Camino Pilgrimage - Recommended Equipment
I went to REI (rei.com) and got just about everything. It seemed expensive until I started to shop around.
No, I'm not on commission with these folks but they're a long-standing company and the staff really helped me out. There's a whole world of people out there who wear this stuff all the time! Live and learn....
This is exactly what I needed, no more and no less.
I won't ever try to tell you Not to bring more.
We all do.
Then, we make a trip to the post office to send it home;)
Buen Camino, A.
THE BIG STUFF: (see links below to each specific product)
* On road shoes - runners or boots, your choice, broken in
* Backpack (see links to videos below for info)
* Backpack cover (for the plane and in Galecia, rains a lot)
* Camel Pack (water container fitted into the backpack, get valve on mouthpiece)
* Sleeping Bag Liner (silk, not the mummy shaped ones - uncomfy)
* Headlamp
* Convertible pants (trousers to Shorts) X 2
* Shirts (sun protection, long sleeved if light skinned) X2
* Fleece Jacket (X1) cold early morning, late evening
* Underwear: Black sports bra (X2) anti-microbial underwear (X2 or X3)
* Lightweight wool socks (X2)
* Light weight undersocks (X2 or X4)
* Rainjacket
* Lightweight travel towel ( X1)
* Hat (with built in sunscreen. Consider one that covers the back of your neck
* light nightshort for bedtime (I used an ultralight dress)
THE SMALL STUFF:
First aid kit:
http://www.rei.com/product/753285
Add to kit: Mosquito repellant (just a few sample size sachets of cream) only needed it one day.
Earplugs (for sleeping). (bring extras for fellow pilgrims - you'll make friends fast;)
sunglasses
Blister kit (second skin, needle & thread (trust me, take it), extra bandaids
Sunscreen; separate one for your face (travel size) (pack in front pockets of backpack so they're near at hand. I applied sunscreen about 5 times a day!)
Lots of zip lock bags (in case rain gets into you backpack and for the showers at the hostels).
Shampoo: Initially, use for soap, shapoo and washing clothes, then buy as you go.
safety pins for pinning laundry to back pack to dry as you walk (bring a dozen, great for hanging clothes on line, etc.)
travelsize toothbrush & toothpaste
lip gloss (so you still feel like a girl after several weeks of walking)
compact camera (preferably shock proof and water proof)
Small notebook and pen
PURCHASE IN SPAIN:
Magnesium tablets (ask for the Farmacia)
Small pocket size pack of tissues
Wintergreen or some muscle helper
sunscreen and shampoo, etc. as needed.
CHOOSING FOOTWEAR:
Rule of thumb (If you're crossing the Pyrenees, you may need boots)
For all else - runners/sneekers/trainers should do just fine. You can ask around and go with what you think will work best for you.
BOOTS:
How to Choose Hiking Footwear:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/hiking+footwear.html
Breaking in Hiking Boots:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/breaking+in+hiking+boots.html
MY CHOICES:
Off-Road shoes:
http://www.rei.com/product/732898
There were great (protection for toes, waterproof for use in the shower, dried overnight, could be used with backpack for short distances if feet get seriously overheated.
BACKPACK:
CHOOSING THE BACKPACK:
Finding your torso and hip size:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/backpacks+torso+hip+size.html
Adjusting the fit of your backpack:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/backpacks+adjusting+fit.html
How to Hoist a Loaded Backpack:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/hoist+loaded+backpack.html
How to pack your backpack:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/pack+backpack.html
Opinions vary. I happened to like the heavy stuff around my hips and lighter stuff up top. I found if I put the heavier stuff between my shoulder, it threw me off balance. This video's advice seems better suited to men than women.
My backpack choice:
http://www.rei.com/product/742786
Anything by Osprey. This looks small but was plenty big.
(ties on front for walking poles) small pockets on front belt; great for sunscreen, tissues, nuts - little things I wanted on hand, so I didn't have to stop and take off the pack
BACKPACK COVER:
http://www.rei.com/product/757910
Yip, after all that, the backpack is Not waterproof. (water gets in through zippers)
You'll need this for air-travel and in Galecia where it tends to rain a lot.
WALKING POLES
The lightest ones you can find.
Supposedly, there's an entire art to walking with poles. Frankly, I found none of it useful. However, don't think I could have done it without them!
CAMEL PAC
http://www.rei.com/product/733681
(The Osprey backpack is constructed so as to allow for the insertion of a 'camel-pack' i.e. a big bag of water. (frees up the hands for use of poles - carrying water in your hands all day is really hard). There is a flexible 'straw' of sorts that hangs down over your shoulder, so when you need a drink - it's readily available. (really great).
NOTE: Whatever camel pak you decide on, make sure the mouthpiece has a valve, otherwise, it's likely to leek.
SLEEPING BAG LINER (Silk)
http://www.rei.com/product/739498
I was advised that I didn't need a heavy sleeping bag unless traveling during the colder months. These come in the shape of a mummy sleeping back. go w/ the rectangular one - it really helps - much more comfy.
HEADLAMP (Flashlight)
The lightest one you can find; for getting up in the middle of the night in the dark; in case you start on the road before or during sunset; for reading after lights out.
Don't bring a handheld - too heavy; your hands will be busy with other things (e.g. while walking - with walking poles)
CLOTHES:
NOTE: All clothes should have built in sun protection (applies to hat also)
Convertible pants (X 2) (can upzip bottoms; inbuilt sun protection)
http://www.rei.com/product/761565
(perfect - you can carry passport, money, everything you need in the pockets. No need for a fanny pack. I find they can be uncomfortable when you have the backpack and trousers at the waist, a fanny pack is just one thing too much!). Because my skin is so light, I rarely took off the bottoms (they have loads of ventilation. Saved me applying sun screen on my legs every 5 minutes.
Shirts (X2) (in built sun protection)
http://www.rei.com/product/762302
(if you're very light skinned, consider long sleeves. I got short sleeves and regretted it - applied sunscreen 5 times daily!)
Fleece Jacket (X 1)
http://www.rei.com/product/753594
(be careful - stuff can fall out of the pockets. Use your convertible pants for pockets)
For girls only:
Black Sports bras (X 2) (any brand, consider buying them really, really tight - you'll loose some weight). If you've never worn them before, wear them in advance to get used to them. I tended to buy mine way too large.
(X2) Black Non microbial underwear.
http://www.rei.com/category/4500354
Anything by Ex-Officio.
SOCKS. Almost as important as the shoes in terms of blister prevention.
heavy socks (X2)
http://www.rei.com/product/626974
Light undersocks (2-4 pairs) worn underneath heavy socks
http://www.rei.com/product/737999
Rainjacket: (ultra-light)
http://www.rei.com/product/746520
This is the only product I got from REI that I was disappointed in.
I would suggest finding another light-weight rain jacket. It just needs to be made from Gortex and pockets are always great. See if you can find one with underarm ventilation. If you're walking in the rain, you can get quite hot under the arms, even in cool weather.
I got extremely hot while wearing this - it was as it if didn't breath properly.
Also, it did not wash off stains as well as i would have expected. (black maybe?)
Travel towel (X1)
http://www.rei.com/product/684304
(don't panic, you'll get used to it)