What do you wish you left at home?

[Ahhhs]

In preparing for my first Camino in a few months (late spring 2015), I've been reviewing all the equipment packing lists. After weighing everything and packing and repacking a few times, I think I'm getting close to my final list.

Understanding that everyone has different wants and needs and we are all trying not to pack too much, I'm curious to know what items people have found really unnecessary. What things have you shipped back home or shipped ahead or dumped in a donation box along the way?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Cheers.

 

[RobertS26]

The average first time pilgrim packs 5 to 10 kilos of fear in their backpacks. You should remove anything that doesn't pass this simple test: (1) will I absolutely need it everyday? and (2) Is there anything else in pack that will substitute for it? Anything in your pack that you think you might need must be removed. Spain is not a third world country. You will pass by stores daily that sell whatever you need.

 

[Ahhhs]

Yep. I'm trying very hard not to pack the "just in case" or "maybe" items.

It does seem like many people end up shipping things home or donating them and I'm wondering what common things might be in that category...those things that we think will be essential but end up being in the way.

 

[Pilgrim-S-414]

Last April I ditched rain pants at Roncesvalles donation box and next time I'll leave home an electric coil, cup, and extra wool shirt as well as sleeping mat (should have heeded forum consensus on that one)
Buen Camino!

 

[Kanga]

Boots.

I started wearing light joggers on my second camino. They were so comfortable I never put on the boots again. I carried them all the way.

 

[C clearly]

Most of the things in my back pack are "just in case" items, but some are more likely to be needed than others! For example: rain jacket AND pants, just in case it rains in November; a warm vest, hat, gloves and sleeping bag, just in case it gets cold in November.

The only truly optional items I carry that I could consider leaving out include: a treated bed sheet, a notebook and a couple of spare pens/pencils so I won't be stuck without; a tiny umbrella; some stuff bags that help me organize, a modest supply of first aid and medical stuff that I might not need, so that I don't HAVE to find a pharmacy; a spork and knife with corkscrew.

I do not take special clothes in case I want to go to the opera; or extra clothes just in case I dribble wine on my shirt; or an inflatable pillow, electric coil and a cup. I don't carry a lot of water, just in case, either.

But to answer the original question, on my last trip I abandoned a small insulated stainless steel cup since it occupied too much space in my 31 L pack. Otherwise, every gram of my 6 kg was important.

 

[nidarosa]

Same here - left the cup twice (takes too much room in the pack, makes noise clipped to the outside). Third time I am going without one. Love the spork, always bring it, never use it, will still bring it again. Other than that I did pretty well. In the first week out from SJPdP I left a pair of shorts (uncomfortable to walk in over time), a sun hat (kept wanting to blow off, replaced with buff and sunglasses), a shirt (spare) and a towel (for hair, replaced by buff when hair is wet). Clothes wise it's not so much what items you bring but how they can be combined to cover all eventualities - put them all on the floor and pick: what do you wear when it's sunny, rainy, cold, when you come out of the shower, when the sunny set of clothes are still wet the next morning, and what to wear to sleep in. Make everything but your shoes and your pack (and toothbrush ...) do double duty!

 

[Walter1407]

I will be walking about 1400 miles to Santiago, starting in March. I put my list together on the basis of a previous 3-month walking pilgrimage (where I discarded quite a few things). The list represents what I will have with me when I am on the Camino del Norte in June. I plan to spend most nights in albergues, daily take a shower and do laundry on every second day.


