My Packing List: What worked for me on my April-May 2018 Camino

[howlsthunder]

First I want to give a huge thank you to this forum and the people on it. I learned so much from the information here and was so well prepared I feel I didn't have too many packing or planning foibles. I thought I'd share my packing list along with the methods I used for staying dry, how I packed, my foot care routine, how I managed water and navigation, etc. in one giant list in case it helps other people. Basically stuff people ask about often. There's definitely room for improvement but I was comfortable and happy and had a fantastic adventure.

I don't remember how much my pack weighed; less than 20lbs for sure but not super lightweight. It was colder when I went and required warmer (and thus heavier layers). While I did send some stuff ahead, at times I ended up buying more; I started off with very cold weather, had cold weather in the middle, and cool weather toward the end with blazing hot weather in the middle. So things were a little crazy.

Best piece of advice I got was DON'T PACK YOUR FEARS. I used this to leave out a lot of stuff I would of otherwise brought (headlamp, travel pillow, sink plug, face cream, etc) and I used it to thin out a few things after the first week, too. It was also surprising how easy it was to find everything I needed when it did come up.

Without further ado: My Camino Francés Packing List (Your Mileage May Vary)
*denotes not necessary

"CONTAINERS"

• 38L Deuter Backpack
• 6L Sea-to-Summit Ultra-sil dry sack
• Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack (20 liter)
• Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack X-Small
• *The loose sack my sleeping bag came with
• *RuMe Organizer Baggie (for toiletries/cords)

CLOTHES

• 1 lightweight, super-thin UnderArmor raincoat
• 1 pair Marmot rain pants w. zips down entire leg length
• 1 pair quick-dry REI hiking pants
• 1 hooded long sleeve quarter-zip shirt, some medium poly material (Costco)
• 1 lightweight down long sleeve shirt (Patagonia)
• 1 lightweight wool (Kari Traa) baselayer long-sleeve shirt
• 1 pair REI poly base layer leggings
• 1 quick dry Ably t-shirt (I ended up buying a 2nd t-shirt in addition)
• 1 micro-fiber Sport Kilt hiking kilt
• 3 pairs of Injinji socks of varying material
• 3 pairs MeUndies underwear (2 would of been fine if they’d been quick-dry)
• 2 Buffs
• 1 Buff-brand hat
• 1 pair sunglasses
• 1 pair lightweight gloves
• 1 pair ‘waterproof’ Altra Lone Peak 3.0 trail shoes
• 1 pair Xero shoe sandals

TOILETRIES

• 1 bar Dr Bronner’s Pure-castle bar soap (1/2 bar would of been fine for me. for hair/body/laundry) in zip bag
• 1 travel tube toothpaste
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 medium camp towel (I forgot the brand)
• 50mL jar Joshua Tree Climbing Salve - for foot care
• Handful of Excedrin (what works for me for headaches)
• Small tube sunblock that I bought locally - easy to find along the way
• 1 small pair nail clippers
• 1 small package underwear liners (use in-lieu of toilet paper)
• 1 tube lip balm w. sunblock
• 1 6-pair pack silicone earplugs
• Exfoliating glove
• *Small mesh bag for soap and glove to air dry.
• (I did end up buying other items as I needed them: Ibuprofen (cheaper/better in Spain), Voltadol, ACE wrap for some tendonitis that came up).

OTHER ITEMS

• AegisMax Ultralight Goosedown sleeping bag
• Hydrapak Stow collapsable 1L water bottle
• A 1-L water reservoir for my backpack (Altus brand- leaked).
• Lightweight Altus trekking poles w. caps (wore through 3 sets of caps)
• Nova CB-R Translucent Microlight in Night Vision Red (small squeeze light)
• iPhone w. cable, F-type USB plug
• Earbuds
• Rechargeable battery bank for phone
• Passport and passport wallet worn around the neck
• Sea-To-Summit collapsible cup
• A small S-shaped clip
• Brierley’s map book
• A Moleskin notebook for journaling in
• 2 pens
• 1 ziplock gallon bag with copies of documents/tickets
• 1 quart sized plastic zip bag to store journal, map book, and credential
• 1 biodegradable rain poncho
• 15’ length of paracord with 10 safety pins for a clothesline

WHAT I ENDED UP SENDING AHEAD:
(This happened in Burgos)

• Rain Pants - they were a MUST that first week (it was FLOODING and parts of the Camino were closing, it was that bad. Later, a poncho was enough and my pants dried so fast and I was able to stay warm enough from movement that I didn’t miss my pants.
• Gloves - they were a bit bulky (long story - not what I bought for the Camino). A must that first week. Got rid of them and then later needed another pair because the rain was just too cold on my hands and socks weren’t cutting it.
• FiveFingers - I wasn’t sure about my footwear and I’m used to wearing these all the time. My shoes ended up being perfect so these were extraneous and I sent them ahead.
• Wool Hat - this is before I bought my second buff and buff sun hat. It was a must at the time but WAY too warm later. I’d probably do without it completely next time and just start off with the buffs and buff hat - under 2 hoods it’s enough for me.
• Some random toiletries not on the list above.

THINGS I BOUGHT AS I WENT

• 2nd t-shirt - during warm spells, the long-sleeve was just too much and despite everything being quick-dry, I really liked having a 2nd t-shirt to change into for sleepwear or while the other was drying.
• 1L water reservoir - next time I’d start with one. They work for me and that size is just right.
• Trekking Poles - bought on day 3. I’m agile but with the flooding and scree I came across later I’m so glad I had them.
• Buff hat and second Buff - sun shade. I wore one Buff around my neck (sometimes wet) and the other on my head draping to cover the side of my face/neck under my hat. When it was cold, I’d wear one around my neck and the other over my ears. Combined weight was much lighter than my wool cap.
• I constantly bought chocolate bars in multi-packs whenever I found a supermercado so I had enough for a few days and for offering to fellow pilgrims.

WHAT I’M GLAD I DIDN’T BRING

• Camera - phone was fine
• Books - almost all reference material was on my phone
• Headlamp - red squeeze light was enough for seeing around my bunk, going to the bathroom, leaving the albergue in the morning and I rarely left so early that I needed a light outdoors
• Any other toiletries
• Anything related to cooking

THINGS I *COULD* OF DITCHED BUT GLAD I HAD ANYWAY AND WOULD BRING AGAIN

• Hiking Kilt: I could of bought pants that turned into shorts and done with that but I LOVE hiking in a kilt. Less chafing, better ventilation, and it’s a great conversation piece. If it had been warmer, I’d of ditched the pants and gone with just a kilt.
• Collapsable cup: I’d use it to drink from every potable fountain I came across, drinking up to stay hydrated. Also made accessing water from sinks easier. I hate using my hands and sometimes ducking my head under a spigot wasn’t an option.
• The stuff sack for my sleeping bag: I used it to keep dirty laundry separate from clean laundry and to better organize my pack. It was super thin so wasn’t much weight.
• Paracord: Most places had clothes lines or plenty of room on clothes lines but not always so having my own was handy. It was also useful for helping bundle up stuff for going to the airport.
• RuMe organizer: I had an assortment of pills I ended up with and while a single quart ziplock bag would of done the trick, I really appreciated having 3 compartments in one bag. I would grab the whole thing.
• The small mesh zip bag: I could of pinned my exfoliating glove to my pack or something but this thing was nice and kept my soap (in a sandwich bag) and glove separate and helped them to dry out.

I also wrote up my methods for things that people often ask about but it wouldn't fit here. Maybe in comments.

 

[howlsthunder]

Specifics on my backpack: Deuter ACT Trail Pro 38 SL
Deuter packs aren’t the lightest packs on the market but mine was also not the heaviest. I know a couple people who had done the Camino before, one of whom (an experienced outdoorsman) had purchased an ultra lightweight pack and ended up ditching it on the Camino and buying something comfortable. I went with his advice and bought what was comfortable, above all else. I tried on everything. I didn’t care about the brand - it just needed to be comfortable. The Deuter pack was by far the most comfortable for me and one of them happened to have features I wanted.


The number one thing I liked best about my pack (besides comfort) was its ability to be zipped completely open like a suitcase - this is called "panel loading". (I only saw one other pack do this - a Marmot that didn’t fit me). And in case the zipper were to fail, that entire panel clips to the body of the pack so it can cinch down, so no worries. This made organizing the weight in my pack while still being able to access items a breeze.


MY SLEEPING BAG: AegisMax Outdoor Ultra Light Goose Down Compactable Sleeping Bag
This little bag was, along with my pack, THE best purchase for my Camino. My friend who also walked the same time had the same bag and we both had similar experiences with our sleeping bags. Walking in the spring is just cool enough that nearly all the pilgrims I met had sleeping bags - a liner would never of cut it, especially when many of the albergues I stayed at did NOT have blankets. Or heat. And the temperatures outside at times hovered near freezing. There *were* a few days where a liner would of been enough but I didn’t want to carry both. This sleeping bag turned out to be perfect.


First, it is INCREDIBLY light - 528g - and incredibly warm - 800 fill goose down. The fabric it is made of is super soft. Most sleeping bags feel clammy but not this one. I practiced sleeping in it before I went and I loved it. I had two or three nights where I needed to wear all my layers and was still a tad cold but for the majority of the Camino it was great. And So comfy. I carried it on the flights to/from Europe to use in lieu of the airplane blankets. (It compresses to the size of a very large grapefruit).


MY SHOES: Altra Lone Peak 3.0 Zero Drop running shoe
This is a couple models old by now. I did get the kind with water resistance, which works up to a point, but didn’t get them because of that. I got them because the color was better than the non-water resistant ones. Still, I think my feet stayed warmer than the plain mesh ones and being shoes they dried out faster than had they been boots. I prefer having light weight footwear - I’m used to hiking and backpacking in FiveFingers. That said, I’m glad I had footwear with some cushion because there are so many harsh terrain types on the Camino.


