Pack Size?

[Pcav182]

Hello all! What is the current thinking on how large a pack is needed for the Camino from St. Jean to Santiago. My sister has an AT 40 L.L. Bean Day Pack that she has offered me to borrow. The dimensions being 26½"H x 13"W x 6"D. This is the link to the bag description on LL Beans website:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/888...attrValue_0=Collegiate Blue&productId=1488523

Do you think this will be large enough or should I perhaps consider buying a larger pack, and if so what size? Thank so much for the help!

 

[MichaelC]

I'll be bringing a 33 litre Osprey, which I love. I've seen others on the forum recommend this size, so I'll stick with it. It seems small, but I think it will force me to pack smart. Anything larger and I know that I'll be tempted to start packing extra stuff. Based on what I've read, I wouldn't go over 40 litres.

 

[sadaigh]

I'm taking a 45 + 10, which is more than I need. I have tons of spare space, but it was the most comfortable pack for me!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I'm bringing an Osprey 36 liter pack. I think the pack you are being offered is almost a perfect size. I would recommend you borrow it and save yourself a hefty sum of money...provided it is comfortable after you try it out first with your basic gear you plan to bring.

 

[dougfitz]

There are other recent discussions on this theme. Rather than repeating a somewhat longer post, here is a link to my view on what is a useful rule of thumb -->> https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/backpack.46117/#post-488801.

A much more definitive method would be to collect together your packing list, and see if it all fits. If you are in doubt about what to pack, there is plenty of good advice on this forum, and if you post a list, there are many members willing to share their experience about what might be required.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

40 liters is what I now carry because I bring a small duvet or sleeping bag. Before that I used a 40l. Bigger than this and you will need discipline packing to make sure you are not packing items you don't need. At 2 pounds 12 ounces I find it a bit heavy though, but if it fits and you don't have to buy a pack, go for it.

Question: you call it a "day pack". Why?

 

[Mark Lee]

I've done the CF twice during July-August. It is the warmest and driest time of year to do it, at least in my experience. I was never rained on a single day either time (SJPdP-SDC). The albergues are the warmest, and personally I found no need for a sleeping bag.
That being said, it is also (IMO) the time of year when you need the least amount of stuff to bring. That pack should work just fine. It's not too heavy and don't be tempted to fill it to capacity. You could easily do it with a pack of about 30-35 liters, but since that one can be loaned to you gratis, go with it. You could even carry it without that removable top portion and still have plenty of room in it.
If you pack it right you can carry-on it on your flight(s). Much recommended to do, if you can.
ultreia

 

[Mark Lee]

40 liters is what I now carry because I bring a small duvet or sleeping bag. Before that I used a 40l. Bigger than this and you will need discipline packing to make sure you are not packing items you don't need. At 2 pounds 12 ounces I find it a bit heavy though, but if it fits and you don't have to buy a pack, go for it.

Question: you call it a "day pack". Why?

that's what it's listed as on the LL Bean webpage....click on the link she included if you wanna take a gander

 

[Anemone del Camino]

that's what it's listed as on the LL Bean webpage....click on the link she included if you wanna take a gander

I was hoping the OP was not thinking of using it as a day pack while shipping something even heavier ahead with the mochileros.

 

[Tincatinker]

@Pcav182 the most important 'size' question is 'does the pack fit you'. If when fully laden with everything you intend to carry plus, say, a litre of water and a snack or two the weight of the pack sits comfortably on your hips and not on your shoulders / neck then its a good fit. If you have room to spare inside good - just don't be tempted to fill it. If everything you intend to carry won't fit in a 40L pack take a very critical look at your packing list

 

[tillyjones]

I get by with a 28L!

 

[Mark Lee]

I get by with a 28L!

Yeah, last July-August I could have easily gotten away with a pack under 30L. It's just that the OP was offered use of that 40L for free.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Yeah, last July-August I could have easily gotten away with a pack under 30L. It's just that the OP was offered use of that 40L for free.

Exactly. "Free" speaks volumes, if it's comfortable when training with the gear she plans to bring.

 

[trecile]

Hello all! What is the current thinking on how large a pack is needed for the Camino from St. Jean to Santiago. My sister has an AT 40 L.L. Bean Day Pack that she has offered me to borrow. The dimensions being 26½"H x 13"W x 6"D. This is the link to the bag description on LL Beans website:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88841?feat=506845-GN3&page=at-40-day-pack&csp=f&attrValue_0=Collegiate Blue&productId=1488523

Do you think this will be large enough or should I perhaps consider buying a larger pack, and if so what size? Thank so much for the help!