My packing list for about 35 days on the Camino:

Rucksack
Light sleeping bag
Hiking boots
Giant pilgrim hat
Longish poncho with hood (shaped to cover rucksack; open on sides)
3 synthetic T-shirts
3 synthetic underpants
3 pairs of double-layered hiking socks
Light zip-trousers
Shorts
Belt
Fleece jacket
Medium sized plastic bag for dirty laundry
Very light beach sandals
4 sets of ear plugs
Smartphone / camera, with recharger (containing maps, accommodation lists and personal addresses; phone at night also useable as light source)
Tooth paste tube with screw top, 25 ml
Tooth brush
Miniature sowing kit
Tweezers
Nail scissors
4 disposable razors
„Kathmandu leaflets“: 1 „Hand & Body Wash“, 1 „Travel Shampoo“ (shampoo also used for shaving)
Small roll-on deodorant
Small fast drying towel
Small comb
Small laundry soap
Neck cloth (for cooling neck with water)
Sun tan lotion with screw top, 50ml
Protective lip stick
Paper tissues (also useable as toilet paper)
€€€
Debit and/or credit card
Identity card or passport
Health insurance card
3 very light small zip bags for: 1. money & misc. cards; 2. toiletries; 3. medication
Stick for the disinfection of small wounds
Small plaster set
Pilgrim shell
Pilgrim pass
Food and drink


I will also take items that others will/might not need:

Patagonia thermal underwear (I sometimes use them as pyjamas; I am also susceptible to catching colds)
Very small lighter (for the sterilisation of needle, scissors and tweezers in case of blister treatment)
Set of Compeed blister plasters
A few tablets of paracetamol and/or aspirin
Personal prescription medication
Glasses
Sun-clip for glasses, in light case
Dental floss
Cotton buds
Vaseline (possible alternative: deer tallow)
Booklet for taking notes
Pen
Half litre refill drinking bottle, carried attached to the trouser belt
Small stone (for Iron Cross, on the way back)


I won't take:

Family Bibel
Toilet paper roll
Dog spray
Insect spray
Sleeping mat
Pocket knife
Torch
Clothes line
Vaccination card

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Items in bold are a thing of the past. those is italic are still with me...

After a first Camino looking for toiletteries and bandages in my backpack forever, I then opted for one of these hanging toilettery bags: lots of tiny transparent compartments. LOVE it. I get to the albergue, I hang it, and all I need from bandaid to medicine is right there in plain view. For those interested, here is a link to this dinosaur:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CNR1L/?tag=casaivar02-20

I have since downsized to a smaller hanging toilettery bag, but with 3 sections: one for meds, one for foot care, one for the rest - which is typically more voltaren cream ;0) This is the new one, by Eaglecreek: http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packit-specter-wallaby-small/d/1306

What I no longer carry is ... Voltaren cream, which does nothing for me, and .... shampoo! I have curly hair, I do not use shampoo at home so why carry it on the Camino? I do still carry a WIDE assortment of bandages (everytime I set foot in a pharmacie I go look at what new product may be out there!) and foot creams and oils (Bag Balm, vaseline and St-John's Wart oil - I know, 1 of the 3 would be plenty, but it's soooo hard not to bring them all ;0) ), as well as Body Glide. If there is one product I would not leave home without, that is it (and Burt's Bees Wax lipbalm - the 1 item to bring on an island). I still remember the wounds I had the first time around without it. Not fun at all. Oh the grooves my fancy Tilley undies made. Fast drying perhaps, but hello huge hemline. So, yes, put Tilleys undies in the NEVER to bring again, although you may want to replace them with another brand ;0)

Also no longer bringing: hicking boots. Wore them for a total of 1 day and 2 hours. Carried them all the way through although ... banging on the back all the time. After all, they cost a little fortune. But I would not be seen without a pair of smaller volume crocks for the afternoon-evening. Went from crocs in the photo you see to Crocs bellerina types.

Really wish I could go back to no rain pants but ... thank goodness my accupuncturist told me to bring them or my 3rd Camino may have been cut short with the horrible weather we had, all three, yes, 3, weeks. Same for the sleeping bag. Now that I know what it is like to be cold, I think I would rather carry it.

Brought but no longer will also: egg holder (wish they would sell you just one or two eggs, but you have the buy 6 or 12 which is just a waste), ice pack (in need, get ice from the local bar), too many pairs of socks (3 is just fine - 1 in case 1 gets wet during the day and I need to change, while still wanting to make sure I have a dry pair for the next morning). Diary.

