Pack weight - include clothes you're wearing?

[C3 to Camino]

I've seen a few times that some people include the clothes that they're wearing in their "pack weight". That seems counter-intuitive to me, as I'm always wearing clothes, so always carrying that weight. In fact, it is likely that my Camino clothes will weigh less than my regular clothes. That being said, what is the rationale for including it in your pack weight please? I know it wouldn't amount to a big difference, but for some of the smaller women 10% of our weight is not much to begin with!

 

[Waka]

Myself I don't count the weight of the cloths I'm wearing because as you say you're always wearing clothes, for me it's what's in the pack. This also changes on a regular basis because in the morning you may have more on than later in the day, or you might have rain gear on as well.

 

[Bradypus]

I do not weigh my clothes. I do not weigh my pack either. I very rarely weigh myself. I carry only what I need to be safe and comfortable along the way. Weighing the pack would not change its contents so why bother unless to be sure of meeting airline baggage limits or the like?

 

[Tia Valeria]

If weighing the clothes you are wearing, as well as in the pack, the weight guide ratio changes to 15%. I find this works reasonably well but it isn't a 'rule'. The total weight on feet and joints (hips,knees) is important as well as the weight on your back. Until recently the pack weight was more important than total weight but I am now becoming more aware of total weight on my joints. (Old age creeps on).
My own feeling is that we who weigh less have a lower total weight anyway when we include body weight and pack etc is comfort and common sense rather than a specific %. Lighter is better in most cases for packing .

 

[Mark Lee]

You got two years. Don't overthink it too much and also don't think you have to follow some sort of strict formula for pack weight.
Just pack as light as you can, don't bring "what-if's" and get in the best shape you can before you go.
cheers

 

[Leigh J Christensen]

You got two years. Don't overthink it too much and also don't think you have to follow some sort of strict formula for pack weight.
Just pack as light as you can, don't bring "what-if's" and get in the best shape you can before you go.
cheers

I read in another post where you said don't pack the "what ifs'. I just left Madrid, was there for one month, am back in the states and one of the things I'm doing is packing an extra suitcase full of all the things I can NOT find anywhere. Simple decongestants. Antacids. Some packaged hot chocolate (seems the only hot chocolate in Spain is melted candy bars) I will be taking some of the hot chocolate on the trail with me along with a few protein bars and jerky. I was completely shocked by the number of things I couldn't find in a huge city like Madrid. If you need any medicines, even allergy meds, take them. Benadryl (yes, its the brand, but I looked for generic as well) is non existent. I am also bringing back my own 1st aid kit as I saw hide nor hair of over half what is in my kit at any store or pharmacy

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I read in another post where you said don't pack the "what ifs'. I just left Madrid, was there for one month, am back in the states and one of the things I'm doing is packing an extra suitcase full of all the things I can NOT find anywhere. Simple decongestants. Antacids. Some packaged hot chocolate (seems the only hot chocolate in Spain is melted candy bars) I will be taking some of the hot chocolate on the trail with me along with a few protein bars and jerky. I was completely shocked by the number of things I couldn't find in a huge city like Madrid. If you need any medicines, even allergy meds, take them. Benadryl (yes, its the brand, but I looked for generic as well) is non existent. I am also bringing back my own 1st aid kit as I saw hide nor hair of over half what is in my kit at any store or pharmacy

Wow! Have we visited the same country? First, leave the hot chocolate home and drink Cola Cao. It's available in all the bars and most albergues that offer breakfast also offer it.

Farmacias are extremely well stocked up, perhaps it was a matter of not being to explain what you were looking for? And they have a lot of this stuff ober the counter. They sell Pepcid, Nexium, Zantac. They sell Benadryl, Allegra, etc. As well. Take a look at www.espanasalude.org, they list all sorts of meds found in Spain. As for foot care, they also have it all. Farmacias have to be the most common type of business on the CF. Meds, and most other items are not on the shelves as they are in North America but that does not mean they do not carry them.

