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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

So here I go - compiling that lightweight kit - I started with the Rucksack

David

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
First one in 2005 from Moissac, France.
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

bag 1.jpg

bag 2.jpg

bag 6.jpgbag 3.jpgbag 4.jpg

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!!! :D:eek:;)
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
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!!! :D:eek:;)
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".
 
Well, what can i say, if the pack does keep all it's promises, it's a steal.
By looking at it, i personally find it hard to believe that it only weighs 520g, those lightweight packs you probably googled don't have lots of "bells and whistles" for a reason.
But again, i do not know the pack, maybe they left out other things (not much padding in the shoulder straps it seems), and i sincerely hope it will work for you.
From your talks about your surgery i would have suggested something without a hip belt, theres lots of running style vests with 20-25l volume (and you do not need more, specially when only using a liner for sleep), but i'm no doctor. Just saying, you dont really need a hip belt when your pack is only around 4kg :)
 
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I thought that about the weight too - it is light in the hand and all outlets give the same weight.
Will weigh it!!!
(oh dear, I am so gullible).
 
The adverts lie!! I just weighed it and it is 840 grams, not 520!!

Mind you, still light for a good rucksack at £28! - will edit my post.

Re shoulder straps - I fit my packs so there is no weight or stress on the straps, a finger gap between me and the strap, weight on the hip belt and pack resting there. Agree with hip belt and abdomen but a huge difference between hauling over 17 kilos with a trailer and just a small amount in a pack (he wrote hopefully) and I so dislike having weight on my shoulders, which is why I also discarded the vest style - but thanks.
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Something you could try out is a vest-like pack like the AONIJIER Running Backpack, 18L (amazon hast it). A friend recommends it.
There is two caveats: A vest like pack is unfamiliar when you are used to using classic packs and 18L is not much. From your first post items, it might be sufficiently big, but it also might not. But you should be able to return it without much problems in case its to small or you dont like the fit.
 
I admire your never-give-up attitude David!
I'd maybe ditch the cotton underwear for something like bamboo - mainly on the grounds that cotton can take a long time to dry out and nobody wants to see your Spiderman undies hanging off of your pack to dry.
Since having a problem with a badly made inseam on some shorts (and the subsequent chafe) I've gone for stuff like ONE-STEP (yes, I know, the TV ads are dire) which are comfortable, supportive, long legged and wash and dry quickly.
Otherwise an admirable list.
I've never managed to find a small pack that fitted me (tall, broad shouldered) without modification. Added to my "tall Englishman's stoop" anything less than 40l makes me look like Quasimodo. At present I use a bog standard 40l from Mountain Warehouse (I believe, it's in the loft) but had to extend the front straps so it sits on what I laughingly call my hips. If it's big enough, comfortable and affordable then it'll do for four weeks.
During endless bouts of wild planning during lockdown I stumbled upon a most miraculous pack at all of $543 for 45 litres or $12 per litre - most of the wines I drink (all?) don't cost that while my current pack was about £35 and, although comfortable weighs around 1.3kg (from memory).

Onwards and upwards!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
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!!! :D:eek:;)
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.
 
We usually hike off season, but I always carry a very light backpack...still using one from Go-lite (which went out of business) but it will not make it through another camino. The bag had 30 liter capacity, side pouches for water or goodies, a durable zipper pouch on the back side, good padding in the shoulder straps, and a small hip belt which I would raise up a bit- like a runner might. It ways only 12 ozs. However, I have found nothing comparable. So since this next camino is starting early September and we will need mostly lighter clothing, we have settled for a 18 liter bright orange Osprey lite backpack. It weights 22oz. Including all my clothing and accessories the pack will weigh about 3.25 kgs. I also will carry a fanny pouch with IPad air, money, CCs and documents. A little over 1kg.
 
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Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
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.
 