I also want to note that these shoes were incredibly durable. I wore them awhile for training. Then I wore them for the entire month I was in the UK prior to the Camino, hiking around the Scottish highlands. Then all 800k+ of the Camino Francés, then the entire summer working in Katmai National Park, then all autumn here at home... I replaced the insoles but the shoes still live!

 

[howlsthunder]

RAIN SYSTEM: Probably my most over-the-top system that could remove weight with simplification. I was very paranoid about anything getting wet; if it was at risk, it was in something protective.

• All paper documents had photo or digital versions on my phone. Paper copies were in a ziplock gallon bag.
• My sleeping bag was in an ultra-sil dry bag compression sack.
• My clothes all lived in another ultra-sil dry bag
• I usually had a random plastic shopping bag that snacks lived in though they didn’t need to.
• My pack had a built-in rain cover.
• I wore my raincoat (and rain pants, when I had them)
• Footwear was water-resistant; they did not stay water-resistant and I knew that would happen so I just did my best to stay out of water and to dry them out at night and always have dry socks to put on when I arrived anywhere or when I started in the morning.
• I ended up getting a cheap, biodegradable poncho for really heavy rain and that helped even more, but mostly for the chill (it was COLD). Things stayed dry enough without it but I stayed even more dry and thus warmer with it.

With this system, nothing in my pack ever got wet; my pants from the knee down sometimes got totally soaked but the pants were so quick to dry this was never an issue. Would I do it again with a nicer poncho instead of a coat? Maybe but probably not.

CLOTHING SYSTEM:
Number one factor: quick dry. Quick-dry or go home. Not just for drying out after rain but for drying out after laundering - while its easy enough to find washing machines, dryers are harder to come by so plan on hang-drying you clothes most days.

First, I want to shout-out to Ably brand clothes. It's got some sort of anti-bacterial, hydrophobic coating so it takes a LOT longer/a lot more sweat to make an Ably shirt stink and these things dry just by looking at them. (Ok, maybe not quite that fast). On my next Camino I will replace what I can with this brand.

I hiked in spring so the weather was highly variable. I went through everything from 32°F to 85°F (0°C to 30°C), snow, rain, hail, wind, scorching sun. So I had to be flexible. Despite being from a cold place (Alaska) I actually ended up better prepared for heat than the cold!
For warm layering I had one base layer set which often doubled as pajamas (or became pajamas entirely when I wasn’t wearing them during the hot days). I had a thicker hooded long sleeve that was perfect for mid-range weather and was just light enough to be tolerable on warm days for protection from sun, and my lightweight down shirt was my workhorse layer for warmth when combined with everything else on cold days. I mentioned I’m glad I had both my pants AND my kilt; sometimes pants were worn on cool evenings or became pajamas (they were soft) instead of my base layer leggings. Depended on what was clean. I *could* of gotten by with just the one t-shirt but in the hot weather the base layer long sleeve was too warm for pajamas. It just worked better for me to have 2 t-shirts and one long sleeve. YMMV.

2 pairs of underwear would of been fine though next time I’ll find something that dries faster. As it was, I almost needed that third pair just because of how long they took to dry. At least they were comfy.

3 pairs of socks were about right. I had 3 different thicknesses as I wasn’t sure; next time I’ll get 2 pairs of the heaviest Injinjis and one of the liner weight. They were all light enough for hot weather and the thick were best in rain.

 

[howlsthunder]

SHOWERING SYSTEM:

• My feet are fairly resistant to fungal and other infections but I am glad I had sandals to wear in some of the showers I saw.
• I used a Sea-To-Summit ultra-sil daypack to take my valuables, change of clothes, and toiletries to the shower with me. It's silicone treated so water resistant. I also had a small clip on it so I could hang it if needed but to be honest I almost never had any issue finding a place to hang or set it where it wouldn't get wet. It harder to do in municipal albergues and easier in private ones.
• I used a bar of Dr. Bronner's soap to wash my hair, body and clothes. I have very dry, coarse hair and my hair did great with this in Spain (it wouldn't of tolerated it at home). The bar lived in a snack-size plastic ziplock bag.
• I also had an exfoliating glove I'd use in lieu of washcloth because I like to scrub.
• Both the soap and glove lived in a lightweight mesh bag so they could air out. That bag lived in the outer most pocket on my pack. I'd often hang the glove to dry with my laundry.
• To be honest, I wasn't very worried about theft in most of the places I showered because I'd either have an entire locking dressing area to myself or I'd have trustworthy companions around to watch my stuff.

LAUNDRY SYSTEM:
First find out the cost of a washer, if one exists. Then find other pilgrims who might want to split the cost.
If no washer is available or is not affordable, then I hand wash. There is almost always a sink available and if you can't find one, ASK - don't be rude and use the bathroom when there is a place for laundry (hello Roncesvailles). It's pretty simple:

• Get clothes wet.
• Rub with soap (I used my bar of Dr Bronner's).
• Get clothes lathered up, knead them and/or rub against washboard.
• Rinse. Repeat for tough stains.
• Wring out clothes as best you can. Sometimes a spinner is available.
• Hang clothes out to dry in designated area. Ask if you don't see one; it's rude to hang from bed frame without asking.
• I maybe used my own clothes line twice for the purpose of laundry. There was almost always space where I stayed.
• I read some people wash their clothes in the shower or in a bag but I never had to do this.

 

[howlsthunder]

PACKING SYSTEM:

• Sleeping bag in its own Sea-to-Summit ultra-sil compression sack.
• Clothes ranger-rolled into their own Sea-to-Summit ultra-sil dry sack
• Dirty clothes could live in the loose stuff sack that came with my sleeping bag or I'd use it for whatever I was separating. Once I used this bag as a pillow case.
 I probably could of done without it, but this bag was VERY light and I like separating things.
• Small super lightweight day pack held snacks, toiletries, stuff I didn’t need while hiking. At the evening destination this would become my valuables sack/shower bag holding toiletries, my credential, phone, journal, and water bottle and would be clipped next to me in bed.

My evening preparation would be thus:

• Shower, do laundry, eat
• Pre-pack my pack for the morning incl. filling water reservoir and packing up any clothes that had been able to dry (they usually did - almost everything was quick-dry)
• If I could, I'd sleep in what I was going to wear the next day unless the item was drying.
• My sleeping bag sack was in my day pack that I had near me as I slept. So when I woke up I could easily grab my sleeping bag, day pack, and pack and leave the room to pack if people were still sleeping (they usually weren’t - I was rarely out first; there was no rush on my Camino).
• Either way, I only had to put away my sleeping bag and shove it in my pack, put my day pack in my pack, and I could leave as-is.

Depending on the day, before leaving I would put into my main pack lid anything I might want that morning or that day: a candy bar or two (I carried chocolate at ALL TIMES), and my battery pack for my phone were usual items.

Ultimately, the point being, this is why I liked having different bags for my stuff: it made packing my pack quick. Instead of lots of little things, it was 4 bigger things (sleeping bag, day pack, clothes pack, toiletries. DONE).

 

[howlsthunder]

FOOT CARE SYSTEM:
I took very good care of my feet and only got blisters *once* on the one day I did not do my routine. I followed the advice of professional backpacker/hiker Andrew Skurka and kept my feet well-moisturized. I bought a salve he once recommended (Joshua Tree Climbing Salve) and it was fabulous though I’m sure others would work fine, too.

• In the morning before putting on my shoes, I’d massage in the salve, put on dry and clean Injinji toe socks, and go.
• I never changed socks during the day, though some people do this.
• At the end of the day, after showering I’d massage in salve again and let my feet breathe a bit but I’d often sleep with clean socks on. So basically moisturize morning and night.
• I should also point out that my socks were all Injinji toe socks. I’m used to them because I usually wear FiveFingers but I saw quite a few pilgrims switch to these on the Camino because they’d get blisters or cuts where their toes rubbed together.

A friend of mine walked in March-April and she wore Keen hiking boots and changed her socks multiple times a day with the goal being to keep her feet as dry as possible. She, too, never got blisters with her method.

 

[howlsthunder]

WATER SYSTEM:
This is definitely a "do what works for you" thing. This is what worked for me:

• I used an Altus bladder that leaked all the time and had to live in a gallon zip bag. I had brought a Camelbak bladder with me but at the last minute decided against it and left it at my friend's house in Cambridge. By Pamplona I was desperate for a reservoir so got what was cheap.
• My water bottle is a HydroPak collapsible 1L bottle. It can roll up and is very durable. It wanted to slip out of my pocket so I'd keep it clipped in but what was SO great about it is I could put it in a freezer and turn it into an ice pack for my ankle!
• Sea-To-Summit collapsible cup. I thought this part was ingenius for my personal system (read below)

I have an injured shoulder that was much more stiff during the Camino and it’s on the side where the water bottle pocket is, so reaching my bottle wasn’t going to happen. I am used to using a water reservoir/bladder so I had a 1L that I’d fill at the start of the day and drink from as I walked. During breaks, I’d drink from my water bottle, which I’d also keep near me at night if I got thirsty. Lastly, I kept my collapsible cup in my pocket as I walked and every time I came across potable water, I’d drink 1 or 2 cupfuls of water from my cup (and fill my bottle if I needed to). Drinking this way with my cup made it so I didn’t need to drink as much from my carried sources. I only ever ran out of water once - barely. It was a hot day on the Meseta (Hontanas to Itero de la Vega) and I ran out just as I reached my albergue.
I should note that the food in Spain is VERY lightly salted if at all and on those hot days many of us were getting light headed despite drinking lots of water. We realized we needed electrolytes — and salt. So we started asking for salt and salting our food and I would buy sports drinks at supermercados on hot days if I could find them.

