How much wet weather gear do I need in June?

[npazaky]

I am leaving for the Camino in 3 weeks and apart from a poncho I wasn't planning on taking other wet weather gear with me. Is this OK or could I be making a packing faux-pas? I assumed being summer I would be OK. I have fast drying trekking pants but nothing else apart form the poncho and a rain cover for my pack.

 

[piogaw]

this year the weather is quite changeable fro last year. it has been quite wet and windy. so it is very hard to predict what the weather is going to be like.

i walked the camino frances from mid may to mid june last year, the weather was beautiful-hot and sunny. however as you approach galicia, from o cebreiro on, you will be expecting heavy rain showers, thunderstorms and thick fog. you can expect an immediate change in weather. the weather pattern is more reminiscent of ireland. your poncho should be enough. also you will need a rain-proof hat. make sure that you have a cover for your rucksack. also wrap all your belongings inside your backpack with ziplock or plastic bags. they will get wet, with the wind blowing in the mountain, the rain usually come down sideway.

have a buen camino. god bless.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We had ponchos and lightweight waterproof trousers (breathable). They are long enough to keep water out of our boots. We walked some very wet days OK with this kit and would take it at any time of year
Our trousers are also shower proof and quick drying if we do not want to put the full wet weather gear on. It is easy to carry the poncho and keep the pack cover on when the showers are intermittent.

 

[whariwharangi]

Put your walking gear and rain gear on. Go stand in the shower with cold water on for ten minutes. Then walk around with your wet gear for a couple of hours.

Its not an exact conditions test, and it would be better to just go outside when there is a torrent of rain going on, but I don't know how else to get the experience you need to make an informed decision.

I would carry a good quality rain jacket ... it will serve as a wind breaker too. A poncho doesn't work too well when the rain blows sideways ... as it sometimes does in the mountains.

 

[Kanga]

Your own sweat can make you as wet on the inside as the rain on the outside. In summer think ventilation. I would not be taking rain pants and a proper rain jacket on a summer Camino on the Frances. To me they would be redundant and I'd finish up by discarding them. I'd take a trekking umbrella, a poncho and an ultralight showerproof jacket (like the cyclists use) for wind or an unexpected cold snap. I always have thermals in the bottom of my pack for emergencies - they weigh nothing. And a fine merino t-shirt and cardigan - lighter than a fleece and has the advantage of staying warm even when wet.

 

[blessedtraveler]

We're here in May and it has been the coldest and wettest May the locals have ever seen. I'm thoroughly glad I brought rain pants and a good rain jacket. When not raining, they've kept me warm(er). Its also been very windy. Hopefully it will warm up and dry out by the time you get here. Keep an eye on the weather, especially in the Pyrenees and Galicia.
(I'm typing this from my bunk in an albergue between Leon and Astorga and I'm under blankets.)