Is any cold weather gear necessary for a July Camino?

[Yodapsy]

God willing, we will start our Camino in Pamplona (Camino Frances) on June 27 and we are planning to arrive in Santiago de Compostela on July 25. Apart from a light fleece jacket, have people found any other cold weather gear necessary for a July Camino? I am considering buying down vests but we are walking as a family (4) and I don't really want to buy vests for four unless other peregrinos think that it would be necessary in July. Also any other cold weather gear we might need for July?

 

[na2than]

two things to bear in mind....rain showers and early morning starts sometimes at altitude.
A light weight rain jacket will keep you dry and when layered with the fleece be able to keep you warm when crossing high passes and first thing in the morning.Buffs are multi use too....use as a scarf.beanie hat or to stop the sweat going down your back.Last summer the only thing my son wished he had taken in august was light gloves for the first hour of each day.
You do not hint at the ages of your family, but the idean of a trip through Spain is great....don't be shy in coming forward with questions...and why not start a thread when you start your camino to keep us informed of your progress...

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I wouldn't go buying any new cold weather gear, but there are a Couple of mountain sections where the weather could be bad any time of he year. I met some people in Rabanal last June who had been travelling light and found t-shirts and shorts weren't quite enough for the conditions.
Margaret

 

[tyrrek]

I agree. Don't buy anything new. Concern yourselves more with the heat, and make sure everyone has a hat similar to the one you're wearing in your profile picture and something to cover arms if the sun is strong.

As far as the cold, I'd do one of two things. Either pack something old that you don't mind dumping if you find it's not required, or assess the weather situation as you walk between Pamplona and Logrono or Burgos and buy something there if required. I think your plan of a fleece and rain jacket sounds ideal. You'll use them more in the evenings or early mornings than while walking.

Buen Camino!

 

[StuartM]

Best piece of clothing I own is a shemagh (Arab scarf). Great for both cold and hot weather, big enough to wrap round you as an extra layer when cold, keeps the sun off, dries quick, makes a good bed sheet in warm weather, it's got a million other uses as well. They cost peanuts but pay a bit more for a "real" one rather than a cheap Chinese copy, the little factories that make them really struggle now.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I am considering buying down vests

My vests are great for home, but I view a vest as a poor choice for the camino regardless of the time of year. Either you need warmth, or you don't. A jacket will do the job. A vest keeps your core warm, but you already have the pack and its straps doing most of that job. Having your arms cold is rarely desirable.

You probably would not take a down jacket for July, so a down vest would make little sense either. A light nylon jacket over a lightweight fleece jacket, over a long sleeve shirt, over a t-shirt, all covered by your poncho will keep you as warm as you ever will need to be in July, and each layer will be the perfect choice for some condition you encounter. A bigger problem will be how to cool off in the albergue to get to sleep. It can be hot, humid, stuffy, and noisy with one hundred roommates!

 

[kmrice]

Keeping dry is the key. If you stay dry, a fleece jacket should be fine. It won't get very cold that time of year, but if you get wet, you can suffer hypothermia in fairly moderate temperatures. Make sure you have effective rain gear. There are many threads in this forum about rain gear. Ponchos and jacket/pant combinations each have their advocates. Don't rely on a light weight poncho - one of those emergency, disposables ones - it won't last very long if you get wind and you'll get soaked, and very cold like I did in Muxia a few years back.

Karl

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Don't rely on a light weight poncho

I also suggest avoiding ponchos that you pull over your head when putting on. You will require assistance to adjust it over your pack, both going on and coming off. After doing that fifty times, your walking mates will be quite irritated!

 

[na2than]

avoid poncho's for your children...in years to come they will look at themselves in the photographs and book straight into therapy!

small pack away kaguals are more than sufficent

 

[Yodapsy]

This all really helpful. Sounds like there is no real need for a down vest. My daughter will have just turned 13 when we start the Camino and my son will turn 16 a few days after we finish the Camino. It sounds like many of you are not in favor of ponchos, especially the kind you pull over your head. I have been looking for rain pants and they are hard to find in Beijing. We do have several branches of the French sporting goods store, Decathalon, and the prices are significantly lower than in the U.S. (REI, etc), but the rain pants there are non breathable and I am a little worried about the four of us sweating up a storm and then getting cold again. I am not sure what a kagual is and since I am a psychologist, I will try and avoid traumatizing my kids with ponchos! LOL I still have 3 months and that is plenty of time to get our gear in order. I will look for the Shemagh here but since I am in China, it may be hard to find the real thing!

We may do a blog when we are on the Camino, but I am a little hesitant as one of the attractions for me is having all of us pull away from our electronic gadgets for a month+ and spend some good family time together. I want to set a good example. I have considered a family blog with each of us taking turns.

 

[LTfit]

I was on the Camino 3x times in July and never needed anything more than a light fleece. Weather is fickle so who knows what this year will bring but I did not experience even a drop of rain. 2010 I sent my poncho home when I got to León and didn't even take one in 2011 or 2012. I haven't decided what I will do this year. My goal is to keep my back-pack under 7 kg (not including food or water) and up until now this has worked out.

Enjoy the planning. The first is soooo exciting.