- Time of past OR future Camino
- First one in 2005 from Moissac, France.
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I just buy an old Karrimor off eBay and walk with it until it falls to pieces! I'm on my third: two of which are "concurrent".Hi all - you may have seen my rather low mood posts re closing my Camino Store, ending the first aid mission and selling my trailer as I cannot use it anymore due to a hernia prone lower abdomen wall problem - so ... post-plague I shall go on Camino but lightweight backpacking - soooo .... seems to me that one has to start with the pack choice.
I personally travel light anyway - 1 worn, 1 packed more or less, so for a summer Camino Keen Newport trekking sandals, zipped off shorts, shirt, hat, long handled umbrella (sunshade), and in the pack
1 pair zip off trousers
1 shirt
1 t shirt
1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
1 pair socks (my luxury, for walking in refugios)
either a light fleece or Michelin man type light jacket
1 Poncho - no leggings (is only water after all)
Cotton rectangular sleeping bag liner with pillow cover
Small first aid kit
bar of soap, razor, flannel, toothbrush and paste
and the bits and pieces that go in, including phone with 12grm solar panel charger
So I only need a small pack and decided on about 30 litres max
I Googled for lightweight packs - crikey! They are so expensive and under 600gms don't even seem to have hip belts!
Then by chance happened across a 28 litres rucksack by Technicals (who sell a lot of hiking gear over here in the UK and are known for strong and durable well made products) and felt that I absolutely had to share this find.
Approx 30 litre packs tend to sell for about £65 - £90. This one, the Technicals Glencoe 28 litre usually sells for £65 but is on sale for £28 - yes, £28, and, it weighs just 520 gms!! I will repeat that - 520 gms for a real backpack! - about 18 ounces.
Apart from the lack of weight it is a normal rucksack - all adjustable, hip-belt with stretchy pockets, breathable and padded back and shoulder straps , usual snaps and ties and compression straps, whistle buckle, side bottle compartments with tightening straps, rain cover hidden at the bottom, under the lid it has an extension sleeve that closes so can be "over-filled" and the lid pulled over and has a stretchy front compartment just perfect for carrying lunch. For those who use a bladder it is set up for one. Inside the full size zipped lid pocket there is a secure inner zipped mesh pocket too. Even has a reflective rear bike light attachment.
So I bought it! - 54cms high, just over 21 inches, so full length for my back - a perfect fit (smaller bags can be so short, can't they) and here are some photos, below
Available at Go Outdoors and also on Amazon
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986837/technicals-glencoe-22l-daysack-15986837
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/TECHNICALS/?tag=casaivar-21
View attachment 89214
View attachment 89215
View attachment 89216View attachment 89217View attachment 89218
So there it is, a proper pack, 28 litre but extendable, weighing only 520 gms and selling for £28 - what is not to like?
Thought I would share this is as it is an absolute bargain!
Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
I just buy an old Karrimor off eBay and walk with it until it falls to pieces! I'm on my third: two of which are "concurrent".
VERY good to hear!Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
Have you thought about merino wool underwear? Naturally wicking and doesn't get stinky.1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
DavidHi all - you may have seen my rather low mood posts re closing my Camino Store, ending the first aid mission and selling my trailer as I cannot use it anymore due to a hernia prone lower abdomen wall problem - so ... post-plague I shall go on Camino but lightweight backpacking - soooo .... seems to me that one has to start with the pack choice.
I personally travel light anyway - 1 worn, 1 packed more or less, so for a summer Camino Keen Newport trekking sandals, zipped off shorts, shirt, hat, long handled umbrella (sunshade), and in the pack
1 pair zip off trousers
1 shirt
1 t shirt
1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
1 pair socks (my luxury, for walking in refugios)
either a light fleece or Michelin man type light jacket
1 Poncho - no leggings (is only water after all)
Cotton rectangular sleeping bag liner with pillow cover
Small first aid kit
bar of soap, razor, flannel, toothbrush and paste
and the bits and pieces that go in, including phone with 12grm solar panel charger
So I only need a small pack and decided on about 30 litres max
I Googled for lightweight packs under 1 kilo - crikey! They are so expensive and under 600gms don't even seem to have hip belts!
Then by chance happened across a 28 litres rucksack by Technicals (who sell a lot of hiking gear over here in the UK and are known for strong and durable well made products) and felt that I absolutely had to share this find.
Approx 30 litre packs tend to sell for about £65 - £90. This one, the Technicals Glencoe 28 litre usually sells for £65 but is on sale for £28 - yes, £28, and, it weighs just 520 gms - about 18 ounces.
Edit: that is what I originally wrote as that is what the adverts said but they lie!! as I just weighed it and it is 840 grams - dang! - still light and still a bargain though.
Is all adjustable, hip-belt with stretchy pockets, breathable and padded back and shoulder straps , usual snaps and ties and compression straps, whistle buckle, side bottle compartments with tightening straps, rain cover hidden at the bottom, under the lid it has an extension sleeve that closes so can be "over-filled" and the lid pulled over and has a stretchy front compartment just perfect for carrying lunch. For those who use a bladder it is set up for one. Inside the full size zipped lid pocket there is a secure inner zipped mesh pocket too. Even has a reflective rear bike light attachment.
