together for me, I had to explain that Spain is civilised and they do have Pharmacies, bless her little cotton socks, I know she worries about me being exposed to the big wide world.
 
Kanga and Phlipilgrim's ideas, taken together, are the optimum solution in my experienced opinion. This works ideally in an albergue. I use a variation of this myself.

As I stay in hostals whenever possible and usually have a room to myself, or sharing with another interested pilgrim, my preferred method is to use TWO very large (but featherweight) plastic "S" hooks, hooked over whatever passes for a curtain rod in the room. I buy the "S" hooks in a bath supply shop or China store.

To the bottom curve I attach one or two, long "can" band, rubber band or two. The bands can be used without the "S" hooks if necessary. These long (30 - 40 cm, 18 - 20 " +/-) rubber bands are sold in many grocery or DIY stores to attach plastic bin liners to trash cans.

I buy bands that are wider, about 1 cm (.25 in). The choice to use one or two bands to a side depends on the expected weight of the laundry I intend to hang over this rig. I usually use two to each side, just-in-case. Besides, the bands have a myriad of uses and are long enough and tough enough to use as a tourniquet in an extreme medical emergency, or simply to attach stuff to the outside of a rucksack.

From these long rubber bands, I hang one of my hiking poles extended to the longest length possible, about 130 cm long (51 in.). The result is a horizontal hanging rig for drying clothes. It works even on the end of a bunk bed with tubular railings. In essence, it replaces having a shower / tub curtain rod to throw your clothes over.

Finally, I carry FOUR lightweight, plastic travel hangers. The hooks swing down to double over the horizontal part. I found them deep in one of my storage closets. They were purchased to use with regular luggage years ago and forgotten. Each hanger weighs 42 gms. (1.5 oz). All in, they weigh as much as a bar of soap.

They fit, two to a side in my rucksack, where they serve as vertical stays. I use smaller rubber bands to hold them together in pairs.

The hangers enable me to maximize the efficiency of whatever drying rig I use, no matter where I am staying. They hold shirts or jackets easily. I use some of the few short wooden clothespins (10) I carry to fasten socks, underwear, towels or pants (tops and/or bottoms) to the hangers. The hangers hang perpendicular to the hiking staff "clothes rod" I described above and expedite drying.

I hope this technique helps...

WOW! That is amazing, I am so impressed! :)
 
Its surprising how few showers have a hook to hang things on. Such an easy thing to do at minimum cost! One becomes inventive, as the days go on (see t2andreo's invention)!
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
BDW, the title of this thread sounds like a mystery novel!

Moderator - Title changed to be more understandable.
 
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Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
I never had a problem finding a place to loop the string of my dry bag. If you have something without a drawstring, you may need to take a hook of some sort.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I just took two or three huge (2 gal.) ziplocs to keep everything dry. Just put them on the floor of the shower (often hooks would not help anyway as there was no vestibule safe from the shower spray).

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo
 
I never had a problem finding a place to loop the string of my dry bag. If you have something without a drawstring, you may need to take a hook of some sort.
Get those suction cups with hooks from the dollar store, aka Chino is Spain. You can hang you ziplocks from them. But why would you need to? Clothes and towel,over the bar. In 95%+ of cases,shower stalls will be larege enough for your clothese not to get wet, or there will be a partition, or a place to put them just outside. Pilgrims have been able to work it out with put this forum before, you'll be ok.
 
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In galicia there is no doors on the showers in the municipal.

Not sure why,a couple of hinges and a wood is all it would take in some instances to give pilgrim privacy.


But mainly you can get a hook or a shelf at most places.
 
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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,-
Good Morning Pilgrims

I'm off next week and I'm in the process of finalising all those last minute things. I have a question regarding the shower cubicles, is there anything on the back of the doors that I can hang the likes of washing bag, clean cloths, valuables etc?
If not I still have time to go and source some sort of hook arrangement.
To those of us who have witnessed someone really hanging in the shower, the title of this thread caused a certain sharp intake of breath!

Moderator: Title changed
 
Last edited by a moderator:
To those of us who have witnessed someone really hanging in the shower, the title of this thread caused a certain sharp intake of breath!

Moderator: Title changed
@sirjohnharington, the feeling is there deep inside me that I/we must acknowledge that your memory of a traumatic event was triggered here. I am sorry for the traumatic event, and sorry that you witnessed it.

The feeling is also deep inside me @Waka, at least speaking for myself, that if you feel any misgivings for any oversight in the original title of this thread, that you please, please be worry-free, that you continue to enjoy the planning and preparations for your upcoming Camino, and that you eventually enjoy everything the Camino has to offer. I know I am not expressing myself very well here; I just know that I sometimes worry myself sick that things I do or don't do may have a negative effect on someone, and I don't want you to worry similarly. God bless you .....
 
To those of us who have witnessed someone really hanging in the shower, the title of this thread caused a certain sharp intake of breath!

