Pants or Shorts in Late May and June??

[Mark Payne]

I start on May 19th in Puenta la Reina...and will go from there. Is this "shorts weather" or is it better to bring pants? Thanks.

 

[bunnymac]

I have walked the camino in May in shorts. It can get a little chilly early in the morning and also on the Meseta (Leon 24/5/2014 2 degrees C). I find that once my torso and feet are warm, the length of my trousers is not an issue. You can always pick up a pair of long trouser en route should you need to.

 

[november_moon]

Both It does depend on your own comfort level - if you tend to run cold or warm - but you will probably run into a variety of weather and temperatures and have days when you want shorts and days when you want long pants.

I'm taking 3 bottoms: 1 pair long yoga pants, 1 pair hiking capris, and 1 pair hiking shorts. The yoga pants pack small, so I may throw in a 2nd pair, depending on space - that way, if it does get cold and wet, I will have a 2nd pair of warm pants to change into.

I think the ideal thing would be zip off hiking pants so you have the best of both worlds - my husband takes 2 pairs and that works well for him. I just haven't found any zip off hiking pants that I like to wear - I am shrimpy, so it's hard to find hiking clothes that fit well.

 

[Mark Payne]

I have walked the camino in May in shorts. It can get a little chilly early in the morning and also on the Meseta (Leon 24/5/2014 2 degrees C). I find that once my torso and feet are warm, the length of my trousers is not an issue. You can always pick up a pair of long trouser en route should you need to.

Thanks so much.

Mark

 

[Mark Payne]

Both It does depend on your own comfort level - if you tend to run cold or warm - but you will probably run into a variety of weather and temperatures and have days when you want shorts and days when you want long pants.

I'm taking 3 bottoms: 1 pair long yoga pants, 1 pair hiking capris, and 1 pair hiking shorts. The yoga pants pack small, so I may throw in a 2nd pair, depending on space - that way, if it does get cold and wet, I will have a 2nd pair of warm pants to change into.

I think the ideal thing would be zip off hiking pants so you have the best of both worlds - my husband takes 2 pairs and that works well for him. I just haven't found any zip off hiking pants that I like to wear - I am shrimpy, so it's hard to find hiking clothes that fit well.

Thanks!!!

Mark

 

[domigee]

I'll go for both as well.

 

[jirit]

Convertible pants that you can either use as pants or shorts - either works at this time of year

 

[rometimed]

I walked from May - Nov and only had 3 pairs of shorts and 1 pair of base-layer leggings.

 

[Older Guy]

Pants! I can't tell you the number of ultra red sun-burns I saw on the first couple days of my Camino, and the number of cold wet wind blown on the remaining days.

 

[NualaOC]

I always take one of each. I travel in the trousers and alternate between shorts and trousers when walking.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

I walked in shorts last June, I had a couple of pairs but the one that got repeatedly washed and re worn was a Columbia hiking short that deflected the sun rays or had a cooling effect anyway! Maybe it's just been Irish but I would have keeled over in pants, even if it were raining or in the cool mornings.
Buen camino

 

[Stivandrer]

I brought bicycle leggings of neoprene for the cold mornings in early May, and wore them under my shorts.
Helped in the cold mornings and I chucked them arounf 10 am, weighed nothing. and were a godsend in drizzly weather as well, even under rain pants...

 

[Roger Deee]

hiking pants with zip-off legs work perfectly,

 

[Robo]

Pants. Unless you like sunburned legs

 

[Deborah Kostisin]

I have walked many Camino's over the past 10 years in many countries and I always wear the zip hiking pants. You can hem them as I do, I am also hobbitesque. I suggest always wearing the long pants while hiking for one good reason, the tiny red spiders that bite the people in shorts and send them to hospital with swollen red ankles. The pants don't make you any hotter as they are loose and cool. Get a good pair that have the breathable mesh pantaloons inside and great big pockets with zippers. Spain was the worst for the spider bites. Deb

 

[domigee]

I suggest always wearing the long pants while hiking for one good reason, the tiny red spiders that bite the people in shorts and send them to hospital with swollen red ankles.
(...)
Spain was the worst for the spider bites. Deb

It think this definitely belongs to the 'dreadful walk, awful people thread' !