So I bought it! - 54cms high, just over 21 inches, so full length for my back - a perfect fit (smaller bags can be so short, can't they) and here are some photos, below
Available at Go Outdoors and also on Amazon
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986837/technicals-glencoe-22l-daysack-15986837
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/TECHNICALS/?tag=casaivar-21
View attachment 89214
View attachment 89215
View attachment 89216View attachment 89217View attachment 89218
So there it is, a proper pack, 28 litre but extendable, lightweight, and selling for £28 - what is not to like?
Thought I would share this is as it is an absolute bargain!
Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
I am not 100% confident, but i think they are marketet as G4Free on Amazon now.Go-lite
Brochures! Right? Why?? But who can say no?@JillGat ...
Yup. And it's amazing how much brochures can weigh when you've collected them all along the Camino (why?) and have a pile of them to throw out.
I hope that pack works out for you, David. If not, we can all chip in — in thanks for your wonderful first aid work — to buy you one of the pricier ones.
As for trousers, i envy the ladies for the tights option (yes, men can wear the aswell, but i dont like the look personally).
What works very well for myself is using a very light shorts (atm a 110g one, but theres even lighter ones) for walking the warm days, and a slightly more sturdy zip-off pant. A huge benefit of them is that you are able to wash the parts that get dirty the most (legs) while you can still wear the knee length short. (Thanks to James from Barcelona for giving me this tip). Also if you get one of those with a lengthwise zipper aswell you can put the leg part on and of without having to get out of your shoes. Really good if it was raining for a while and you are on one of those muddy parts.
Re floppy hoods on waterproofs, the trick is to wear a peaked baseball cap (under the hood!) - settles the hood and keeps waterfalls of the face.
And Amen...exactly what I do. In addition, I sew a little folded tuck in the top of the hood to keep it away from my eyes as I have a rather small head...works well for me.Amen, I say and again, Amen
Hilarious! My pack is not exactly light weight at 11 pounds but I still look like I am homeless all day/night.And regarding weight: I fully agree that after some point, weight saving becomes a bit pointless. I'd rather carry a 4-5kg backpack and have a bit of variety in my clothing than a 2,5kg one and look like a homeless person when going around town in the evening.
Nice pack, great waistband and pockets. I have a well used, weather worn-& sun-bleached Millet Women’s Venom 30L pack that empty weights 680 gm....I carry including pack a maximum 5 kg for my Feb-March caminos. I’m always looking for <30L pack but can’t find anything under 700 gm. Ospreys are all too heavy.Hi all - you may have seen my rather low mood posts re closing my Camino Store, ending the first aid mission and selling my trailer as I cannot use it anymore due to a hernia prone lower abdomen wall problem - so ... post-plague I shall go on Camino but lightweight backpacking - soooo .... seems to me that one has to start with the pack choice.
I personally travel light anyway - 1 worn, 1 packed more or less, so for a summer Camino Keen Newport trekking sandals, zipped off shorts, shirt, hat, long handled umbrella (sunshade), and in the pack
1 pair zip off trousers
1 shirt
1 t shirt
1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
1 pair socks (my luxury, for walking in refugios)
either a light fleece or Michelin man type light jacket
1 Poncho - no leggings (is only water after all)
Cotton rectangular sleeping bag liner with pillow cover
Small first aid kit
bar of soap, razor, flannel, toothbrush and paste
and the bits and pieces that go in, including phone with 12grm solar panel charger
So I only need a small pack and decided on about 30 litres max
I Googled for lightweight packs under 1 kilo - crikey! They are so expensive and under 600gms don't even seem to have hip belts!
Then by chance happened across a 28 litres rucksack by Technicals (who sell a lot of hiking gear over here in the UK and are known for strong and durable well made products) and felt that I absolutely had to share this find.
Approx 30 litre packs tend to sell for about £65 - £90. This one, the Technicals Glencoe 28 litre usually sells for £65 but is on sale for £28 - yes, £28, and, it weighs just 520 gms - about 18 ounces.
Edit: that is what I originally wrote as that is what the adverts said but they lie!! as I just weighed it and it is 840 grams - dang! - still light and still a bargain though.
Is all adjustable, hip-belt with stretchy pockets, breathable and padded back and shoulder straps , usual snaps and ties and compression straps, whistle buckle, side bottle compartments with tightening straps, rain cover hidden at the bottom, under the lid it has an extension sleeve that closes so can be "over-filled" and the lid pulled over and has a stretchy front compartment just perfect for carrying lunch. For those who use a bladder it is set up for one. Inside the full size zipped lid pocket there is a secure inner zipped mesh pocket too. Even has a reflective rear bike light attachment.
So I bought it! - 54cms high, just over 21 inches, so full length for my back - a perfect fit (smaller bags can be so short, can't they) and here are some photos, below
Available at Go Outdoors and also on Amazon
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986837/technicals-glencoe-22l-daysack-15986837
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/TECHNICALS/?tag=casaivar-21
View attachment 89214
View attachment 89215
View attachment 89216View attachment 89217View attachment 89218
So there it is, a proper pack, 28 litre but extendable, lightweight, and selling for £28 - what is not to like?
