Lies-loopt-del-norte
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- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2021
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I’ve taken a pair on two Camino walks, 46 days the first time and 24 days the second time before I finally chucked them in the bin. Used them twice in rain and they got hot and uncomfortable and my shoes and socks still got wet anyway. In short, useless. So, from where I stand, not worth the weight or the bother.
Edit: I forgot to mention, I cut them down into shorts before chucking them out. They were more useful as shorts but even then I found them bothersome. If I can keep the top half dry, hips and above, I’m a happy chappy!!
My first Camino I brought expensive rain pants. I hated them. I found them bulky and hot. I especially did not like the swishing noise. This Camino I have purchased a small rain skirt (some call a rain kilt) to go with my rain jacket. It is so small it fits in the palm of my hand. The other thing is it is multi use, can be used to sit on on the ground, privacy curtain etc.
Zarautz seemed a good point to check, you can look up all the major cities to get an ideaI walked the Norte in the Spring. It rained on me pretty much all the way to Oviedo with a few rain free moments tossed in as a tease. I’ll look up average rainfall for fall and get back on that.
Re: pants v. Poncho—I’m in the breathable GTX jacket/pants camp. Together weighed less than poncho. Could be worn separately as needed for warmth layer, even if not raining. Could be worn as pants/top over nothing if albergue had washing machine and I wanted everything else to get a better cleaning than hand washing. Didn’t flap around. Extremely lightweight rain cover for my pack took care of that in the rain. Didn’t get snagged on trees or cafe chairs. But this debate has two entrenched sides, as much as the early vs late rising debate.
Whichever you decide I recommend testing any rain gear before the Camino, preferably in wind and rain but shower or garden hose will suffice.
Buen Camino!
This is the single best piece of advice for all caminos, and I say it often. In the words of my marathon coach “nothing new on race day”. My roommate in SJPdP bought boots that day to wear on her camino. I never saw her againThis is a good reason to test equipment at home before bringing it on the Camino. Take a walk in the rain around your own neighborhood and test your rain gear. If it doesn't work, try something else. Don't wait until you are in Spain to try out your equipment.
-Paul
When I last walked the Camino in 2017 in September/October we had mainly excellent weather and walked in shorts . It did rain occasionally and the rain trousers were great. However, on several early morning starts they came in useful to keep your legs warm! Enjoy your Camino.Dear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
I find my rainpants perfect to keep the water out of my boots, as well as off all of my lower body, and to offer extra warmth in wind, rain, cold, and snow. I always walk in the autumn, usually finishing in late November (this year will be November 29). The rainpants are light to carry and there when I need them, with pockets to hold a few other items that will be there when I need them. And they have never made me hot and sweaty. But that is the point of choosing suitable clothing, and gear, for the season.If it were me I’d take the cap, jacket and pants but I hate wet feet and gaiters never worked well for me to keep rain out of my boots.
Hi LiesDear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
That’s why I wear rain pants.I find my rainpants perfect to keep the water out of my boots, as well as off all of my lower body, and to offer extra warmth in wind, rain, cold, and snow. I always walk in the autumn, usually finishing in late November (this year will be November 29). The rainpants are light to carry and there when I need them, with pockets to hold a few other items that will be there when I need them. And they have never made me hot and sweaty. But that is the point of choosing suitable clothing, and gear, for the season.
Lightheart Gear rain skirt.I have switched to a rain skirt. It is very lightweight, adjusts at the waist with Velcro, keeps me dry to mid calf, and doesn’t get hot inside like trousers. That, with just a rain jacket works. And I take a Euro Shim umbrella for both heat and rain.
Not perhaps an issue on the Camino, but rain pants and jacket are also useful if you come across a very overgrown section of path, such as we did on our HWF - a track of approx 1 mile when there was absolutely no option other than walk through shoulder high brambles, thistles and nettles. It was warm, but a little sweat in comparison to the alternative .......That’s why I wear rain pants.