@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.
💞
 
@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.
💞
Brochures! Right? Why?? But who can say no?
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I admit, my extremely light backpack also got heavier along the way as i was replacing stuff like foot balm (sold in 100ml or more) or buying juice boxes (sold in packs of 6) or just collecting the occasional memorabilia (but nothing as extravagant as a hardback ;) )
But in my opinion that does not defeat the argument of starting out light. When doing one of the longer caminos, like the Frances, there is a significant effect on your body in terms of training. One might be very well prepared for that first days, but after walking daily for 3 weeks one will usually be fitter and more used to walking (yes, there will be exceptions to that rule, but i'd say its true for 90%). So no big deal if you add the occasional couple of grams to your pack.

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.

@Jeff Crawley would you mind giving us a name for that insanely expensive backpack? That sounds incredibly pricy. My very well made DCF/Cuben Fibre pack came to only 267€ with all the additions included, so i'm not sure what kind of pack would justify double the price...
 
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.

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 :rolleyes:

I found full length pants and long sleeves suit me best anyway.
Sun burn protection! ;)

There is saving weight..........and saving weight........
 
@Robo Valid point. I got trouble with most pants myself, but more from having big calfs and living in an age where apparently theres nothing but skinny fit... But of course, one should use what works for him and nothing else.
Thing with the rain pants will definately work, know a few guys that do it exactly like this. I'm a kilt user, and mine is kinda see-thru so... nope ;)

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. (and yes, a 2,5kg pack is possible, at least in theory)
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Agree - those zips can be annoying when zipped off sometimes - but, over here at Go Outdoors we can get Hi-Gear copies of the expensive brands - £12 for trousers (and they are good too) so a cheap option is to buy two and cut the legs off one - et Voila!
Mind you, the Aussies can teach us a thing or two about sunburn and skin cancer avoidance so maybe long legs and long sleeves and always a broad-brimmed sunhat is the way to go on a summer Camino.

I don't intend to become a super-light, the type that cuts their toothbrush in half - is just that I pack minimal anyway so thought I should start with a light pack - my first Camino, when I knew nothing, I weighed my pack when I got home and I think it was 4lbs 4 ozs empty!! - what is that? 2 kilos?
Won't do that again :)

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.
 
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A selection of Camino Jewellery
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.
Hilarious! My pack is not exactly light weight at 11 pounds but I still look like I am homeless all day/night.😅
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
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!!! :D:eek:;)
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.
 
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My pack starts out on the heavy side and gets lighter along the way. Nothing intentional, I just have the annoying habit of forgetting/loosing items on a rather regular basis. A pair of underwear drying in the albergue, my gloves during a cafe con leche stop in a cafe, my hat after a trail side break. If I started off with with a light pack I’d be walking nearly naked and barefoot after a couple of weeks. Being well over six feet with size 12 shoes makes it near impossible to replace things except in the larger cities. In March while waiting for a train from Leon to Sahagun I was so concerned about not missing the train that I left my walking poles, hat, and sunglasses sitting on the chair next to me in the station....

frm
 
I just want a pack that will be comfortable on my 23" measured back. Hard to get anything, never mind lightweight.

I used to wear tops in L but with three kisses, I am now down to two kisses. I did try to buy a long sleeve shirt in Pamplona due to the April sun sizzling my pale Northumbrian arms. It was, as FRM has discovered, an impossible task. I ended up using factor 60 sun cream on my balding head and arms for the remainder of the pilgrimage. I don't mind cold, wind, snow or rain but am genetically and culturally completely flummoxed by the sun.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I started a two month trip on the trans siberian going from freezing temperatures to +35 C via yes, Siberia. 8kg including a kindle, sleeping bag, camera, phone. Internatioal charger, battery pack, and walking poles. On my return by air my bag weighed in at 17kg on Emirates scales, plus a couple more in my waist bag. Explain that away.....
 
