rainpants or gaiters ?

[Bem48]

Hola !
When I walked the "Frances" rainpants and a poncho were sufficient.
I will be walking the "Norte" in May, wonder if I should invest in gaiters as well, as
the weather seems to be wetter on this route than anywhere else.
I wear Gore-tex boots, but do know that water will find its way through, eventually.
Gaiters plus rain pants the better option ???
Thanks for your help.
Bem (in Sydney)

 

[Rebekah Scott]

poncho + rainpants = good
poncho + gaiters = good
poncho + rainpants + gaiters = overkill.
IMHO.

In a real all-day downpour you will get wet no matter what.

Reb.

 

[Canuck]

Neither one.

When it rains you get wet, period.

If you're adamant to stay dry, best is to stay in. :mrgreen:

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[sillydoll]

I made a pair of old fashioned Spats - which are more efficient at keeping the rain out of your shoes than gaiters. They are longer over the top of the boot/shoe and hook onto the start of the laces. I made these out of an old Regatta raincoat that was no longer waterproof but having the double layer meant that they worked pretty well. Used with the ALTUS raincoat I stayed dry most of the time.




Here is the pattern.

 

[Bem48]

Thanks, Reb, Jean-Marc and Sillydoll.
Your replies were most helpful and I will follow your advise.
Gracias y Buen Camino
Bem (in Sydney)

 

[Beverley]

I figure that gaiters are so lightweight that there is no problem taking both. I too am doing the North this year and I expect to get wet. Gortex shoes are good but mine let water in after about a year of walking. If you find you don't need the gaiters and you purchaed inexpensive ones, leave them behind for the next pilgrim, it could be me :!:

 

[alipilgrim]

I found that on my last Camino my Altus-like poncho would release the rainwater down each leg as each leg strode forward against the poncho, making my lower legs and shoes very wet! This time I'll be taking gaiters. I've found one that covers a good part of the shoe, but haven't yet tried it:

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/salamander_gaiters.html

 

[Kitsambler]

I think part of the answer involves your tolerance for exercise warmth. Living here in Seattle, I have found that rainpants (even lightweight ones), are only comfortable up to about 45 degrees F (about 11 degrees C?). After that they are just too warm, with the exertion of a long walk. So I find the gaiters (long ones, coming to just below the knee) much more comfortable. They are lighter, too.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

...and for a true pilgrim fashion statement, wear your gaiters with shorts. Over your flourescent red Crocs.

 

[sillydoll]

That is exactly what I did in 2007!! The Crocs were sandals and I wore them with socks so needed the Spats to keep them dry. The shorts were South African flags!
PS: Not everyone recognized the RSA flag. I had a couple shout out to me, "Helloooo Jamaica!!

 

[Portia1]

I took only my Altus--and there were 10 days of solid rain while I was walking the Frances. I took a Lg Altus--probably overkill as the sizing would indicate s/m (I wanted red--which turned out to be a lifesaver when a storm moved in over the Pyrenees for visibility) but I found that the length did tend to keep my feet on the drier side. If it is raining hard and day after day, you are going to get wet. My vented shoes (not goretex) tended to dry pretty quickly, especially when stuffed with newspaper over night. I wore a wide brimmed hat under my Altus so I could see as it tended to come down over my eyes. The spats idea is a reasonable one--more so to keep debris and mud off your socks--which WILL NOT DRY overnight if you wash them and it is damp and raining.

Buen Camino and wishing you lovely weather and bright sunshine!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

indeed, I found carrying gaiters to be a great insurance against bad weather. I walked from Sarria in December, and the week before was rain, snow sleet... I brought the gaiters, and the week I walked was sunny springtime weather! If I had left them behind, I am sure all hail would have broken loose...

Reb.

 

[tmpcoleman]

Gaiters are good for keeping stones out of boots, walking through snow and prickly gorse, and keeping mud off your trousers. They are not really designed to keep your boots dry and will not do so if you have to walk all day in rain.
I found the best combination for me was my Altus poncho with overtrousers. I managed to get a pair which cover the top of the boot as well. However, I still focus on my wet-boot drying skills.
Sils spatts look very promising. Might have a go at making a pair.
Good luck and stay dry.
Tom

 

[nellpilgrim]

Even in summer starting early and/or following less travelled routes that have become a little overgrown I can find myself walking through heavily bedewed trouser soaking grass-so gaiters are good summer option for me as they are not as hot and restrictive as over trousers and are easier to put on and off. As they are quite tightly elasticated at the ankle they can also help with preventing ticks (the nasty ones that carry tick bourne encephalitis) climbing up inside your trouser legs :shock:
But in Autumn,Winter and early Spring I also carry very light over trousers as you can just sit down anywhere in them without getting a cold wet derriere.
Nell

 

[dustytrack]

Last year there were a few days of heavy rain when I did the Via Frances. Gaiters will help to stop rain getting in the boots. Coupled with an extra large poncho or rain jacket that comes down over the top of the gaiters is, in my experience, the best option. Get long gaiters up to below the knee. Useful too through long wet grass if doing other routes that are not so wide. Agree - will also stop ticks. Buen Camino!

