Things you do NOT need to bring on the Camino

[Anniesantiago]

Hairdryers
Perfume or Aftershave lotion
Electric razors
Makeup
Water purifiers
Heavy bottles of shampoo, rinse, whatever
More than 2 Tampons or sanitary napkins
Tent
Umbrellas
Heavy Can Openers (most cans I found on Camino were pop-top)
Mess kits
stoves and gas
utensils
plates
cups
food from home
more than one full change of clothes
????? what else?????

 

[Bridget and Peter]

More than 2 Tampons or sanitary napkins

You're clearly NOT at a 'certain age'. :roll:

 

[Anniesantiago]

:::laughing::::

Well, my point was that you can buy them on the Camino... Spain is NOT a 3d World Country... they have young women there too :lol:

I'm depressed today and that made me laugh.. thanks lol

 

[Deleted member 397]

Walking sticks
floor mats-everyone seems to take them (once) but never uses them

 

[alipilgrim]

nope Omar, you just can't win that 'no walking sticks' theme. Essential gear for many pilgrims, I, for one, never leave home without them!

 

[Trudy]

Have to disagree about the umbrella.

I always take a small lightweight travel umbrella which I've used many times on the Camino. It's useful for sightseeing on those rainy days when a rainjacket is just too much. And it proved invaluable as a sunshade on extremely hot, still, days on the Meseta.

Trudy

 

[sillydoll]

Utensils, plate and cup - and walking sticks.
I always take a camping knife, fork and spoon set. Very useful for those picnic lunches and when there are only two forks and no knives left in the albergue kitchen! I also take a small spiral, immersion heater. Great for making early morning coffee before starting off or heating soups or making 2 minute noodles.
Ditto the plate. I use a lid from a 2L ice cream tub. Nice and flexible and has a lip around the edge so if you cut tomatoes on it, the juice doesn't spill over the edge.
Can't do without a large but lightweight camp mug. Great for the 2min noodles or cup-of-soup in places where there is no cafe-bar or restaurant.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

A fascinating question is "what did you leave out from your first Camino when you went back for the second, third, fourth"...

I've met lots of repeat pilgrims and some serial pilgrims and although we can all go on about weight, weight, weight, I think some of us learned the lesson the hard way. In my case I set off on the Via de la Plata from Sevilla on the 1st of January and I took:

A rucksack that was too heavy - but I was sooo proud of myself that I'd bought a sleeping map and courageously had decided to leave it behind. In fact I never met another pilgrims for 21 days so you could say bed availability was not an issue

1 too many of EVERYTHING - including 2 torches in case one broke down and of course extra batteries.

A thermos and powder soup ( for those bitterly cold days in Extremadura which were 2 weeks ahead of me!) That got left behind on the second day

A tin cup - for the soup of course!

A little short wave radio to listen to the BBC on those long winter evenings when it gets dark early rather than spend all evening in the bar - whilst this was a good idea it soon became apparent that the rythm of each day didn't work like that and I could work out my walking day so that I arrived at 6pm just before dusk.

Just far too much in my first aid kit - in case I needed field surgery!

and of course that little bag of "spares" - matches, clothes pegs, sewing kit etc That actually took me another couple of Caminos to dump.

The ubiquitous but in fact redundant and expensive swiss army knife

A pencil AND a pen

But what I did do meticulously was rip out the pages of the guide book and dispose of them at each etapa

But the BEST things I took in winter were:

A down jacket which weighs less that .5 kgs and folds into one of its own pockets

A "top bag" for sleeping in - a down sleeping back which has 200g of quality down on top and around the feet but just a single layer of fabric on the base - ideal for sleeping on beds in albergues.

A merino wool base layer.

Expensive but I am still using these items.

So come on you guys: CONFESS

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Johnnie, as a lapsed Catholic I still remember the privacy of Confession :shock: But I can confirm that my pack definitely got lighter and lighter the longer I walked.
Margaret

 

[Deleted member 397]

Sil-have you had a conversion?! I always thought you liked walking sticks!-This post is what NOT to take.Congratualtions on seeing sense!

 

[crackmrmac]

Now, this made me laugh out loud!

Johnnie, as a lapsed Catholic I still remember the privacy of Confession :shock: But I can confirm that my pack definitely got lighter and lighter the longer I walked.

Irish people often bring their own tea bags abroad. I resisted taking them.

Second time around i brought light plastic cutlery & no cup. Not sure if they would survive a full blown camino.

Brian

 

[Deirdre]

Hi All,

When I got home from my first Camino, I was unpacking my rucksack and found, in the bottom of one of the side pockets, two rather heavy bungee cords that my dear son, an avid camper and hiker, had put in for me because he felt they were an absolute necesity.... And I had also carried an extremely weighty "leatherman tool" - for those who don't know it is a kind of all around tool, not unlike a swiss army knife, but with fewer useful gadgets and significantly heavier! I was certain it would be inordinately useful... but it ended up at the bottom of the back, unused. I put it back in my car - a much better place for it!

On the matter of the mat - I have carried one, and used it. After walking about 38 km and arriving to the "completo" albergue in Ribadiso, we were offered floor space in the outdoor kitchen and gratefully accepted it. It was a stone floor and the nights were getting very cold. My companions had no mats, but some pilgrims we knew from walking went 'round and collected mats from some of the people who had beds and kindly lent them to us. We had an extra and I gave it to a pilgrim who had been breaking up cardboard boxes so as not to have to sleep on the (very) cold floor. He was incredibly grateful. I know many will disagree and that's ok. I like my mat! :wink:

Buen Camino,

 

[Anonymous]

Nice lists - have to disagree about leaving the swiss knife - I carry one always and use it frequently (how do other people function without one?) and disagree with leaving the umbrella.