 

[t2andreo]

As others may have said, and after four Caminos, I strongly recommend two pair of synthetic fiber (NO COTTON CONTENT) cargo trousers with zip off lower legs. You wear one pair until they are typically grimy enough to stand in the corner on their own. Then you switch to the other pair...

Some brands offer a two-way zipper. One zip separates the leg on the outside, from bottom to the top zipper. The top zipper removes the lower leg panel from the upper.

This handy feature offers the option for removing the lower leg WITHOUT having to remove your shoes or boots. This REALLY helps on my day days, when you remove the liwe legs for separate washing. In the US, www.rei.com offer their "Sahara" trousers for both men and women with this feature.

I hope this helps.

 

[whariwharangi]

Bring a wool hat.

If your feet get cold put your hat on. You lose most of your body heat through your head ... and not much from your legs.

 

[Pruden]

Weather change so quickly , so better take pants and shorts!
Never know how it will be on the evening or early morning , or at midday !!
Burn Camino!

 

[Deborah Kostisin]

It think this definitely belongs to the 'dreadful walk, awful people thread'

I'm sure I must be misreading this message, but I would like to clarify myself, because it sounds as if you are calling me an awful person, which I'm sure you didn't mean. I wrote in response to a question asking if long pants or shorts were better. I suggested long pants were better because I had witnessed the pain some people suffered from spider bites. I am only trying to add a reason to wear long pants that hadn't been already given. I sincerely apologize if you were offended by my comment or thought I was at all throwing negativity into the conversation, Forgive me.

 

[domigee]

I'm sure I must be misreading this message, but I would like to clarify myself, because it sounds as if you are calling me an awful person, which I'm sure you didn't mean. I wrote in response to a question asking if long pants or shorts were better. I suggested long pants were better because I had witnessed the pain some people suffered from spider bites. I am only trying to add a reason to wear long pants that hadn't been already given. I sincerely apologize if you were offended by my comment or thought I was at all throwing negativity into the conversation, Forgive me.

Oh my goodness, sending you pm!

 

[Mark Lee]

I wore shorts everyday walking on all three of my CF's (June-September) and never was uncomfortable. I did have a pair of long pants for travelling in and wearing in the evening when it was chilly.
The shorts I wore were the hiking variety. Synthetic and made to dry quickly. I suppose the convertible type pants to shorts are a good compromise.

 

[Mark Payne]

Thanks to all for the feedback and hope you all have a great summer.

Mark

 

[JillGat]

This is the first time I've ever heard of spider bites on the Camino. I wore shorts every day and never experienced this, nor did I see or hear of anyone else having this happen. Anybody else??

 

[Kanga]

I suspect the “spider bites” were bed bug bites. I’ve never before heard of spider bites but multiple times bed bug bites including on myself. The description sounds like my bedbug bites.

Back to the question Mark I can say categorically that a skirt is best!

 

[Jotown]

Having walked over the snowy Alps on the VF.... in my shorts ...
I only ever recommend ( and wear ) .... shorts !!

I’m wearing shorts now on the CP, hot weather, cool legs... what’s not to like !?

Once your legs are adjusted to the exposure ... sunburn is never an issue ... as long as you use suncream , as you should on any exposed body part !!

 

[David Tallan]

Depends on the pants. I walked in July and August and was generally more comfortable in pants than in shorts. (The pants I was wearing zipped off at the knee so they could become either, but I generally left them long). But they were light and loose and did a good job of shading my legs (SPF50) and keeping them cool (or as cool as could be in the hot, sunny, Spanish summer).