 

[Vigdis]

I find gaiters plus rain pants (and goretex boots) to be the best. Not only do the gaiters keep the wet out, but it makes it possible not having to wash the pants every day because of the mud, only the gaiters.
Nothing is really good enough in heavy rain, you get wet all the same, so I weared a thin rain jacket together with my rain pants, - and a poncho on top of that. Kept me as dry as I could get.

 

[Bem48]

Thanks again to ALL of you!
Your feed back and ideas on this topic are very helpful and gave me
a few more angles to look at, when I decide what to take along in May this year
walking the del Norte.
I was soaked for 19 out of 29 days on the Frances in 2008, despite Poncho and Rain pants
and Gortex-outer layers and boots.....they said it was the wettest May in Spain then.
Still on the coastal route one could expect even more rain...hope this time I might
be even better prepared. On the other hand rain, sunshine, good or bad weather is all
part of the experience.
Buen Camino
Bem in Sydney

 

[PilgrimChris]

I saw these gaiters today.
http://bit.ly/hCQw0J
They cover your boots and are currently half price. For the money i am going to purchase a pair as they offer full boot and leg protection - ideal when walking in muddy conditions as well as in snow or heavy rain. They have a non slip sole too.
Chris

 

[AnnieBobanny]

Does it not depend on the time of year and the amount of rain normal for that season? I am travelling from SJPP starting 13 July, taking the Camino Frances. Is there heavy rain on the Frances in July and August?

As with most advice on the forum, no matter what question you have, you get about 5 different answers (at least) on how to do things, which doesn't really answer anything. From the forums I have learned that rain pants are an issue, but still don't know whether I should take them or not. The same goes for the bedbug issue. I know that bedbugs are an issue, but some people say spray the dickens out of your pack etc, others say the bugs aren't a big deal and don't worry about it. So it's really hard to decide on many things in preparation for my trip.

I've decided to just take a few basics, including a poncho, silk sleeping bag liner, and a good pair of boots. Other than that, i just have to turn it over to the gods and quit worrying about it all so much, because, for me, the focus of this journey is inner spiritual peace, not itineraries and equipment, etc. So, being a novice, I can't know exactly what I will need for the journey until I do it, so I will follow the general advice on the forums and then "let go and let god", as I have heard (though I'm not actually a religious person, I do like that saying).

Anyway, buen camino everyone!!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

no matter what question you have, you get about 5 different answers

An illustration of this fact is the condition of the path. Some will say that they walked in mud. Others will say that the same stretch was hot and dusty. The reason: the volcanic ash that is the soil in many parts turns to a thick mud when it rains!

Bed bugs are a problem. Treat your sleeping bag/sack and backpack with permethrin. Don't put your backpack on the bed. Hang your backpack -- take a loop of rope or a carabiner to attach the pack to some part of the bunk bed. Look for evidence of bed bugs on the mattress and bunk. Leave if it looks like the place is infested. An insect repellent with DEET will keep bed bugs away. Apply it to anything that sticks out of your sleeping bag, arm, foot, head, etc. If you know you are allergic to insect bites, take some antihistamine. There are some gruesome photos on the internet of people who have reacted to bed bug bites, and an antihistamine will help with some of the symptoms. Anyone who says that bed bugs are not a problem simply has not been bitten by them yet! They are not everywhere, but they can be anywhere. Notices in France warn about finding bed bugs when you get to Spain. In Spain they say all the bed bugs arrive from France. Both could be right.

Prepare, then forget about it and have fun. Ditto the bed race. Know how you want to do your walk, then forget about the race and have fun.

And gaiters are great.

 

[Anniesantiago]

The reason you get five different answers is because we are not cookie-cut people :lol:

We are each different with different needs and different issues.

I took BOTH a rainjacket and rainpants on my first Camino and used them constantly.
Joe, my walking partner, took an inexpensive short poncho and he was fine.
I don't tolerate cold well - and in addition have had a hip injury. When my hips get cold, they ache. So I require something to keep my legs and hips dry and warm. He, on the other hand, is of Scandinavian descent and can walk in the snow with no problems at all.

On my second Camino, I took my rainpants (they're featherweight) and the Altus poncho I bought from another pilgrim. Most of the time, the Altus was enough. But in the November rain in Santiago, I was sure happy to have those rainpants in the sideways rain!

As far as bedbugs go... take them seriously. That's my advice.