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I'm laughing at Gerard Carey's reply. I was walking a portion of the Voie d'Arles last September and encountered a fair amount of heavy rain one day with no place to take shelter. I made it to the next town but my lightweight, compact jacket just wasn't holding up as well as I wanted it to. I was just settling in at a tiny grocery store cum café when an older French gentleman heard my story and offered to drive me to my destination--bless him. I took him up on his offer. On the other hand, I have since decided to add a lightweight poncho [in addition to my lightweight rain jacket] to my pack for double coverage just in case. As Icacos remarks "Sometimes there’s just not a warm, comfortable environment at hand when the skies decide to open."Hello.
I have 2 rain jackets. One is lightweight and compact and has waterproof rating 10.000 mm. The other is heavier and bulkier but has 20.000 mm. Both are quite comfortable. Which one would you prefer? I will walk from mid April to the end of May.
The lightweight one of course! You need to save as much back pack weight as possible.Hello.
I have 2 rain jackets. One is lightweight and compact and has waterproof rating 10.000 mm. The other is heavier and bulkier but has 20.000 mm. Both are quite comfortable. Which one would you prefer? I will walk from mid April to the end of May.
We wore light rain jackets on our first camino. During the second heavy storm we encountered, as we were miserably walking, we noticed three French lady pilgrims walking blissfully completely covered, pack and all, no rain cover needed, in their ponchos. We arrived at the same time at an inn. They doffed their ponchos and were totally dry. We looked as if we were the chickens from Santo Domingo who escaped and were dunked in a vat of water...dripping all over. At the next town, we bought ponchos and keep upgrading year after year. Our conclusion: There are three essentials for a camino -- the right pack, the right shoes and the right poncho.The lightweight one, unless you are one of those determined souls, insistent on ploughing on, head down, hour after hour, into the storm.
Us less determined souls, will do an hour or two of such hiking, then, conscience suitably satiated, we will head inside, after finding a warm comfortable environment, offering good food, fine wine, ale, and good company, which will make for a pleasant stay until we consider the exterior environment to be of suitable condition in which to be immersed once again.
Yes yes. The lightweight one.
Indubitably.
Regards,
Gerard
I brought only two of those cheap, clear, compact plastic bag-like things, sometimes sold as an “ emergency raincoat”. Basically, it is a poncho that goes over your head and has a hood. It wont keep you warm, but it will keep you dry. The advantage being that it is loose enough to fit right over a full hiking backpack. Plus if you tear it or lose it, you have only invested a couple of bucks. They are practically weightless to carry, dont take up much space. I hiked in september through a few good rainstorms and it worked perfectly.Hello.
I have 2 rain jackets. One is lightweight and compact and has waterproof rating 10.000 mm. The other is heavier and bulkier but has 20.000 mm. Both are quite comfortable. Which one would you prefer? I will walk from mid April to the end of May.
Addendum to the above: and in those driving rainstorms, i wore baggies on each foot over my socks, and that kept my feet dry ( until, when arriving in Santiago in a pouring raging rainstorm, i stepped into a deep puddle)I brought only two of those cheap, clear, compact plastic bag-like things, sometimes sold as an “ emergency raincoat”. Basically, it is a poncho that goes over your head and has a hood. It wont keep you warm, but it will keep you dry. The advantage being that it is loose enough to fit right over a full hiking backpack. Plus if you tear it or lose it, you have only invested a couple of bucks. They are practically weightless to carry, dont take up much space. I hiked in september through a few good rainstorms and it worked perfectly.
I'll be honest. I now always carry 3 of those zero weight, super cheap ponchos with me when I am hiking or bike riding. They work, sometimes for more than several times, if the rain is short-lived or light. But I also carry a lightweight, waterproof poncho. It has a number of uses, including to put on the ground for a picnic lunch after a storm leaves the ground wet. Multi-use, lightweight items are my camino angels. I don't know how I ever survived without a poncho, diaper pins and paper tape!I brought only two of those cheap, clear, compact plastic bag-like things, sometimes sold as an “ emergency raincoat”. Basically, it is a poncho that goes over your head and has a hood. It wont keep you warm, but it will keep you dry. The advantage being that it is loose enough to fit right over a full hiking backpack. Plus if you tear it or lose it, you have only invested a couple of bucks. They are practically weightless to carry, dont take up much space. I hiked in september through a few good rainstorms and it worked perfectly.