Right now I am debating about PJs. LOVE getting into what we refer to back home my "mous" or my "soft clothes", especially on rainy afternoons and evenings when I have no plans to leave the albergue. But I guess I can also use my merino long johns and longsleeved shirt to wear as PJs. But it's a little revealing ...

And I did swap my older Osprey backpack for one that is almost 2 pounds lighter. Because if my bag does not feel heavy on my way to the airport, the second I fill in my Camelback I want to cry. I have swapped grocery store plastic bags for nylon mesh one to separate my stuff, and let others sleep in in the morning.

Ah yes, on Camino 1 I had a "properish" change of clothes because I was going to spend a couple of days in Madrid with my cousins. Wrong: "properish" just won't cut it, so you might was well wear what ever you wear on the Camino, no matter how people look at you when you are off the Camino.

There is a store in town here that specialises in selling stuff for the Camino. They offer a seminar on "How to lose 10 pounds in 2 hours" - I think I will go one of these days. I figure it's like buying a cookbook: if you get 1 awesome recipe from it it's well worth its price - so if I can shed 500 grams to a kg, I will be a happy camper. Sorry, happy Pilgrim.

Oh, and here I was, about to buy a Spork. No? Really? I keep thinking that if I had one I would buy yogourt more often ...

 

[MichaelSG]

The thing I should have left at home: my attitude. I guess I'm just too attached to it but I'll try again next time.

The thing I did leave at home on my second Camino was a towel. I found it easy just to take a washcloth and giving that a double duty after wringing it out. It got me dry enough to make me very happy that I wasn't even carrying the tiny camp towel that I bought before thinking of the washcloth idea.

 

[MarkMcC]

I rolled up to SJPDP with a 20 Kg rucksack after only deciding to go 6 days earlier and not a clue what I was doing. 6 weeks later arriving in Santiago on the feast day, my rucksack had lost 9 kilos and I had lost at least another 20 kg. I ending up dumping a £50 pair of shoes, a brand new sleeping bag/inflatable mat at £60 and all kinds of other stuff. I have no regrets because being so unprepared worked really well for me even if the lessons I learnt were occasionally expensive and painful. At the end of the trip I had nothing on my person that wasn't synthetic which surprised me initially but the bottom line is the modern walking and running clothing is all synthetic is much lighter than their natural counterpart, breathes better, washes and drys more easily and just make the point is lighter. There is no point in having anything nice to wear because you will just end up resenting the extra weight and end up dumping it. Everybody is in the same boat, so you never look out of place. The only thing that I dumped that I missed was the sleeping bag but I made do by wearing multiple layers in bed if I needed them. I have no regrets at dumping the sleeping bag on the second day but this time I have bought myself a nearly new 800g sleeping bag. For your feet, forget Compeed and all that stuff but do invest in a pumice stone. Scholl do a double sided pumice stone with softening cream. Forget the cream - it is too heavy. Miraculously when I was at my lowest point I met an English Podiatrist (who bizarrely happened to know the only other podriatist know in the world) at the point my feet were at their worst. His advice was simple, every day you need to use the pumice stone to clear all the dead skin on your feet. He said to rub vigorously with the pumice stone until you can feel the heat of the friction at which point you will have got rid of the dead skin at that point of your foot. This works because fresh skin is flexible and will move with your sock and thereby reduce the movement(=rubbing) between your skin and your sock as well as give better weight distribution. You will have blisters and his advice again was very simple, thread them with a needle and cotton and cover with tincture of iodine (it is likely that you can borrow iodine from someone else so I wouldn't bother with carrying myself). Invest in the best socks you can; £15 for a pair of socks seems extortion before you travel but seems extremely reasonable when you are walking. Orthotics (specially molded insoles) are also a great idea. For your alternative footwear, you want something like a pair of crocs, the lighter the better. Remember you don't need to take everything with you, you can post stuff ahead and collect it at the post office. So if you have medication you might want to pre-post some to yourself along the way in one of the big cities like Leon. Everything else like soap and shampoo just buy along the way in small quantities , it might be expensive compared to how you normally buy it but it remember it helps support small local businesses along the way who are still struggling the economic crisis. Also don't take books even guide books, use the Kindle app on your phone and get a Kindle version of the guide book. Make sure your charger is light but as powerful as possible i.e. 3000mA.
Besides all don't rush, enjoy it.

