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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Lessons learned

BShea

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
(9/2013) Le Puy
(5/2015) CF
(5/2016) Le Puy
(5/2017) CF
(9/2017) Le Puy
(9/2019) RL Stevenson
Here is a list of things I learned along the Way of which I wish I’d known before…
  1. Many albergues do not have blankets. In addition to my silk bag liner, I wish I had brought my cheap Walmart fleece bag.
  2. Bring shorts/trousers with patch pockets. I found my side pockets to be useless because my backpack waist strap covered the opening.
  3. Bring lip balm with SPF. I sun/wind burned the heck out of my lips.
  4. Be sure to put sunscreen on your hands if you use poles. Burned them too.
  5. Bring a fleece jacket for after showers. Very cozy.
  6. Bring a device that tells you your distance. I loved having my Timex GPS marathon watch on my second camino. Pedometers can be inaccurate for distance because your stride varies with the terrain.
  7. Bring something to do after you reach your destination, i.e. book, tablet, etc. If you start at 6:00 a.m., you’ll probably arrive by noon. Many villages are quite small and easily explored in a few minutes. All the albergues I stayed in had WIFI, some signals better than others.
  8. If you have things that require recharging, bring a USB hub. Many times, there was only one outlet available and had to wait my turn.
  9. No need to bring laundry detergent, clothes pins or a line. Many places will do your laundry for you for 8 to 10 euros. Pricey but worth it when you’re tired.
  10. Bring jumper’s knee straps. Mine are made by Mueller. It was amazing to see the number of people who seriously damaged their knees on all the downhills. Much harder on the body than the uphill. I preventatively wore mine daily and had no knee problems.
  11. According to many, dehydration causes tendonitis. Make sure you are regularly drinking water.
  12. When you’re tired, suck on a piece of candy. I brought Halls vitamin C’s and they gave me that little boost I often needed at the end of the day.
  13. Listening to music also helped me get through when I felt I was done but still had a couple more kms to go.
  14. Eat a good, high carb breakfast. I was eating a slice of tortilla in the morning, but by the time I got to Santiago, I felt malnourished. I realized how much stronger I felt after eating a continental breakfast of bread, jelly and hot chocolate.

    Blisters: Some people get them, some don’t. You can do exactly the same things and you’ll still get them if you’re prone. There are things that help...
  1. NOK is a wonderful product that toughens the feet but is only available in France. I tried a dozen pharmacies along the camino in Spain without success. You’re supposed to start using it a couple of weeks before you begin walking so your feet will be tough at the start. Otherwise, many people use Vaseline. It doesn’t toughen feet, however, but is better than nothing.
  2. SALTRATOS for tired feet is available in Spain and quite soothing at the end of the day. The price can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The price in downtown Santiago for 50ml was the same as 100ml in the outskirts of town.
  3. I gave up on Compeed because it only works if you use it before a blister rears its ugly head. I put one on after I popped my toe blister and totally lost the nail along with all the skin around it when my toe twisted while walking. If you watch the film, Wild, my toe looked exactly like hers!
  4. If you plan on popping blisters, bring a push pin/thumb tack. When I try to use a needle, I end up having to puncture many times in order to drain the blister.
  5. I recently realized that I clench my toes when I walk, so I blister the tips, then eventually end up losing toe nails. For my next camino, I plan on trying a hammer toe cushion.
  6. If you have high arches, use green SUPERFEET to avoid foot pain. I haven’t tried the orange (for men), but it looks tempting.
  7. Yes, you can walk the camino in hiking sandals. I had to after getting toe blisters. I bought sandals, glued in my SUPERFEET insoles and wore toesocks. The remainder of my camino was blister free. Next time, I will bring both boots and hiking sandals.
  8. After you take your hot, muscle relaxing shower, rinse your feet off with cold water. Helps to reduce the swelling. For ½ my camino, I had freakishly fat Fred Flintstone feet until I started rinsing them.
I hope this helps someone out there!
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Many thanks for your time and trouble in sharing this.
 
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,-
Great comments…. as for music, item #13. If you didn't bring any tech toys, you can also sing…..
 
Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
6. Looking at google maps to see how far I had left to walk to the next albergue really bummed me out, it made the day drag out longer when I looked at google maps.
9. Clothespins are usually in short supply so bring your own, team up with others when you want your laundry machine washed to split the cost and hang to dry.