Thought I would share this is as it is an absolute bargain!
Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
You can shorten pants. If given my own choice, such as by making a garment, I take out an inch above the knee and another one below it.The zip off pants are a great idea. I bought some prior to my 1st Camino.
But.........
If you are short.......
And a bit chubby!
The zips land right across your knees!
So irritating I couldn't wear them.
I only take full length pants now. One walking, one spare for evening next day.
They weigh only 285g.
I guess I could make do with one pair. and just wear my rain pants when I wash them
I found full length pants and long sleeves suit me best anyway.
Sun burn protection!
There is saving weight..........and saving weight........
You can shorten pants. If given my own choice, such as by making a garment, I take out an inch above the knee and another one below it.
With purchased pants, you need to work around the pockets. Am getting ready to shorten a pair of Royal Robbins zip off pants with all of the shortening to come out of the below zipper space. There is a pocket adjoining the top half of the zipper on both legs, also there is a pocket near bottom of one leg. May do all the shortening in one tuck, then trim and fold over cut edges and sew down? Still thinking here. A 2 inch tuck would be a lot of bulk inside the pant leg to irritate as it flops around. But cutting is permanent, and you need to make very sure the edge treatment is neither irritating nor ravelly.
With my pants, there appears to be "just" enough length below that lower pocket to do a 1 inch tuck there and then the other tuck near the top of the zip off part. If it's on the knees, oh well.
I am a bit nervous about trying to slip a tuck into the area above that pocket on the top half of the pant leg with this pair. But you might either try it yourself or go to a tailor/alterations shop and talk it over with them.
BC
Why am I not surprised you're from Yorkshire?!I just buy an old Karrimor off eBay and walk with it until it falls to pieces!
Brilliant.Nice pack, great waistband and pockets. I have a well used, bush bleached Millet Women’s Venom 30L pack that empty weights 680 gm....I carry including pack a maximum 5 kg for my Feb-March caminos. I’m always looking for <30L pack but can’t find anything under 700 gm. Ospreys are all too heavy.
Yes I'm with you on those zips (I'm 5'1") - seriously irritating. I cut the zip off and made them into a pair of frayed shorts and threw the useless bottom part away. Made for an expensive pair of shorts.The zip off pants are a great idea. I bought some prior to my 1st Camino.
But.........
If you are short.......
And a bit chubby!
The zips land right across your knees!
So irritating I couldn't wear them.
I only take full length pants now. One walking, one spare for evening next day.
They weigh only 285g.
I guess I could make do with one pair. and just wear my rain pants when I wash them
I found full length pants and long sleeves suit me best anyway.
Sun burn protection!
There is saving weight..........and saving weight........
Yes I go for the homeless person look as well. Especially as I took 2 tops that were the same, so at first glance people would not know I had another top - or that I DID wash them, as I always, looked the same.Hilarious! My pack is not exactly light weight at 11 pounds but I still look like I am homeless all day/night.
Yes I'm with you on those zips (I'm 5'1") - seriously irritating. I cut the zip off and made them into a pair of frayed shorts and threw the useless bottom part away. Made for an expensive pair of shorts.
I appear to wear the same clothes (I also carry identical tops) but have dinner with different people.Yes I go for the homeless person look as well. Especially as I took 2 tops that were the same, so at first glance people would not know I had another top - or that I DID wash them, as I always, looked the same.
I do not really prefer them either. They are stiff all the way around the zipper area so not very comfortable for me.I’ve never got on with zip-off trousers either.
This is starting to remind me of the '12 Days of Christmas' melody ...I'm a stickler about going ultra-lightweight, so here's what I do.
Ultra-light Eja Osprey backpack. I bring 2 t-shirts (wear one, pack one), a pair of shorts - no long pants - long underwear tights for under my shorts in case it gets cold. 2 pairs of underwear and a poncho. A lightweight down coat and a sleeping bag liner. I transfer toiletries into tiny bags and dispose of the containers to save weight. I put a guidebook on my smart phone. Only bring a pair of sandals to hike in. Ultra-light is how I roll.
Then, a few days in, I run out of hand lotion and the only kind I can get in Spain that's any good is 100 ml, so I buy it. It's in a convenient bottle and I'm too lazy to transfer it into a lighter weight container, so I just decide it's worth it to have as is.
I get to Pamplona and, in an albergue, I find an old hard copy of Brierley's guidebook in the kitchen.. it's a couple of years old, but it has some interesting history about the Camino, so I shove it in the top pocket of my pack.
It rains the whole way to Logrono and my poncho hood keeps falling down over my eyes which is really annoying, so I go in a China shop and buy an umbrella. The handle fits in my side pocket and I cinch it into my pack with the side straps.
Couple of days later, I get an email from a guy up ahead of me who I met earlier on the trail who left his jacket in a cafe and he asks if I can retrieve it and bring it to him. I found it! It's kind of bulky and heavy, but I promised (I didn't run into him for two more weeks, so I carried it the whole way).