We all know the main way of dropping pack weight is to have items serve a dual purpose--no pack cover as poncho serves that purpose etc. One year in Azofra, I shared the room with another American who had regressed all the way to the Civil War style bedroll. Very light but logistics can be a real problem as everything has to come out when you want anything. But using your quilt or sleeping bag as the main structure of a pack saves at least 800-1000 grams.
 

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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 :rolleyes:

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
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
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

I have used hemming tape successfully a few times - you place it in the fold over and then iron.

This sort of thing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GLM9QRX/?tag=casaivar-21
 
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.
Brilliant.
My Osprey Lumina is 830 g. Maybe heavy compared to yours but oh so comfortable (for me).
And better than my Osprey Exos 48 at 1.1 kg. (which I love to bits and will carry all my camping gear ).
Like you I only ever carry a max. of 5 kg.
I first did it out of fear, I’d never backpacked in my life. I was so afraid of not being up to it. When -on my first Camino - I put my pack on the airport scales, it weighed 4.9kg and my poles were in it! I never missed anything so I carried on from there. 😉
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
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 :rolleyes:

I found full length pants and long sleeves suit me best anyway.
Sun burn protection! ;)

There is saving weight..........and saving weight........
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.
 
Hilarious! My pack is not exactly light weight at 11 pounds but I still look like I am homeless all day/night.😅
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.
 
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’ve never got on with zip-off trousers either. Not satisfactory either as shorts or trousers, in my opinion.

During the day I’ve adopted Lycra-based cycling-type shorts as a base layer (one spare carried) under a pair of loose running shorts, with the integrated ‘underpants’ cut out. That provides a comfortable, supportive and chafe-free base over which my loose shorts serve so as not to scare anyone of a nervous disposition. My general belief is that skin dries faster than cloth, so I try to ignore rain from the mid-thigh down.

I have a light, comfortable pair of trousers in the sack for evenings or -in extremis - exceptionally cold weather.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
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 appear to wear the same clothes (I also carry identical tops) but have dinner with different people.
 
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.
This is starting to remind me of the '12 Days of Christmas' melody ...
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
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.
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! :rolleyes:
 
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! :rolleyes:
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’.

no matter how lightweight I may aspire to, there’s always room for soap.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
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.
How about drilling holes in your toothbrush handle for further weight reduction? ;-)
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
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.
 
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.

hahaha - I understand - 'rucksack fetishism' - hahaha - the Tibet 35 is listed as 900 grams. You may be right re the compromise between size and weight to not have to faff over-neatly every day packing and repacking - one can drybag fit fleece and waterproof onto the top of a smaller one, but, really - I get your point - is it worth it?
I like that the Technical bags are long in the back - so many short ones out there.
 
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Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
I am not 100% confident, but i think they are marketet as G4Free on Amazon now.

Thank you for this post. This backpack appears similar, but it is not as well made, I think? The Go-lite bag seems to have had more sustantial padding at the shoulders straps, and used durable side pockets with net padding which held up well. It also had a hip strap, though it was not substantial.

I take no short sleeve shirts or shorts - not even in the summer. Here is what I carry in hot weather on CF. Patagonia ultra light LS shirts each 4 oz. (2)...I am 5’9”. They provide sun protection, and the sleeves easily roll up if necessary...but the shirts are so lite never wanted to; one pair very lite polyester crinkle pants (6oz) and a lite pair padagonia base layer pants if mornings are very cold (4oz) LLbean polyester jacket, (5oz) , 4 pair wicker liners for shoes (never socks) (3oz total), 3 pair underwear (4oz) and a pair of slippers/shower shoe (6oz). Medicines, second skin, bandaids, little scissors, headlight (10oz), BP wrist machine(4oz), tourniquet, (4oz), pulse-0X (3oz), silk gloves 1oz., protection glasses (3oz), 22oz backpack(includes cover), Silk sheet 5oz.
We stay in private rooms, no need for shampoo or soap, or towels. We wash clothes, every other day, and because they dry quickly.