 

[Al the optimist]

After a few Caminos I now carry only what experience has told me I need. Next time I won't even have a backpack, just a waist pack and for the first time I will have finally kept to only one change of clothes. So I will be carrying 4.5 kilos on a dry day and 3.7 on a wet one.

 

[Ahhhs]

Thanks for all your stories. It's really helping to encourage my minimalist side.
And hiking without a backpack? Wow.
It must be easier to dump that expensive item at home before you leave.
I'm looking forward to the freeing feeling of traveling really light.

 

[Walter1407]

I rolled up to SJDPP with a 20 Kg rucksack after only deciding to go 6 days earlier and not a clue what I was doing. 6 weeks later arriving in Santiago on the feast day, my rucksack had lost 9 kilos and I had lost at least another 20 kg. I ending up dumping a £50 pair of shoes, a brand new sleeping bag/inflatable mat at £60 and all kinds of other stuff. I have no regrets because being so unprepared worked really well for me even if the lessons I learnt were occasionally expensive and painful. At the end of the trip I had nothing on my person that wasn't synthetic which surprised me initially but the bottom line is the modern walking and running clothing is all synthetic is much lighter than their natural counterpart, breathes better, washes and drys more easily and just make the point is lighter. There is no point in having anything nice to wear because you will just end up resenting the extra weight and end up dumping it. Everybody is in the same boat, so you never look out of place. The only thing that I dumped that I missed was the sleeping bag but I made do by wearing multiple layers in bed if I needed them. I have no regrets at dumping the sleeping bag on the second day but this time I have bought myself a nearly new 800g sleeping bag. For your feet, forget Compeed and all that stuff but do invest in a pumice stone. Scholl do a double sided pumice stone with softening cream. Forget the cream - it is too heavy. Miraculously when I was at my lowest point I met an English Podiatrist (who bizarrely happened to know the only other podriatist know in the world) at the point my feet were at their worst. His advice was simple, every day you need to use the pumice stone to clear all the dead skin on your feet. He said to rub vigorously with the pumice stone until you can feel the heat of the friction at which point you will have got rid of the dead skin at that point of your foot. This works because fresh skin is flexible and will move with your sock and thereby reduce the movement(=rubbing) between your skin and your sock as well as give better weight distribution. You will have blisters and his advice again was very simple, thread them with a needle and cotton and cover with tincture of iodine (it is likely that you can borrow iodine from someone else so I wouldn't bother with carrying myself). Invest in the best socks you can; £15 for a pair of socks seems extortion before you travel but seems extremely reasonable when you are walking. Orthotics (specially molded insoles) are also a great idea. For your alternative footwear, you want something like a pair of crocs, the lighter the better. Remember you don't need to take everything with you, you can post stuff ahead and collect it at the post office. So if you have medication you might want to pre-post some to yourself along the way in one of the big cities like Leon. Everything else like soap and shampoo just buy along the way in small quantities , it might be expensive compared to how you normally buy it but it remember it helps support small local businesses along the way who are still struggling the economic crisis. Also don't take books even guide books, use the Kindle app on your phone and get a Kindle version of the guide book. Make sure your charger is light but as powerful as possible i.e. 3000mA.
Besides all don't rush, enjoy it.

You make some interesting suggestions. I might try that pumice stone you recommend, but I would not leave my Compeeds at home. Not everyone's feet are the same.
I see that you ended up with 11kg in your rucksack; that is still a lot more than I ever carried or intend to carry, either at the beginning or the end.
Like you, I have a few items mailed to me on the way, especially my prescription medication. Not because it is heavy, but because it should not be exposed to heat for long.
I never send anything to big cities as you recommend, but to villages instead. This way I can be sure that the post office won't be far (I check opening hours online).