The size of the pack looks good, and it's not too heavy, but will the same pack that fits your sister fit you? By the dimensions that you gave it looks like it is the small size that your sister have. I recommend that you get fitted for a back pack, so that you know how a properly fitting back pack feels, then try your sister's back pack.

 

[Ian Afloat]

Shall be taking an Osprey Escapist 25l in my next attempt to complete the Frances. All my stuff fits in it. Might even have some left over for a cheeky apple.

 

[Kanga]

Pack it with some bags of rice, put it on, walk around the block - it if is comfortable, go for it. The size should be fine.

 

[gracethepilgrim]

After shoes, your pack may be the second most important piece of kit. Many (not all) of the smaller packs do not have sufficient hip/shoulder padding for women so as others have said, please please practice with the pack for a decent training walk to see how you fare.
It’s not the ‘number size’ of pack but the comfort factor that will be important in the end.

@Pcav182, have a great time with all your preparations and Buen Camino

I carry a 65l Aarn (I can top it up with Spanish goodies before heading back to NZ, so the extra space is super!)

 

[Anniesantiago]

The pack I've used for 10 years was between 28-30 L.
I dumped it after the last Camino - and if I go again, I'll look for another under 30L.
It was perfect for walking in all seasons except winter, which I have not yet done.

 

[jumpingin2014]

A much more definitive method would be to collect together your packing list, and see if it all fits. If you are in doubt about what to pack, there is plenty of good advice on this forum, and if you post a list, there are many members willing to share their experience about what might be required.

This makes sense to me ............... once you have pruned down your packing list then go find a pack that you can fit it in. Most advice I see on the forum is to minimize what you take so (if you choose to follow it) your list may end up being a lot smaller then you imagined and the pack as well. I met a guy from South Africa whose pack weighed less than 6 kgs. Mine was 9kgs - I can't help but think I would have had a heck of lot less problems with 6kg pack. Also I am thinking walking sticks/poles which if I had read reduces the impact on your lower bone joints (knees and ankles) up to 15%.

 

[Pcav182]

Thank you all so much for your help! Clearly the pack I have will be plenty big enough. It's just a matter now of whether it fits me well, which hopefully it will so I can save a small fortune on buying a new one. I just became concerned that perhaps it wasn't big enough when I saw on the LL Bean website being described as "a day pack".

 

[alipilgrim]

Something to think about: the smaller sized packs, ie under 40L are usually daypacks and therefore may not have the internal support/construction to hold a decent amount of weight comfortably. Also, they are smaller in length so that the 'waist' strap is generally at the waist, not the hips where the belts of larger packs rest and which is the ideal place to transfer weight to (the hip bones). So it might sound great to have a tiny pack but it might not be doing much good for your body. Having a bit larger pack may mean greater wearing comfort, less effort to squeeze everything in, and nothing dangling on the outside! Everyone says: if I have a larger pack then I'll take too much stuff. That's ridiculous. Make a list and stick to it.

 

[Scary]

im taking a black diamond 30L very small almost the size of a day pack, means i cant trick myself into putting more in that what i need hah.

 

[poogeyejr]

A much more definitive method would be to collect together your packing list, and see if it all fits. If you are in doubt about what to pack, there is plenty of good advice on this forum, and if you post a list, there are many members willing to share their experience about what might be required.

I agree! Try it out! I now carry a 26l pack!

 

[Gypsea Moon]

Have had a Deuter 28l the last two caminos winter, and a bumbag for quick and easy access to small bottle of water & snacks. Plenty of room for everything, incl. sleeping bag and complete rain gear.

 

[Gruffalo Jim]

I'm going to use my ancient thread, bought by my parents for my 18th nearly 40 years ago.
It's a comfortable old friend and reminder of travels past and will keep my family in my thoughts.
It's huge, but will be near empty!

 

[Playful Dread]

I carry a Lowe Alpine Beartooth 45 Air. My wife and I sleep outdoors a lot of the time so I carry a sleeping bag and 3/4 length self inflating mat. Plus this year I'll be adding a tarp to the mix as well. The bag is ideal for carry on with the airlines so I pack everything on the inside and it cuts down on costs. I've never found the weight a problem and usually when I start walking there'll be all kinds of things hanging off the bag drying like socks and t-shirts!