The lights in the albergue go off long before I'm ready to go to sleep and I'm sick of trying to read on my phone. In Burgos, I go in a bookstore and start reading a book by Hemingway and it's so good, I buy it. It's hardback, by the way and really thick. Oh, and I needed a flashlight to read it with, so I got one of those at the China shop.
My sandals are fraying, so I go on a long search for ways to repair them. I finally figure out that "duct tape" in Spanish is "Cinta Americana" (I love that!) and I got a roll. I can't see throwing any of it away and duct tape always come in useful, so I stick the whole roll in my pack for future use.
In the Bierzo region, I get talking to a guy in the vineyard who invites me to the winery tasting room to taste wines. The wine is great! I knew about Rioja, but I didn't know about Bierzo. I visited a couple of tasting rooms and one vino tinto was so exceptional, I bought a BOTTLE and shoved it in side pocket of my pack (the opposite of my umbrella). I also got a real wine glass, which I attached to the ice axe loop on the outside of my pack.
In a later albergue, I forgot my ultra-lightweight bath towel on the line and the only replacement I could find in a local shop was a real, full size towel. I figured it would have other uses - a privacy screen for my bunk and, rolled up, good padding for sitting on a rock.
Etc.
So anyway, Ms. Ultralightweight has now added the equivalent of an American 1950s Buick station wagon to the weight of my pack. And I didn't care.
Some times things made years ago are much more "fit for purpose". If I ever had the correct amount of money I would seek a "bespoke" backpack, but after several days and of 30kms+ I'm sure I'd feel just as frail...Why am I not surprised you're from Yorkshire?!
But don't you find that we spot people from a distance by their gear anyway.Yes I go for the homeless person look as well. Especially as I took 2 tops that were the same, so at first glance people would not know I had another top - or that I DID wash them, as I always, looked the same.
On my first camino I was preceded by a lovely Spanish chap who was known to all as ‘the man who smells like a goat’.But don't you find that we spot people from a distance by their gear anyway.
The German guy in the Yellow Shirt.
The Danish woman in the purple rain jacket.
Or "who's that lovely lady from Canada, you know, the one with the pink hat".
Don't take too many changes of clothes, it just confuses people!
Yes, but can these serve as an emergency meal like Mr. Chaplin's can, when one is in extremis?David, how many caminos have you walked in those shoes? I think your first aid kit was mostly used on yourself.
You need these!
View attachment 89269
Yes, the soles on the new pair are like eating marshmellows. The others are like eating vey old beef jerky.Yes, but can these serve as an emergency meal like Mr. Chaplin's can, when one is in extremis?
How about drilling holes in your toothbrush handle for further weight reduction? ;-)David
I bought an electronic ‘spring balance’ scale a while ago for only about £30 it weighs up to 15kg in one gramme increments. I’ve spent many a happy hour weighing the typical contents of my sack and eliminating weight.
Other than truly unnecessary items I took pleasure in eliminating the useless, for example:
Bags within bags. Some degree of organisation is clearly necessary - but does everything have to be in its own bag?
stuffsack drawcords. They only have to be long enough to allow the stuffsack to fully open. Any more cord is truly useless.
Labels. I know what size my trousers are. I don’t need a label to remind me.
Excess straps. Rucksacks can come with more features than I may need on Camino Internal dividers, bladder pouches, ice-axe loops, crampon straps etc.
Clearly there are also the obvious miniature toiletries, toothbrushes etc. and the mantras of ‘if in doubt, leave it out’ and ‘there are shops in Spain’ to remember. Good luck with your quest for lightness. It can become obsessive.
When David writes "...many a happy hour weighing the typical contents of my pack...", we many, we gallant, we airline-prohibited-from-Spain many, murmur to ourselves, "Doesn't everyone?"How about drilling holes in your toothbrush handle for further weight reduction? ;-)
David
Thanks for the heads up re rucksacks - and you have my sincere admiration for being able to fit everything into a 28 litre 'day sack'. I love my Osprey Exos and chose the 48l one (weighing 1.2l) because there's plenty of space so no struggle to fit everything in/get stuff out + there's additional space for food etc. So I'm happy with the weight:space trade off (and I've also got a 34 litre North Face as a backup). So I don't really 'need' another bag, but at £28 - wow! So with my appetite suitably wetted, I did a little googling and found the Technicals Tibet 35 litre (no weight quoted) for £19.61(!) and the 45 litre version (weighing 950g - so only around 150g more than your 28 litre bag and slightly less than my current Osprey) for £23.94 (!!) - both from Blacks on e-bay with postage included. Crickey as my Aus mates might say. Reckon I might not 'need' one - but that's a nice cheap insurance policy for the day when my Osprey needs to be retired (or for the wife if I persuade her to join me!) Not sure about the quality/durability but at that price it's probably worth taking the risk.
I am not 100% confident, but i think they are marketet as G4Free on Amazon now.