8. Grab a plastic washtub from the laundry deep sink (they have a stack of them) to soak your feet in.
 
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,-
Here is a list of things I learned along the Way of which I wish I’d known before…
  1. Many albergues do not have blankets. In addition to my silk bag liner, I wish I had brought my cheap Walmart fleece bag.
  2. Bring shorts/trousers with patch pockets. I found my side pockets to be useless because my backpack waist strap covered the opening.
  3. Bring lip balm with SPF. I sun/wind burned the heck out of my lips.
  4. Be sure to put sunscreen on your hands if you use poles. Burned them too.
  5. Bring a fleece jacket for after showers. Very cozy.
  6. Bring a device that tells you your distance. I loved having my Timex GPS marathon watch on my second camino. Pedometers can be inaccurate for distance because your stride varies with the terrain.
  7. Bring something to do after you reach your destination, i.e. book, tablet, etc. If you start at 6:00 a.m., you’ll probably arrive by noon. Many villages are quite small and easily explored in a few minutes. All the albergues I stayed in had WIFI, some signals better than others.
  8. If you have things that require recharging, bring a USB hub. Many times, there was only one outlet available and had to wait my turn.
  9. No need to bring laundry detergent, clothes pins or a line. Many places will do your laundry for you for 8 to 10 euros. Pricey but worth it when you’re tired.
  10. Bring jumper’s knee straps. Mine are made by Mueller. It was amazing to see the number of people who seriously damaged their knees on all the downhills. Much harder on the body than the uphill. I preventatively wore mine daily and had no knee problems.
  11. According to many, dehydration causes tendonitis. Make sure you are regularly drinking water.
  12. When you’re tired, suck on a piece of candy. I brought Halls vitamin C’s and they gave me that little boost I often needed at the end of the day.
  13. Listening to music also helped me get through when I felt I was done but still had a couple more kms to go.
  14. Eat a good, high carb breakfast. I was eating a slice of tortilla in the morning, but by the time I got to Santiago, I felt malnourished. I realized how much stronger I felt after eating a continental breakfast of bread, jelly and hot chocolate.

    Blisters: Some people get them, some don’t. You can do exactly the same things and you’ll still get them if you’re prone. There are things that help...
  1. NOK is a wonderful product that toughens the feet but is only available in France. I tried a dozen pharmacies along the camino in Spain without success. You’re supposed to start using it a couple of weeks before you begin walking so your feet will be tough at the start. Otherwise, many people use Vaseline. It doesn’t toughen feet, however, but is better than nothing.
  2. SALTRATOS for tired feet is available in Spain and quite soothing at the end of the day. The price can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The price in downtown Santiago for 50ml was the same as 100ml in the outskirts of town.
  3. I gave up on Compeed because it only works if you use it before a blister rears its ugly head. I put one on after I popped my toe blister and totally lost the nail along with all the skin around it when my toe twisted while walking. If you watch the film, Wild, my toe looked exactly like hers!
  4. If you plan on popping blisters, bring a push pin/thumb tack. When I try to use a needle, I end up having to puncture many times in order to drain the blister.
  5. I recently realized that I clench my toes when I walk, so I blister the tips, then eventually end up losing toe nails. For my next camino, I plan on trying a hammer toe cushion.
  6. If you have high arches, use green SUPERFEET to avoid foot pain. I haven’t tried the orange (for men), but it looks tempting.
  7. Yes, you can walk the camino in hiking sandals. I had to after getting toe blisters. I bought sandals, glued in my SUPERFEET insoles and wore toesocks. The remainder of my camino was blister free. Next time, I will bring both boots and hiking sandals.
  8. After you take your hot, muscle relaxing shower, rinse your feet off with cold water. Helps to reduce the swelling. For ½ my camino, I had freakishly fat Fred Flintstone feet until I started rinsing them.
I hope this helps someone out there!
Good tips, thanks for sharing.
 