FOOD SYSTEM:
At home in Alaska I am intolerant of gluten, corn, cow dairy, and soy. In Spain (and France!) I found I could eat all the bakery breads, pastas, and pastries just fine (pre-packaged, mass-produced stuff was still an issue). So probably the bromine and pesticides and crap they allow in our food here at home rather than the gluten itself.
At first I would stock up on gluten-free rolls, goat cheese (yum! and CHEAP!), and some meats and make sandwiches at lunch. I’d also carry chocolate bars, fruit (often the dessert from the previous night’s pilgrim meal), and whatever snacks I’d scrounged. Later I fell into a rhythm that was basically the hobbit diet:

• Get up and pack. Never eat an albergue “breakfast” unless it was a real breakfast or included in the price.
• Find a bakery or cafe while walking, usually within first hour of walking. Eat a pastry and/or tortilla patatas.
• Walk some more. Find another cafe and have second breakfast, often another tortilla patatas AND a pastry.
• Walk some more. Find another cafe - usually around 11 - and have “elevensies”: usually a bocadilla with either bacon or more tortilla patatas (I love tortilla patatas). Occasionally it would be a fancier sandwich than this.
• While walking, eat snacks. If reserves are low, look for supermercado or small shop or gas station to stock up on candy bars or fruit or donate a lot and eat fruit at a donativo.
• Pilgrim meal for dinner. Fruit for dessert (often available upon request if not on menu) becomes snack or breakfast for next day.

Some sections of the Camino just don’t have a lot of places to buy food this often but this became MUCH easier to do after O’Cebreiro. But early in the Camino I was carrying way more food than I needed to.

I should also note I did buy one of those inexpensive Opinel pocket knives on day 2 for cutting cheese and sausages. Good buy - I used it quite a bit. Very sharp! I also had a Lite My Fire spork with me; I probably used it but don't remember. I'm so used to always having one on me that it blurs in my mind.

 

[howlsthunder]

NAVIGATION & PHONE SYSTEM:
My phone was primarily a camera and with the amount of apps I have listed below you’ll probably think I didn’t take a step without referring to my phone first but that isn’t the case. I just like to be prepared and I do struggle with some severe anxiety so being able to plan or look at maps *just in case* in a country I’d never been to where I didn’t speak the language was a good stabilizing strategy for me. I’m experienced in back country backpacking where there are no trails, no people, and no phone signal (and so no phone) where I don’t bother with a GPS and my nearest neighbors are BEARS. I didn’t feel I needed to go without phone stuff to prove anything to anyone on the Camino, myself included.

• I did have the Brierley maps-only book with me and it was useful to write down notes from other pilgrims and to have a visual directly in front of me. I rarely used it as I walked; it was mostly used for planning in the evening. It definitely wasn’t as accurate as I’d of liked, which I knew ahead of time, so I’m glad I had my phone apps to use in conjunction.
• My most-used navigation tool was the Maps.me app with the GPS tracks downloaded. Sometimes service was poor and nothing would track my exact location — but what was extra useful about this app was the ability to see alternate routes. Sometimes this would be a tractor road or power line path paralleling the Camino, or a side route to the summit of a hill/mountain the Camino was on. I’d use this to avoid pavement as much as possible. I was often able to avoid several kilometers of pavement at a time by looking ahead on the map to find these side roads and trails, noting that they joined up with the Camino again no-problem.
• I would occasionally use the Wise Pilgrim app and Google Maps for navigation but Google Maps was wrong a lot.
• For finding albergues to stay in it was a combination of the Wise Pilgrim app, the “Selection of favorite albergues on the Camino Francés” pdf, and in Santiago/Finisterre - the Booking.com app.
• For communications I mostly used WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to communicate with fellow pilgrims and family back home. At one point this became useful because everyone in my pilgrim family at one point was injured and I’d often walk ahead to beat the heat and be on my own but being the only one with a SIM card, I’d also scout out paths with less pavement and then text everyone behind me. They’d always be on WiFi at cafes and get the heads up in time.
• Google Translate app: I don’t speak Spanish so this was great if I needed to say something and be understood, I could type in what I wanted to say and translate it into all kinds of languages. I used this for other languages with other pilgrims quite a few times.
• Eltiempo.es weather app: The leading weather app in Spain. I liked being able to plan around the weather forecast and see how hot/cold it got that day. I’d often use this in conjunction with the Wunderground weather app.

 

[howlsthunder]

OTHER TIPS:

I had about a two-foot length of thick cord tied in a loop on my bag that I used to hang my pack from my bed frame every night. If you've been reading these forums you should know by now to NEVER put your pack on your bed or on a chair as that is unhygenic/rude and it's not really safe from bugs/wet on the floor. So I would hang it.

Earplugs in the ears and Buff over the eyes for sleeping soundly. I’m a light sleeper but this, on top of sheer exhaustion, usually allowed me to sleep well each night.

Trekking poles? YES! I do a lot of backpacking at home and always use poles. I wasn't sure I'd need them on the Camino but after hiking through the flooding around Zubiri and Pamlpona it was a must with the mud. Later I developed tendonitis from walking too fast and the poles helped me to hobble better. Knowing proper technique they were helpful for me for steep hills - for going up I could use my arms to pull me along, and for going downhill I could use them to help slow my descent and take the strain off my knees a bit. So for me a resounding yes! I bought mine in Pamplona because I had no good way of getting a pair with me to Europe. I ended up flying them home with me in checked baggage.

LADIES — get some panty liners/underwear liners to wear in lieu of using toilet paper. Personally, I had a good schedule for bowel movements so only ever had to go #2 outdoors once (and it was in the woods where I could dig a cat hole and bury it properly). For peeing I hate having to carry around used toilet paper - and I’m not about to litter. So what I do is wear a panty liner. When I’m done, I shake my tush as best I can, then the panty liner catches any drips. I can change out next time I’m somewhere with a toilet. So no littering, no worrying about having TP, it can be used all day long - so I can “drop trou” any time and go and not worry.

KILT. I do not feel comfortable in what is stereotypically “women’s” clothes. But shorts tend to give me odd chafing issues. So a few years ago I got into wearing kilts because reasons. Holy cow are they comfortable. I recommend everyone of every gender try a kilt/skirt/sarong/whatever for walking in because wow. For me, the air flow helped a lot of things - with or without underwear, your choice. No chafing and much cooler in hot temperatures. I’ve backpacked in a kilt before so this was nothing new. A kilt *is* a lot more fabric than a straight up skirt but again… personal issues. I bore the weight. The micro fiber kilt I had maybe weighed a bit more than my pants did, so it wasn’t too bad and I could wear it in temps as cold as the low 50°sF (11°C). Another benefit for women wearing a skirt/kilt/wrap/etc is we can squat to pee or whatever without flashing anyone.

There’s a lot of crappy chocolate in Spain (sorry Spain!) so stock up on chocolate bars in supermercados in the larger towns. Snickers and Kit-Kats often come in multi-packs that are much cheaper. I’d often buy these; that way I could eat one or two in a day and have some on hand to offer other pilgrims — chocolate is a HUGE smile-maker for others! Also, GAS STATIONS often have candy bars you don’t find as easily in stores.

Having a SIM card. I spend 4 months out of every year being disconnected - no phone, TV, internet. So that is easy for me. But for navigation and finding albergues it was invaluable to me having a SIM card for my phone. In several groups I walked with I’d end up being the de facto navigator/finder of nice albergues to stay in.

Booking ahead? Nah. (At least not for me most of the time). I mostly stayed off Brierley stages though if I did it again and thought I'd end up in Leon I'd try to book ahead (there was a fiesta there, of course, and things filled up FAST). The only time I booked ahead was for Santiago and Finisterre about 2 days out because there's such a big influx of pilgrims it is difficult to find something last minute at a good location.


That's all I can think of as far as routines and the items that involve them.

 

[Colette Z]

Thanks can you PM a pic of you in the hiking kilt? I wear pants but like leggings as my second option but don’t like walking around “fully exposed” LOL in just leggings. Thanks

 

[Unie]

Thanks for taking the time to share, I really appreciate your info.

 

[Jbirk]

Lone Peaks and Xero! Perfect combination for me as well. I wear size 14US. The Xeros brought my pack down 1kilo over my previous sandals

 

[Cmcfisch]

Oh my goodness, your time and insight is greatly appreciated as I plan my packing list for May 2019. I also opted for one pair of pants and a Skort ( lightweight skirt with shorts underneath ) as my two main outfits. I like the idea of hiking in a skirt or layering leggings underneath in cooler evenings. I'm printing this now, so much good information!

 

[JoHill]

Just read this and will read again this evening - thank you for all the insight.

 

[trecile]

Oh my goodness, your time and insight is greatly appreciated as I plan my packing list for May 2019. I also opted for one pair of pants and a Skort ( lightweight skirt with shorts underneath ) as my two main outfits. I like the idea of hiking in a skirt or layering leggings underneath in cooler evenings. I'm printing this now, so much good information!

I would recommend that you use a skirt rather than a skort, which is really just a dressed up pair of shorts and really doesn't give you any advantage over regular shorts.
With a skirt, if you need to pee in the woods you the skirt that provides cover, but with a skort you have to pull down the whole thing. You can also more easily layer leggings under a skirt than a skort which would just add bulk.
I bought a skort because I liked the design of the skirt part itself, the I cut out the shorts that were underneath.
But I actually prefer walking in t shirt style dresses that I make from merino wool.