Yep. I ditched my heavier fleece and substituted a very light rain jacket for post-camino walking around town. I was surprised how it not only blocked the wind but was quite warm. And it has a hood.I prefer a light rain coat to wear while out and about after I am finished walking for the day. But while walking on the Camino I am a fan of a good poncho to keep myself (and my pack) dry from the knees up.
Yes, a hands free umbrella is great; I also have one. But it won’t work when the wind is blowing and the rain is coming in sideways.I would get an umbrella.
Yes, a hands free umbrella is great; I also have one. But it won’t work when the wind is blowing and the rain is coming in sideways.
Walking the length of the Appalachian Trail, the Via Francigena, and Paris-Norte-Primitivo, I can’t think of a time when I had to put my umbrella down during a rain.Yes, a hands free umbrella is great; I also have one. But it won’t work when the wind is blowing and the rain is coming in sideways.
Walking the length of the Appalachian Trail, the Via Francigena, and Paris-Norte-Primitivo, I can’t think of a time when I had to put my umbrella down during a rain.
Definitely recommend an umbrella, but I only used mine for shade when we were lucky enough to have lots of sun. I don't do well with hats as they keep too much heat in - part of the reason I also prefer ponchos over rain coats.I would get an umbrella.
I was going to ask, and I think you answered it for me ... so you actually wear the poncho over your rain jacket? The rain is that heavy at times? We'll be on the Camino Frances in Sept. and early Oct. so I'm hoping that the rain won't be too heavy.I'm laughing at Gerard Carey's reply. I was walking a portion of the Voie d'Arles last September and encountered a fair amount of heavy rain one day with no place to take shelter. I made it to the next town but my lightweight, compact jacket just wasn't holding up as well as I wanted it to. I was just settling in at a tiny grocery store cum café when an older French gentleman heard my story and offered to drive me to my destination--bless him. I took him up on his offer. On the other hand, I have since decided to add a lightweight poncho [in addition to my lightweight rain jacket] to my pack for double coverage just in case. As Icacos remarks "Sometimes there’s just not a warm, comfortable environment at hand when the skies decide to open."
I had to chuckle. After facing sudden thunderstorms and relentless rain coming at us in all directions in Galicia on our first camino, our second camino, from Lourdes to Montserrat, witnessed zero days of rain. None. Not that we were disappointed.Definitely recommend an umbrella, but I only used mine for shade when we were lucky enough to have lots of sun. I don't do well with hats as they keep too much heat in - part of the reason I also prefer ponchos over rain coats.
A trick I used with ponchos is to have extra long shoe laces that I tied them around my waist, just under the bottom of the pack. It keeps the poncho from flapping around in the wind and obscuring my footing going up or down hills. And of course does double duty for making clothes-lines.
I must admit this talk of rain coats and ponchos makes me hope for some rain on our next camino.
So which brand did you decide was the right poncho?We wore light rain jackets on our first camino. During the second heavy storm we encountered, as we were miserably walking, we noticed three French lady pilgrims walking blissfully completely covered, pack and all, no rain cover needed, in their ponchos. We arrived at the same time at an inn. They doffed their ponchos and were totally dry. We looked as if we were the chickens from Santo Domingo who escaped and were dunked in a vat of water...dripping all over. At the next town, we bought ponchos and keep upgrading year after year. Our conclusion: There are three essentials for a camino -- the right pack, the right shoes and the right poncho.
Something that's very popular is the Altus, which is referred to as a poncho, but it's really an oversized raincoat with plenty of room for a backpack. Since it has a full zip front it's easier to put on than a poncho, and doesn't flap around in the wind so much.The only problem for some of us is that it's not available outside of Europe (as far as I know).So which brand did you decide was the right poncho?
I just found this website that sells Altus ponchos (Atmospheric Raincoat) with delivery to the US (and other countries). They are discounted (i.e., $47 vs $66 for a blue one, $50 vs $66 for a yellow one - the red one is not discounted at $66). I bought 2 - shipping was about $22. They said they will be delivered within the week.
Deporvillage (https://www.deporvillage.net/altus-atmospheric-raincoat-red) - an "online sports store" registered in Barcelona. They deliver via DHL. Lots of other items are on their website, many are discounted.
Thank you, I’ll check it out.Something that's very popular is the Altus, which is referred to as a poncho, but it's really an oversized raincoat with plenty of room for a backpack. Since it has a full zip front it's easier to put on than a poncho, and doesn't flap around in the wind so much.The only problem for some of us is that it's not available outside of Europe (as far as I know).
Here's a post from a member who ordered one from a Spanish company, DeporVillage.
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