Here is a list of things I learned along the Way of which I wish I’d known before…
  1. Many albergues do not have blankets. In addition to my silk bag liner, I wish I had brought my cheap Walmart fleece bag.
  2. Bring shorts/trousers with patch pockets. I found my side pockets to be useless because my backpack waist strap covered the opening.
  3. Bring lip balm with SPF. I sun/wind burned the heck out of my lips.
  4. Be sure to put sunscreen on your hands if you use poles. Burned them too.
  5. Bring a fleece jacket for after showers. Very cozy.
  6. Bring a device that tells you your distance. I loved having my Timex GPS marathon watch on my second camino. Pedometers can be inaccurate for distance because your stride varies with the terrain.
  7. Bring something to do after you reach your destination, i.e. book, tablet, etc. If you start at 6:00 a.m., you’ll probably arrive by noon. Many villages are quite small and easily explored in a few minutes. All the albergues I stayed in had WIFI, some signals better than others.
  8. If you have things that require recharging, bring a USB hub. Many times, there was only one outlet available and had to wait my turn.
  9. No need to bring laundry detergent, clothes pins or a line. Many places will do your laundry for you for 8 to 10 euros. Pricey but worth it when you’re tired.
  10. Bring jumper’s knee straps. Mine are made by Mueller. It was amazing to see the number of people who seriously damaged their knees on all the downhills. Much harder on the body than the uphill. I preventatively wore mine daily and had no knee problems.
  11. According to many, dehydration causes tendonitis. Make sure you are regularly drinking water.
  12. When you’re tired, suck on a piece of candy. I brought Halls vitamin C’s and they gave me that little boost I often needed at the end of the day.
  13. Listening to music also helped me get through when I felt I was done but still had a couple more kms to go.
  14. Eat a good, high carb breakfast. I was eating a slice of tortilla in the morning, but by the time I got to Santiago, I felt malnourished. I realized how much stronger I felt after eating a continental breakfast of bread, jelly and hot chocolate.

    Blisters: Some people get them, some don’t. You can do exactly the same things and you’ll still get them if you’re prone. There are things that help...
  1. NOK is a wonderful product that toughens the feet but is only available in France. I tried a dozen pharmacies along the camino in Spain without success. You’re supposed to start using it a couple of weeks before you begin walking so your feet will be tough at the start. Otherwise, many people use Vaseline. It doesn’t toughen feet, however, but is better than nothing.
  2. SALTRATOS for tired feet is available in Spain and quite soothing at the end of the day. The price can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The price in downtown Santiago for 50ml was the same as 100ml in the outskirts of town.
  3. I gave up on Compeed because it only works if you use it before a blister rears its ugly head. I put one on after I popped my toe blister and totally lost the nail along with all the skin around it when my toe twisted while walking. If you watch the film, Wild, my toe looked exactly like hers!
  4. If you plan on popping blisters, bring a push pin/thumb tack. When I try to use a needle, I end up having to puncture many times in order to drain the blister.
  5. I recently realized that I clench my toes when I walk, so I blister the tips, then eventually end up losing toe nails. For my next camino, I plan on trying a hammer toe cushion.
  6. If you have high arches, use green SUPERFEET to avoid foot pain. I haven’t tried the orange (for men), but it looks tempting.
  7. Yes, you can walk the camino in hiking sandals. I had to after getting toe blisters. I bought sandals, glued in my SUPERFEET insoles and wore toesocks. The remainder of my camino was blister free. Next time, I will bring both boots and hiking sandals.
  8. After you take your hot, muscle relaxing shower, rinse your feet off with cold water. Helps to reduce the swelling. For ½ my camino, I had freakishly fat Fred Flintstone feet until I started rinsing them.
I hope this helps someone out there!
Very helpful indeed. I am leaving today from Canada. Going to look up "jumper's knee straps" as I have one knee that is vulnerable to pain/swelling. Thanks again!!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Very helpful indeed. I am leaving today from Canada. Going to look up "jumper's knee straps" as I have one knee that is vulnerable to pain/swelling. Thanks again!!
Bobbi check out Dr Google for KT tape….many are using it now for various body parts; especially knees….
 
Here is a list of things I learned along the Way of which I wish I’d known before…
  1. Many albergues do not have blankets. In addition to my silk bag liner, I wish I had brought my cheap Walmart fleece bag.
  2. Bring shorts/trousers with patch pockets. I found my side pockets to be useless because my backpack waist strap covered the opening.
  3. Bring lip balm with SPF. I sun/wind burned the heck out of my lips.
  4. Be sure to put sunscreen on your hands if you use poles. Burned them too.
  5. Bring a fleece jacket for after showers. Very cozy.
  6. Bring a device that tells you your distance. I loved having my Timex GPS marathon watch on my second camino. Pedometers can be inaccurate for distance because your stride varies with the terrain.
  7. Bring something to do after you reach your destination, i.e. book, tablet, etc. If you start at 6:00 a.m., you’ll probably arrive by noon. Many villages are quite small and easily explored in a few minutes. All the albergues I stayed in had WIFI, some signals better than others.
  8. If you have things that require recharging, bring a USB hub. Many times, there was only one outlet available and had to wait my turn.
  9. No need to bring laundry detergent, clothes pins or a line. Many places will do your laundry for you for 8 to 10 euros. Pricey but worth it when you’re tired.
  10. Bring jumper’s knee straps. Mine are made by Mueller. It was amazing to see the number of people who seriously damaged their knees on all the downhills. Much harder on the body than the uphill. I preventatively wore mine daily and had no knee problems.
  11. According to many, dehydration causes tendonitis. Make sure you are regularly drinking water.
  12. When you’re tired, suck on a piece of candy. I brought Halls vitamin C’s and they gave me that little boost I often needed at the end of the day.
  13. Listening to music also helped me get through when I felt I was done but still had a couple more kms to go.
  14. Eat a good, high carb breakfast. I was eating a slice of tortilla in the morning, but by the time I got to Santiago, I felt malnourished. I realized how much stronger I felt after eating a continental breakfast of bread, jelly and hot chocolate.