I have walked a total of 1000 over four trips with this rucksack and love it! In fact so much that I bought my 3 daughters one each when we finished the Frances together. Holds a surprising amount of gear, has its own raincover, easy to pack, and you can take as hand luggage. Bargain. I bought mine from Blacks for under £30.Hi all - you may have seen my rather low mood posts re closing my Camino Store, ending the first aid mission and selling my trailer as I cannot use it anymore due to a hernia prone lower abdomen wall problem - so ... post-plague I shall go on Camino but lightweight backpacking - soooo .... seems to me that one has to start with the pack choice.
I personally travel light anyway - 1 worn, 1 packed more or less, so for a summer Camino Keen Newport trekking sandals, zipped off shorts, shirt, hat, long handled umbrella (sunshade), and in the pack
1 pair zip off trousers
1 shirt
1 t shirt
1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
1 pair socks (my luxury, for walking in refugios)
either a light fleece or Michelin man type light jacket
1 Poncho - no leggings (is only water after all)
Cotton rectangular sleeping bag liner with pillow cover
Small first aid kit
bar of soap, razor, flannel, toothbrush and paste
and the bits and pieces that go in, including phone with 12grm solar panel charger
So I only need a small pack and decided on about 30 litres max
I Googled for lightweight packs under 1 kilo - crikey! They are so expensive and under 600gms don't even seem to have hip belts!
Then by chance happened across a 28 litres rucksack by Technicals (who sell a lot of hiking gear over here in the UK and are known for strong and durable well made products) and felt that I absolutely had to share this find.
Approx 30 litre packs tend to sell for about £65 - £90. This one, the Technicals Glencoe 28 litre usually sells for £65 but is on sale for £28 - yes, £28, and, it weighs just 520 gms - about 18 ounces.
Edit: that is what I originally wrote as that is what the adverts said but they lie!! as I just weighed it and it is 840 grams - dang! - still light and still a bargain though.
Is all adjustable, hip-belt with stretchy pockets, breathable and padded back and shoulder straps , usual snaps and ties and compression straps, whistle buckle, side bottle compartments with tightening straps, rain cover hidden at the bottom, under the lid it has an extension sleeve that closes so can be "over-filled" and the lid pulled over and has a stretchy front compartment just perfect for carrying lunch. For those who use a bladder it is set up for one. Inside the full size zipped lid pocket there is a secure inner zipped mesh pocket too. Even has a reflective rear bike light attachment.
So I bought it! - 54cms high, just over 21 inches, so full length for my back - a perfect fit (smaller bags can be so short, can't they) and here are some photos, below
Available at Go Outdoors and also on Amazon
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986837/technicals-glencoe-22l-daysack-15986837
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/TECHNICALS/?tag=casaivar-21
View attachment 89214
View attachment 89215
View attachment 89216View attachment 89217View attachment 89218
So there it is, a proper pack, 28 litre but extendable, lightweight, and selling for £28 - what is not to like?
Thought I would share this is as it is an absolute bargain!
Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
I have walked a total of 1000 over four trips with this rucksack and love it! In fact so much that I bought my 3 daughters one each when we finished the Frances together. Holds a surprising amount of gear, has its own raincover, easy to pack, and you can take as hand luggage. Bargain. I bought mine from Blacks for under £30.
G4Free is a totally different company.I am not 100% confident, but i think they are marketet as G4Free on Amazon now.
What brand is it?I have walked a total of 1000 over four trips with this rucksack and love it! In fact so much that I bought my 3 daughters one each when we finished the Frances together. Holds a surprising amount of gear, has its own raincover, easy to pack, and you can take as hand luggage. Bargain. I bought mine from Blacks for under £30.
Technicals Glencoe. Btw Comes in black and red. I ordered the black for some variation but ended up sending it back as it’sWhat brand is it?
A pair of underwear drying in the albergue
weighing 1.2l
So do you use the 20% on your backpack or not?I assume 1.2 kg as this equates closest to the 2.6 lb that Osprey quote for the exos 48.
I have always pondered using such a relatively large proportion (nearly 20%) of my nominal target weight of 7 kg (15 lb) at the start of a day (including water and snacks) on the pack.
And having learnt from my early days of tramping the 4,000 foot plus hills around me, of having a frame and "trapeze" that puts some air between my back and the pack proper, could not cope with what I would regard as a "kidney basher" in the form of most packs now available.
Whilst my wife and I were walking in the north of Portugal many years ago - not on a camino per se, just a large circular route - we found ourselves in Braga. We took unusually smart accommodation in a hotel adjacent to the cathedral.My first camino was from Sarria in late June 2010. Day 1 to Portomarin and day 2 to Palais-de-Rei. It was there I washed all my smalls and hung everything to dry by an open window opposite my bunk. Up more than an hour before sunrise and put (all) my stuff into my day pack. The next night was Arzua and wanted to change my underpants, but they were nowhere to be found. On my last day I had struggled on and late morning was in a cafe just after the airport. I had not been there long when a couple I vaguely recall having met entered: as soon as the wife sees me she takes a plastic bag out of here pack and comes towards me rolling the top of the bag down and gives it to me - one glance and there are my lost underpants!