 

[JamesVT]

First I want to give a huge thank you to this forum and the people on it. I learned so much from the information here and was so well prepared I feel I didn't have too many packing or planning foibles. I thought I'd share my packing list along with the methods I used for staying dry, how I packed, my foot care routine, how I managed water and navigation, etc. in one giant list in case it helps other people. Basically stuff people ask about often. There's definitely room for improvement but I was comfortable and happy and had a fantastic adventure.

I don't remember how much my pack weighed; less than 20lbs for sure but not super lightweight. It was colder when I went and required warmer (and thus heavier layers). While I did send some stuff ahead, at times I ended up buying more; I started off with very cold weather, had cold weather in the middle, and cool weather toward the end with blazing hot weather in the middle. So things were a little crazy.

Best piece of advice I got was DON'T PACK YOUR FEARS. I used this to leave out a lot of stuff I would of otherwise brought (headlamp, travel pillow, sink plug, face cream, etc) and I used it to thin out a few things after the first week, too. It was also surprising how easy it was to find everything I needed when it did come up.

Without further ado: My Camino Francés Packing List (Your Mileage May Vary)
*denotes not necessary

"CONTAINERS"

• 38L Deuter Backpack
• 6L Sea-to-Summit Ultra-sil dry sack
• Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack (20 liter)
• Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack X-Small
• *The loose sack my sleeping bag came with
• *RuMe Organizer Baggie (for toiletries/cords)

CLOTHES

• 1 lightweight, super-thin UnderArmor raincoat
• 1 pair Marmot rain pants w. zips down entire leg length
• 1 pair quick-dry REI hiking pants
• 1 hooded long sleeve quarter-zip shirt, some medium poly material (Costco)
• 1 lightweight down long sleeve shirt (Patagonia)
• 1 lightweight wool (Kari Traa) baselayer long-sleeve shirt
• 1 pair REI poly base layer leggings
• 1 quick dry Ably t-shirt (I ended up buying a 2nd t-shirt in addition)
• 1 micro-fiber Sport Kilt hiking kilt
• 3 pairs of Injinji socks of varying material
• 3 pairs MeUndies underwear (2 would of been fine if they’d been quick-dry)
• 2 Buffs
• 1 Buff-brand hat
• 1 pair sunglasses
• 1 pair lightweight gloves
• 1 pair ‘waterproof’ Altra Lone Peak 3.0 trail shoes
• 1 pair Xero shoe sandals

TOILETRIES

• 1 bar Dr Bronner’s Pure-castle bar soap (1/2 bar would of been fine for me. for hair/body/laundry) in zip bag
• 1 travel tube toothpaste
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 medium camp towel (I forgot the brand)
• 50mL jar Joshua Tree Climbing Salve - for foot care
• Handful of Excedrin (what works for me for headaches)
• Small tube sunblock that I bought locally - easy to find along the way
• 1 small pair nail clippers
• 1 small package underwear liners (use in-lieu of toilet paper)
• 1 tube lip balm w. sunblock
• 1 6-pair pack silicone earplugs
• Exfoliating glove
• *Small mesh bag for soap and glove to air dry.
• (I did end up buying other items as I needed them: Ibuprofen (cheaper/better in Spain), Voltadol, ACE wrap for some tendonitis that came up).

OTHER ITEMS

• AegisMax Ultralight Goosedown sleeping bag
• Hydrapak Stow collapsable 1L water bottle
• A 1-L water reservoir for my backpack (Altus brand- leaked).
• Lightweight Altus trekking poles w. caps (wore through 3 sets of caps)
• Nova CB-R Translucent Microlight in Night Vision Red (small squeeze light)
• iPhone w. cable, F-type USB plug
• Earbuds
• Rechargeable battery bank for phone
• Passport and passport wallet worn around the neck
• Sea-To-Summit collapsible cup
• A small S-shaped clip
• Brierley’s map book
• A Moleskin notebook for journaling in
• 2 pens
• 1 ziplock gallon bag with copies of documents/tickets
• 1 quart sized plastic zip bag to store journal, map book, and credential
• 1 biodegradable rain poncho
• 15’ length of paracord with 10 safety pins for a clothesline

WHAT I ENDED UP SENDING AHEAD:
(This happened in Burgos)

• Rain Pants - they were a MUST that first week (it was FLOODING and parts of the Camino were closing, it was that bad. Later, a poncho was enough and my pants dried so fast and I was able to stay warm enough from movement that I didn’t miss my pants.
• Gloves - they were a bit bulky (long story - not what I bought for the Camino). A must that first week. Got rid of them and then later needed another pair because the rain was just too cold on my hands and socks weren’t cutting it.
• FiveFingers - I wasn’t sure about my footwear and I’m used to wearing these all the time. My shoes ended up being perfect so these were extraneous and I sent them ahead.
• Wool Hat - this is before I bought my second buff and buff sun hat. It was a must at the time but WAY too warm later. I’d probably do without it completely next time and just start off with the buffs and buff hat - under 2 hoods it’s enough for me.
• Some random toiletries not on the list above.

THINGS I BOUGHT AS I WENT

• 2nd t-shirt - during warm spells, the long-sleeve was just too much and despite everything being quick-dry, I really liked having a 2nd t-shirt to change into for sleepwear or while the other was drying.
• 1L water reservoir - next time I’d start with one. They work for me and that size is just right.
• Trekking Poles - bought on day 3. I’m agile but with the flooding and scree I came across later I’m so glad I had them.
• Buff hat and second Buff - sun shade. I wore one Buff around my neck (sometimes wet) and the other on my head draping to cover the side of my face/neck under my hat. When it was cold, I’d wear one around my neck and the other over my ears. Combined weight was much lighter than my wool cap.
• I constantly bought chocolate bars in multi-packs whenever I found a supermercado so I had enough for a few days and for offering to fellow pilgrims.

WHAT I’M GLAD I DIDN’T BRING

• Camera - phone was fine
• Books - almost all reference material was on my phone
• Headlamp - red squeeze light was enough for seeing around my bunk, going to the bathroom, leaving the albergue in the morning and I rarely left so early that I needed a light outdoors
• Any other toiletries
• Anything related to cooking

THINGS I *COULD* OF DITCHED BUT GLAD I HAD ANYWAY AND WOULD BRING AGAIN

• Hiking Kilt: I could of bought pants that turned into shorts and done with that but I LOVE hiking in a kilt. Less chafing, better ventilation, and it’s a great conversation piece. If it had been warmer, I’d of ditched the pants and gone with just a kilt.
• Collapsable cup: I’d use it to drink from every potable fountain I came across, drinking up to stay hydrated. Also made accessing water from sinks easier. I hate using my hands and sometimes ducking my head under a spigot wasn’t an option.
• The stuff sack for my sleeping bag: I used it to keep dirty laundry separate from clean laundry and to better organize my pack. It was super thin so wasn’t much weight.
• Paracord: Most places had clothes lines or plenty of room on clothes lines but not always so having my own was handy. It was also useful for helping bundle up stuff for going to the airport.
• RuMe organizer: I had an assortment of pills I ended up with and while a single quart ziplock bag would of done the trick, I really appreciated having 3 compartments in one bag. I would grab the whole thing.
• The small mesh zip bag: I could of pinned my exfoliating glove to my pack or something but this thing was nice and kept my soap (in a sandwich bag) and glove separate and helped them to dry out.

I also wrote up my methods for things that people often ask about but it wouldn't fit here. Maybe in comments.

Thank you for the great, in depth information and your packing list. Really great.

First I want to give a huge thank you to this forum and the people on it. I learned so much from the information here and was so well prepared I feel I didn't have too many packing or planning foibles. I thought I'd share my packing list along with the methods I used for staying dry, how I packed, my foot care routine, how I managed water and navigation, etc. in one giant list in case it helps other people. Basically stuff people ask about often. There's definitely room for improvement but I was comfortable and happy and had a fantastic adventure.

I don't remember how much my pack weighed; less than 20lbs for sure but not super lightweight. It was colder when I went and required warmer (and thus heavier layers). While I did send some stuff ahead, at times I ended up buying more; I started off with very cold weather, had cold weather in the middle, and cool weather toward the end with blazing hot weather in the middle. So things were a little crazy.

Best piece of advice I got was DON'T PACK YOUR FEARS. I used this to leave out a lot of stuff I would of otherwise brought (headlamp, travel pillow, sink plug, face cream, etc) and I used it to thin out a few things after the first week, too. It was also surprising how easy it was to find everything I needed when it did come up.

Without further ado: My Camino Francés Packing List (Your Mileage May Vary)
*denotes not necessary

"CONTAINERS"

• 38L Deuter Backpack
• 6L Sea-to-Summit Ultra-sil dry sack
• Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Day Pack (20 liter)
• Sea-to-Summit Ultra-Sil Compression Sack X-Small
• *The loose sack my sleeping bag came with
• *RuMe Organizer Baggie (for toiletries/cords)

CLOTHES

• 1 lightweight, super-thin UnderArmor raincoat
• 1 pair Marmot rain pants w. zips down entire leg length
• 1 pair quick-dry REI hiking pants
• 1 hooded long sleeve quarter-zip shirt, some medium poly material (Costco)
• 1 lightweight down long sleeve shirt (Patagonia)
• 1 lightweight wool (Kari Traa) baselayer long-sleeve shirt
• 1 pair REI poly base layer leggings
• 1 quick dry Ably t-shirt (I ended up buying a 2nd t-shirt in addition)
• 1 micro-fiber Sport Kilt hiking kilt
• 3 pairs of Injinji socks of varying material
• 3 pairs MeUndies underwear (2 would of been fine if they’d been quick-dry)
• 2 Buffs
• 1 Buff-brand hat
• 1 pair sunglasses
• 1 pair lightweight gloves
• 1 pair ‘waterproof’ Altra Lone Peak 3.0 trail shoes
• 1 pair Xero shoe sandals

TOILETRIES

• 1 bar Dr Bronner’s Pure-castle bar soap (1/2 bar would of been fine for me. for hair/body/laundry) in zip bag
• 1 travel tube toothpaste
• 1 toothbrush
• 1 medium camp towel (I forgot the brand)
• 50mL jar Joshua Tree Climbing Salve - for foot care
• Handful of Excedrin (what works for me for headaches)
• Small tube sunblock that I bought locally - easy to find along the way
• 1 small pair nail clippers
• 1 small package underwear liners (use in-lieu of toilet paper)
• 1 tube lip balm w. sunblock
• 1 6-pair pack silicone earplugs
• Exfoliating glove
• *Small mesh bag for soap and glove to air dry.
• (I did end up buying other items as I needed them: Ibuprofen (cheaper/better in Spain), Voltadol, ACE wrap for some tendonitis that came up).

