My Camino Begins

[Dan Murphy]

My Camino begins on August 25 after a short side trip to Lourdes. Thought I would share some information that might help others on their journey.

Training - began walking in early January along a combination of trails and roads. It was winter then so I walked without snowshoes. I have lost 2.5 waist sizes and logged over 1400 km since I began. My average daily walks are 15 km with my pack (15.2 lbs)

Shoes - Merrell Moab GTX Trail (men's). My first pair were size 10.5 but when I got my orthotics I had to purchase a size eleven. I have retried those as they have over 1000 km on them. The only problem was that the inside heel wore. This was repaired with moleskin. I am now breaking a third pair but they already feel like slippers. I believe it is the feet that break into the boot....

Socks - Ice Breaker liner socks that wore through at the heel at 956 km and were replaced for free as they have a life time warranty. Outer socks are Smart-wool Phd Outdoor.

Equipment - managed to purchase most of my gear on sale. Weights are in kilograms.

Ospery Kestral 38 backpack 1.44
Two dry bags (Woods) 0.1
Ospery 1.5 L bladder 0.158
Water bladder (wide mouth) 0.043
Sleeping bag (Chinook) 0.769
Silk Bag Liner (Treksilk) 0.11
Inflatable Pillow (Sea to Summit) 0.07
Pile pillow cover 0.11

Clothing

Coolmax long sleeve/neck zip shirt 0.225
Micropile Jacket (Northface, Canyonlands) 0.489
Marmot Precip Jacket (wind/light rain) 0.32
Zippered long sleeve shirt (merino) 0.11
Colombia Shirt (collared) 0.264
Hiking Pant/shorts 0.247
Underwear (Icebreaker merino)
Sea to Summit poncho/tarp 0.192
Smart wool phd socks (1 pair in pack) 0.075
Regular socks
Ice breaker liner socks (1 pair in pack) 0.041
Polypropylene liner sock (1 pair) 0.042
Merino Tee (Ice Breaker) 0.142

Equipment

Micro daypack (Marks' Work Warehouse) 0.057
Headlamp (Homehardware) 0.087
Hat
Hand wash
Sol emergency blanket 0.07
Headband (buff)
Guide book 0.265
Towel medium (Sea to Summit) 0.06

Sandals (Keen Rapids) 0.754
Cell phone charger 0.054
Shaving kit (razor, tooth brush, small tube of tooth past, shaving flakes, 0.053
Journal/pen
First aid kit 0.166
Sunscreen/sun glasses

Total load (pounds) 15.2 (without water)

 

[MTtoCamino]

I don't see moleskin on your list, you can't find it in Spain The rest looks good I assume you have fully packed & have done some walking?

 

[Rajy62]

Wow that is what i call training. Camino is going to be a walk in the park for you.
List looks Great. Don't see a poncho? Assume you are relying on the rain jacket! I prefer ponchos during long rainy days...

Wish i have your weight loss problem though, haha. Have done two Caminos. Will loose about 15 ibs each time and then regain them in no time. My metabolism is slowing down...Buen Camino

Edit: I do see a tarp poncho, great choice, i have the same.

 

[joe french]

My Camino begins on August 25
after a short side trip to Lourdes. Thought I would share some information that might help others on their journey.

Training - began walking in early January along a combination of trails and roads. It was winter then so I walked without snowshoes. I have lost 2.5 waist sizes and logged over 1400 km since I began. My average daily walks are 15 km with my pack (15.2 lbs)

Shoes - Merrell Moab GTX Trail (men's). My first pair were size 10.5 but when I got my orthotics I had to purchase a size eleven. I have retried those as they have over 1000 km on them. The only problem was that the inside heel wore. This was repaired with moleskin. I am now breaking a third pair but they already feel like slippers. I believe it is the feet that break into the boot....

Socks - Ice Breaker liner socks that wore through at the heel at 956 km and were replaced for free as they have a life time warranty. Outer socks are Smart-wool Phd Outdoor.

Equipment - managed to purchase most of my gear on sale. Weights are in kilograms.