    Blisters: Some people get them, some don’t. You can do exactly the same things and you’ll still get them if you’re prone. There are things that help...
  1. NOK is a wonderful product that toughens the feet but is only available in France. I tried a dozen pharmacies along the camino in Spain without success. You’re supposed to start using it a couple of weeks before you begin walking so your feet will be tough at the start. Otherwise, many people use Vaseline. It doesn’t toughen feet, however, but is better than nothing.
  2. SALTRATOS for tired feet is available in Spain and quite soothing at the end of the day. The price can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The price in downtown Santiago for 50ml was the same as 100ml in the outskirts of town.
  3. I gave up on Compeed because it only works if you use it before a blister rears its ugly head. I put one on after I popped my toe blister and totally lost the nail along with all the skin around it when my toe twisted while walking. If you watch the film, Wild, my toe looked exactly like hers!
  4. If you plan on popping blisters, bring a push pin/thumb tack. When I try to use a needle, I end up having to puncture many times in order to drain the blister.
  5. I recently realized that I clench my toes when I walk, so I blister the tips, then eventually end up losing toe nails. For my next camino, I plan on trying a hammer toe cushion.
  6. If you have high arches, use green SUPERFEET to avoid foot pain. I haven’t tried the orange (for men), but it looks tempting.
  7. Yes, you can walk the camino in hiking sandals. I had to after getting toe blisters. I bought sandals, glued in my SUPERFEET insoles and wore toesocks. The remainder of my camino was blister free. Next time, I will bring both boots and hiking sandals.
  8. After you take your hot, muscle relaxing shower, rinse your feet off with cold water. Helps to reduce the swelling. For ½ my camino, I had freakishly fat Fred Flintstone feet until I started rinsing them.
I hope this helps someone out there!
BShea excuse my naive question (not being much of a techie), if there is only one outlet and it is being used, how do you power your USB hub?
 
BShea excuse my naive question (not being much of a techie), if there is only one outlet and it is being used, how do you power your USB hub?
Most people seemed to have devices that had a charger cord with a USB end that they plugged into a wall plug. With a hub, many can charge at the same time.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Here is a list of things I learned along the Way of which I wish I’d known before…
  1. Many albergues do not have blankets. In addition to my silk bag liner, I wish I had brought my cheap Walmart fleece bag.
  2. Bring shorts/trousers with patch pockets. I found my side pockets to be useless because my backpack waist strap covered the opening.
  3. Bring lip balm with SPF. I sun/wind burned the heck out of my lips.
  4. Be sure to put sunscreen on your hands if you use poles. Burned them too.
  5. Bring a fleece jacket for after showers. Very cozy.
  6. Bring a device that tells you your distance. I loved having my Timex GPS marathon watch on my second camino. Pedometers can be inaccurate for distance because your stride varies with the terrain.
  7. Bring something to do after you reach your destination, i.e. book, tablet, etc. If you start at 6:00 a.m., you’ll probably arrive by noon. Many villages are quite small and easily explored in a few minutes. All the albergues I stayed in had WIFI, some signals better than others.
  8. If you have things that require recharging, bring a USB hub. Many times, there was only one outlet available and had to wait my turn.
  9. No need to bring laundry detergent, clothes pins or a line. Many places will do your laundry for you for 8 to 10 euros. Pricey but worth it when you’re tired.
  10. Bring jumper’s knee straps. Mine are made by Mueller. It was amazing to see the number of people who seriously damaged their knees on all the downhills. Much harder on the body than the uphill. I preventatively wore mine daily and had no knee problems.
  11. According to many, dehydration causes tendonitis. Make sure you are regularly drinking water.
  12. When you’re tired, suck on a piece of candy. I brought Halls vitamin C’s and they gave me that little boost I often needed at the end of the day.
  13. Listening to music also helped me get through when I felt I was done but still had a couple more kms to go.
  14. Eat a good, high carb breakfast. I was eating a slice of tortilla in the morning, but by the time I got to Santiago, I felt malnourished. I realized how much stronger I felt after eating a continental breakfast of bread, jelly and hot chocolate.