Moderator: Title changed
Thank you for changing it. Sorry to have been a bit sensitive!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
If you are a gardener, you may know of a rubber-coated wire product used for tying up plants. Comes in rolls of a few metres. Just chop off a length of that - Cheap and cheerful - easy peasy for hanging stuff off knobs/hooks/rails etc - many camino uses. It’s like the gear tie pictured above recommended by @95033trek (but green and without the knobs on the end)
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Hi. Every shower arrangement each day is different. This last walk, I did take a light plastic hook. Primarily for hanging my pack off the end of the bunkbed (so it did not have to go on the floor, or take up a chair). I often used the hook for the shower too, so it will stay in my Camino gear.

This is a girl question! Do all the shower facilities provide individual shower stalls for privacy? Or are some a throwback to the gang showers from high school where there is no privacy at all? Thanks!
 
This is a girl question! Do all the shower facilities provide individual shower stalls for privacy? Or are some a throwback to the gang showers from high school where there is no privacy at all? Thanks!

Hi, dee, In my experience, the vast majority of showers in the albergues are individual stalls. There are a few here and there that are open rooms with a bunch of shower heads (I remember this most recently on the Sanabres in Castro Dozon), but that's infrequent. Even with some of the stalls that are individual, though you may not have total privacy because of the difficulties of squeezing several shower stalls in a small place -- for instance, there may be several in a row with walls between them but not walls closing them off on the fourth side. I don't think it's a real issue, though and I have never known of any problems. You just learn to make do -- hot water or cold water, individual shower or open, the shower at the end of the day is a real treat.

For me the far bigger issue is the cleanliness (or lack) on the floors of the stalls themselves. I always seem to pick up plantars warts on my feet no matter how careful I am about wearing sandals in the shower, etc. What happens, I think, is that when the drain is clogged up, the water may rise over the level of my sandals, and my feet pick up the virus that way. Buen camino, Laurie
 
Hi, dee, In my experience, the vast majority of showers in the albergues are individual stalls. There are a few here and there that are open rooms with a bunch of shower heads (I remember this most recently on the Sanabres in Castro Dozon), but that's infrequent. Even with some of the stalls that are individual, though you may not have total privacy because of the difficulties of squeezing several shower stalls in a small place -- for instance, there may be several in a row with walls between them but not walls closing them off on the fourth side. I don't think it's a real issue, though and I have never known of any problems. You just learn to make do -- hot water or cold water, individual shower or open, the shower at the end of the day is a real treat.

For me the far bigger issue is the cleanliness (or lack) on the floors of the stalls themselves. I always seem to pick up plantars warts on my feet no matter how careful I am about wearing sandals in the shower, etc. What happens, I think, is that when the drain is clogged up, the water may rise over the level of my sandals, and my feet pick up the virus that way. Buen camino, Laurie


Thanks, Laurie!

Eeew. Not excited about the planters warts!
Dee
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Hi, dee, In my experience, the vast majority of showers in the albergues are individual stalls. There are a few here and there that are open rooms with a bunch of shower heads (I remember this most recently on the Sanabres in Castro Dozon), but that's infrequent. Even with some of the stalls that are individual, though you may not have total privacy because of the difficulties of squeezing several shower stalls in a small place -- for instance, there may be several in a row with walls between them but not walls closing them off on the fourth side. I don't think it's a real issue, though and I have never known of any problems. You just learn to make do -- hot water or cold water, individual shower or open, the shower at the end of the day is a real treat.

For me the far bigger issue is the cleanliness (or lack) on the floors of the stalls themselves. I always seem to pick up plantars warts on my feet no matter how careful I am about wearing sandals in the shower, etc. What happens, I think, is that when the drain is clogged up, the water may rise over the level of my sandals, and my feet pick up the virus that way. Buen camino, Laurie
I wonder if what we would call here, Aqua Socks would be better; they are tighter fitting, although they do tend to be a bit of the weighty side….
 
Normally you will find individual showers with a plastic curtain or a door. A few places showers like from school or unisex showers.
I always use a plastic bag for valuables (if there is no locker) and clothes in the shower. At the albergue with unisex showers, the pilgrims just made a decision, at what time the showers was stricly for the females and for males, and the pilgrims less modest at all other times.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
Deviating from the original question, when using the out door clothes washing facilities wrap your flannel around a shower gel bottle or similar and that will act as a plug.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
There seems to be a silent agreement that the stuff has to hang from somewhere during shower. Well, I took into shower among other things also my camera which is both heavy and expensive (at least enough that I don't want to get a new one every next day). Putting that + normal contents of "always with you" bag on any kind of hook isn't a good idea - they break, they slip, they loose the suction etc.. I had waterproof shopping bag and IKEA clips to close it tight. And put the bag on the floor, in small stalls the water may flow over it freely, no problem.
 

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