Last year I found my bag was forever changing size and weight as I gained and lost things along the way. The most important thing I found was to have the bag comfy to carry, rather than it being dependant on anything else. Even if it was comfy and heavy I could still manage that, rather than it being heavy and uncomfortable to carry. But I would say it never really got heavy unless we panicked slightly over not having enough water and in doing so decided to weigh us down a little with extra bottles.

My advice would be get a good comfy cabin sized bag!

 

[Chuck Cunningham]

Hello all! What is the current thinking on how large a pack is needed for the Camino from St. Jean to Santiago. My sister has an AT 40 L.L. Bean Day Pack that she has offered me to borrow. The dimensions being 26½"H x 13"W x 6"D. This is the link to the bag description on LL Beans website:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88841?feat=506845-GN3&page=at-40-day-pack&csp=f&attrValue_0=Collegiate Blue&productId=1488523

Do you think this will be large enough or should I perhaps consider buying a larger pack, and if so what size? Thank so much for the help!

I followed your link and the pack doesn't look too bad but remember a "day pack" is not designed to carry too much weight. Also be sure it fits properly, there are tons of videos on youtube.com that show you how to measure and adjust the pack to you. it is extremely to have the right torso size so hopefully this pack's waist belt is adjustable ( up and down, not for waist size, but torso size.)
I use an Ohm 2.0 from ULA equipment and absolutely love it. It is a small company here in the USA and when you call you will usually get Chris, the owner personally to help size your pack and get you into the right one. He even made some custom waist belt straps for me at no extra charge. Anyway yourr pack is VERY important, An ill fitting pack can cause you a lot of grief.

 

[Ahhhs]

Osprey 30L here.
And I carry a lightweight sleeping bag.
Plenty of room.

Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 56069]

Well I guess I am not fashionable with my 60L Pack. It fits me very well, everything is in the pack, nothing strapped to the outside including my sleeping bag. Not stuffed at all, easy to pack each day. Carry about 22 to 24 lbs including water.
I do notice some with the small packs have extra little bags strapped to the outside or sleeping bags, extra sandals etc. which would seem to indicate their back packs are maybe too small.
No right or wrong, what ever works for you.

 

[xin loi]

Walked Camino frances twice with a 50 L. Using a 60L this year. Don't mind carrying a big pack with 14 kilos in it. Would carry more if I was younger. Sfter a week or so, you don't even notice the weight. Love the Koreans with their BIG packs--anyone else take ear muffs with them like the Korean girls do.

last year I walked a few days with the Israeli guys carrying Kosher food and Kosher cooking pots --both carrying 25 kilos each. And also with the Swedish woman carrying 25 kilos of DOG FOOD plus her own gear.

Also hiked the Salkantay trek and the Inca trail last year. On both hikes the guides told the men to not bother using hip/waist belts on packs unless we were carrying 30 kilos. Women were told to wear the belts. Noticed on Camino that a lot of men do not use their waist belts until afternoon.

 

[Mike Savage]

When I bought my pack I first got together all of the gear I wanted to carry and measured the volume. I have no problem getting by with 20 liters for 6 weeks. If you have access to a pack, that feels good on your back, then I would use it instead of spending money on a new one.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Mike Savage]

Personally I would not carry a backpack without a good waist belt. The weight rides well on my hips and it stays balanced when I move. There is no way that I personally could take the weight on my back and shoulders.

 

[naplesdon]

Hello all! What is the current thinking on how large a pack is needed for the Camino from St. Jean to Santiago. My sister has an AT 40 L.L. Bean Day Pack that she has offered me to borrow. The dimensions being 26½"H x 13"W x 6"D. This is the link to the bag description on LL Beans website:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88841?feat=506845-GN3&page=at-40-day-pack&csp=f&attrValue_0=Collegiate Blue&productId=1488523

Do you think this will be large enough or should I perhaps consider buying a larger pack, and if so what size? Thank so much for the help!

My apologies first for not reading you link to LL Bean and secondly for not reading all the post on this thread.
Here is my personal experience about an LL Bean pack. I observed someone I was walking with who had a slight frame and who was constantly complaining about how badly she felt in her back and waist, the pack was so ill fitted I tried to help her with adjustments with no avail. She has since bought a new pack from a reputable outfitter who took one look at the LL Bean pack when she asked for advice about how to correct the fit and he told her to trash it.