    Blisters: Some people get them, some don’t. You can do exactly the same things and you’ll still get them if you’re prone. There are things that help...
  1. NOK is a wonderful product that toughens the feet but is only available in France. I tried a dozen pharmacies along the camino in Spain without success. You’re supposed to start using it a couple of weeks before you begin walking so your feet will be tough at the start. Otherwise, many people use Vaseline. It doesn’t toughen feet, however, but is better than nothing.
  2. SALTRATOS for tired feet is available in Spain and quite soothing at the end of the day. The price can vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The price in downtown Santiago for 50ml was the same as 100ml in the outskirts of town.
  3. I gave up on Compeed because it only works if you use it before a blister rears its ugly head. I put one on after I popped my toe blister and totally lost the nail along with all the skin around it when my toe twisted while walking. If you watch the film, Wild, my toe looked exactly like hers!
  4. If you plan on popping blisters, bring a push pin/thumb tack. When I try to use a needle, I end up having to puncture many times in order to drain the blister.
  5. I recently realized that I clench my toes when I walk, so I blister the tips, then eventually end up losing toe nails. For my next camino, I plan on trying a hammer toe cushion.
  6. If you have high arches, use green SUPERFEET to avoid foot pain. I haven’t tried the orange (for men), but it looks tempting.
  7. Yes, you can walk the camino in hiking sandals. I had to after getting toe blisters. I bought sandals, glued in my SUPERFEET insoles and wore toesocks. The remainder of my camino was blister free. Next time, I will bring both boots and hiking sandals.
  8. After you take your hot, muscle relaxing shower, rinse your feet off with cold water. Helps to reduce the swelling. For ½ my camino, I had freakishly fat Fred Flintstone feet until I started rinsing them.
I hope this helps someone out there!

As for the blisters, a group of us tried using the needle and thread but we soaked the thread in iodine and pulled it though the blister leaving a couple inches on both ends of the thread, we tied the ends together. However, do not tie a tight knot, just leave it very loose with a good loop. The thread seems to pull the fluid from the blister out and collapses the skin back onto the blister wound. This method seemed to work for us.
 
As for the blisters, a group of us tried using the needle and thread but we soaked the thread in iodine and pulled it though the blister leaving a couple inches on both ends of the thread, we tied the ends together. However, do not tie a tight knot, just leave it very loose with a good loop. The thread seems to pull the fluid from the blister out and collapses the skin back onto the blister wound. This method seemed to work for us.
Great advice to soak the thread in Betadine. 30 years ago, I met an American Dr in Paris who was studying how to make thumbs out of toes. He advised me against popping my blister because it opened the skin to infection. I was reminded of this when I saw people with the hanging thread - the purpose being to leave an opening for drainage. The idea of a hole in a hot, humid place freaked me out... I think if I were to do this, I would regularly apply the Betadine, as a precaution.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Great advice!
I disagree on #9: in my opinion, DO bring some detergent, pegs and I also had to use my camping clothesline once. First of all, not everyone wants or can afford to spend €8 euros on washing their clothes. Not all Albergues have washing machine facilities anyway and clothes pegs are usually in short supply!
Blisters # 1. I'll mention it again: you can soak your feet in a strong tea solution during the last two weeks before starting your Camino. That toughens up your feet!
 
We brought a bunch of large safety pins instead of clothes pins - smaller to carry and were especially good for hanging the socks. They also help keep others from accidentally taking your stuff off the line or having it blow away. And of course, if your clothes don't dry, they are good for attaching clothes to your pack.

We also brought a small clothes line, which we sometimes hung on a bunk to dry items overnight. That clothes line also came in handy when we needed to repair a backpack on the trail.
 