I can sense you trying to be even-handed there Dave, but you’re still coming over as a poncho-phile.I do not argue personal choices, which are a subjective thing. . . what someone likes is not arguable. Some folks like liver and onions, others hate both. I will just point out some things that are objective considerations:
Some ponchos are bulky, but not all of them, and certainly not the ones I recommend. Frogg Toggs ponchos when weighed are around the 6-ounce mark. They are made from a 'breathable' material that is proprietary to the company that manufactures Frogg Toggs. They can be had for $10 to $25, so these ponchos are a HUGE bargain for a highly functional piece of rain protective gear.
If I use my Zpacks poncho, it weighs just a bit more than 3.5 ounces and is tough as nails. Nowadays, I most frequently take my Frogg Toggs.
A poncho is far more easily deployed. Since I can pull it out of the side pocket of my backpack and slip it on over my head and my backpack, I do not even have to stop. I usually do pause for the ten seconds it takes to put on, though, because I am a bit clumsy.
I do not need to take my backpack off, put on a rain jacket, put the backpack back on. This is a huge factor for me when it rains off and on during the walk, as is often the case. Periodic sprinkles and showers can eat up a lot of time and energy with a rain jacket IF you take it off and put it on based on the immediate conditions.
With a poncho, I can respond to conditions within seconds. I can whip off the poncho as soon as the rain has slowed or stopped, and not question "should I wait to see if it starts back up?" Keeps condensation way down.
Ponchos also create more airflow which also helps deal with interior condensation from sweat. Because it is worn over the backpack, it creates air space that allows better ventilation.
A poncho can work equally as well, and even more flexibly, as an outer layer. The same quickness to deploy and remove a poncho works well in trying to avoid unexpected wind chill. And if the morning is cool as I start to walk, but I know I will be warm after a short walk, simply putting the poncho on for a few minutes and then whipping it off works well to avoid overheating.
Windy or breezy conditions are dealt with by the use of ties which will keep a poncho from blowing around. My ponchos are modified to include simple cordage attached to each side of the poncho and velcro'd when not in use.
On the aesthetics side, rain jackets do have the edge. . . depending on if form is a factor with regard to function.
Aside from it's main function, ponchos are also multi-taskers
Those are my preferences and thoughts. YMMV
- A shelter lean-to. (A bit of cord and trekking poles make it even more independent in setting up.)
- A sun shelter, it can be rigged up to provide you shade in hot climates.
- Ground cloth: Under a tent, or a survival shelter, a poncho can protect you from the damp ground. If you are in a cold damp climate, this can help you stay warm.
- Wind Break: While a poncho without the liner does not have much insulating qualities, you will be warmer if you wrap up in the poncho in windy weather, this will help protect you from wind chill.
- Privacy -- great emergency privacy screen when needing to do a 'nature break' and natural coverage of bushes or tall grass is scarce. It also works when needing to change pants or shorts.
- Sit pad when taking a break and sitting surfaces are damp or dirty.
- Mattress cover.
- Can make an emergency backpack or carryall.
- Windshell to add a bit of extra warmth to layers. Great for cool, early mornings when you need something that can be quickly removed after you have warmed up from walking.
I mean, honestly, how many people who think they might enjoy walking 800k, or thereabouts, in an unfamiliar country, have never walked any appreciable distance, carried a rucksack
Depends on how long you are walking, if you are walking for a week, may be not, but all the way to SdC and Galicia, YES. I would take waterproof gaiters/ gemachen? as well. And an Altus poncho and a rainjacket. When it rains in Biscaya, god help you witnout raingear. I walked there in May/june 2013 and it was rain and wind every day. I have also walked in Galicia in October and was very glad that I had carried my raingear since I started in Le Puy in August.Dear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
Why both?And an Altus poncho and a rainjacket.
I can sense you trying to be even-handed there Dave, but you’re still coming over as a poncho-phile.
Dear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
I agree.I would not walk a camino with out a complete set of rain gear.
