My fifth Camino starts next week, from Lisbon. Every year, I struggle with trying to carry less, and fit it into a smaller, lighter rucksack.
Every year, I keep coming back to my original rucksack, an Osprey Kestrel 48-liter bag, with integral rain cover. No matter what I try to cut corners, size and weight, I keep returning to 'old faithful."
After four Caminos, it has some torn stretchy mesh, stains I cannot get out soaking with Nikwax and scrubbing with a stiff nylon brush, and all my accumulated Camino patches. I am on my second rain cover. But this one is neon yellow in place of the original red cover. The miles / kilometers we have covered together...(sigh)
OTOH, this pack is so well fitted to my torso, that it feels like an extension of me when it is all up and in use. In fact, when I take it off for a break or at the end of the day's trek, I actually feel a little "naked." I miss it hugging my back. So, it must be the right solution for me.
REI properly recommended and fitted this pack for me in 2013, before my first Camino (Frances, from SJPdP). That it continues to provide such good service is a testimony to their efforts. As I am wont to say, you remember the value LONG after you forget the price...
The two things you ought never scrimp on are your rucksack and your footwear. You WEAR these things. Everything else is like ornaments on a Christmas tree.
When the time comes to replace it, I will likely look for a similarly sized Osprey rucksack that is lighter. The Kestrel is NOT the lightest bag available. But it IS built like a tank. I see many of them in different sizes (28, 38, 48 liter) on Camino each year, in a variety of colors.
One thing I am doing differently this year, I already packed everything, six-days before I leave. This weekend I will unpack everything and spread it on my home floor.
Every item will be scrutinized one last time. In doing this review, I will challenge myself, asking what I WILL use this for, based on four previous outings. I will challenge the quantity and size of each item.
Finally, I will carefully repack the rucksack according to how I will need to retrieve items each day, again based on experience. Once all done, I will weigh the final result. Presently I am at 12.5 kg. It will be a small miracle if I can get it to 11 Kg. But I will see what happens. This weight is in my "normal" range...for ME.
I hope this helps someone else.
