Poll How heavy is your backpack?

[Pelen]

On your last Camino, how heavy was your backpack without water?

lbs to kg | convert pounds to kilograms

Pounds (lbs) to Kilograms (kg) weight conversion calculator and how to convert.

www.rapidtables.com

 

[Togabogie]

Less than 3k works all the time for me!!

 

[Kathy F.]

Yeah, I'll admit it. 8 kilos. I'm happy with everything I had with me, though, and didn't have anything I didn't use. And my backpack was VERY comfortable. Maybe the next time will be a bit lighter, but i don't see how, offhand.

 

[KinkyOne]

On your last Camino, how heavy was your backpack without water?

lbs to kg | convert pounds to kilograms

Pounds (lbs) to Kilograms (kg) weight conversion calculator and how to convert.

www.rapidtables.com

What about beer?

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Weight is an interesting number but sometimes without seasonal context it can be misleading. My 10-12 kg winter pack would drop to 6-8 kgs in the summer, less if I convince (aka begging) my wife to let me buy one of them fancy ultra light packs.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

On your last Camino, how heavy was your backpack without water?

lbs to kg | convert pounds to kilograms

Pounds (lbs) to Kilograms (kg) weight conversion calculator and how to convert.

www.rapidtables.com

6.5kg for the Via Francigena (& PWC) from London to Rome. Temperature range over the three + months: minus 5deg C (Bourg St Pierre, Switzerland) to 37deg C (Tuscany).
Obviously I didn't camp! ...but still happy to go for so long & multi-seasons with only 6.5kg although I do tend to carry the same no matter the length of trail.
The biggest advantage of that weight (& less); you can take your pack as carry-on luggage & not risk airlines losing/delaying/damaging it.

 

[rometimed]

In 2015 my pack was just under 9 kg but this was because I wasn't just doing the Camino... I did 8 distance walks over 6 months and brought a tent and other gear.

I'm actually bringing the same pack this year for it but with tent and some stuff replaced with drone and some other, slightly lighter stuff.

 

[lt56ny]

Ask my Sherpa.

 

[xin loi]

Last summer on the Norte , I carried 16 kilos. Would have carried more but I'm 72 and those mountains are steep. In summer on the Norte there are more hikers than beds along the way so many walkers carry tents, etc. Usually do not carry water anymore as both times I walked the Frances Camino, I carried a full liter of water all the way from SJPDP to Santiago without opening it. Met Matthew from Chicago on the Norte who started with ZERO weight and who just picked up gear in the donation bins at the various albergues.

 

[Hound-of-Ulster]

Can’t remember, just know it was to heavy, had to send stuff home TWICE. Lesson learnt I hope...

 

[Tincatinker]

My back-pack weighs 1.2kg. The weight of the contents is another issue.

 

[Sharry]

My first Camino will be in May. I'm using Robo's excellent spreadsheet and am working hard to get it to 6kg. From my initial packing list I've ditched a pair of pants, a pair of underwear, the toe socks I wear every night, a spiky foot roller, my Spanish phrase book, half of my Brierly book (I'm only going to Burgo), and made adjustments to a number of other things. I may ditch my Gortex rain pants. I'll have to ponder that some more.

 

[Tincatinker]

My first Camino will be in May. I'm using Robo's excellent spreadsheet and am working hard to get it to 6kg. From my initial packing list I've ditched a pair of pants, a pair of underwear, the toe socks I wear every night, a spiky foot roller, my Spanish phrase book, half of my Brierly book (I'm only going to Burgo), and made adjustments to a number of other things. I may ditch my Gortex rain pants. I'll have to ponder that some more.

I'd take the toe-socks if I were you, if you wear them every night you'll miss them. If you're taking a smart-phone then download a translation app. You are unlikely to need such classic phrases as "¿Por qué estás azotando a ese burro con una manta?" on the Camino Frances. If you are wearing shorts you won't need rain pants. If you don't want wet trousers (pants) you will.

I always carry 2 pairs of underpants - 1 on, 1 washed and drying off my backpack, 1 in case of a rainy day. My mother used to insist that I ensured I always had clean underwear "in case I had an accident and got taken to hospital". My grandmother always insisted that "if he gets hit by a truck he's unlikely to have clean underwear."

 

[AlwynWellington]

My back-pack weighs 1.2kg

@Tincatinker , I think it's about 0.7 kg too heavy.

Kia ora.

 

[Stivandrer]

weight issues can get too far...
A fellow traveller, to my amazement, tore out the pages from his guidebook as he progressed
through his camino !

 

[koilife]

weight issues can get too far...
A fellow traveller, to my amazement, tore out the pages from his guidebook as he progressed
through his camino !

But, they are multi-use. Who needs TP when you tear sheets from Brierley?

 

[Stivandrer]

ouch,
bad memories from boy scout camps of my youth...
magazines, elm leaves....

 

[Reetuska]

My backbag on the winter Camino weights about 12kg. I feel I need everything and it does feel comfortable to wear but it might be too heavy for the knees.

 

[Just 2K]

What about beer?

Beer is in your belly and doesn't affect the weight of your pack.

 

[KinkyOne]

Beer is in your belly and doesn't affect the weight of your pack.

Beer is both in my belly AND my backpack

 

[laineylainey]

Maybe it's just me, but doesn't this topic get asked every other week?