@trecile Rainjacket for keeping me dry in rain and warmer in windy days, altus poncho for extra layer over my backpack and me. A poncho is not as good as a breathing rainjacket.Why both?
As pointed out, an Altus is not a poncho. It is a loose raincoat (depending on the size you like; I prefer it loose and long), opens down the front (both ways), with sleeves and a hood, and a pouch at the back with room for a backpack. Ingenious bit of kit.Each to their own, but I would never use a poncho - too much material flapping about in the wind, waterproof over trousers are much neater and versatile too.
Having said that, do you need them on a Camino in September? I don't know. Depends how fond of being wet you are!
Which is why the opening down the front is useful, as is the fact you can pull your arms out of the sleeves and hang it off your shoulders.… and, pacé all Altus-philes, provides a free sauna …
I wish they would make the altus in a lightweight breathable fabric. With big pit zips.
And a good lightweight rain jacket also serves as a windproof layer; it’s amazing how warm I feel, if I can only stop the wind whistling through to my skin
You are spot on the nose. . . a thin, light windshell will make a 15 to 20 degree (f) increase in insulative protection, PLUS add the blockage of wind.
I will only point out that a potential downside to using a rain jacket as a windshell - while workable and a multitasker which is great - can also create a clammy environment, and if actively walking create potential sweat condensation. So if that is an issue, a separate windshell or wind shirt may be a way to go.
Whether rain jacket or poncho (which could also act as a wind shell), I still bring a separate dedicated wind shell zip up. It adds about 1.5 oz. /93 gr to my closet, but is ideal for this type of application. Based on budget, a separate wind shell may range in weight from 1 ounce to 3.5 ounces.
Not at all. And for a quick early morning cool weather layer, I will slip the poncho on, which increases the thermal efficiency of the base layer, or insulation layer if it is really cold, then after walking warms me up after five minutes, I just quickly pull the poncho off as I'm walking and stuff it into a side pocket.Wouldn’t a poncho be less windproof?
Allowing wind to blow up from below … so to speak
If you are thinking of the effect of wind blowing the poncho,
Our last camino was the Coastal Portugues at the end of Nov, beginning of Dec. It rained and rained and rained and rained. Jacket and rain pants and gaiters for me!!I agree.
There is a reason why Galicia is so green!
Thanks, @Robo . That was lots of fun, I suppose, because I agree with you. Except for going to a laundromat attired solely in raingear. That is an experiment that I am unlikely to try.
Why on earth not? I have done it, and been very satisfied with my efficiency!Except for going to a laundromat attired solely in raingear. That is an experiment that I am unlikely to try.
So many different answers! My experience as a long-time backpacker is that they aren't worth the weight. I'd rather have a spare pair of pants, for about the same weight, they are more versatile and I can just change if I get too wet. (all my clothing is synthetic, so it dries quickly) I do carry a rain jacket, as it doubles for a windbreaker and warm layer over a down vest. I also carry a very lightweight plastic poncho, which has a dozen uses. And I carry a large plastic garbage bag, also lots of uses, including rain protection for pack and body. Versatility is key, and rain pants have only one use.Dear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
Thanks for posting that. I've never seen that brand before. People looking for a hiking skirt (and women's boxer shorts to wear under them) will be especially interested. I'm considering it for the pockets alone. I see the rain wrap too, which is probably what you're talking about.I love my
Lightheart Gear rain skirt.
I’ve thru-hiked the Norte-Primitivo, Via Francigena, and the Appalachian Trail, never taking rain pants. You want to keep your core mostly dry (an umbrella not a rain jacket). Your legs are fine in shorts, or zip on the leg bottoms in especially cold windy weather.Dear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
One of the sayings of my (now deceased) much loved older brother. When he and family went camping it was a sight to see. They took a big trailer that contained everything. Including a real, full size, queen bed."Any fool can be uncomfortable"
It's true that, while the saying goes that "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain", anyone who has walked a Camino knows that the rain in Spain falls mainly in Galicia.I agree.
There is a reason why Galicia is so green!