 

[amorfati1]

In preparing for my first Camino in a few months (late spring 2015), I've been reviewing all the equipment packing lists. After weighing everything and packing and repacking a few times, I think I'm getting close to my final list.

Understanding that everyone has different wants and needs and we are all trying not to pack too much, I'm curious to know what items people have found really unnecessary. What things have you shipped back home or shipped ahead or dumped in a donation box along the way?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Cheers.

Ola -
pondered this question a bit and came to the conclusion that I used everything I packed (many items were multi-purposable) and nothing was shipped home or left behind.
but two issues also noted:
* would choose more lightweight sandals.
* would switch from rain jacket to poncho

something that i felt inspired to take along and was glad that i did: small/lightweight gifts. (can't remember exactly what those were, i believe one small fragrant votive candle, chap sticks, fancy hair-pin, sm pictures of california sequoia trees, small thank-you notes w/ envelope, etc) -
weight-purist might frown, but i really wanted to have something tangible to give with me as a Obrigado/Gracias for those unforgettable moments of human kindness ...
the camino truly isn't about the gear and equipment, but about the one who's carrying all that stuff .... and how s/he relates to that what s/he encounters on the way, inside out, no?!
saluti -

 

[Carol06]

I got rid of my head light. Stupid thing. I had a small LED torch the size of my not very big thumb and used that instead.

 

[Icacos]

I got rid of my head light. Stupid thing. I had a small LED torch the size of my not very big thumb and used that instead.

Good idea. Unfortunately, I couldn't get rid of the headlight I had with me as it had been loaned to me by a friend. I used it just once; the rest of the time it was lost in the far reaches of my pack. The few times I could have used it, I depended on that of my walking companion ...... being far more organized than I, she was always able to locate her headlight. Next time, I will depend on one of your little LED lights - at least that would be small enough and could live in my pant pocket, and I would be able to find it.

Ooops ..... just a thought ....I think those LED lights are very bright. People might be tempted to use them after lights out in the albergues, and that would be a no no. We need little red lights in the albergues.

 

[Gil A]

The only thing I left behind was a bathing suit. My pack was around 7kg without food or water

 

[david g]

The one thing I should have left was something I found in a donation box at Roncevalles. It was the book about the Camino by the German comedian. (Hap Keperling?) I had great intentions to read it along the way, but never opened it until I was in Paris.
Talking with friends I'd made on the Camino (two women) I learned that one of them had brought three hairbrushes and an eyelash curler. Why? Because that's what she had at home. All but one of the brushes were left behind. (A little side note to female pilgrims from a male pilgrim: leave the makeup at home. We all tend to wear the same clothes day after day, we see each other in our most basic, honest state. Take the opportunity to be you with no enhancements. Most of the women I met were makeup free and I've never seen more attractive women than on the Camino.)

 

[Anemone del Camino]

[QUOTE="I learned that one of them had brought three hairbrushes and an eyelash curler. Why? [/QUOTE]

Came across 3 Polish women in their early 30s on the Camino del Norte who carried .... a hair blow drier! I could not believe my eyes, or ears at 11 pm at night when they were using it. But then again, these women had walked 43 km that day, something I could never do. So other than complain about the noise, what can I say. If you can carry it and walk that much ...

 

[FlechaCadaDia]

I wished I hadn't brought a bunch of disposable contact lenses. I ended up wearing my glasses the whole time anyway.

Some friends had graciously loaned me several things, including rain pants and jacket. While it was endearing to feel they were with me in that way, it never rained once I got to Spain, and it was extra weight. But i felt I couldn't toss them away, since they were my friend's. So, if you borrow things--maybe you can politely ask if your friend wants the item back. If he/she does, maybe just don't borrow it.

 

[Ahhhs]

^^ That's a good reminder.
If you can't part with it, you will be carrying it.
(Or taking the trouble to send it off somewhere).