Ospery Kestral 38 backpack 1.44
Two dry bags (Woods) 0.1
Ospery 1.5 L bladder 0.158
Water bladder (wide mouth) 0.043
Sleeping bag (Chinook) 0.769
Silk Bag Liner (Treksilk) 0.11
Inflatable Pillow (Sea to Summit) 0.07
Pile pillow cover 0.11

Clothing

Coolmax long sleeve/neck zip shirt 0.225
Micropile Jacket (Northface, Canyonlands) 0.489
Marmot Precip Jacket (wind/light rain) 0.32
Zippered long sleeve shirt (merino) 0.11
Colombia Shirt (collared) 0.264
Hiking Pant/shorts 0.247
Underwear (Icebreaker merino)
Sea to Summit poncho/tarp 0.192
Smart wool phd socks (1 pair in pack) 0.075
Regular socks
Ice breaker liner socks (1 pair in pack) 0.041
Polypropylene liner sock (1 pair) 0.042
Merino Tee (Sea to Summit) 0.142

Equipment

Micro daypack (Marks' Work Warehouse) 0.057
Headlamp (Homehardware) 0.087
Hat
Hand wash
Sol emergency blanket 0.07
Headband (buff)
Guide book 0.265
Towel medium (Sea to Summit) 0.06

Sandals (Keen Rapids) 0.754
Cell phone charger 0.054
Shaving kit (razor, tooth brush, small tube of tooth past, shaving flakes, 0.053
Journal/pen
First aid kit 0.166
Sunscreen/sun glasses

Total load (pounds) 15.2 (without water)

Great post Dan...Cheers.....can you recommend a store or Web site where I could find those socks, maybe trainer's /shoes. ...joef

 

[pazitive]

My Camino begins on August 25 after a short side trip to Lourdes. Thought I would share some information that might help others on their journey.

Training - began walking in early January along a combination of trails and roads. It was winter then so I walked without snowshoes. I have lost 2.5 waist sizes and logged over 1400 km since I began. My average daily walks are 15 km with my pack (15.2 lbs)

Shoes - Merrell Moab GTX Trail (men's). My first pair were size 10.5 but when I got my orthotics I had to purchase a size eleven. I have retried those as they have over 1000 km on them. The only problem was that the inside heel wore. This was repaired with moleskin. I am now breaking a third pair but they already feel like slippers. I believe it is the feet that break into the boot....

Socks - Ice Breaker liner socks that wore through at the heel at 956 km and were replaced for free as they have a life time warranty. Outer socks are Smart-wool Phd Outdoor.

Equipment - managed to purchase most of my gear on sale. Weights are in kilograms.

Ospery Kestral 38 backpack 1.44
Two dry bags (Woods) 0.1
Ospery 1.5 L bladder 0.158
Water bladder (wide mouth) 0.043
Sleeping bag (Chinook) 0.769
Silk Bag Liner (Treksilk) 0.11
Inflatable Pillow (Sea to Summit) 0.07
Pile pillow cover 0.11

Clothing

Coolmax long sleeve/neck zip shirt 0.225
Micropile Jacket (Northface, Canyonlands) 0.489
Marmot Precip Jacket (wind/light rain) 0.32
Zippered long sleeve shirt (merino) 0.11
Colombia Shirt (collared) 0.264
Hiking Pant/shorts 0.247
Underwear (Icebreaker merino)
Sea to Summit poncho/tarp 0.192
Smart wool phd socks (1 pair in pack) 0.075
Regular socks
Ice breaker liner socks (1 pair in pack) 0.041
Polypropylene liner sock (1 pair) 0.042
Merino Tee (Sea to Summit) 0.142

Equipment

Micro daypack (Marks' Work Warehouse) 0.057
Headlamp (Homehardware) 0.087
Hat
Hand wash
Sol emergency blanket 0.07
Headband (buff)
Guide book 0.265
Towel medium (Sea to Summit) 0.06

Sandals (Keen Rapids) 0.754
Cell phone charger 0.054
Shaving kit (razor, tooth brush, small tube of tooth past, shaving flakes, 0.053
Journal/pen
First aid kit 0.166
Sunscreen/sun glasses

Total load (pounds) 15.2 (without water)

what a great review. I am planing to walk this year on same dates and feeling way under planed... I just started walking training and I believe my mined is much more trained then the body, hoping it counts for something

Did you fined that anything on that list was unnecessary ? weather wise di you have much rain?

 

[Rajy62]

Did you fined that anything on that list was unnecessary ? weather wise di you have much rain?

If you are lucky no rain in September. Weather can be unpredictable in northern Spain. Expect rain at least in Galicia. A poncho and rain pants would be practical if you don't like getting too wet. I always walk in shorts and put my rain pants during sustained rain. Poncho covers my pack and 2/3 of me.

These could be considered luxury:
-Inflatable Pillow (Sea to Summit) 0.07
-Pile pillow cover 0.11
-Headlamp (Homehardware) 0.087
-Sol emergency blanket 0.07

 

[Dan Murphy]

Great post Dan...Cheers.....can you recommend a store or Web site where I could find those socks, maybe trainer's /shoes. ...joef

Bought most of my gear at Altitude Sports and it's sister site The Last Hunt. Always stuff on sale....

http://www.altitude-sports.com/en

 

[Dan Murphy]

If you are lucky no rain in September. Weather can be unpredictable in northern Spain. Expect rain at least in Galicia. A poncho and rain pants would be practical if you don't like getting too wet. I always walk in shorts and put my rain pants during sustained rain. Poncho covers my pack and 2/3 of me.