 

[Texas Walker]

My apologies first for not reading you link to LL Bean and secondly for not reading all the post on this thread.
Here is my personal experience about an LL Bean pack. I observed someone I was walking with who had a slight frame and who was constantly complaining about how badly she felt in her back and waist, the pack was so ill fitted I tried to help her with adjustments with no avail. She has since bought a new pack from a reputable outfitter who took one look at the LL Bean pack when she asked for advice about how to correct the fit and he told her to trash it.

I finally looked at the LLBean link. A mi, as they say in Spain, the model is posing with a too-short pack and he's holding the straps away in front to make it look more comfortable than it is. It is worth asking what experience the pack in question has actually had: does it just carry the picnic on a short stroll with the kiddoes? Or has it worked well on a trip that involved walking for 6 or so hours two or three days in a row?
(My pack is a Deuter 45+10, I think, the one that they sell with the little flower stuck on at the store. It fits my womanly hips fine, but I recently shortened the torso...had been experiencing shoulder pain and constantly having to hold one strap out from front to be comfortable. When we progress to walking with dog-food bags in a few weeks, I'll know if the shorter torso length has fixed it. It did feel suddenly like a perfectly fitting glove when I tried it on after, but time will tell.)
Buen camino.

 

[wabana]

I’m 6’, 175 lbs & will wear a Osprey 50L anti-gravity Atmos. Phenomenally comfortable. I bought for comfort and back ventilation. Equally important are hip straps- fabulous weight distribution & pockets & angle openings for easy water access, etc. this pack mostly rides on my waist NOT my a king back. I tested this pack on a really hard training (hot 3 days) trek on Catalina island with 26 lbs ( tent and cooking stuff) and learned I bought the right pack & also learned ! that I will NOT carry more than 17lbs total on my Camino! I’ll leave behind the packs’ removable top cover. Weighs only 1 lb more (4.5 lbs with top cover) than smaller packs but everything can fit inside! Weight distribution is designed with this in mind (everything inside) Goal: I intend pack at 4lbs, 1.5L water =3 lbs, this leaves me 10 lbs for my stuff, and 1 lb for souvenirs. I will not intentionally exceed 18 lbs max. I won’t be shipping pack ahead. I will carry summer weight sleeping bag & liner and a (1/3kg ) REI ‘air rail‘ blow up pad since I may sleep outside a couple of nights by necessity or choice Plus I’m used to sleeping on it. Takeaways: what works for each of us is different and personal- I can’t stress venting and weight distribution enough… if I travel with less than it’s lighter, right…but I have flexibility that I am comfortable with ! . (BTW their is a smaller osprey anti gravity but hip straps don’t work for me and dont have the integrated belt pockets- this may work better for those of you that are better minimalists than me.

 

[The Ghost]

Hello all! What is the current thinking on how large a pack is needed for the Camino from St. Jean to Santiago. My sister has an AT 40 L.L. Bean Day Pack that she has offered me to borrow. The dimensions being 26½"H x 13"W x 6"D. This is the link to the bag description on LL Beans website:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88841?feat=506845-GN3&page=at-40-day-pack&csp=f&attrValue_0=Collegiate Blue&productId=1488523

Do you think this will be large enough or should I perhaps consider buying a larger pack, and if so what size? Thank so much for the help!

I have a dueter 40 L and it was a good size for me. My buddy had a outdoor gear 60L that was not fully packed. They weighed around 23-24 lbs. 10-11 kg. Just left Muxia yesterday after walking
the Norte route over the last 6 weeks

Hello all! What is the current thinking on how large a pack is needed for the Camino from St. Jean to Santiago. My sister has an AT 40 L.L. Bean Day Pack that she has offered me to borrow. The dimensions being 26½"H x 13"W x 6"D. This is the link to the bag description on LL Beans website:

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88841?feat=506845-GN3&page=at-40-day-pack&csp=f&attrValue_0=Collegiate Blue&productId=1488523

Do you think this will be large enough or should I perhaps consider buying a larger pack, and if so what size? Thank so much for the help!

 

[wabana]

With current changes, I am now shopping for ultralight tent… ie., 2.5 lbs….arrrgghhh BUT flexible….. see roncevalles -NO accommodations- post..… “when you are flexible….all things are feasable” ; au natural: delta, bedbugs & snoring free….& megots a bed…- flying sept 7- God willing: buying travel insurance manana…..
I’ll keep y’all posted on my new plan