Spring Camino..........

[franmaryp]

My 4th attempt (injury or time constraint issues) at the Camino Frances is commencing the end of March'12, and since I am planning on 7 wks to complete (includes travel time and a few rest days) my plan is to leisurely cover 18-20K a day so I can "stop-and-smell-the-roses", adjust my pack, have another cafe con leche, visit with fellow pilgrims,explore and soak up as much Spanish culture as I can and still manage to complete my walk thru Northern Spain with my 66yr. old body and spirit intact. I've not walked in early spring and am concerned about rain and mud. I have a pant and jacket rain set (only used once in my previous walks) but I'm thinking maybe a good poncho that would cover me and my pack and a pair of gaitors might be the way to go. Would appreciate any comments.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola and welcome.
We are 60+ too. Our personal choice is a poncho with trousers when needed. Easy to put the poncho on over the pack without having to take it off. We find gaiters are heavy and really the trousers seem to do a better job if it is really wet. They hang well down over our boots as we bought them slightly over size.
Our ponchos are Rohan (quite expensive) weigh about 340gms and have side poppers which we really like. They can double as a shelter if you have walking poles. (Called 'Shelter capes' on the Rohan website.)
My trousers are Regatta breathable and weigh 350gm. If it is a cold morning, wind chill etc I can put these on for a while to keep the tops of my legs warm.
Buen Camino

 

[Josefine]

Hi, I suggest the Althus; http://www.barrabes.com/shop/backpacks- ... oncho.html, used by me an lots of other "dry" :wink: forum members.
Josefine

 

[Josefine]

Hi, I suggest the Althus; http://www.barrabes.com/shop/backpacks- ... oncho.html, used by me an lots of other "dry" :wink: forum members.
Josefine

 

[waytogo50]

Good questions? Appreciate the responses for I too am heading out from SJPDP on 30, March, 2012 and have begun questioning weather-related issues.

Andrea

 

[robertt]

Franmaryp, I did Le Puy to Pamplona starting in early spring 2010, then, this year, Pamplona-Santiago and beyond, starting in late winter. Obviously, I encountered much snow, mud, rain and sleet, although I also enjoyed many radiant days. If I were to start all over, with the knowledge I have now, I would have a zipped Altus to keep me and my pack dry and settle for wet feet or, at least, wet trouser bottoms. I should add that no other poncho but the Altus will do, since most are not stable in wind. Worse, my expensive Exped was not at all waterproof, my expensive Sea to Summit sil-nylon let in water under wind-pressure and gave my passport and credencial a soak. (No, it was not condensation.)

Underneath, I would have several layers of quick-drying garments, nothing with buttons or of heavy fabric, and just one fleece jumper. Why carry clothes in cold weather when you can wear them?

For my hands, I'd have mits because they are easy to slip on and off when the fingers are cold and wet. I found my snow-gloves to be a problem and ditched them. If using trekking poles, the hands can be tucked back under the sleeves of an Altus - very handy.

A zipped Altus is much easier to get on, important if you are on your own or if the wind is howling. In doubtful weather, you can always put it on well in advance without over-heating, since the zip allows for ventilation.

On this forum, we keep saying Altus. Gets boring, but I wish I'd listened the first time.

Franmaryp, a cold Camino is just another great Camino, and you will love it, I'm sure.

Buen Camino

Rob

 

[Tia Valeria]

Yes. Rohan or Altus if you want to stay dry. The choice then is between the style preferred and the price.
Here is a photo of me in 2010 on a day when it had been pouring with rain and I was still dry under my Rohan poncho and Regatta trousers. Everything in my pack was dry too. I had put its own shower cover on before the rain started but it wasn't really needed. The poncho has a short front zip (down to the white stripe) as well as its side poppers and a draw string on the peaked hood. Drips don't run in my face It also has a large flap topped pocket (under the stripe) which turns inside out to become the pack for the poncho. I love it

 

[robertt]

Tia Valeria, that looks like a good poncho. I briefly had a Lafuma "true" poncho which worked well for me, and it had a similar design. Unlike the Sea to Summit, it was stable in a gale and pretty well waterproof. I actually preferred it for hot weather and avoiding condensation generally. I donated it, however, to the Maragatos, after purchasing the Altus, because the Altus had jacket sleeves and better closures, and was thus better in the cold. For warmer weather, I think I'd like a Rohan, and it has a good hood, by your photo.

May seem trivial to be banging on so much about rainwear, but it wasn't trivial in horizontal sleet on the Aubrac plateau!

 

[jpflavin1]

Franmaryp:

I walked this year from March 23rd-April 24th. The only snow I walked through was the top of the mountain on the first day. I had four days of rain the entire hike. I wear a North face mufti-weather jacket and a pair of light weight rain pants. My pack has it's own built in rain cover. The majority of hikers wear poncho's. I do not care for them. My jacket top is vented and has many pockets. No issues in strong winds. Most of the time I hiked in a long sleeve t-shirt or my fleece. That said, I am sure the weather varies significantly year to year.

Mud you just have to deal with.

The weather was actually very warm on the Meseta (30c -90f)

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Tia Valeria]

:cry: The Rohan poncho is currently out of stock and may even br discontinued :cry:
Interesting to see that Lafuma make something similar, although I hope my Rohan still has many years of life left