I am obviously different to everybody else. I am relatively poor as I am 77, a pensioner and I can make do with less. On my last Camino in 2019 I had a 25litre pack which was very old and disintegrated beyond use in Leon. I bought a very cheap 12litre day pack and sent whatever I could not fit into it, on to Santiago. I found I could make do with what I had. For my next Camino (whenever that will be) I have a 16litre day pack. weight 900grams, cost NZ$20 (US$ 14.18, 11.56 Euros, 10.52 Pounds). It has a zip that runs from the bottom on one side up and over the top and down to the bottom on the other side which means that when opened I have easy access to everything in the pack. I can get everything I need into the pack quite easily as 16litres is luxury compared to the 12litre pack I was forced into last time. My total pack weight is 4.5kilograms and to that will be added my 350ml plastic water bottle. I do not have fancy walking gear. Nothing is purpose-made and most of it came from the local Op-Shop. I have had no problems with this gear in the past. The total cost of everything I am taking on the Camino is NZ$336 (US$238, 194 Euros, 176 Pounds). I do not take a phone or other electrical equipment. Other than the loss of my very old pack last time, I have never had a problem with my gear and I thoroughly enjoy my Caminos and just can't wait to get back next year.
I know this can be absolutely true in many cases, but I still enjoy the variety of "changing things up" as often as I like.Somes a quality product that initially seems more expensive, can in the end be less expensive, provide excellent wear, and even be environmentally friendly.
I know this can be absolutely true in many cases, but I still enjoy the variety of "changing things up" as often as I like.
Good for you! I agree that we can do with less. I can get by with an 18 liter backpack in September, however, only because we stay in private rooms, which means there will be sheets, pillows, blankets, and toiletries, and thus, I do not need to carry soap, shampoo and a sleeping bag, otherwise I would need some addition items that would not fit in my pack.
Many of us on this site are retired and also on a fixed income. Six years ago, I bought 4 LS Padagonia base layer ultra light white shirts during an end of year sale. I have used them on 8 caminos and other hiking experiences. At the time, I paid about $30 per shirt. They are still in very good condition. If you calculate the cost per trip, Just based on my camino wearing experiences, and my expectation, that the shirts will last another six years, the actual cost of each shirt would be $2.50 per year! Somes a quality product that initially seems more expensive, can in the end be less expensive, provide excellent wear, and even be environmentally friendly.
Rather than buying replacement rechargable devices I am looking at buying lightweight lithium AA and AAA batteries that can be charged via USB. These can be used at home, on camino or on the trail (if you have a solar charger). Here is my first webpage found for this, it is not a recommendation, just an introduction.I am trying out a rechargeable battery headlamp so I won’t have to be disgarding batteries every couple of days.
Rather than buying replacement rechargable devices I am looking at buying lightweight lithium AA and AAA batteries that can be charged via USB. These can be used at home, on camino or on the trail (if you have a solar charger). Here is my first webpage found for this, it is not a recommendation, just an introduction.
Yes, I do use a silk sleeping bag liner which I have had for many years. My Caminos are in June and July which is too hot for a sleeping bag. I am intrigued by the high use of torch batteries by some. I bought a very small torch from an Asian shop for $2 which has a LED bulb powered by one AAA battery. It gives plenty of light, enough to see the yellow arrows in early morning starts. It has completed three Caminos, the battery is still good and will be coming with me on the next one. The shirts and shorts I wear are Active Intent brand made in China and cost NZ$6 at The Warehouse and are now six years old and good for a few more Caminos.
Since pilgrims usually lodge each night at a place with AC power I don't see much reason to carry a solar charger on a camino. For wilderness use I don't have enough knowledge to be useful.I’ve had a couple of portable solar chargers in the past and been distinctly underwhelmed by them. Are the current crop actually worth carrying?
You are so right! Of course, that is because I agree with you! It is a fact though: you get what you pay for. I learned that by watching patterns. People with less disposable income spend more often, paying less. Apparently. Add it all up and you have your own wise investment story. I wish you many many more camino wearing s of your precious shirts!Good for you! I agree that we can do with less. I can get by with an 18 liter backpack in September, however, only because we stay in private rooms, which means there will be sheets, pillows, blankets, and toiletries, and thus, I do not need to carry soap, shampoo and a sleeping bag, otherwise I would need some addition items that would not fit in my pack.
Many of us on this site are retired and also on a fixed income. Six years ago, I bought 4 LS Padagonia base layer ultra light white shirts during an end of year sale. I have used them on 8 caminos and other hiking experiences. At the time, I paid about $30 per shirt. They are still in very good condition. If you calculate the cost per trip, Just based on my camino wearing experiences, and my expectation, that the shirts will last another six years, the actual cost of each shirt would be $2.50 per year! Sometimes a quality product that initially seems more expensive, can in the end be less expensive, provide excellent wear, and even be environmentally friendly.
If you’re starting in the dark in June and July you must be up very early indeed. I tend to walk October through to early March, so an early start can be rather chilly and in the pitch dark. As well as helping with navigation a decent head torch gives a degree of protection on the road-side stretches at the edge of towns and villages with no street lighting.
I do agree with your general point that most Caminos can be easily accomplished with little and inexpensive clothing and equipment.