 

[zzotte]

Ya don't sweat the small stuff, pick a weight that you can carry for a long time and stick with it so you won't overpack carry only the essentials you do fine

Zzotte

 

[Mark Lee]

I read in another post where you said don't pack the "what ifs'. I just left Madrid, was there for one month, am back in the states and one of the things I'm doing is packing an extra suitcase full of all the things I can NOT find anywhere. Simple decongestants. Antacids. Some packaged hot chocolate (seems the only hot chocolate in Spain is melted candy bars) I will be taking some of the hot chocolate on the trail with me along with a few protein bars and jerky. I was completely shocked by the number of things I couldn't find in a huge city like Madrid. If you need any medicines, even allergy meds, take them. Benadryl (yes, its the brand, but I looked for generic as well) is non existent. I am also bringing back my own 1st aid kit as I saw hide nor hair of over half what is in my kit at any store or pharmacy

Well, I never needed or packed any of the things you mention, so I can't speak on experience there. I do know that had I forgotten anything that I needed, I could have gotten it in Spain after I arrived. The portable farmacia in my pack consisted of a small bottle of aspirins and another of multi-vitamins (I don't pack what-if medicines either) and I drink coffee, not hot chocolate. I do know I could have literally landed in SJPdP in my underwear and within an hour been kitted out to walk the Camino.
Really can't sweat the small stuff. C'est la vie......

 

[Waka]

I found the Farmacias excellent all along the CF. I have to admit I wasn't wanting for much in the way of meds/first aid etc, but what I did need was always available.

 

[dougfitz]

I've seen a few times that some people include the clothes that they're wearing in their "pack weight". That seems counter-intuitive to me, as I'm always wearing clothes, so always carrying that weight. In fact, it is likely that my Camino clothes will weigh less than my regular clothes. That being said, what is the rationale for including it in your pack weight please? I know it wouldn't amount to a big difference, but for some of the smaller women 10% of our weight is not much to begin with!

I presume that you are talking about using what is commonly known as from the skin out (FSO) measures. There are many reasons why this is a better way of measuring and comparing the effects of different loads than merely measuring the weight carried in the backpack. For a start, it measures the full load placed on the body irrespective of the nature of the clothing, boots, and other gear one is wearing or carrying outside of the pack. Pack weight alone does not do that. Using FSO allows for comparisons across seasons, for different clothing types, the effect of shoes vs boots, etc, etc which would not be valid otherwise.

One great advantage of FSO measures is that it can give you a better understanding of the trade-offs and balances you might want to make walking outside of the summer months. It gives a much more complete understanding of what might be a good weight target than the simple 10% rule. That is a lowest common denominator rule that I view as reasonable for summer, but certainly far from being a 'gold standard' at any other time.

There have been many interesting discussions on this. A couple that you might find worth reading are here, here and here. Alternatively, search for a phrase like 'from the skin out'. You will find a more detailed explanation of how the FSO measures might work in at least one of these threads.

 

[SusanReneGr65]

We did the calculation based on how much our old knees were able to withstand. About a year before leaving we made some tentative measures of weights of stuff and the pack. We realized that the total weight on our knees of our body weight, stuff (including stuff we wore), pack and stuff to carry was too high. We weren't willing to sacrifice much in the pack, so we decided to lose some body weight. Not only were we more fit when we began, but the total mass our knees were carrying had decreased. Win-win.

By the way, yes, we figured the stuff we wore in the total.

 

[zzotte]

I read in another post where you said don't pack the "what ifs'. I just left Madrid, was there for one month, am back in the states and one of the things I'm doing is packing an extra suitcase full of all the things I can NOT find anywhere. Simple decongestants. Antacids. Some packaged hot chocolate (seems the only hot chocolate in Spain is melted candy bars) I will be taking some of the hot chocolate on the trail with me along with a few protein bars and jerky. I was completely shocked by the number of things I couldn't find in a huge city like Madrid. If you need any medicines, even allergy meds, take them. Benadryl (yes, its the brand, but I looked for generic as well) is non existent. I am also bringing back my own 1st aid kit as I saw hide nor hair of over half what is in my kit at any store or pharmacy

Oh I know what you mean I could not find peanut butter don't get me wrong I eat plenty of nutella hehe

zzotte

 

[Leigh J Christensen]

Wow! Have we visited the same country? First, leave the hot chocolate home and drink Cola Cao. It's available in all the bars and most albergues that offer breakfast also offer it.