These could be considered luxury:
-Inflatable Pillow (Sea to Summit) 0.07
-Pile pillow cover 0.11
-Headlamp (Homehardware) 0.087
-Sol emergency blanket 0.07

I debated dropping the Sol emergency blanket however as my Sea t0 Summit Pouch doubles as a tarp I will have the option of sleeping outdoors. The Sol emergency blanket makes a great ground sheet. When walking the Meseta I plan to gather a group together and walk a leg at night under the stars. They say the Camino de Santiago follows the milky way, "the way of the stars". During my years as an outdoor educator I lead hundreds of night hikes and a night hike with starlight is an incredible dimensional experience. I never travel anywhere on the land without a headlamp .....

 

[cher99840]

I did not take a headlamp last time and regretted it. I like to start walking sometime between 7 and 7:30 but in October it didn't get light enough for me to see clearly until between 8 and 8:30. Never again. The 4.15 oz that I saved was not worth it.

 

[bunnymac]

Bring a pack of medium/large safety pins.

 

[RJN]

My Camino begins on August 25 after a short side trip to Lourdes. Thought I would share some information that might help others on their journey.

Training - began walking in early January along a combination of trails and roads. It was winter then so I walked without snowshoes. I have lost 2.5 waist sizes and logged over 1400 km since I began. My average daily walks are 15 km with my pack (15.2 lbs)

Shoes - Merrell Moab GTX Trail (men's). My first pair were size 10.5 but when I got my orthotics I had to purchase a size eleven. I have retried those as they have over 1000 km on them. The only problem was that the inside heel wore. This was repaired with moleskin. I am now breaking a third pair but they already feel like slippers. I believe it is the feet that break into the boot....

Socks - Ice Breaker liner socks that wore through at the heel at 956 km and were replaced for free as they have a life time warranty. Outer socks are Smart-wool Phd Outdoor.

Equipment - managed to purchase most of my gear on sale. Weights are in kilograms.

Ospery Kestral 38 backpack 1.44
Two dry bags (Woods) 0.1
Ospery 1.5 L bladder 0.158
Water bladder (wide mouth) 0.043
Sleeping bag (Chinook) 0.769
Silk Bag Liner (Treksilk) 0.11
Inflatable Pillow (Sea to Summit) 0.07
Pile pillow cover 0.11

Clothing

Coolmax long sleeve/neck zip shirt 0.225
Micropile Jacket (Northface, Canyonlands) 0.489
Marmot Precip Jacket (wind/light rain) 0.32
Zippered long sleeve shirt (merino) 0.11
Colombia Shirt (collared) 0.264
Hiking Pant/shorts 0.247
Underwear (Icebreaker merino)
Sea to Summit poncho/tarp 0.192
Smart wool phd socks (1 pair in pack) 0.075
Regular socks
Ice breaker liner socks (1 pair in pack) 0.041
Polypropylene liner sock (1 pair) 0.042
Merino Tee (Ice Breaker) 0.142

Equipment

Micro daypack (Marks' Work Warehouse) 0.057
Headlamp (Homehardware) 0.087
Hat
Hand wash
Sol emergency blanket 0.07
Headband (buff)
Guide book 0.265
Towel medium (Sea to Summit) 0.06

Sandals (Keen Rapids) 0.754
Cell phone charger 0.054
Shaving kit (razor, tooth brush, small tube of tooth past, shaving flakes, 0.053
Journal/pen
First aid kit 0.166
Sunscreen/sun glasses

Total load (pounds) 15.2 (without water)

Hi Dan:
You are obviously prepared for your journey. This trip takes considerably more preparation than a weekend canoe trip on the Upper Humber.
Walking the Camino is a wonderful experience.
Buen Camino
R. Noonan

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hi Dan:
You are obviously prepared for your journey. This trip takes considerably more preparation than a weekend canoe trip on the Upper Humber.
Walking the Camino is a wonderful experience.
Buen Camino
R. Noonan

R. Looking forward to this journey as it will be difference experience from a solely wilderness trek or paddle. My training is most likely overkill but I managed to get in shape and that alone is the real plus. The walk will be a ramble, I will book no rooms except perhaps the first night. The wind will take me, I will write along the way and if I have to sleep in a barn or a field I won't mind ......