Surprisingly excellent (and inexpensive) equipment successes--shock corded water bottle and towel

[James van Hemert]

In the year of planning for my Frances Camino pilgrimage I read the many threads on this forum and carefully curated and gathered my gear. I considered this and that, weighed everything, tossed some things out, changed things out, and finally, at 8.3 kilos I was ready to walk out the door and begin.

Equipment win #1 Shock corded Gatorade bottle

For hydration I decided on a simple reusable one liter water bottle. I attached it to my backpack strap using two lengths of shock cord. The idea was posted here

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/carry-water-bottles-on-front-of-pack-how-to.34569/

Total cost: $4 CDN, inclusive of the first drink of Gatorade.
I expected to be changing out the water bottle as it wore out, but the bottle I started with lasted the entire trip --all 6 weeks! I dropped it many times and it just kept going. I tried another brand of bottle along the way and it didn't last nearly as well. So, Gatorade is your friend.


Equipment win #2 Cheerios towel

I spent a lot of time figuring out what would be the best towel to take. One morning as I ate a bowl of Cheerios I saw an offer: capture two proof of purchase codes and receive one free towel. I bought another Cheerios box and, like back in the days of my youth, waited for the swag to arrive in the mail. A tiny package arrived a few weeks later and contained a large and bright yellow and green towel with images of a canoe and a hiker and assorted outdoor activities. It measures 27 by 58 inches ( 69 by 148 cms) weiighs 193 grams, and is 100% polyester. Amazingly, it was quite absorbent, dried quickly, and worked well as a hanging privacy curtain for a lower bunk bed. So, folks, keep an eye out for a future General Mills Cheerios towel offer, or look for an inexpensive towel of similar dimensions and material. Cost: two boxes of cereal, approximately $10 CDN.

 

[Philtration]

Hard to see the details, is the shock cord only around the neck of the bottle?

 

[James van Hemert]

Hard to see the details, is the shock cord only around the neck of the bottle?

Shock cord on the neck and also near the bottom. My picture not great, but if you follow the original link about the idea there are two good photos..

Hard to see the details, is the shock cord only around the neck of the bottle?

 

[John Hungerford]

That towel seems much larger than 30 * 60 cms. Perhaps the dimensions should be in 'inches'.

 

[Anhalter]

On my last camino i tested walking with only a ~40x55cm towel weighing in at around 40g. To my surprise it worked really well and got me "dry enough" without to much effort.
Of course you can't use that as an emergency curtain ;-)

 

[James van Hemert]

That towel seems much larger than 30 * 60 cms. Perhaps the dimensions should be in 'inches'.

I erred!
It is 27 inches (69 cms) by 58 inches (148 cms) !!
I will try fix the original post. It is quite big.

 

[John Hungerford]

Thanks for clarifying the dimensions.

 

[Colette Z]

In the year of planning for my Frances Camino pilgrimage I read the many threads on this forum and carefully curated and gathered my gear. I considered this and that, weighed everything, tossed some things out, changed things out, and finally, at 8.3 kilos I was ready to walk out the door and begin.

Equipment win #1 Shock corded Gatorade bottle

For hydration I decided on a simple reusable one liter water bottle. I attached it to my backpack strap using two lengths of shock cord. The idea was posted here

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/carry-water-bottles-on-front-of-pack-how-to.34569/

Total cost: $4 CDN, inclusive of the first drink of Gatorade.
I expected to be changing out the water bottle as it wore out, but the bottle I started with lasted the entire trip --all 6 weeks! I dropped it many times and it just kept going. I tried another brand of bottle along the way and it didn't last nearly as well. So, Gatorade is your friend.
View attachment 144879

Equipment win #2 Cheerios towel

I spent a lot of time figuring out what would be the best towel to take. One morning as I ate a bowl of Cheerios I saw an offer: capture two proof of purchase codes and receive one free towel. I bought another Cheerios box and, like back in the days of my youth, waited for the swag to arrive in the mail. A tiny package arrived a few weeks later and contained a large and bright yellow and green towel with images of a canoe and a hiker and assorted outdoor activities. It measures 27 by 58 inches ( 69 by 148 cms) weiighs 193 grams, and is 100% polyester. Amazingly, it was quite absorbent, dried quickly, and worked well as a hanging privacy curtain for a lower bunk bed. So, folks, keep an eye out for a future General Mills Cheerios towel offer, or look for an inexpensive towel of similar dimensions and material. Cost: two boxes of cereal, approximately $10 CDN.
View attachment 144881

Two great tips. Thanks and enjoy your Camino! Btw so far it’s a crappy spring back in Ontario.