OTHER ITEMS

• AegisMax Ultralight Goosedown sleeping bag
• Hydrapak Stow collapsable 1L water bottle
• A 1-L water reservoir for my backpack (Altus brand- leaked).
• Lightweight Altus trekking poles w. caps (wore through 3 sets of caps)
• Nova CB-R Translucent Microlight in Night Vision Red (small squeeze light)
• iPhone w. cable, F-type USB plug
• Earbuds
• Rechargeable battery bank for phone
• Passport and passport wallet worn around the neck
• Sea-To-Summit collapsible cup
• A small S-shaped clip
• Brierley’s map book
• A Moleskin notebook for journaling in
• 2 pens
• 1 ziplock gallon bag with copies of documents/tickets
• 1 quart sized plastic zip bag to store journal, map book, and credential
• 1 biodegradable rain poncho
• 15’ length of paracord with 10 safety pins for a clothesline

WHAT I ENDED UP SENDING AHEAD:
(This happened in Burgos)

• Rain Pants - they were a MUST that first week (it was FLOODING and parts of the Camino were closing, it was that bad. Later, a poncho was enough and my pants dried so fast and I was able to stay warm enough from movement that I didn’t miss my pants.
• Gloves - they were a bit bulky (long story - not what I bought for the Camino). A must that first week. Got rid of them and then later needed another pair because the rain was just too cold on my hands and socks weren’t cutting it.
• FiveFingers - I wasn’t sure about my footwear and I’m used to wearing these all the time. My shoes ended up being perfect so these were extraneous and I sent them ahead.
• Wool Hat - this is before I bought my second buff and buff sun hat. It was a must at the time but WAY too warm later. I’d probably do without it completely next time and just start off with the buffs and buff hat - under 2 hoods it’s enough for me.
• Some random toiletries not on the list above.

THINGS I BOUGHT AS I WENT

• 2nd t-shirt - during warm spells, the long-sleeve was just too much and despite everything being quick-dry, I really liked having a 2nd t-shirt to change into for sleepwear or while the other was drying.
• 1L water reservoir - next time I’d start with one. They work for me and that size is just right.
• Trekking Poles - bought on day 3. I’m agile but with the flooding and scree I came across later I’m so glad I had them.
• Buff hat and second Buff - sun shade. I wore one Buff around my neck (sometimes wet) and the other on my head draping to cover the side of my face/neck under my hat. When it was cold, I’d wear one around my neck and the other over my ears. Combined weight was much lighter than my wool cap.
• I constantly bought chocolate bars in multi-packs whenever I found a supermercado so I had enough for a few days and for offering to fellow pilgrims.

WHAT I’M GLAD I DIDN’T BRING

• Camera - phone was fine
• Books - almost all reference material was on my phone
• Headlamp - red squeeze light was enough for seeing around my bunk, going to the bathroom, leaving the albergue in the morning and I rarely left so early that I needed a light outdoors
• Any other toiletries
• Anything related to cooking

THINGS I *COULD* OF DITCHED BUT GLAD I HAD ANYWAY AND WOULD BRING AGAIN

• Hiking Kilt: I could of bought pants that turned into shorts and done with that but I LOVE hiking in a kilt. Less chafing, better ventilation, and it’s a great conversation piece. If it had been warmer, I’d of ditched the pants and gone with just a kilt.
• Collapsable cup: I’d use it to drink from every potable fountain I came across, drinking up to stay hydrated. Also made accessing water from sinks easier. I hate using my hands and sometimes ducking my head under a spigot wasn’t an option.
• The stuff sack for my sleeping bag: I used it to keep dirty laundry separate from clean laundry and to better organize my pack. It was super thin so wasn’t much weight.
• Paracord: Most places had clothes lines or plenty of room on clothes lines but not always so having my own was handy. It was also useful for helping bundle up stuff for going to the airport.
• RuMe organizer: I had an assortment of pills I ended up with and while a single quart ziplock bag would of done the trick, I really appreciated having 3 compartments in one bag. I would grab the whole thing.
• The small mesh zip bag: I could of pinned my exfoliating glove to my pack or something but this thing was nice and kept my soap (in a sandwich bag) and glove separate and helped them to dry out.

I also wrote up my methods for things that people often ask about but it wouldn't fit here. Maybe in comments.

Thank you for your great, in depth packing list and all the other information. Really helpful. My wife did the Camino in 2016 in April and May-- she swears by her rain pants but my son, who is a distance hiker says that for him, rain pants are just wasted weight. He just wears lightweight pants that dry out quickly. My son says, don't take rain pants. Your thoughts? Also, my wife is urging me to just take a silk sleeping bag liner and sleep under the blankets that are available at albuergues. I saw your comments on your Aegis sleep bag and the cold weather you experienced. I hate to be cold when sleeping. I'll be on the Camino in late April, May, and maybe into June. What are your thoughts on not taking a sleeping bag and trying to get by with just a liner? If you have time for a quick reply, I'd appreciate it a lot. Regards, James

 

[tomishy]

FOOT CARE SYSTEM:
I took very good care of my feet and only got blisters *once* on the one day I did not do my routine. I followed the advice of professional backpacker/hiker Andrew Skurka and kept my feet well-moisturized. I bought a salve he once recommended (Joshua Tree Climbing Salve) and it was fabulous though I’m sure others would work fine, too.

• In the morning before putting on my shoes, I’d massage in the salve, put on dry and clean Injinji toe socks, and go.
• I never changed socks during the day, though some people do this.
• At the end of the day, after showering I’d massage in salve again and let my feet breathe a bit but I’d often sleep with clean socks on. So basically moisturize morning and night.
• I should also point out that my socks were all Injinji toe socks. I’m used to them because I usually wear FiveFingers but I saw quite a few pilgrims switch to these on the Camino because they’d get blisters or cuts where their toes rubbed together.

A friend of mine walked in March-April and she wore Keen hiking boots and changed her socks multiple times a day with the goal being to keep her feet as dry as possible.

hi
did use the wool sock over the liner?

 

[Mikel Olivares]

There’s a lot of crappy chocolate in Spain (sorry Spain!) so stock up on chocolate

 

[alaskadiver]

WATER SYSTEM:
This is definitely a "do what works for you" thing. This is what worked for me:

• I used an Altus bladder that leaked all the time and had to live in a gallon zip bag. I had brought a Camelbak bladder with me but at the last minute decided against it and left it at my friend's house in Cambridge. By Pamplona I was desperate for a reservoir so got what was cheap.
• My water bottle is a HydroPak collapsible 1L bottle. It can roll up and is very durable. It wanted to slip out of my pocket so I'd keep it clipped in but what was SO great about it is I could put it in a freezer and turn it into an ice pack for my ankle!
• Sea-To-Summit collapsible cup. I thought this part was ingenius for my personal system (read below)

I have an injured shoulder that was much more stiff during the Camino and it’s on the side where the water bottle pocket is, so reaching my bottle wasn’t going to happen. I am used to using a water reservoir/bladder so I had a 1L that I’d fill at the start of the day and drink from as I walked. During breaks, I’d drink from my water bottle, which I’d also keep near me at night if I got thirsty. Lastly, I kept my collapsible cup in my pocket as I walked and every time I came across potable water, I’d drink 1 or 2 cupfuls of water from my cup (and fill my bottle if I needed to). Drinking this way with my cup made it so I didn’t need to drink as much from my carried sources. I only ever ran out of water once - barely. It was a hot day on the Meseta (Hontanas to Itero de la Vega) and I ran out just as I reached my albergue.
I should note that the food in Spain is VERY lightly salted if at all and on those hot days many of us were getting light headed despite drinking lots of water. We realized we needed electrolytes — and salt. So we started asking for salt and salting our food and I would buy sports drinks at supermercados on hot days if I could find them.

FOOD SYSTEM:
At home in Alaska I am intolerant of gluten, corn, cow dairy, and soy. In Spain (and France!) I found I could eat all the bakery breads, pastas, and pastries just fine (pre-packaged, mass-produced stuff was still an issue). So probably the bromine and pesticides and crap they allow in our food here at home rather than the gluten itself.
At first I would stock up on gluten-free rolls, goat cheese (yum! and CHEAP!), and some meats and make sandwiches at lunch. I’d also carry chocolate bars, fruit (often the dessert from the previous night’s pilgrim meal), and whatever snacks I’d scrounged. Later I fell into a rhythm that was basically the hobbit diet:

• Get up and pack. Never eat an albergue “breakfast” unless it was a real breakfast or included in the price.
• Find a bakery or cafe while walking, usually within first hour of walking. Eat a pastry and/or tortilla patatas.
• Walk some more. Find another cafe and have second breakfast, often another tortilla patatas AND a pastry.
• Walk some more. Find another cafe - usually around 11 - and have “elevensies”: usually a bocadilla with either bacon or more tortilla patatas (I love tortilla patatas). Occasionally it would be a fancier sandwich than this.
• While walking, eat snacks. If reserves are low, look for supermercado or small shop or gas station to stock up on candy bars or fruit or donate a lot and eat fruit at a donativo.
• Pilgrim meal for dinner. Fruit for dessert (often available upon request if not on menu) becomes snack or breakfast for next day.