I also daily wear a hat, (4oz), sports bra (3oz), Vasque Inhaler Il low hiking shoes, sunglasses (3ozs) and use Leki hiking poles.
 
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!!! :D:eek:;)
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.
 

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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.

That is honest, brilliant, and fantastic feedback - thank you!!!!!

Just a note - you seem to have four daughters, not three :D;)
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I am not 100% confident, but i think they are marketet as G4Free on Amazon now.
G4Free is a totally different company.
GoLite as a manufacturer of backpacks doesn't exist anymore. The company went bankrupt a few years ago. GoLite has reorganized and is back, but they are making clothing, not gear now.

For a while the same GoLite backpacks were made by My Trail Company, but they went out of business too.
Here's more info about the company

 
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.
What brand is it?
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
The red one does indeed look very nice. Reasonably light, dirt cheap, some back vent (i know, usefulness is debateable), and a hip belt with pockets.
For me it would be a deal breaker that it does not come with a daisy chain. I need my water bottle on my shoulder strap or i'll forget to drink enough. But thats personal preference. Oh, and it's not as waterproof as i'd like it to be. But then, its not even 30 pound...
Size should be sufficient for a compact packing list with either a liner or very compact down sleeping bag.

edit: i just realized that the red one is the exact same pack David was talking about from the beginning. I kinda feel like an idiot now. And since it seems to be heavier than advertised, i must strike one point. But as for bang for the buck, it might not be that bad.
 
A pair of underwear drying in the albergue

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!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
weighing 1.2l

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 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.
So do you use the 20% on your backpack or not?

For myself I don't give myself any choice, I have a very long back and thus the best comfort is achieved using a larger backpack ( Osprey Exos 55 in my case, now).
I have the discipline not to overfill and learned years ago the none value of "what if" packing.
I add extra weight by spraying liberally inside and out with permethrin😁
For those in the UK then keep an eye out for Aldi or Lidl backpacks, they are really well made have decent back venting. My mate has one.
 
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!
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.

We did our evening washing, as lightweight backpackers must, and hung out an impressive collection of underwear which, being on the third floor, we thought reasonable enough.

Several minutes later the receptionist put through a ‘phone call to the room. The archbishop’s secretary asked for my pants to be removed from his view.

Identical situation in India a couple of years later - no archbishop, obviously. Phone call comes in from reception: “someone seems to have placed laundry outside your room, we’ll send a boy up to sort it out for you’’.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
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.
 
Hi @Old Kiwi,
I agree with you. It does not take overpriced high end hiking gear to enjoy a Camino. My most expensive item was my Osprey backpack and purchased it for half price being the prior year's model/color. Next in line are my shoes and I've found great values as I don't need "the latest and greatest". My only Camino clothing requirement is staying away from cotton and have purchased a few great items from resale shops and my local Dollar store. I do however, indulge in quality socks.🙂
I have the financial means to spend more, but I receive more personal satisfaction and pleasure by spending less...that's just me and I'm probably in the minority here.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Very interesting insights @Old Kiwi , thank you for that.
I take it that you do not use a sleeping bag but rather a liner or something? The Problem with lower budget gear seems to be the sleeping bag, since the cheap ones tend to be rather heavy and voluminous compared to the more pricy down ones.
On the rest, i totally agree. Apart from some items, for me thats shoes, socks, poles and the sleeping bag, you definately do not need anything fancy. Maybe at some point in my life i'll start a camino with an empty pack and just those 4 items and equip myself solely from the stuff people drop off in Roncesvalles ;)

On the other hand of course, the fancy stuff has it's advantages. The "marginal utility" might not be great, but some of it exists.
 
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.

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.
 
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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.

My shirts and base layer pants are always the same...until they wearout. But, I always wind up with something new. In 2021, we are walking early September, which likely translates into hot days and starting out very early. I am trying out a rechargeable battery headlamp so I won’t have to be disgarding batteries every couple of days. The Lumens are substantially brighter than my current headlamp which should make walking in the dark easier. The price seemd quite reasonable - waiting for the product to arrive soon to try it out walking the dog at night.
If it works would be cheaper than buying batteries for a camino!