So glad to take a minute to scan your post, and see that the gloom has lifted somewhat, David. I replied just now to MArbe2, and believe me it is true. Save up, and invest. You will thank your granny for teaching you how to get by... this is the one conservative idea I approve of!!!Hi all - you may have seen my rather low mood posts re closing my Camino Store, ending the first aid mission and selling my trailer as I cannot use it anymore due to a hernia prone lower abdomen wall problem - so ... post-plague I shall go on Camino but lightweight backpacking - soooo .... seems to me that one has to start with the pack choice.
I personally travel light anyway - 1 worn, 1 packed more or less, so for a summer Camino Keen Newport trekking sandals, zipped off shorts, shirt, hat, long handled umbrella (sunshade), and in the pack
1 pair zip off trousers
1 shirt
1 t shirt
1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
1 pair socks (my luxury, for walking in refugios)
either a light fleece or Michelin man type light jacket
1 Poncho - no leggings (is only water after all)
Cotton rectangular sleeping bag liner with pillow cover
Small first aid kit
bar of soap, razor, flannel, toothbrush and paste
and the bits and pieces that go in, including phone with 12grm solar panel charger
So I only need a small pack and decided on about 30 litres max
I Googled for lightweight packs under 1 kilo - crikey! They are so expensive and under 600gms don't even seem to have hip belts!
Then by chance happened across a 28 litres rucksack by Technicals (who sell a lot of hiking gear over here in the UK and are known for strong and durable well made products) and felt that I absolutely had to share this find.
Approx 30 litre packs tend to sell for about £65 - £90. This one, the Technicals Glencoe 28 litre usually sells for £65 but is on sale for £28 - yes, £28, and, it weighs just 520 gms - about 18 ounces.
Edit: that is what I originally wrote as that is what the adverts said but they lie!! as I just weighed it and it is 840 grams - dang! - still light and still a bargain though.
Is all adjustable, hip-belt with stretchy pockets, breathable and padded back and shoulder straps , usual snaps and ties and compression straps, whistle buckle, side bottle compartments with tightening straps, rain cover hidden at the bottom, under the lid it has an extension sleeve that closes so can be "over-filled" and the lid pulled over and has a stretchy front compartment just perfect for carrying lunch. For those who use a bladder it is set up for one. Inside the full size zipped lid pocket there is a secure inner zipped mesh pocket too. Even has a reflective rear bike light attachment.
So I bought it! - 54cms high, just over 21 inches, so full length for my back - a perfect fit (smaller bags can be so short, can't they) and here are some photos, below
Available at Go Outdoors and also on Amazon
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986837/technicals-glencoe-22l-daysack-15986837
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/TECHNICALS/?tag=casaivar-21
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So there it is, a proper pack, 28 litre but extendable, lightweight, and selling for £28 - what is not to like?
Thought I would share this is as it is an absolute bargain!
Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
An app with the Camino route on GPS can help with those situations.Old Kiwi,
Like Henry, I too have gone out early...around 5am. Remember vividly, two of us leaving Rente, outside of Sarria, each with a 300 lumen, headlight, and were unable to see any signs unless we were about 2 meters away from them. We literally had to keep turning our heads every time we came to the least little intersection, or little dead-end. Slowed us turtles down. Another time we left Ages very early, and were going up a very rocky hill in the dark and fog! We reached the top of the hill and could not find the marker. We knew there had to be one because there were three directions one could go in. Finally after 15 minutes, we found no yellow marker, but an arrow made of stones on the ground pointing the way!
So I am happy to invest in a new inexpensive, maximum brightness 1000 lumens, USB rechargeable headlamp with 8 settings. It is fixed, so one cannot change the battery, but for 10 dollars, I thought I would give it a try! Should arrive soon.
People with less disposable income spend more often, paying less.
Yes - they quote in kg over here. I think the weight is just under 1.2kg. To be honest I can get quite obsessive about saving weight but the Osprey works for me and finding something with a similar capacity but significantly lighter would I think also be significantly more expensive. All a case of trade offs. Walk safe.I assume 1.2 kg as this equates closest to the 2.6 lb that Osprey quote for the exos 48.
I have always pondered using such a relatively large proportion (nearly 20%) of my nominal target weight of 7 kg (15 lb) at the start of a day (including water and snacks) on the pack.
And having learnt from my early days of tramping the 4,000 foot plus hills around me, of having a frame and "trapeze" that puts some air between my back and the pack proper, could not cope with what I would regard as a "kidney basher" in the form of most packs now available.
I find that this principle was best expressed by Terry Pratchett when writing about Sam Vimes' boots:You are so right! Of course, that is because I agree with you! It is a fact though: you get what you pay for. I learned that by watching patterns. People with less disposable income spend more often, paying less. Apparently. Add it all up and you have your own wise investment story. I wish you many many more camino wearing s of your precious shirts!
The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money.
Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles.
But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
This was the Captain Samuel Vimes 'Boots' theory of socioeconomic unfairness.
