Tips for walking The Camino Part 2- What to Pack

Keep your pack as light as possible…

Most of you won’t be using a donkey to carry your supplies so keeping the weight to a minimum will really help your feet out.  While we were in Spain, the weather on the Camino was mostly between 63F and 46F (17C and 7C) and usually a chance of rain. We did have a few beautiful sunny days that were around 85F and no clouds in the sky.

Pack your backpack several weeks out and weigh it. A good rule to follow is that if it is more than 10% of your body weight, take stuff out.

Here is a  pack list for details on what I would consider packing for hiking for 3 or more weeks when there is no camping and food is readily available.  Womans_packing_List_3plus_weeks

My insights into a few key items.

• Backpack(Mochila): Both my mom and I carried 28L packs: 28L Deuter  and 28L Ospery.  I love my Deuter bag and use it on most my hikes. I would probably go up to the 35L as I would bring a sleepbag next time and there isn’t room or straps to accommodate one on my 28L.  The smaller the pack that you can carry the better: less roam, less stuff, less weight.  Make sure to be measured for your pack as a good fit is essential.

• Fanny Pack-  Since we stopped regularly at cafes, I would recommend wearing some sort of fanny pack or purse that will hold your wallet, phone, headphones, Camino passport, hand sanitizer, small notebook, and pen, etc. While my hiking pants had great pockets, my hiking skirt did not.

•  Drinking Water (Agua potable): There is easy access to water and other beverages on the Camino and most of the maps point out where the water fountains are. Some people just bought a bottle of water and refilled it along the way.  This is one item that I would change from what I packed. Going against my habit of carrying lots of water all the time, I only brought a fold-up plastic water bottle and a metal cup with no lid.

Next time I will pack my camelbak, my nalgene water bottle and an insulated cup with a lid. Most of the books tell you to leave your camelbak and water bottles at home. I am so used to drinking from my camelbak as I walk that I know I stay hydrated and its natural to me. Stopping to pull out a water bottle isn’t, so there were a few days that I had to catch up on my water consumption.

I would also think about bringing a Nalgene water bottle as it is helpful to have a bottle to put hydrating tablets in or to have a bottle of water by your bed.  I also have sinus issues regularly and it is helpful to have a bottle that can hold hot water to use in my netti pot.

And I would also bring an insulated cup with a lid. It was so nice to be able to have a cup of tea or warm water whenever I needed and I could use it at the fountains if I just wanted to drink a cup of fresh water. I attached my cup to the outside of my pack with a carabiner

• Medical notification card and common medical terms in Spanish: I luckily don’t have any severe allergies or medical issues; however, I did have an allergic reaction to a plant one day on the Camino and my arm broke out in a rash.  I went to the local farmacia and picked up some medicine for it very easily.  While I was there I realized that I had no idea how to say common medical words like bruise (contusión), inflammation (inflamación), rash(erupción), bleeding (sangría), and headache (dolor de cabeza). So next time I will have an index card that has some medical terms along with a list of any medicines or supplements that I am taking and my insurance information.

• Trekking poles– Bring poles, your feet will thank you. Great list on why

• Sleeping bag (saco de dormir): I went back and forth about bringing a sleeping bag. My sleeping bag is over 2lbs so by just bringing my silk liner, I would reduce pack weight by more than 2 lbs.   Most nights I either didn’t need a blanker or the blanket provided was clean and warm. However, there were three nights that I was cold since I did not have a blanket. so next time I am bringing a sleeping bag.

• Sleeping pad/ yoga mat: I never planned to bring a sleeping pad as mine is rather heavy and based on the time of year, I figured we would always have a bed and we did. I added my yoga mat at the last minute. Unfortunately I brought my regular mat and not a travel one. I used my mat most days to do yoga and also put in around my legs on those nights when I was cold. I will continue to bring one, just take my travel one.

• Rain Gear (ropa de lluvia): I brought a rain coat, a baseball cap and a rain cover for my pack. I used all 3 many days.  The baseball cap was to keep the water from dripping on my face as the hood on my raincoat doesn’t have a brim on it. I have rain pants but just don’t like wearing them. If you are more sensitive to cold and wet, you may want to bring a pair. Also, some people had rain ponchos that covered their bodies and their packs which seems like another great option.

Buen Camino!