I usually also bring a couple of very light colorful scarfs in hot weather, which I can wet when walking, or when they dry, use them as an accessory If we dine out. Got both of those at a dollar store.
 
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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.

Some Patagonia clothing can be exceptionally long lasting. I’ve got a fleece top which I was given pre-1996. It’s been well used then relegated to being a dog-bed; stuffed under the spare wheel in my car for emergencies, and finally retrieved, washed and it’s still going strong back in my wardrobe. It’s heavier than the modern equivalent, but there’s no reason to throw it away.

On a cost-per-wear basis, it would be practically free.
 
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.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
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.
 
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 think that the principle (rechargeable replaceables rather than rechargeable fixed) is a good one . Some head torches rechargeable by USB have a fixed integrated battery. No access to charge is therefore an issue.

Use rechargeable AA or AAAs and there’s always the option to set your environmental credentials to one side in extremis and use a set of full-fat ‘normal’ batteries.

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?

(I am British so a power source based on xenophobia, latent aggression, misery and rust would perform better than anything trying to seek out the sun.)
 
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.

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.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
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?
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'm also looking into products where AA batteries can be used as an external charger for USB devices. The idea here is you bring that (hopefully lightweight) gizmo, your USB charger for your phone, enough batteries for your AA powered devices and charged spares. If you need to charge your phone out on the camino you could use the spare AA batteries to do it. Perhaps the weight would be a bit more than a regular setup but there would be more flexiblity.
 
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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.
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!
 
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.

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.
 
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A selection of Camino Jewellery
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

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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!!! :D:eek:;)
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!!!🤣🤣
 
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.
An app with the Camino route on GPS can help with those situations.
 
People with less disposable income spend more often, paying less.

I had this type of decision to make in early 2015 when I decided to start from Le Puy-en-Velay in April 2016.

Completing the 1,600 km was an open question in 2015. But four years of training walks totalling about 2,000 km using several mid to largish day packs convinced me I needed a full sized pack. Especially as I wanted/needed a tent as well as a sleeping bag.

Casting about locally (four outdoor retailers in my region) all I could find were expensive (> NZD 400) and heavy (not less than 1.5 kg) "kidney bashers". Yes, the side against my pack was semi rigid. But is was against my back. And I knew by then that my back perspired as much as my front.

Casting about online I came across (from Florida, USA) a "real" pack with a lightweight steel frame that bent to form an arc away from my back and a mesh "trapeze" against my back. Very costly it was. But very light (under 0.6 kg - about 20 oz).

Much the same for a sleeping bag - local retail items tended to be heavy and not cheap. Again Florida provided an answer - the comparison was the stated temperature range - about 0.4 kg for 5oC compared to 1.5 kg locally.

So far local solutions for these two items totalled about 3.0 kg compared to under 1.0 kg from the Florida manufacturer.

Lastly I decided I must take a tent. This was driven as much by my local experiences from my late teens to around age 40 completing multiday tramps (hiking, backpacking, whatever) in the nearby hills (ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 feet) as uncertainty about accommodation from Le Puy. Again Florida provided the answer: a two place (me and pack) with poles and ground sheet at less than 0.7 kg. A Therma-a-Rest sleeping pad completed this set with a combined weight of 0.9 kg.

This set have now been an inseparable part of:
local (mainly one day) training walks - 4,500 km from early 2015​
multi-day camino well away from home - 700 km from late 2016 - tent extensively used​
three camino in the UK - 800 km - tent extensively used​
Via Francigena - 600 km (one-third) - tent extensively used (would have been lost without it)​

I could not foresee the additional activity at the time of purchase.

But, because I have it, I can now plan and get on with it.

