Stellaluna
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances -2016
Portuguese -2019
Le Puy - July 2022
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I wasn't going to bring the rain pants but then today there was a loooong steady rain during my training walk and without them I would have been uncomfortably chilly. I read that Galician rains can also be chilly. I still might leave them here though.i think you nailed it. I like the Liter bottle with the smart tube instead of a bladder (hard to service and wash) I use electrolytes. I think you are weight wise , please start wearing the shoes and socks now. I think you will dry out in summer so I question the rainpants and cutting board?.......... Ultreya......... Willy/Utah/USA
Very!Exciting, isn't it?
Thanks, Jo Jo.Jennifer,
This is a pretty tight list. Maybe the best I've seen on this forum. The only possible alterations I would make (based on walking July 2014):
1) my wife's poncho did better than my rain jacket for actual rain (the rain jacket was used more as a warmth layer--which appears like what you are doing as well). For another summer camino, I'd probably go with a poncho and a very light (Patagonia's Houdini-like) jacket for warmth.
2) I'd go with one set of quick dry nylon (or you apparently can use merino wool, which is great) for the mountains, and one set of quick dry cotton for the meseta (specifically, Kuhl Kontra Air pants; LL Bean quick dry cotton shirt). Both sets long sleeves/pants (for the sun). In the meseta, wear the nylon while washing the cotton, and vice-versa for the mountains. Carrying cotton is somewhat heretical, but I tried the system in Italy last July, and it worked great. I think wool/nylon is just too hot for the meseta in summer.
3) get a headlamp with both red and white settings. In the summer, we had to walk starting at 6am. Not racing for beds--racing the sun. We needed to be done by 1pm. Otherwise, our feet got too hot and the blisters became unmanageable. So red light to get out of the alburgue without waking others; white light for the first half-hour to 45 minutes of walking.
4) lastly, weigh everything (and I mean every thing individually) on a kitchen scale set to grams and write it down. Just that exercise will help you gauge whether something is so valuable that it deserves a free ride across Spain on your back.
Buen Camino,
Jo Jo
my wife's poncho did better than my rain jacket for actual rain
I was very happy to carry my tiny (about the surface area of 2 cell phones) extra thin cutting board this camino. Made my picnic lunch preps a little easier and hygienic....Only thing I would remove are the gaiters and the cutting board.
Oh, ok...those look cool.These are the gaiters I am taking. They are worn over trail/running shoes to keep gravel etc. out. I LOVE them and they make a huge difference. These will come for sure. But I will ditch the sarong too and probably the shoulder purse.
Yeah, nothing wrong with a couple of luxury items, so to speak, in your pack. I carried a spork and a collapsible drinking cup, rechargeable hair and beard trimmer, a button down shirt and a size large backpacking towel (could easily do with a smaller one).I was very happy to carry my tiny (about the surface area of 2 cell phones) extra thin cutting board this camino. Made my picnic lunch preps a little easier and hygienic.
Hi Stellaluna. Packing is so subjective. I personally do a lot of food preping on the Camino and a plastic cutting board is a great help. I packed 2 shirts, one long icebreaker and one short. With what I wor makes three. Rain poncho or cover is important but with the heat, everything dried pretty quickly. I agree with leaving behind the rain gear. These gaiters are so light. I think other people were thinking of the heavier kind. My first pack was 25 pounds without water. The second Camino, 15 and this last one 10. Every pound impacted my body even though I prepared with that weight and knew I could physically carry it, I found that it was not my back or shoulders that complained. It was my feet, knees and hips. This last trip the body was very happy. Best to your journey. ElinThese are the gaiters I am taking. They are worn over trail/running shoes to keep gravel etc. out. I LOVE them and they make a huge difference. These will come for sure. But I will ditch the sarong too and probably the shoulder purse.
I know my pack was probably 20+ lbs last time and it about killed me. I'm aiming for under 10 this time. Props to you for being able to haul 15!!!
Hi, Stellaluna, and all - Thanks for the great packing list, and the followup comments. This has been very helpful for me. My husband and I will walk a 10-day Camino, starting in St. Jean Pied de Port on July 15. Our lists are similar, but we have fewer clothes and have not included a cutting board, rain pants, toe sleeves, hair gel, makeup, mouthguard, LED light, sarong or gaiters (although yours look very cool). We also will not pack a full guide book, just have downloaded on our phones the pages that we need. Instead of the half twin sheet we have included Lifestystems Bed Bug Undersheet (3.5 ounces). We will also pretreat our gear with permethrin to help protect against bedbugs and other insects. The weather is predicted to be lows of 11 and highs of 28 while we are there (SPDP to Najera) with three days of possible rain. Like you, we have chosen not to bring our sleeping bags, but we each have a multi-fiber sleeping bag liner. As there are no blankets at the hostel in Roncesvalles, we have also included two small thin wool blankets (that we may donate to the free box after that). We also have two bootlaces to use as a clothesline.
Like you, any comments on things we should ditch/change/add will be greatly appreciated. Super excited to get started. Love this forum!
Parksville, a couple of things you might want to consider. Every albergue we stayed at two weeks ago gave each of us a sealed packet with a disposable fitted undersheet and pillow case. Every place had pillows, and they were standard size. One albergue, El Carmen, in Negeira, had lockers and each locker contained a sleeping bag. We took thin down bags. Albergues that didnt have sleeping bags had plush blankets, which appeared quite clean. Another useful thing was a charger that held three USB plugs. This will apply to those with more than one device, or those wanting to share with others. All albergues we were at had quite a few plugs, most near the beds. You will need the double post European adapter. We treated packs only with permethrin. Never saw any bed bugs. Buen Camino!
Parksville, hello from across the water in Vancouver! It looks like you have your gear well thought through. Bravo on thinking of taking photos of guidebook pages. I can't believe people still carry guide books in the internet age (to say nothing of the weight!). I've done all the major Camino routes and have found hotels the whole way, if you ever want a break from the alberques. It's a lot simpler staying in hotels as you don't have to provide bedding items, to say nothing of the comfort and privacy issues. As for the social aspect of alberques, you'll meet plenty of people on the trail (at least I did). I carry rain pants because I dislike the feeling of cold wet pants sticking to my legs. I also have a poncho but only use it when it's too warm for rain pants and I'm in shorts, as it won't keep the bottoms of my pants dry. I wear shoes, not boots for reasons of weight and comfort and keep them dry in rain with shoe covers.
eThanks JRO - This is very helpful. We plan to be staying at Albergues in SJPDP, Orisson, Roncesvalles, Zubiri, Pamplona, Puente de la Reina, Estella, Los Arcos, Logrono, Najera (and possibly Santa Dominigo de la Calzadra if we skip Orisson). Is this the route that you took? Were there blankets in Roncesvalles? Also, did you skip Orisson? Should we? Thanks so much for your help!
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