Farmacias are extremely well stocked up, perhaps it was a matter of not being to explain what you were looking for? And they have a lot of this stuff ober the counter. They sell Pepcid, Nexium, Zantac. They sell Benadryl, Allegra, etc. As well. Take a look at www.espanasalude.org, they list all sorts of meds found in Spain. As for foot care, they also have it all. Farmacias have to be the most common type of business on the CF. Meds, and most other items are not on the shelves as they are in North America but that does not mean they do not carry them.

I've asked for generic names and still came up empty. Benadryl in particular. The only diphenhydramine I came across was in a sleep aid and it was 50mg over the usual 30. As well, Benadryl makes a liqui-gel capsule that is a great topical to use on any bite or sting (you cannot easily get it anywhere outside the U.S.. I had a package with me and they still couldn't find it at 3 different pharmacies. Maybe because it was brand?). It's highly concentrated so one capsule will take care of many bites or stings as well as it being an oral antihistamine. I keep it in my 1st aid kit. The Camino trip wasn't planned, I decided to go after arriving in Spain, so didn't have most of my hiking supplies. Though my Spanish is awful, (one of the reasons for going to Spain was to work on that) I can usually come up with the right words as it's all latin based. I will check the site you've provided a link to. I've been kind of surprised by the Spanish diet, thought it was a little healthier than what I've found. Though I enjoy trying different things, especially local fare wherever I am, I don't really care for the cola cao or the traditional Spanish warm chocolate pudding, both are thickened sugar with chocolate flavoring. Ick!. I make what I carry (it's not just store bought cocoa mix) and I only need hot water. I usually carry a protein mix as well for a quick meal replacement. I've enjoyed the Spanish coffee as it's quite stout like, tiny buggers with quite the flavor and kick. I know that unlike on the AT in the U.S. the municipalities are fairly close together, but again, I just prefer to be prepared for self sufficiency with a few good quality supplies, some for comfort, others for handling minor emergencies.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

May I then suggest to go with what you need, not what you know, and discover the world? And truly discover rather than revert to what you know, or think you know? You may never want to go back to whereever home is.

 

[Leigh J Christensen]

May I then suggest to go with what you need, not what you know, and discover the world? And truly discover rather than revert to what you know, or think you know? You may never want to go back to whereever home is.

There are many places that I have not wanted to leave. I do tend to immerse myself in my surroundings. When there is language difficulty I do it as best I can. And I look forward to just enjoying the journey. Of course, being comfortable makes it all the more enjoyable.

 

[Robo]

I read in another post where you said don't pack the "what ifs'. I just left Madrid, was there for one month, am back in the states and one of the things I'm doing is packing an extra suitcase full of all the things I can NOT find anywhere. Simple decongestants. Antacids. Some packaged hot chocolate (seems the only hot chocolate in Spain is melted candy bars) I will be taking some of the hot chocolate on the trail with me along with a few protein bars and jerky. I was completely shocked by the number of things I couldn't find in a huge city like Madrid. If you need any medicines, even allergy meds, take them. Benadryl (yes, its the brand, but I looked for generic as well) is non existent. I am also bringing back my own 1st aid kit as I saw hide nor hair of over half what is in my kit at any store or pharmacy

I found everything I needed along the way

Perhaps you were 'completely shocked' at not being able to find familiar brand names?

The Spanish somehow manage to keep themselves fed and medicated as required.

Just 'go native'...... There is absolutely no need to go packing all kinds of food. There is a vast variety of food available.....everywhere. Who knows, you might develop a taste for something new!

As others have said, the Farmacias are excellent. Ask for generic medications and you'll get what you need. Asking for specific brand names may not work, as the same Meds are often called by different brand names all over the World.... I.e. I take Lipidil. When I buy it in Thailand it's called something else. But if I ask for fenofibrate (the name of the drug rather than the brand) everyone knows what I need.

 

[koilife]

I do know I could have literally landed in SJPdP in my underwear and within an hour been kitted out to walk the Camino.
Really can't sweat the small stuff. C'est la vie......

Kitted with handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit waiting for arraignment?

 

[Mark Lee]

Kitted with handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit waiting for arraignment?

That too, I suppose. Houdini the cuffs, stash the DOC orange and duck into the nearest outfitter shop there, and like superman out of a phone booth, step out and onto the Camino....