For my most recent one day training trip (22 km alongside a river) my pack weighed 7.5 kg all up (tent, bag, water, tablet, camera, rolled oats for 20 days etc)

If I was to do a trip with minimal gear I would discard the tent, bag and food for a total of more than 1.5 kg leaving less than 6.0 kg to carry (including water, tablet and camera).

For those who wish to critique, compare, whatever, here is my current packs and contents:

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going when you can)
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
Hi Henry and the dog. I don't start that early. I get up at 5.30am, pack everything up, eat a snack bar so that I can have my heart medication with some water and out the door just before 6.00am. It depends on the cloud cover as to how dark it is but it is not as dark as night time and you can see where you are going, but often the yellow arrows are not readily visible so the torch comes in handy to find them. I do not have the battery charging problems that everyone has now-days as I do not carry a phone or any other electrical equipment. I have never had the need of a phone as I only stay in albergues, and they don't take bookings, and I don't need a travel APP as I takes a guide book. I could probably do without the guide book but it comes in handy to see where the albergues are and plan your stops.
 
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.
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.
 
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!
I find that this principle was best expressed by Terry Pratchett when writing about Sam Vimes' boots:
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.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Following a walk today an item that not many mention sprung forcibly to mind.

For those using hiking poles remember to bring spare tips that suit your poles. You may be lucky not to need any, but, in my experience due to the amount of grit and tarmac walking they can wear down quickly. The metal tips are exposed to that same rough surface, making the click clack sound that is not always welcomed. It also wears the metal tops down rapidly.

Now I wonder which safe place I stored my spare rubber tips in.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
I find that this principle was best expressed by Terry Pratchett when writing about Sam Vimes' boots:
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.

Generally; what the late TP says, goes.
 
Before the first Camino, I read stories about lighter backpacks, what to bring, how to reduce the weight you carry, worried about how many T-shirts, pants and socks to bring.
In the end I decided I cared too much about weight, my backpack with a 1 liter bottle of water filled, weighed 9 kilograms.
Maybe it would have been easier for me if I had reduced the weight of the backpack by 2-3-4 kilograms, but it was not difficult for me either, and I had everything I needed and I was relaxed.
I like to go to the shops and buy equipment, a person is happy when he finds something useful to take, I understand the pleasure of cutting the tags from T-shirts and other clothes or cutting the handle of a toothbrush and feel pleasure because of the reduced weight but for me personally, stories like this, created unnecessary pressure before the first trip because out of ignorance I didn’t know what was waiting for me on the way or whether I would be able to carry it all on my back.
That is why I am writing this so that people still understand that there is no need to go on a trip with only one pair of underpants and a T-shirt or a towel the size of a postage stamp.
There is no need to buy a sleeping bag that costs 350% more than the second lightest by weight.
Of course, if you have the money and it gives you pleasure, buy an ultra light sleeping bag that weighs only 50 grams, keeps you warm to -70 degrees Celsius and costs 2000 euros.
In other cases, the equipment you can buy in Decathlon type stores, where a hiking T-shirt that keeps the body dry and dries quickly after washing and which is very light, and whose price starts from 4 euros, will be quite sufficient. And you will be able to take three or four of them without having to wash and dry your T-shirt every night.
I understand that some can’t carry 9 pounds of weight on their backs but I’m sure some just think they can’t or don’t know what to expect.
Fill your backpack with the equipment you plan to carry on the Camino, go for a 25-kilometer walk over the weekend, you’ll feel if you really have to pay attention to every gram or you still have enough strength to carry a little more.
With everything I bought for the Camino, I made sure it dried quickly and was light but I personally preferred to bring a little more and I assumed well that I would have no problem carrying a little extra weight.
Only my backpack weighs 2.2 pounds because it is 65 liters.
But it’s a premium backpack and I love that I have excess space so it’s getting easier for me to put on and take out of.
Don’t get me wrong, enjoy the ultra light but this is more of a message to people like me who don’t know if it’s really necessary to reduce the weight of backpacks to 4 pounds or it can be carried and much more than that.
 
