Rain shell in June & July for Camino Frances

[Jeepl8d]

Greetings all, I’m looking for advice on bringing (or not) a rain shell during June and July for the Camino Frances. I’ll be walking the entire route from SJPP to Santiago. I live in the Pacific Northwest & a rain shell is like our second skin. . Would love to some advice from others who have walked in these months. Thanks so much. This forum is such a wealth of knowledge.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Leave it at home.

 

[J Willhaus]

It has never rained on me in the summer much, but I always take either a light rain poncho or jacket with pack cover. We have used our rain jackets over other clothes for warmth at times in some evening locations where it was chilly. Winter is a different story though.

 

[bplsilva]

Hello fellow PNWer.

I will be walking the Camino Frances in May-June this year and will be taking my Patagonia Torrentshell rain jacket. It's light and doesn't take much volume when folded.

It is not a cheap rain jacket (as nothing Patagonia does is cheap), but I did not buy it for specifically for the Camino though - it's more something you can't live without up here in Vancouver.

 

[Tincatinker]

Try an umbrella. Makes a far better sunshade than any jacket

 

[Jeepl8d]

Try an umbrella. Makes a far better sunshade than any jacket

This is a great idea! Thank you

 

[Jeepl8d]

Hello fellow PNWer.

I will be walking the Camino Frances in May-June this year and will be taking my Patagonia Torrentshell rain jacket. It's light and doesn't take much volume when folded.

It is not a cheap rain jacket (as nothing Patagonia does is cheap), but I did not buy it for specifically for the Camino though - it's more something you can't live without up here in Vancouver.

The good old PNW! I think I’ll try the umbrella idea. Multi purpose - rain or sun protector. Thank you so, so much. BTW of love Patagonia it’s an awesome PNW product line.

 

[JustJack]

As someone else from the PNW I will be bringing what anyone living in the PNW would bring - a rain shell and an umbrella. No poncho nor rain pants. In other words, exactly what I'd use at home (with the exception of using an umbrella as sun protection - that's something new for me). Rain shells of course are good for blocking both rain and wind.
Traveling mid-May to end of June.

 

[C clearly]

It depends on what you will want to do, on those days when it does rain! According to Weatherspark, in May and June you can expect 5.4 to 3.9 days when measurable rain falls in Leon, and 9.2 to 5.7 in Santiago.

exactly what I'd use at home

Me too. In my case, that means rain jacket, rain pants, and small umbrella. Rain jacket and pants are also important for warmth and wind break. Umbrella is also good for sun. The pants are good when everything else needs washing.

 

[Mananath]

I walked the CF last July. It rained one day, fairly heavily. I had (and used) a poncho with me that was effective and lightweight.
If walking during the summer you're going to want something that is very breathable!

 

[Sacha]

Definitely leave it at home but do take a UV umbrella.

 

[cherie]

I've walked 4 Camino's over May /June & have always appreciated my rain layers, sometimes its been light, sometimes its peed'd down. I've used Poncho, rain jackets & pants complete with an umbrella (from Ivars store). Carry a backpack cover if walking with a rain jacket compared to a poncho

 

[t2andreo]

For light rain - without wind - use an umbrella - as others have suggested. I have a day-glow safety yellow/lime one I bought at Decathlon. Works great. I think it is actually a full-size golf umbrella, but collapses to about 18 inches.

If you have wind, use a hiking poncho. This has the 'hump" to cover your rucksack as well. Don't worry about rain pants. Everything dries very fast.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[USMC-Pilgrim]

Greetings all, I’m looking for advice on bringing (or not) a rain shell during June and July for the Camino Frances. I’ll be walking the entire route from SJPP to Santiago. I live in the Pacific Northwest & a rain shell is like our second skin. . Would love to some advice from others who have walked in these months. Thanks so much. This forum is such a wealth of knowledge.

I used a lightweight Frog tog suit for cold and wet weather. Used it more for wind and cold weather than for rain. But when it did rain, I was happy to have it.

 

[good_old_shoes]

I always carry a poncho, even in july/august.

Usually it is needed for only a few days during those months, but without it, those days would be pretty miserable (when you're used to 30-40C heat waves, a sudden temperature drop to 15 or even 20C rain and wind, for example during a lightning storm, can feel freezing cold). An umbrella might keep you more or less dry, but it doesn't keep the wind off. A rain jacket or poncho adds warmth, too. A poncho also doubles as a picnic blanket.

I'd never hike in a mountainous area without adequate rain gear. The weather can still change quickly, even if it's "only" at 1200m altitude or so. If you get hit by bad weather in the pyrenees for example, with only an umbrella, that's a good recipe for hypothermia even in summer.

There are a few essentials for long distance hikes, and rain gear is one of them, in my opinion, no matter what season.

150-300g for a lightweight poncho, that's the weight of an apple. If weight is a concern, there's surely something else than can be left at home or be replaced with something lighter .

Buen Camino and happy planning!

 

[hikentravel1234]

Greetings all, I’m looking for advice on bringing (or not) a rain shell during June and July for the Camino Frances. I’ll be walking the entire route from SJPP to Santiago. I live in the Pacific Northwest & a rain shell is like our second skin. . Would love to some advice from others who have walked in these months. Thanks so much. This forum is such a wealth of knowledge.

I always bring my very lightweight Patagonia Torrential jacket. I have walked 3 times in the bad summer heat but it can get very cold at night and in the morning. I didn't have any rain but I sure needed it as a 3rd layer for the cold.
No umbrella for me due to weight, occupying 1 hand at all times and fear of it poking anyone around me. For the sun, I wear a hat with a good sized rim to cover my face and back of my neck.
Buen Camino

 

[Susan Peacock]

So I rarely have had rain in the summer, but if I do, my body usually welcomes it to cool down. My main goal is to keep my gear dry and it is nice to keep my head and face dry. I am a gear junkie and found this wonderful piece of rain gear for my summer Camino's . https://lightheartgear.com/collections/rain-gear/products/hoodie-pack-cover

 

[mattythedog]

I used a lightweight Frog tog suit for cold and wet weather. Used it more for wind and cold weather than for rain. But when it did rain, I was happy to have it.

Agree with the Frogtoggs. After using a variety of rain jackets and pack covers, I now just use a man's x-large Frogtogg coat weighing about 7oz. for all 3 seasons on Camino. It covers me, Osprey 33L pack and waist. 2 oz rain skirt covers down to just below knees. No pack cover necessary, and they don't work great in driving rain anyway...neither will an umbrella. FT coat allows free hands for trekking poles, extra warmth layer if necessary, wind protection and more. It is field repairable with duct tape, although I have never gotten tears or holes. Kit of pants and coat were $25 at Walmart a couple years ago.

 

[LB2022]

I walked June / July last year and was very thankful to have rain gear and used it multiple times. I carried this FroggToggs xtreme light jacket, this wrap skirt that doubled as a poncho and kept my entire bottom half completely dry, a backpack cover, and this six moons design ultralight umbrella that came in very handy for both rain and sun. I'm taking them all again for this year's el camino del norte . Good luck and buen camino.

 

[Madis]

I walked July/August on Camino Frances last year. I manage to hike between rainclouds in many cases. Anyways there was no heavy rainfall until one day I had in Galicia.

What I had with me was a festival cape (poncho logic). It did the work of protecting me from heavy rain and it weighs something like 70 grams. I kept it in my belt pocket to have at hand when needed.

A festival cape could be re-used but once unpacked will take a whole lot more room. Additionally I do suggest you have a baseball cap or something with you to give your face some cover from the rain pouring off your head.