Some sections of the Camino just don’t have a lot of places to buy food this often but this became MUCH easier to do after O’Cebreiro. But early in the Camino I was carrying way more food than I needed to.

I should also note I did buy one of those inexpensive Opinel pocket knives on day 2 for cutting cheese and sausages. Good buy - I used it quite a bit. Very sharp! I also had a Lite My Fire spork with me; I probably used it but don't remember. I'm so used to always having one on me that it blurs in my mind.

A fellow Alaskan! I hiked the Camino in a purple rain skirt and will do so again in April. Something that , as you know, we can't do here at home in summer due to the mosquitos and devil's club. I was surprised that you packed so many shirts. I wore 2 t-shirts everyday and only in the evenings did I, on some occasions, need my lightweight synthetic jacket.
That was a very detailed list. Good job

 

[Just_Me]

thank you for the wonderfully detailed lists. Interesting that you were able to tolerate gluten over there? Not a coeliac then? You mentioned GF rolls, where do you find them? Supermercado?
cheers

 

[sal777]

Incredible detail!
Here are two contributions from my daughter and myself

https://iwouldwalk500miles.org/2017/05/27/packing-jen/

https://iwouldwalk500miles.org/2017/05/27/packing-steve/

 

[Mac53]

Thank you for the great, in depth information and your packing list. Really great.

Thank you for your great, in depth packing list and all the other information. Really helpful. My wife did the Camino in 2016 in April and May-- she swears by her rain pants but my son, who is a distance hiker says that for him, rain pants are just wasted weight. He just wears lightweight pants that dry out quickly. My son says, don't take rain pants. Your thoughts? Also, my wife is urging me to just take a silk sleeping bag liner and sleep under the blankets that are available at albuergues. I saw your comments on your Aegis sleep bag and the cold weather you experienced. I hate to be cold when sleeping. I'll be on the Camino in late April, May, and maybe into June. What are your thoughts on not taking a sleeping bag and trying to get by with just a liner? If you have time for a quick reply, I'd appreciate it a lot. Regards, James

Take the sleeping bag , my son and I took liners in May 2015 , it worked the first 10 days then the weather turned cold , freezing on the Meseta ,I chickened out and bought a lightweight bag in Leon with no regrets - 10 cm snow in Foncebadon mid May. Forget the rain pants , in three caminos I wore them one morning , your son is right. I will be starting April 1st from Seville with sleeping bag and without rain pants ,Buen Camino.

 

[Mazzy]

Everyone has the right to 15 minutes of glory. Some need a litle more.

???

 

[Mazzy]

OTHER TIPS:

I had about a two-foot length of thick cord tied in a loop on my bag that I used to hang my pack from my bed frame every night. If you've been reading these forums you should know by now to NEVER put your pack on your bed or on a chair as that is unhygenic/rude and it's not really safe from bugs/wet on the floor. So I would hang it.

Earplugs in the ears and Buff over the eyes for sleeping soundly. I’m a light sleeper but this, on top of sheer exhaustion, usually allowed me to sleep well each night.

Trekking poles? YES! I do a lot of backpacking at home and always use poles. I wasn't sure I'd need them on the Camino but after hiking through the flooding around Zubiri and Pamlpona it was a must with the mud. Later I developed tendonitis from walking too fast and the poles helped me to hobble better. Knowing proper technique they were helpful for me for steep hills - for going up I could use my arms to pull me along, and for going downhill I could use them to help slow my descent and take the strain off my knees a bit. So for me a resounding yes! I bought mine in Pamplona because I had no good way of getting a pair with me to Europe. I ended up flying them home with me in checked baggage.

LADIES — get some panty liners/underwear liners to wear in lieu of using toilet paper. Personally, I had a good schedule for bowel movements so only ever had to go #2 outdoors once (and it was in the woods where I could dig a cat hole and bury it properly). For peeing I hate having to carry around used toilet paper - and I’m not about to litter. So what I do is wear a panty liner. When I’m done, I shake my tush as best I can, then the panty liner catches any drips. I can change out next time I’m somewhere with a toilet. So no littering, no worrying about having TP, it can be used all day long - so I can “drop trou” any time and go and not worry.

KILT. I do not feel comfortable in what is stereotypically “women’s” clothes. But shorts tend to give me odd chafing issues. So a few years ago I got into wearing kilts because reasons. Holy cow are they comfortable. I recommend everyone of every gender try a kilt/skirt/sarong/whatever for walking in because wow. For me, the air flow helped a lot of things - with or without underwear, your choice. No chafing and much cooler in hot temperatures. I’ve backpacked in a kilt before so this was nothing new. A kilt *is* a lot more fabric than a straight up skirt but again… personal issues. I bore the weight. The micro fiber kilt I had maybe weighed a bit more than my pants did, so it wasn’t too bad and I could wear it in temps as cold as the low 50°sF (11°C). Another benefit for women wearing a skirt/kilt/wrap/etc is we can squat to pee or whatever without flashing anyone.

There’s a lot of crappy chocolate in Spain (sorry Spain!) so stock up on chocolate bars in supermercados in the larger towns. Snickers and Kit-Kats often come in multi-packs that are much cheaper. I’d often buy these; that way I could eat one or two in a day and have some on hand to offer other pilgrims — chocolate is a HUGE smile-maker for others! Also, GAS STATIONS often have candy bars you don’t find as easily in stores.

Having a SIM card. I spend 4 months out of every year being disconnected - no phone, TV, internet. So that is easy for me. But for navigation and finding albergues it was invaluable to me having a SIM card for my phone. In several groups I walked with I’d end up being the de facto navigator/finder of nice albergues to stay in.

Booking ahead? Nah. (At least not for me most of the time). I mostly stayed off Brierley stages though if I did it again and thought I'd end up in Leon I'd try to book ahead (there was a fiesta there, of course, and things filled up FAST). The only time I booked ahead was for Santiago and Finisterre about 2 days out because there's such a big influx of pilgrims it is difficult to find something last minute at a good location.


That's all I can think of as far as routines and the items that involve them.

I loved reading your contributions, so thank you so much for taking so much time to share. I'm walking the CF in May this year so I'm soaking up all the information I can possibly find on what to take. I've download Maps.me but need to find out more about how to download maps for the Camino. When I put something in the search box it says 'not found'. I'll buy some injinji socks but I'm pretty well sorted thanks to you. (Scottish but mostly Irish background so I'll forgo the kilt though.....? I do worry about the peeing in the woods somewhat as there seems to be a great deal of areas especially on the way to Roncesvalles which are wide open and don't provide much area for privacy. I can imagine myself rolling down a hill with my knickers around my knees....... Seriously - thanks!

 

[blisschick]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the comprehensive insights! I had not considered the hiking kilt or skirt, but will look for one. I can see where that was be useful and even versitle when combined with leggings. Or providing cover in lieu of needing to ‘drop trou.’

Also appreciate the description of the wide temperature variation and also your use of hiking poles - I was thinking of ditching those in order to decrease weight (although I generally use them when in Yosemite, etc - mostly for the descents).

All your insights (along with all the incredible insights on this forum) are much appreciated.

 

[Anamya]

Such a useful topic, thanks a lot for the details!

I've download Maps.me but need to find out more about how to download maps for the Camino.

You may want to check this thread if you are looking for a good Camino app: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-camino-app-wisely-camino-forum-places.59532/

 

[howlsthunder]

I'm really glad my post was useful! Not everything I did will work for any given individual; I say just go with your gut -- the Camino really does provide in a lot of ways so if you make a mistake it's fairly easy to fix by getting different gear or sending stuff ahead.

Thanks can you PM a pic of you in the hiking kilt? I wear pants but like leggings as my second option but don’t like walking around “fully exposed” LOL in just leggings. Thanks

He just wears lightweight pants that dry out quickly. My son says, don't take rain pants. Your thoughts? Also, my wife is urging me to just take a silk sleeping bag liner and sleep under the blankets that are available at albuergues. I saw your comments on your Aegis sleep bag and the cold weather you experienced. I hate to be cold when sleeping. I'll be on the Camino in late April, May, and maybe into June. What are your thoughts on not taking a sleeping bag and trying to get by with just a liner? If you have time for a quick reply, I'd appreciate it a lot. Regards, James

As to rain pants - I hiked April 6th til May 14th. We had a lot more rain than usual in April and it got VERY wet and VERY cold. I can't imagine ever doing that section in that weather without rain pants. But once I got to the meseta, rain pants were no longer necessary and the rain I encountered later wasn't that bad and it never got that cold again so having damp lower legs (I had a poncho in addition to my rain coat) wasn't that big a deal. No two years are alike so I can't say what will or won't work for you. If you get cold easily and it looks to be cold and wet, take pants. If you end up not needing them, donate or send them ahead.

Similar answer to the bag; spring is fickle from what I've read. It could be very cold into May or you could have sun all the time. I get cold at night so I needed a bag nearly every single night and a handful of times it wasn't enough. But again, the beauty of walking in spring is it should just get warmer as you go -- so you can just send stuff ahead and lighten your pack as you go! There are outdoor supply shops in most of the major towns (Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, Astorga, Ponferrada, etc) and even some in between where you could even pick up a liner if you started with a bag. I can't imagine it being cold into June!

hi
did use the wool sock over the liner?