 

[sjhannes]

In preparing for my first Camino in a few months (late spring 2015), I've been reviewing all the equipment packing lists. After weighing everything and packing and repacking a few times, I think I'm getting close to my final list.

Understanding that everyone has different wants and needs and we are all trying not to pack too much, I'm curious to know what items people have found really unnecessary. What things have you shipped back home or shipped ahead or dumped in a donation box along the way?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Cheers.

My pack weighed 12 lbs, the heaviest items being my rain gear, which was worth carrying for the two days I used it in the fall.

 

[Kathy F.]

My two cents.
The items in bold are the ones I had thoughts about, the italics are the ones I added.
Sounds like your walk will be quite the excursion. Congrats and Buen Camino!!

I will be walking about 1400 miles to Santiago, starting in March. I put my list together on the basis of a previous 3-month walking pilgrimage (where I discarded quite a few things). The list represents what I will have with me when I am on the Camino del Norte in June. I plan to spend most nights in albergues, daily take a shower and do laundry on every second day.


My packing list for about 35 days on the Camino:

Rucksack
Light sleeping bag
Hiking boots
Giant pilgrim hat - opt for smaller one
Longish poncho with hood (shaped to cover rucksack; open on sides) - rain jacket, pain in the neck to get a big ol' poncho on quickly when a storm suddenly arises and the wind is whipping around, you can tie a rain jacket around your waist in bad weather (and your pack will already have a rain cover on it at the start of a threatening day, right?).
3 synthetic T-shirts - take 2, make them warm (not cotton)
3 synthetic underpants
3 pairs of double-layered hiking socks
Sock liners?
Light zip-trousers
Shorts - in March, you may not need shorts; take a second pair of zip trousers and unzip as needed
Belt
Fleece jacket
Medium sized plastic bag for dirty laundry - make it a very lightweight bag, you won't be carrying that much stuff to the sink, also, you'll get bags from the local grocery stores
Very light beach sandals
4 sets of ear plugs - how many ears do you have??
Smartphone / camera, with recharger (containing maps, accommodation lists and personal addresses; phone at night also useable as light source)
Tooth paste tube with screw top, 25 ml
Tooth brush
Miniature sowing kit - make it as tiny as possible - I used mine mainly for blister repair
Tweezers - nope
Nail scissors - make them baby scissors so they won't poke through your stuff
4 disposable razors
„Kathmandu leaflets“: 1 „Hand & Body Wash“, 1 „Travel Shampoo“ (shampoo also used for shaving)
Small roll-on deodorant - nope
Small fast drying towel
Small comb
Small laundry soap
Neck cloth (for cooling neck with water) - nope
Sun tan lotion with screw top, 50ml
Protective lip stick
Paper tissues (also useable as toilet paper)
€€€
Debit and/or credit card
Identity card or passport
Health insurance card
3 very light small zip bags for: 1. money & misc. cards; 2. toiletries; 3. medication
Stick for the disinfection of small wounds
Small plaster set
Pilgrim shell - get one after you've reached your goal, not before; you won't need a shell for people to know you're a pilgrim, lol.
Pilgrim pass
Food and drink
Trekking poles - an absolute must
Personal toilet kit - a must - consists of: a small bottle of hand sanitizer, one or two small brown paper lunch bags, a few sandwich size zip loc baggies, a half roll of toilet paper, squooshed flat, all in a larger zip-loc baggie - better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it - trust me, there are areas where you'll wish everyone had one of these
A really lightweight bag to use around towns when you arrive at the end of your walking day- I used a cheap string backpack (a freebie from some expo I attended who knows when) and could also use it for laundry as needed
Consider how you will keep your euros, credit card, passport, smartphone, etc. safe and on your person when you walk around town/city and go to the shower


I will also take items that others will/might not need:

Patagonia thermal underwear (I sometimes use them as pyjamas; I am also susceptible to catching colds) - use them always as pajamas; multi-use is the goal for everything you take
Very small lighter (for the sterilisation of needle, scissors and tweezers in case of blister treatment)
Set of Compeed blister plasters - in addition to the small plaster set you are taking??
A few tablets of paracetamol and/or aspirin
Personal prescription medication
Glasses
Sun-clip for glasses, in light case
Dental floss
Cotton buds
Vaseline (possible alternative: deer tallow) - OK, I guess, if you tend to get blisters because your feet dry out, otherwise try something else
Booklet for taking notes
Pen
Half litre refill drinking bottle, carried attached to the trouser belt - I ended up using, and reusing, the bottled water bottle I bought along the way - cheap, lightweight, and recycleable
Small stone (for Iron Cross, on the way back)


I won't take:

Family Bibel
Toilet paper roll - you may regret leaving this behind (pardon the pun)
Dog spray
Insect spray
Sleeping mat
Pocket knife
Torch
Clothes line
Vaccination card

 

[alexwalker]

I probably should not post this, as it will reveal me as an idiot... but... if it can bring in some humour, then so be it...

On my first Camino I brought with me a chain lock for bicycles (I was walking...).

My brilliant concept was that if I had to leave my backpack, I would chain it to a chair/table/bed/whatever. The chainlock was 3/4 kilogram! (10% of my total backpack weight...).

It never occurred to me (in my intense planning stage) that a thief only needed a knife to cut my backpack loose, take it, and run...

Needless to say, it was dumped into a donativo box veery quickly...

 

[alexwalker]

You are not alone Alex!!

God is good with me, not showing me off as the only idiot... But I am the bigger fool, bringing a CHAIN lock of 3/4 kg!...

 

[Ahhhs]

One of those "it seemed like a good idea at the time" things.

 

[Walter1407]

My two cents.
The items in bold are the ones I had thoughts about, the italics are the ones I added.
Sounds like your walk will be quite the excursion. Congrats and Buen Camino!!

Greetings, FooteK!
Thanks for your good wishes! And I'll gladly accept your congrats when I have made it.
And thanks for taking the time to look at my packing list. Allow me to clarify a few things re. your suggested modifications.
Your text is in blue. My reply is in italics.

Giant pilgrim hat - opt for smaller one
I use a large Australian Outback hat because it best protects my head from the sun (sunburn, followed by herpes in my case, is the last thing I want to get on the Camino).

Longish poncho with hood (shaped to cover rucksack; open on sides) - rain jacket, pain in the neck to get a big ol' poncho on quickly when a storm suddenly arises and the wind is whipping around, you can tie a rain jacket around your waist in bad weather (and your pack will already have a rain cover on it at the start of a threatening day, right?).
I would never use a goretex rain jacket (or trousers). In my part of the world we have a thing called "Pellerine". They are lighter than both the regular poncho or goretex rain gear. I put on my Pellerine in a few seconds. Because its sides are open I don't sweat like I do in a goretex rain jacket. Tieing a jacket around my waist is not possible, as that is where my rucksack belt sits. The way I am organised I don't need a rain cover for the back pack.

3 synthetic T-shirts - take 2, make them warm (not cotton)
I take 3 T-shirts as I wash clothes on every second day. After the shower I wear the T-shirt which I also wear the following day. They are extremely light, only about 20 grammes each. Coming to think of it, maybe I should take 4.

Shorts - in March, you may not need shorts; take a second pair of zip trousers and unzip as needed
My list is for Spain in June. In Figeac (France) where I expect to pass in early May, I will leave behind a pair of long, warm trousers and replace it with shorts.

4 sets of ear plugs - how many ears do you have??
I use "Ohropax" as the only ear plugs which almost completely block out sounds. Unlike the not so helpful plugs, Ohropax are not washable. They should only be used once (but I use them more often).

Tweezers - nope
Tweezers (the tiny ones taken from a Swiss army knife) can be useful in the treatment of blisters; I also use them to remove thorns and the like (admittedly, this happens less often in Spain).

Small roll-on deodorant - nope
You consider a deodorant a luxury; I don't.