I test drove an Altus poncho at home on a couple hikes and it didn't work for me. I can see the draw for some, but the odd fitted construction drove me crazy. Test drive your kits all you can before you get on the trail!
Hi. Having walked same route in September 2018 I would suggest better safe than sorry. If its raining then you will be glad you did. I have brought a poncho in the past but found it too cumbersome. Personally I have a good pair of Golf trousers which stop rain, wind but designed against overheating. They roll up perfectly and don't add too much weight to the pack. P.s will send positive vibes from the Camino portuguese in your direction. I start somewhere near Lisbon in September 12. DanielDear all, on september the 8th I'm planning to start the Camino del Norte from Irún. It will be my first Camino and I'm looking forward to finally (..... Covid) start my journey. The question I have is: do I bring my raintrousers with me? Or is walking in september done mostly in shorts and is it preferable to use rainproof gamachen? Hope to hear from you and thanks for your advice. Kind regards, Lies
"Good decision"? It sounds like you were no better off than just hiking in your usual shorts ... actually worse off, considering the extra weight and faffing around.We had mostly good weather our first two caminos. We had Goretex jackets and gaiters. When it rained, we hiked in shorts that dried quickly. For our 3rd camino two years ago, I had a sense we'd experience a soggy camino so I bought rain pants for my wife and myself. Good decision. At least two days, we walked in steady rain for at least 5 hours and were drenched to the bone, even with rain pants.
April/May can be anything but warmish in Northern Spain.For a warmish camino (April/May), I would not even consider rain pants.
anything above 50 degrees (fahrenheit) is warm enough that walking in rain pants can be anything but comfortable.April/May can be anything but warmish in Northern Spain.
Not with wind chill taken into account, I walked in April/May and wore the rain pants some days even when it wasn't raining.anything above 50 degrees (fahrenheit) is warm enough that walking in rain pants can be anything but comfortable.
nope, my advice is neither dangerous nor blasé. to think that someone is going to be in physical danger because they are walking northern Spain in April/May with a rain kilt versus rain pants? Nope, not even close. Can weather change rapidly and for the worse? Sure. You could also walk in the middle of summer and get hypothermia in a rainstorm. but that doesn't mean that people should carry winter gear in July. My advice is based on years of experience of long-distance walking, including with rain kilts. A little discomfort while using a rain kilt in bad weather is more than off-set by the inconvenience of carrying and using rain paints. It would be different if we were talking about a January/February camino.Not with wind chill taken into account, I walked in April/May and wore the rain pants some days even when it wasn't raining.
A 50f /10c day can drop to 6c with windchill, add rain or hail and you are looking at possible hypothermia.
Your advise is blazé and could be dangerous.
Sorry Stewart but walking in Northern Spain and walking in California is like comparing chalk and cheese. We will agree to differ on this but I will always err on the side of caution, especially when it only involves a few grams of weight extra for rain pants.nope, my advice is neither dangerous nor blasé. to think that someone is going to be in physical danger because they are walking northern Spain in April/May with a rain kilt versus rain pants? Nope, not even close. Can weather change rapidly and for the worse? Sure. You could also walk in the middle of summer and get hypothermia in a rainstorm. but that doesn't mean that people should carry winter gear in July. My advice is based on years of experience of long-distance walking, including with rain kilts. A little discomfort while using a rain kilt in bad weather is more than off-set by the inconvenience of carrying and using rain paints. It would be different if we were talking about a January/February camino.
Rain trousers is a hot button topic on many hiking forums. A really hot topic. I have hiked the CF four times in varying weather conditions, along with many miles on trails in the US. I have never had a problem wearing rain trousers when the temps were above 50*. Would not trade them for a kilt nor a poncho (which I one wore and gave it up). Personal preference based on personal experience.Sorry Stewart but walking in Northern Spain and walking in California is like comparing chalk and cheese. We will agree to differ on this but I will always err on the side of caution, especially when it only involves a few grams of weight extra for rain pants.
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