Nope. I don't like layering socks - my feet get way too hot. I just wear a single pair of Injinjis.

A fellow Alaskan! I hiked the Camino in a purple rain skirt and will do so again in April. Something that , as you know, we can't do here at home in summer due to the mosquitos and devil's club. I was surprised that you packed so many shirts. I wore 2 t-shirts everyday and only in the evenings did I, on some occasions, need my lightweight synthetic jacket.
That was a very detailed list. Good job

Hi! I followed your posts before I went on my Camino because I trusted how another Alaskan would view the comparison of our weather to Spain's. (And luckily my friends who had walked were all Alaskans as well). It does seem like I had a lot of shirts but they were all very thin layers; I hate having a single bulky layer because I am such a Goldilocks when it comes to being the right temperature. I had temps as cold as freezing on quite a few days and as hot as Hades when I walked but it was colder more often than not.

thank you for the wonderfully detailed lists. Interesting that you were able to tolerate gluten over there? Not a coeliac then? You mentioned GF rolls, where do you find them? Supermercado?
cheers

I'm not coeliac but cannot tolerate any grains in America. I had no issue with French and Spanish breads. That said, many supermercados carried "sin gluten" foods - often all on their own rack in a bright yellow and red label. In fact, the first little shop you come across after Roncesvailles has a whole rack of "sin gluten" items. I took to carrying a pack or two of rolls that first week until I realized I could eat the local bread.

 

[howlsthunder]

This is the thin, hooded shirt I had - in addition to my t-shirt, VERY thin wool longsleeve baselayer (lighter than my t-shirt!), Patagonia down shirt (lightest thing I had), and thin rain coat. It seems like a lot of layers but they were all very thin and light and did jobs the others didn't. And I had about two weeks worth of hiking where I wore every single layer I had and it was *just* enough. But we had unseasonably cold weather and record-setting rain, or so the locals all said. (Zubiri April 2018 - if you were there, you know what I mean!)

The pictured long-sleeve was thick enough to provide another layer of insulation, tightly woven enough to stop a breeze, but light enough to wear on warmer days to protect my fair skin from the sun. Potentially extraneous but I would take it again in a heartbeat.

 

[skydiva]

Take the sleeping bag , my son and I took liners in May 2015 , it worked the first 10 days then the weather turned cold , freezing on the Meseta ,I chickened out and bought a lightweight bag in Leon with no regrets - 10 cm snow in Foncebadon mid May. Forget the rain pants , in three caminos I wore them one morning , your son is right. I will be starting April 1st from Seville with sleeping bag and without rain pants ,Buen Camino.

Without the rain pants, what did you wear for an upper: jacket, poncho or other?? Brand name too please

 

[skydiva]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the comprehensive insights! I had not considered the hiking kilt or skirt, but will look for one. I can see where that was be useful and even versitle when combined with leggings. Or providing cover in lieu of needing to ‘drop trou.’

Also appreciate the description of the wide temperature variation and also your use of hiking poles - I was thinking of ditching those in order to decrease weight (although I generally use them when in Yosemite, etc - mostly for the descents).

All your insights (along with all the incredible insights on this forum) are much appreciated.

My own personal advice for new Camino hikers is (having spent 45 days walking Camino Francis): bring hiking poles {mine were heavier than many others I saw -- made for a nicer workout for my arms}. I believe that I saved my knees and body because of them (I had two poles whereas I saw many people with only 1 or a staff of some sort).
I'm fit, healthy and active but was concerned about my knees. My knees were never a problem. The blisters were what got me .

 

[skydiva]

This is the thin, hooded shirt I had - in addition to my t-shirt, VERY thin wool longsleeve baselayer (lighter than my t-shirt!), Patagonia down shirt (lightest thing I had), and thin rain coat. It seems like a lot of layers but they were all very thin and light and did jobs the others didn't. And I had about two weeks worth of hiking where I wore every single layer I had and it was *just* enough. But we had unseasonably cold weather and record-setting rain, or so the locals all said. (Zubiri April 2018 - if you were there, you know what I mean!)

The pictured long-sleeve was thick enough to provide another layer of insulation, tightly woven enough to stop a breeze, but light enough to wear on warmer days to protect my fair skin from the sun. Potentially extraneous but I would take it again in a heartbeat.

Do you have an online link to the tshirt, baselayer, down shirt and jacket you took? I'm looking for other options and I like to go with brands/model # that have worked for others .
Thank you!

 

[howlsthunder]

Do you have an online link to the tshirt, baselayer, down shirt and jacket you took? I'm looking for other options and I like to go with brands/model # that have worked for others .
Thank you!

To answer your first (un-quoted) question, I had a very thin, very light Under Armor brand rain jacket and Marmot rain pants that zipped the entire length of the legs (I've owned them before and love the full-leg zip). I didn't like the way parts of my pack were getting saturated despite my rain cover and I was getting cold through my jacket despite it keeping me dry so I got a cheap, bio-degradeable poncho at Caminoteca in Pamplona that covered my pack and me, draping down to my knees. I would not use the Under Armor jacket again; if I knew it would be that cold again I might get something thicker. But being thin it worked great on not-so-cold days. The poncho was a compromise; I stayed much warmer with that AND my rain gear. I'm not saying this is the way to go; doubling up on gear is a waste of weight but it's what I had to do with my budget at the time.

I believe I have the brands in my list in my original post but I'm happy to post them again:

• Kari Traa long-sleeve wool base layer shirt (don't know the kind; I cut the tag off and they don't make the same style, but it was VERY thin and very warm)
• Ably t-shirt - hydrophobic cotton that also resists sweat/stink, dried faster than anything I owned. They make all kinds of clothes with the same properties, but they're mostly cotton-based, so not warm.
• The top in the photo above; unknown brand. Thin, stretchy material, came from Costco many years ago.
• Patagonia Down Ultralight Shirt - they don't make these anymore. It had a quarter zip pull-over and weighed as much as a Buff. I searched their website but they just don't make anything even similar with down. I think their Nano Puff stuff replaced it but it's not as light.
• REI Kornati roll-up pants - I know you didn't ask, but these are the specific pants I had, in black. They dried VERY fast.

 

[Jodean]

This was my list for April in Portugal and Sept/Oct on the CF. Will bring the same stuff this fall.

Deuter Back Pack ACT LITE 35+10L, 1580 gr. 139.95€
Meindl Hiking Boots w/Gore-tex, 169.95€
Meru goa comfort Sleeping Bag, 830gr, 39.95€
Babimax folding trekking Poles, 39.95€
Meru knee length fleece jacket, 69.95€
Bluefield Poncho, 29.99€, 330 gr.
2 pair hiking pants, 300gr. each
3 light blouses - 1 long sleeve, 2 short sleeve
Eagle Creek black silk money belt, 24.95€
Hip pouch, 8.50€
2 wide mouth plastic bottles, total 5.90€
extra pair of eye glasses
3 pair wool socks, 30.00€
2 pair knee high support hosiery
mini solar light, 9.95€
mini whistle, 4.95€
caribiner clip, 1.99€
Guidebook by Joos, 16.90€
Light knee-length sleeveless night gown, 125gr.
2 camisole bras
3 pair underwear
Waffle weave cotton towel 140x70cm - 300gr.
8 plastic clothespins
10 safety pins
2 shoelaces (used to tie up sleeping bag instead of stuff sack) Can be used as a clothesline, but never did
Baseball cap
Pillow case
Scarf
Mini knit gloves
Crocs for shower and relaxing, in cloth bag
Pilgrim Credential
Camino Passport/Credential Cover, 2.00€ (from Ivar)
Travel toiletries (toothpaste, travel toothbrush, shampoo, tiny bottle of oil to use on hair, body wash, q-tips) in zip-lock bag
Small detangler hairbrush
First aid kit (band-aid strip, Immodium, Benadryl, Medi Nait cold pills, migraine pills) in zip-lock bag
Bandanna cut into 1/4ths, in a zip lock bag as emergency TP
P-Style FUD
4 light mesh packing bags, 2 €
1 pen
I-phone & cables, plug
Spork
The weight is 6.7kg.

Used NO Bite permethrin spray on sleeping bag and back pack-14.95€
Will be wearing one shirt, one pair pants, one pair of socks, 1 bra, pair of panties, plus my hip pack and money belt. Money belt has my bank card, ins. card, big money, train ticket. Hip belt has guidebook, passport and pilgrim pass in a plastic holder, iphone, tissues, mints, glasses, pen, journal, choc. bar. At night, my money belt goes into my hip pack and sleeps next to me.
Wise Pilgrim app on iphone

 

[KarenLW]

Girl, you rock. I love the organization, bullets, layout, etc. It works so well for many of us to absorb all of the great info

 

[skydiva]

To answer your first (un-quoted) question, I had a very thin, very light Under Armor brand rain jacket and Marmot rain pants that zipped the entire length of the legs (I've owned them before and love the full-leg zip). I didn't like the way parts of my pack were getting saturated despite my rain cover and I was getting cold through my jacket despite it keeping me dry so I got a cheap, bio-degradeable poncho at Caminoteca in Pamplona that covered my pack and me, draping down to my knees. I would not use the Under Armor jacket again; if I knew it would be that cold again I might get something thicker. But being thin it worked great on not-so-cold days. The poncho was a compromise; I stayed much warmer with that AND my rain gear. I'm not saying this is the way to go; doubling up on gear is a waste of weight but it's what I had to do with my budget at the time.