When it comes to packs and packing, we all have different needs, fitness and comfort level tolerances.
A very good point made by @Roby above.
For New Pilgrims, don't feel pressured to go ultra lite or buy expensive gear.
Many of those on the Forum who do, have walked multiple Caminos, and often just see it as a bit of an extra personal challenge to see if they can travel lighter for what ever reason. (usually added comfort of a lighter pack)

Can the Camino be walked with a 4kg pack. Of course it can. I think ultimately it comes down to a trade off between weight and comfort.

I'm currently re-weighing all my gear, to see if I can reduce the load.

I don't think I even bothered weighing my stuff on my first Camino! But I did suffer a bit as my pack was far too heavy.

I'm not going 'Ultralite'.
But because I include some 'additional' items, I want to try to reduce the weight on the more 'common items'

My actual pack is quite heavy. But I love it.
An Osprey Stratos 34L. It comes in at 1.2 kg. (2.6 lbs) an older model that was lighter than the current one.
I love this pack because it fits so well. And the airspeed suspension keeps it off my back for added comfort.
I'm happy to accept a bit of extra weight for the added comfort.

Then I choose to carry an Umbrella. The euroschirm. At an extra 234 gms this is a very important item for me. Probably #3 behind my footwear and pack.

Yes it's about comfort. But in the hot sun it keeps me shaded and makes a hot sticky walk quite comfortable. Not only that but it reduces my water consumption by about 20%. So it pays its way in weight.........

Then I choose to carry a Physio roller! It was a life-saver last time in helping to massively reduce the pain of shin splints and other injuries. This time I have cut it shorter to reduce the weight to just 190 gms.
If I had to reduce weight, this item would stay! I'd leave behind my spare pants or something.

I carry quite a few meds and stuff to keep me held together. (about 800 gms all up) Some strapping tapes, knee braces etc. For tapes I try to carry 7 days worth. As I use it every day, mainly on achilles.
I use these items every day and top up as I go.

The stuff sac in the middle is my sleeping bag and liner.
This was something I went for as Ultralite, to help make up for my extra items. (500 gms all up)

The tube of sunblock will go into a lightweight bottle.
Tablet inner packs go into a ziplock bag, not the card outer packets.
Spare clothes, (1 change of everything) go in the foremost dry sac.
Merino shirt, tech pants etc.
Pedicure slippers (for shower) sticking out.

So I guess my point is. I try to use ultralite gear where it makes sense, but where I know that something will aid me 'getting there' and help reduce discomfort along the way, I'll think seriously of adding it.
The roller, umbrella, knee braces etc.

I could get a pack of about 600 gms probably.
But for me the reduction in comfort is just not worth the reduction in weight.
I've tried those packs before.......

The saving of 600 gms, is a bottle of water ;)

The trick of course is not to treat every item as...........It's only another 50 gms, or it's only 3 oz. They all add up!! :eek:

I'm down to 7 kgs so far. Struggling to get lower.
I would have to swap my 420 gm fleece for a modern 200 gm one.
Swap my Teva hiking sandals (great backup and day off wear) for lightweight 'evening' footwear that I can't hike in.

Leave my Teddy Bear 'Mr Bean' behind? 85 gms.
Now this is just getting plain ridiculous!! :oops:

Pack planning is so much fun :)

NB. The 34L pack fits everything comfortably. (A winter Camino would need a bit more space)

Afternote. If I cut out all my 'special' and 'comfort' items, my total pack weight reduces to 4.4 kgs....


2021-02-06 11.13.56.jpg
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
As I clicked away from this thread I saw a photo of a lone Pilgrim walking along the Camino. High up somewhere. Maybe above El Acebo on the CF.

And the thought came to me............

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?

We just become immersed in the experience that surrounds us..........

And we cope, with what we have, perfectly well.
 