Thanks for these helpful commets. I'd like to add a few observations:
a) Rubbing alcohol works well for toughinging the skin on your feet.
b) Soaking your feet in idodine permangenate (only a few crystals are needed) a couple of weeks before you walk with turn your feet a bit brown, but it will also stop your feet from sweating. For long Caminos, you will want to top this up.
c) I talked to a hospitalero yesterday who says that threads wick out liquid by the also wick in bacteria. So carry some disinfectant to treat the area and also the needle (rubbing alcohol works well for this).
d) I have used compede on blisters. This does wick the liquid out, but you have to replace it every so often so you end up using a lot of compede. Before putting your socks on in the morning, rub your feet (including between the toes) with vaseline. Make sure you also cover your compede. This will help prevent it from becoming one with your socks.
e) walking sandals are great, particularly in the evening or if you get blisters. I wear Bridgedale lightweight socks and inners and have lightweight walking shoes which are a couple of zizes larger than what I normally use. I find that my feet swell on the Camino (I've walked in the Alps, Pyrenees, Corsica, Peru, Bolivia and Scotland with my 'normal' walking boots and didn't have a problem with blisters until the Camino. Repetitive walking, particularly on the flat bits, heat and dehydration and make your feed swell and cause blisters.
f) I used saftey pins too. They are light and back better than pegs. Also you can pin your undried items Ilike spare socks) on your backpack so they dry as you walk.

Buen Camino
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
We brought a bunch of large safety pins instead of clothes pins - smaller to carry and were especially good for hanging the socks. They also help keep others from accidentally taking your stuff off the line or having it blow away. And of course, if your clothes don't dry, they are good for attaching clothes to your pack.

We also brought a small clothes line, which we sometimes hung on a bunk to dry items overnight. That clothes line also came in handy when we needed to repair a backpack on the trail.
Safety pins.... great idea!!! Lighter, less cumbersome and multi-use!
 
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4. I'm bringing lancets the kind used by diabetics for blood testing. They're sterile, single use, and cheap.
 
I have walked about 250 km this past month in my new Meindl boots. Broke them in slowly, increasing the amount of time I wore them every other day or so. Most of it in 10-15 km stretches, 4-5 days a week, and mostly on sidewalks and cobblestones in the city, though I did walk around a couple of sort of hilly towns. Haven't gotten any blisters so am wondering if I should still expect them when I add on another 10 km a day and my backpack? Have not walked 25 km yet and still wondering if I should before my Camino begins.

No one mentions corns on this forum? I suffer from them all the time, no matter what kind of shoe I wear and have always worn "sensible" shoes, though I do walk an awful lot because of my job as a tour guide. Wearing the boots every day this past month have made them feel better, but am going to a podiatrist tomorrow to have them checked out, just to be sure, and have them removed if needed.

Want to try that tea trick!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Hi Joden! I would definately recommend walking with a pack weighing what you think your Camino pack will be. Your feet will notice the difference! The anti-thread hospitalero I talked to also mentioned posture and back pack fitting. He noted that most peregrinos didn't have their backpack adjusted properly. Always make adjustments with a fully loaded pack and make sure that it rests on your hips. There are different backpacks for males and females and if you are a 5 foot 4 curvy female having a woman's backpack helps as the back length is shorter and the hip straps are set to deal with a female shape. If you bought your backpack at a local sporting goods store, go back and ask the staff to help them fit it to you. Get them to add some weight. When I got mine, the assistant tossed in a couple of climbing ropes and then started to adujst the straps. Putting heavy stuff at the bottom of your bag helps with balance as this weight goes to your hips. The hospitalero also noted that when it is sunny, pergrinos walk upright. when it is rainy they look down and this shifts weight onto the balls of the foot (where blisters can develop). So pay attention to your posture too. Walking poles (a pair of) really do help the knees. If you arrive in Santiago and don't have a pole(s) there are LOTS under the stairs that used to lead to the old office. These have been left behind by arriving peregrinos. If you ask security nicely, they might let your root around and find a pair.
 
My lessons learned were quite simple: 1) not tot overrate my physical capabilities; 2) to get the right equipment/gear for the journey, and 3) check 1 and 2 on a daily basis.;)
 
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.
Jodean, I also had Meindl boots, they were mid boots. They were really comfortable. I didn't get any blisters but just in the last week one of my corns got a bit inflamed. I put savlon (antiseptic cream) and a plaster on it. It was fine to walk on with the plaster. I did have to get an appointment to get it removed after I got back though as it was becoming quite painful. I have decided that from now on I will always get my corns removed regularly and especially shortly before a camino. They always come back but not usually too soon so if I am lucky they will not trouble me.
 

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