Neck cloth (for cooling neck with water) - nope
The (cotton) neck cloth is one of the most important items I carry. I would never want to cross the Meseta on a 40C+ day without the ability to cool my neck.

Trekking poles - an absolute must
Trekking poles may be a must for you; they are not for me. I have hiked and climbed in the Alps for 45 years, without poles (they did not exist until not so long ago). Starting to trek in a new way does not make sense at my age. Trekking with poles also requires more energy than trekking without.

Personal toilet kit - a must - consists of: a small bottle of hand sanitizer, one or two small brown paper lunch bags, a few sandwich size zip loc baggies, a half roll of toilet paper, squooshed flat, all in a larger zip-loc baggie - better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it - trust me, there are areas where you'll wish everyone had one of these / A really lightweight bag to use around towns when you arrive at the end of your walking day- I used a cheap string backpack (a freebie from some expo I attended who knows when) and could also use it for laundry as needed
I started with a hand sanitizer during my first pilgrimage. I never needed it, so got rid of it. - As I always use toilets for my big business and as toilets almost always have paper, I don't see why I should carry a toilet roll. It's the most disposed of item of pilgrims. Also, if you don't pack the toilet roll well, it gets shredded. In absolute emergencies, I will use paper tissues. - You seem to carry all sorts of bags that I never felt I needed. - For me, these are all unncecessary items.

Patagonia thermal underwear (I sometimes use them as pyjamas; I am also susceptible to catching colds) - use them always as pajamas; multi-use is the goal for everything you take
The Patagonia thermals I use as pyjamas when it's cold. In June it's warm, and I am likely to mostly sleep in light underwear.

Set of Compeed blister plasters - in addition to the small plaster set you are taking??
Compeed plasters are for blisters only; you cannot use them for cuts and other small wounds.

Half litre refill drinking bottle, carried attached to the trouser belt - I ended up using, and reusing, the bottled water bottle I bought along the way - cheap, lightweight, and recycleable
I want to minimise weight on my back (medical reasons), and therefore attach that bottle to my belt. Still, I usually also have water in my backpack. Before I set out in the morning, I drink at least half a litre of water; it's lighter in the stomach than on the back.

 

[Kathy F.]

Looks like you've got everything covered . Ignore my suggestions, do your thing, and have a great trip!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

3 synthetic T-shirts - take 2, make them warm (not cotton)
I take 3 T-shirts as I wash clothes on every second day. After the shower I wear the T-shirt which I also wear the following day. They are extremely light, only about 20 grammes each. Coming to think of it, maybe I should take 4.

Would love to know what brand of t-shirts you have found that only weigh 20 grams. I will run to stock up on them.

 

[Walter1407]

Would love to know what brand of t-shirts you have found that only weigh 20 grams. I will run to stock up on them.

I wish I remembered. I bought the T-shirts in Le-Pu-en-Velay (during my first Camino in 2002) and then proceeded to cut out the labels to save another bit of weight. All 3 T-shirts are still in good shape, so I'll use them for my 2015 Camino. I have weighed one of the T-shirts, it's actually 43 grammes. Still quite good, I think.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I wish I remembered. I bought the T-shirts in Le-Pu-en-Velay (during my first Camino in 2002) and then proceeded to cut out the labels to save another bit of weight. All 3 T-shirts are still in good shape, so I'll use them for my 2015 Camino. I have weighed one of the T-shirts, it's actually 43 grammes. Still quite good, I think.

You cut off the lables to save more weight? Wow, I have to get you come pack my bag next time I go ;0) Thanks anyways!

 

[allykat]

I am that Pilgrim. The one who brought her computer (6lbs) kindle, iphone and camera with extra batteries and back up dumb phone (3lbs) along with her. Ended up shipping the Computer and extra Camera and dumbphone up to Santiago once we got to Burgos. Which still, I carried an extra 4kg around until then. I also dropped a shirt and some other things, to get my pack weight down to something more reasonable.

So yeah, don't be me.