 

[Deleted member 67338]

On your last Camino, how heavy was your backpack without water?

lbs to kg | convert pounds to kilograms

Pounds (lbs) to Kilograms (kg) weight conversion calculator and how to convert.

www.rapidtables.com

Although mine was about ten kilo, 30 years as a soldier conditioned me for carrying it but when I reached Finnisterre I binned everything I really didn’t need and it came down to about six kilos

 

[djshima]

10.8 kilo without water

 

[Kevin Malinak]

My pack varied from 28 to 32 pounds. At very most that was with 1 maybe 2 liters of water. But I don't know what that weighs...

 

[Pelen]

My pack varied from 28 to 32 pounds. At very most that was with 1 maybe 2 liters of water. But I don't know what that weighs...

1 liter of water weights exactly 1kg.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

Weight is an interesting number but sometimes without seasonal context it can be misleading. My 10-12 kg winter pack would drop to 6-8 kgs in the summer, less if I convince (aka begging) my wife to let me buy one of them fancy ultra light packs.

I'd be interested in seeing your packing list? I'm finalizing for an end of winter camino, and I'm at a base weight of 11% of my ideal body weight.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

I'd be interested in seeing your packing list? I'm finalizing for an end of winter camino, and I'm at a base weight of 11% of my ideal body weight.

I wish I had the time to be organized enough to make a packing list!! My normal M.O. is to grab my pack and toss in my cold weather gear. I've invested in high-quality pieces over the years that I know work for this kind of event. For me the weight isn't too important and I don't use the 10% rule because I'm a rather large fellow and would need the display pack outside the equipment store in Astorga (that will make more sense once you arrive in Astorga!). I focus on comfort with my choices but each of us will prioritize based on their own tolerances and needs. Good luck!

 

[David with new Kit!]

I love the variety of answers, proving yet again that every answer is the right answer.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

I wish I had the time to be organized enough to make a packing list!! My normal M.O. is to grab my pack and toss in my cold weather gear. I've invested in high-quality pieces over the years that I know work for this kind of event. For me the weight isn't too important and I don't use the 10% rule because I'm a rather large fellow and would need the display pack outside the equipment store in Astorga (that will make more sense once you arrive in Astorga!). I focus on comfort with my choices but each of us will prioritize based on their own tolerances and needs. Good luck!

Bahahahahahaha! I've been to Astorga. This is my second camino. I've made a few more investment pieces that are lower in weight this time, but when I look at other people's lists, I'm kind of stunned at how little some of their items weigh. I don't hike often enough to own the zpacks line, ya know? I'm 6 ft tall. It may just be that 9kg is going to have to be good enough.

 

[kelleymac]

I walked carrying jackets, etc. as the weather was colder (early Spring, late Fall). For your data charts to be meaning full, I'd ask for the month or season the person walked along with the weight.

 

[MisterH]

On the Camino my pack was about 8 kg. In training I increased the weight slowly by adding about half or one kilo a week. I did that by putting bottles of water into my pack. A liter of water weighs a little over a kilo when it is in the bottle (plastic has weight), but carrying a liter of liquid gets a little messy. Two half "water" kilos weigh more than a single kilo due to the extra plastic.

 

[AlwynWellington]

@MisterH , greetings and why do you say neither of your Camino was successful?

 

[MisterH]

Once I had a serious problem at home (there was a kill list with my son's name on it and he had an armed body guard). The other time I just "got tired", I'm now 77 years old. Son is fine now and his problem has been resolved. Ok answer?

 

[Kathy F.]

My first Camino will be in May. I'm using Robo's excellent spreadsheet and am working hard to get it to 6kg. From my initial packing list I've ditched a pair of pants, a pair of underwear, the toe socks I wear every night, a spiky foot roller, my Spanish phrase book, half of my Brierly book (I'm only going to Burgo), and made adjustments to a number of other things. I may ditch my Gortex rain pants. I'll have to ponder that some more.

I had to make some of the hardest decisions figuring out what to ditch before my Camino. Looking back, though, my decisions were good. If there is anything that you realize you really need after you left it home, you are walking through a first world country so can find just about everything.

Also, some of the things you can pick up along the way are better than the ones you could have taken with you. For example, many people use vaseline on their feet (not me). Therefore, some pilgrims bring a jar of vaseline. But you can pick up small, lip gloss size containers of vaseline along the way. Much lighter, just as effective. The business people along the way think about the needs of pilgrims and try to accommodate.

Keep thinking about it and working on it and you will come up with a good packing list. Buen Camino.

 

[David Tallan]

I stopped weighing my backpack. On my first Camino in 1989 it never would have occurred to me to weigh my backpack. I did on my second Camino in 2016. On my third Camino, I figured it was similar. I took out some things I had never used or didn't feel were worth the weight and added I. Some light things I had acquired that I thought might be useful. I figured it evened out or was likely a little lighter. It was fine. My next Camino might have a slightly lighter bag as I've replaced a thing or two with lighter equivalents. But I don't worry about weighing it. I've found out I can carry it and that is what matters to me.

 

[xin loi]

Weight---neighbor lady cuts her toe nails and finger nails EVERY morning to cut down weight while hiking!

On my two Camino France walks I actually added rocks to my pack on the third week, as I got stronger the pack felt too light---that never occurred on the Norte however.

Still have not met any of the Spanish soldiers who walk the Caminos with full packs and weapons as an Article 15 punishment. Ex-soldiers tell me they must carry about 50 kilos.

Heaviest packs I have personally seen and personally picked up were the packs carried by Jewish hikers carrying their Kosher food and Kosher cooking gear. About 50 to 60 kilos.