Well, as i am one of those "ultralight advocates" i have to say a word or two in response of your (imho very good) posts @Roby & @Robo

The pleasure of the camino is, that you are quite well suplied with shelter and food, so you don't have to carry anything (or little) in this regard. Most discussions in the ultralight community cover trekking in areas where you have to carry a tent, cooking kit, thermarest, food and sometimes more water. Obviously this can add quite something to the weight of your pack, so people tend to go to extremes in regards of cutting weight.
For the camino you do not have to do this and can still have a very light backpack.

My current "packing list" comes to around 5kg, including everything on my body. Thats around 4kg on the back, worst case (heaviest clothes in backpack, excl water and snacks).
And this is planned with a lot of redundant items. 2 T-Shirts, 2 longsleeve, 1 Button Down Shirt, shorts and zip pants, quite a lot of soap aaaand deodorant and my "vaping/ecig supplies". Also 3 pair of underwear and socks. And crocs for the evenings which are not the lightest option out there by far. If i wanted to, i think i could easily cut another kilogramm out of it.
But then, that would decrease my comfort more than the saved weight would likely benefit me, hence i pack like i do.
I essence i adapt principles from the ultralight aproach and use them for the camino. Since more of my needs are covered, i dont have to go to extremes.

The cost argument i have to adress aswell.
The item saving you the most weight is also the cheapest one: it's the one you do not carry. So in my opinion it is a very good strategy, to put some (or more) thougt into the likelihood of using every item one plans to put into the backpack. If likelihood is low, leave it at home. Simple as that.

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).

So i am sorry, but i cant accept the point that the requirement for a light backpack is having lots of money. Sure, my down sleeping bag for 180€ weighs only 240g instead of the 40€ and 680g one from Decathlon, but it is still not an army surplus bag with 2kg.

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?

Sorry again, i can not agree to this aswell. Maybe our experiences have been different ones. But after the very first day, climbing from SJPDP to Roncesvalles, i had lots of talks with pilgrims that cared a lot about the weight of their backpacks all of a sudden. From the stuff they left at the "sharing table" of Roncesvalles you could likely compose a full featured packing list. I think the first time pilgrims tend to pack more things "just in case" than the more experienced ones. And maybe a good salesperson at the sporting goods store was involved, too. Maybe it also takes a little pain to realise that one is not on an arctic expedition but walking a very well developed way in a first world country.

Lots of text, i know, and i have to add even more unfortunately:
My approach works for me. A late 30s guy, reasonably fit, reasonably healthy, wearing a mens medium most of the times. Theres people of bigger size or with medical conditions that can add a lot of weight and that can change things completely and my approach might not work.

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 :)
 
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 :)

We are on the same page ! :)
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
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).
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.
 
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.
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.
Same goes for backpacks, i like to use their backpacks and running vests for lots of stuff, for a camino i cant find one that works for me in their lineup. And they tend to be a bit heavy. Theres better budget options on Amazon (G4Free 40l for example).
(ok, there is one, but thats only 18L, i guess for most people it would be to small).
 
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!!! :D:eek:;)
This link for inspiration and personal reflections👍
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
My actual pack is quite heavy. But I love it.
An Osprey Stratos 34L. It comes in at 1.2 kg. (2.6 lbs)
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.
 
I use a military-style 3-Day pack. I've found it's great at limiting me to only the “must haves.” On me: New Balance 900 series walking shoes, smart wool socks/liners, shorts, poly-pro t-shirt, wind breaker/fleece, neckerchief,cap, water bottle (usually a Coke), sunglasses. In pack: trail first aid kit, meds, two pair smart wool socks/liners, ALTUS poncho, 2 poly-pro t-shirts, micro-fiber towel, sleeping bag/liner (depending on season), flip-flops, pillow, iPad/charger.
 
What? Just one pair of shorts and no skivies for the whole walk? No soap, toothpaste? Have you found the secret to getting a bunk room all to yourself? 😁
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-

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