I fixed it for you.The metal tips are exposed to that same rough surface, making the click clack sound that is notalwayswelcomed
I met Terry Pratchett once on a street in Reading. Huge black fedora and a cape. I recognised him, but he didn’t recognise me funnily enough.I find that this principle was best expressed by Terry Pratchett when writing about Sam Vimes' boots:
As we plan our camino, particularly the first, we can obsess a bit about what we are carrying.
If we get it right, we'll carry as few burdens as possible. And that's a good thing.
But regardless; as we take those first steps, and during those first days, the last thing we think about, is our pack. Is it the right one? Or is my sleeping bag too heavy?
In the end, i think a lighter pack has a huge benefit on a more joyful camino. But as with everything, the key is moderation. If that means 3kg or 7kg on your back is up to you, but please don't make it 15kg
Why not Decathlon socks?Then there is the already mentioned Decathlon (thats a european sporting goods discount @the guys from overseas). One can get almost everything for a seriously light backpack from them. Actually, a very good portion of my "money is little issue" gear list is still decathlon stuff, because it works, its cheap and its easily replaced while still being reasonably lightweight. Only shoes, socks and backpack i would buy elsewhere, but that comes down to personal preference. I do actually have a theoretical gear list that is around 3kg and 235€ for everything and only stuff from Decathlon (add weight and cost of shoes, socks, backpack).
That was in no way to say they are bad. For me, personally, wrightsocks work really well, because of that i would not use them. They might be perfectly fine for others. However, i cant recommend what i dont use myself.Why not Decathlon socks?
I was thrilled with them, my feet were always dry and I didn’t get a single blister.
They have no seams, the material draws moisture from the feet, they dry quickly.
Their backpacks and shoes are middle class, good enough for a Camino, especially for someone who buys equipment for just one Camino but the socks are in my opinion, for recommendation.
My shoes are Salewa, my backpack is Osprey, for the afternoon I have ultra light La Sportiva trailer shoes.
This link for inspiration and personal reflectionsHi all - you may have seen my rather low mood posts re closing my Camino Store, ending the first aid mission and selling my trailer as I cannot use it anymore due to a hernia prone lower abdomen wall problem - so ... post-plague I shall go on Camino but lightweight backpacking - soooo .... seems to me that one has to start with the pack choice.
I personally travel light anyway - 1 worn, 1 packed more or less, so for a summer Camino Keen Newport trekking sandals, zipped off shorts, shirt, hat, long handled umbrella (sunshade), and in the pack
1 pair zip off trousers
1 shirt
1 t shirt
1 pair underpants (my usual cotton trunks for total comfort as I don't wear anything synthetic against my skin - too smelly, too sweaty, just too horrid)
1 pair socks (my luxury, for walking in refugios)
either a light fleece or Michelin man type light jacket
1 Poncho - no leggings (is only water after all)
Cotton rectangular sleeping bag liner with pillow cover
Small first aid kit
bar of soap, razor, flannel, toothbrush and paste
and the bits and pieces that go in, including phone with 12grm solar panel charger
So I only need a small pack and decided on about 30 litres max
I Googled for lightweight packs under 1 kilo - crikey! They are so expensive and under 600gms don't even seem to have hip belts!
Then by chance happened across a 28 litres rucksack by Technicals (who sell a lot of hiking gear over here in the UK and are known for strong and durable well made products) and felt that I absolutely had to share this find.
Approx 30 litre packs tend to sell for about £65 - £90. This one, the Technicals Glencoe 28 litre usually sells for £65 but is on sale for £28 - yes, £28, and, it weighs just 520 gms - about 18 ounces.
Edit: that is what I originally wrote as that is what the adverts said but they lie!! as I just weighed it and it is 840 grams - dang! - still light and still a bargain though.
Is all adjustable, hip-belt with stretchy pockets, breathable and padded back and shoulder straps , usual snaps and ties and compression straps, whistle buckle, side bottle compartments with tightening straps, rain cover hidden at the bottom, under the lid it has an extension sleeve that closes so can be "over-filled" and the lid pulled over and has a stretchy front compartment just perfect for carrying lunch. For those who use a bladder it is set up for one. Inside the full size zipped lid pocket there is a secure inner zipped mesh pocket too. Even has a reflective rear bike light attachment.
So I bought it! - 54cms high, just over 21 inches, so full length for my back - a perfect fit (smaller bags can be so short, can't they) and here are some photos, below
Available at Go Outdoors and also on Amazon
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15986837/technicals-glencoe-22l-daysack-15986837
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/TECHNICALS/?tag=casaivar-21
View attachment 89214
View attachment 89215
View attachment 89216View attachment 89217View attachment 89218
So there it is, a proper pack, 28 litre but extendable, lightweight, and selling for £28 - what is not to like?
Thought I would share this is as it is an absolute bargain!
Of course a future Camino is about half a year away, even if we are lucky ... but I have started! I have my pack!!!
I don't have the impression that this would be called "quite heavy." Yes there are lighter ones, but this is a very typical backpack for the Camino. When they get over 2 kg, they might be considered heavy.My actual pack is quite heavy. But I love it.
An Osprey Stratos 34L. It comes in at 1.2 kg. (2.6 lbs)
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