 

[C3 to Camino]

Thanks everyone - that gives me a better sense of the thinking behind total weight counts. We're used to travelling light, having gone nearly a month in Costa Rica and in Galicia with a back pack each. The only way to travel in my opinion (although we did get teased a bit when our underwear hung in our window for two days refusing to dry in the CR rainforest LOL!)

 

[Nanumea]

My pack weighs 6,4kg/14lb (doesn't include the clothes that I'm wearing) if I wear the lightest outfit. I think the walking clothes weigh about 400 grams/1lb, this doesn't include my hiking boots that are horribly heavy. So in total I will be taking 6,8kg/15lb of stuff with me. That's a 10% of my body weight (unintentionally).

 

[kdespot]

Ok, along this same line... and I hesitate to publicly ask this because I'm sure that there's something obvious that I'm missing, but how about water... one of the heaviest and most essential items that we carry? I understand clearly that there are plenty of opportunities to fill up along the way but even half a liter weighs a lot! Why do I see the weight of the bottle counted in total carry weight but not the water?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Why do I see the weight of the bottle counted in total carry weight but not the water?

The probable reason you see the weight of the container is because there are many different options, some heavy, some super light, but water ks water ks water, and there are not many options of what to do with it. Plus you need it - it's not something you should want to carry less than you need.

But don't worry, this is not an exact science, it's a practical guideline. First time I walked it had not occured to me to weigh my pack. The people at the SJPP pilgrim office did, and I thought they were odd. Don't think I weighed on Camino 2 either. On the 3rd, despite all what is said on this forum I left home with 11kg because I wanted to carry books to read. Then I got a mini Ipad and went back to 8kg.

And to tell you the truth, because of my weight, even with 11 kg I am way under the 10% guideline even at 11kg, yet 11kg really was not ideal.

Don't worry about ot, just cut where you can with out endangering yourself or depriving yourself of basic comfort.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Why do I see the weight of the bottle counted in total carry weight but not the water?

The probable reason you see the weight of the container is because there are many different options, some heavy, some super light, but water ks water ks water, and there are not many options of what to do with it. Plus you need it - it's not something you should want to carry less than you need.

But don't worry, this is not an exact science, it's a practical guideline. First time I walked it had not occured to me to weigh my pack. The people at the SJPP pilgrim office did, and I thought they were odd. Don't think I weighed on Camino 2 either. On the 3rd, despite all what is said on this forum I left home with 11kg because I wanted to carry books to read. Then I got a mini Ipad and went back to 8kg.

And to tell you the truth, because of my weight, even with 11 kg I am way under the 10% guideline even at 11kg, yet 11kg really was not ideal.

Don't worry about ot, just cut where you can with out endangering yourself or depriving yourself of basic comfort.

 

[C clearly]

Ok, along this same line... and I hesitate to publicly ask this because I'm sure that there's something obvious that I'm missing, but how about water... one of the heaviest and most essential items that we carry? I understand clearly that there are plenty of opportunities to fill up along the way but even half a liter weighs a lot! Why do I see the weight of the bottle counted in total carry weight but not the water?

Well, as @Anemone del Camino says, there is no exact science in guessing what weight you can comfortably carry for 800 km. For water, would you count the weight at first filling, or at noon? Often people who quote the weight of their packs also say "without food and water." There is not much value in comparing our water weights since it weighs what it weighs, and we still need it.

People often use their packing list as a checklist to make sure they don't forget something, so they include the bottle if they are carrying one from home. I don't include it on my list because I just buy a plastic bottle of water when I start walking.

The value of a detailed list with weights included is to examine where you can readily reduce the load and justify each item. You still need to go out for a practice walk or two, of 20 km, and you should remember to take water as well!

 

[dougfitz]

Ok, along this same line... and I hesitate to publicly ask this because I'm sure that there's something obvious that I'm missing, but how about water... one of the heaviest and most essential items that we carry? I understand clearly that there are plenty of opportunities to fill up along the way but even half a liter weighs a lot! Why do I see the weight of the bottle counted in total carry weight but not the water?

You might find that this is a practice that originated in the hiking community, where I have often seen references to 'bare pack weight' indicating that this weight excludes consumables (food, water, fuel, etc). This allows pack weights to be compared in a consistent way. It is not a perfect solution, which is why I prefer the FSO approach that I mentioned earlier.