I believe I have the brands in my list in my original post but I'm happy to post them again:

• Kari Traa long-sleeve wool base layer shirt (don't know the kind; I cut the tag off and they don't make the same style, but it was VERY thin and very warm)
• Ably t-shirt - hydrophobic cotton that also resists sweat/stink, dried faster than anything I owned. They make all kinds of clothes with the same properties, but they're mostly cotton-based, so not warm.
• The top in the photo above; unknown brand. Thin, stretchy material, came from Costco many years ago.
• Patagonia Down Ultralight Shirt - they don't make these anymore. It had a quarter zip pull-over and weighed as much as a Buff. I searched their website but they just don't make anything even similar with down. I think their Nano Puff stuff replaced it but it's not as light.
• REI Kornati roll-up pants - I know you didn't ask, but these are the specific pants I had, in black. They dried VERY fast.

Thank you so very much! Your answers are incredibly thorough, well thought out and formatted beautifully. I appreciate the time you've taken to help others, truly!

 

[Rudie]

Just a suggestion: If you add a Lighterpack to your description this post becomes much more useful as you know the base weight, worn weight, etc. It gives people a much better idea what to keep and what to ditch to save a few ounces.

 

[NanaEL]

OTHER TIPS:

I had about a two-foot length of thick cord tied in a loop on my bag that I used to hang my pack from my bed frame every night. If you've been reading these forums you should know by now to NEVER put your pack on your bed or on a chair as that is unhygenic/rude and it's not really safe from bugs/wet on the floor. So I would hang it.

Earplugs in the ears and Buff over the eyes for sleeping soundly. I’m a light sleeper but this, on top of sheer exhaustion, usually allowed me to sleep well each night.

Trekking poles? YES! I do a lot of backpacking at home and always use poles. I wasn't sure I'd need them on the Camino but after hiking through the flooding around Zubiri and Pamlpona it was a must with the mud. Later I developed tendonitis from walking too fast and the poles helped me to hobble better. Knowing proper technique they were helpful for me for steep hills - for going up I could use my arms to pull me along, and for going downhill I could use them to help slow my descent and take the strain off my knees a bit. So for me a resounding yes! I bought mine in Pamplona because I had no good way of getting a pair with me to Europe. I ended up flying them home with me in checked baggage.

LADIES — get some panty liners/underwear liners to wear in lieu of using toilet paper. Personally, I had a good schedule for bowel movements so only ever had to go #2 outdoors once (and it was in the woods where I could dig a cat hole and bury it properly). For peeing I hate having to carry around used toilet paper - and I’m not about to litter. So what I do is wear a panty liner. When I’m done, I shake my tush as best I can, then the panty liner catches any drips. I can change out next time I’m somewhere with a toilet. So no littering, no worrying about having TP, it can be used all day long - so I can “drop trou” any time and go and not worry.

KILT. I do not feel comfortable in what is stereotypically “women’s” clothes. But shorts tend to give me odd chafing issues. So a few years ago I got into wearing kilts because reasons. Holy cow are they comfortable. I recommend everyone of every gender try a kilt/skirt/sarong/whatever for walking in because wow. For me, the air flow helped a lot of things - with or without underwear, your choice. No chafing and much cooler in hot temperatures. I’ve backpacked in a kilt before so this was nothing new. A kilt *is* a lot more fabric than a straight up skirt but again… personal issues. I bore the weight. The micro fiber kilt I had maybe weighed a bit more than my pants did, so it wasn’t too bad and I could wear it in temps as cold as the low 50°sF (11°C). Another benefit for women wearing a skirt/kilt/wrap/etc is we can squat to pee or whatever without flashing anyone.

There’s a lot of crappy chocolate in Spain (sorry Spain!) so stock up on chocolate bars in supermercados in the larger towns. Snickers and Kit-Kats often come in multi-packs that are much cheaper. I’d often buy these; that way I could eat one or two in a day and have some on hand to offer other pilgrims — chocolate is a HUGE smile-maker for others! Also, GAS STATIONS often have candy bars you don’t find as easily in stores.

Having a SIM card. I spend 4 months out of every year being disconnected - no phone, TV, internet. So that is easy for me. But for navigation and finding albergues it was invaluable to me having a SIM card for my phone. In several groups I walked with I’d end up being the de facto navigator/finder of nice albergues to stay in.

Booking ahead? Nah. (At least not for me most of the time). I mostly stayed off Brierley stages though if I did it again and thought I'd end up in Leon I'd try to book ahead (there was a fiesta there, of course, and things filled up FAST). The only time I booked ahead was for Santiago and Finisterre about 2 days out because there's such a big influx of pilgrims it is difficult to find something last minute at a good location.


That's all I can think of as far as routines and the items that involve them.

This is wonderful. Thank you for taking the time to do all this work to help us out. We are planning to start walking from SJPDP on Sept 18. I am not sure I read when you went. You have given me some valuable information - just starting to plan!

 

[Mac53]

Without the rain pants, what did you wear for an upper: jacket, poncho or other?? Brand name too please

A light rain jacket and bicycle poncho with rain pants but next time no rain pants but a long light hiking poncho ( no name) from amazon, rain jacket is from Aldi( 3 1/2 caminos in April/May) .I never buy brand names except maybe boots but then never more than 100 Euro. Zip off walking pants 2 pairs from Lidl at 9 euros each,quick dry and still going strong.

 

[Judymiddle]

Wow! Thank you not only for your thorough list but also the detailed information you provided! I will be starting April 10th so it’s all very relevant. I received Aegis sleeping bag you recommended but wondering which Sea-to-Summit compression bag you used - XS or 6L? I have a 10 L dry bag for taking clothes, etc into shower. I will be using a poncho and rain pants (and hoping for minimal rain) so wondering if you went with a “fry” compression bag for your sleeping bag. Thanks again for such helpful information!!

 

[Gimoz]

Thank you for sharing your detailed packing list. I found it to be very helpful.

 

[FrankWall]

Excellent advice. Thanks so much for documenting it all.

 

[Mindy303]

OTHER TIPS:

I had about a two-foot length of thick cord tied in a loop on my bag that I used to hang my pack from my bed frame every night. If you've been reading these forums you should know by now to NEVER put your pack on your bed or on a chair as that is unhygenic/rude and it's not really safe from bugs/wet on the floor. So I would hang it.

Earplugs in the ears and Buff over the eyes for sleeping soundly. I’m a light sleeper but this, on top of sheer exhaustion, usually allowed me to sleep well each night.

Trekking poles? YES! I do a lot of backpacking at home and always use poles. I wasn't sure I'd need them on the Camino but after hiking through the flooding around Zubiri and Pamlpona it was a must with the mud. Later I developed tendonitis from walking too fast and the poles helped me to hobble better. Knowing proper technique they were helpful for me for steep hills - for going up I could use my arms to pull me along, and for going downhill I could use them to help slow my descent and take the strain off my knees a bit. So for me a resounding yes! I bought mine in Pamplona because I had no good way of getting a pair with me to Europe. I ended up flying them home with me in checked baggage.

LADIES — get some panty liners/underwear liners to wear in lieu of using toilet paper. Personally, I had a good schedule for bowel movements so only ever had to go #2 outdoors once (and it was in the woods where I could dig a cat hole and bury it properly). For peeing I hate having to carry around used toilet paper - and I’m not about to litter. So what I do is wear a panty liner. When I’m done, I shake my tush as best I can, then the panty liner catches any drips. I can change out next time I’m somewhere with a toilet. So no littering, no worrying about having TP, it can be used all day long - so I can “drop trou” any time and go and not worry.

KILT. I do not feel comfortable in what is stereotypically “women’s” clothes. But shorts tend to give me odd chafing issues. So a few years ago I got into wearing kilts because reasons. Holy cow are they comfortable. I recommend everyone of every gender try a kilt/skirt/sarong/whatever for walking in because wow. For me, the air flow helped a lot of things - with or without underwear, your choice. No chafing and much cooler in hot temperatures. I’ve backpacked in a kilt before so this was nothing new. A kilt *is* a lot more fabric than a straight up skirt but again… personal issues. I bore the weight. The micro fiber kilt I had maybe weighed a bit more than my pants did, so it wasn’t too bad and I could wear it in temps as cold as the low 50°sF (11°C). Another benefit for women wearing a skirt/kilt/wrap/etc is we can squat to pee or whatever without flashing anyone.

There’s a lot of crappy chocolate in Spain (sorry Spain!) so stock up on chocolate bars in supermercados in the larger towns. Snickers and Kit-Kats often come in multi-packs that are much cheaper. I’d often buy these; that way I could eat one or two in a day and have some on hand to offer other pilgrims — chocolate is a HUGE smile-maker for others! Also, GAS STATIONS often have candy bars you don’t find as easily in stores.

Having a SIM card. I spend 4 months out of every year being disconnected - no phone, TV, internet. So that is easy for me. But for navigation and finding albergues it was invaluable to me having a SIM card for my phone. In several groups I walked with I’d end up being the de facto navigator/finder of nice albergues to stay in.

Booking ahead? Nah. (At least not for me most of the time). I mostly stayed off Brierley stages though if I did it again and thought I'd end up in Leon I'd try to book ahead (there was a fiesta there, of course, and things filled up FAST). The only time I booked ahead was for Santiago and Finisterre about 2 days out because there's such a big influx of pilgrims it is difficult to find something last minute at a good location.


That's all I can think of as far as routines and the items that involve them.

Invaluable information! Thank you so very much!

 

[3ball]

Thanks for including so much detail. I learned a lot.

 

[C clearly]

This thread is being closed because it is old, and there are many more recent discussions. Click on the tag "backpack and packing" under the title at the top of this thread, in order to find them.