Mine is a Fulton Huntsman. Thicker shaft than normal, double ribbed, metal spiked and with a solid wood curved handle (as used by our Royal Family). They are brilliant. Very strong indeed, comfortable to use as a walking stick, excellent rain cover in any weather, perfect sunshade - great for a sunshade when having a snooze and an effective and hilarious dog deterrent. Doesn't look like a weapon but is a serious piece of kit if needing to defend oneself (Google 'walking stick self defence').
Heavier than a walking pole of course but well worth the extra weight. Elegant too - Englishman abroad and all that.

What did I discard? Inflatable pillow
What did I need? shower/house sandles - those ridiculously light ones.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Things I added on my second and subsequent trips on the Cami

Light umbrella
Titanium cup
Finger nail clippers
Titanium fork and spoon
Swiss army knife with scissors and cork screw
Four ounces of isopropyl alcohol
One ounce of liquid bleach - used twice to kill growth in water tube
Polypro gloves
Needle and thread (never used)
One boot lace
Altus poncho
Gaiters
Very large cotton bandana

Dare I say that you are not REQUIRED to take these items?!

 

[Sansthing]

I´m still working on my list for my first Camino, so maybe I shouldn´t comment, but it occurred to me that if I am taking safety pins for attaching any items that need drying to my pack, and needle and thread for blisters, a sewing kit is not really necessary.
Sandra

 

[sillydoll]

Sandra, I take a plastic pill bottle with 4 needles already threaded with different colour cottons. Saves you having to thread them while you are in the albergues.

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Sil, 4 needles - a complete disregard for extra weight!

 

[Anonymous]

Sansthing - good tip, if you are taking safety pins, is to take nappy pins (what's a nappy pin in American? diaper fastener?) as they lock shut.

As for sewing kits - anyone who was in the forces or merchant marine would have been issued with a Hussif (means 'housewife') which is a roll and tie to close complete sewing kit. Thing is, they are about independence, self-reliance .. what the New Age folk now name 'at causality'.
I always travel with one though my original one is long gone, I now carry a German army one. It isn't just that buttons fall off it is that you can repair as you go along. I was attacked by a mad cow once and eventually thrown onto a barbed wire fence .. not very nice ... 1st aid kit for me and my hussif for my clothes ... it happens. I've also added leather needles to my kit as the buckle once came off one of my sandals and an ordinary needle wasn't strong enough.

The other thing is, the small things we carry - it isn't all about oneself is it. To be able to help someone else is a fine thing, don't you think? :wink:

 

[sillydoll]

John - you are wicked!!
I have a black shirt, dark blue shirt, red fleece shirt, and South African Flag shorts. I needed four different colour thread. And, I cannot thread a needle without my specs (can hardly thread them with the specs) so I thread them at home!
I don't wear anything with buttons - too much hassle - and then I'd have to carry spare buttons too? No, no ..... they would push my sub 5kg over the top.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Re: Things you might want to bring on the Camino

A 12" cable tie. Snatch thieves, much more common in places other than the Camino, can be thwarted by using a re-usable cable tie to attach your day bag to your chair, table leg, or bed post.

 

[Anonymous]

John - you are wicked!!
I have a black shirt, dark blue shirt, red fleece shirt, and South African Flag shorts. I needed four different colour thread. And, I cannot thread a needle without my specs (can hardly thread them with the specs) so I thread them at home!
I don't wear anything with buttons - too much hassle - and then I'd have to carry spare buttons too? No, no ..... they would push my sub 5kg over the top.

sub 5kg - that's the way to go! does that include the pack Sil? - there are some really light ones available now ...

but think ... if we wore just one colour clothing ........

 

[spursfan]

my guess is that 5kg includes weight of pack and liquid carrier but excludes liquid - that's what I'm aiming for when doing a non-winter camino

 

[sillydoll]

Yep Br David - a good, English backpack it is too. The OMM (Original Mountain Marathon) 32Lt Ultralight that weighs about 600gr.
Wear all the same colour? A girl has to colour co-ordinate you know! Black and Blue shirts to match the backpack!

Nope - Spursfan - that includes 2 X 500mls bottles of water

 

[Anonymous]

I am so pleased that you have an OMM 32 as that is the choice I've made for my new pack (I use a softpak at the moment, nice pack but 1kg). Definitely think that size is best - my son went off for a year + India and NZ and all with a 32l.

Thing is - if you go to a place that gets cold there tend to be places that sell sweaters and if you go to a place that gets hot they tend to sell shorts ... (etc etc blah blah)

so that water is a kilo .. pack is 600 stripped .. so you take 3.4 - nicely done!

and if you added red socks and a green hat you'd have your flag ... :roll:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Re: Things I found handy to bring on the Camino

Flowers and some small coins to give to destitute children.

 

[sillydoll]

Red shoelaces!

 

[sillydoll]

Gees Falcon - remind me not to step on your toes if we meet on the camino! An airhorn would send me right over the edge!

 

[Sansthing]

Thanks Br. David, I meant nappy pins (I´m English!) when I wrote safety pins. My problem is that in these days of disposable nappies I have been unable to find any of those large nappy pins which lock, the shops here in Brazil don´t seem to stock them anymore. I know they sell them at Boots, in England, and I have asked my daughter-in-law to post me some. I wonder what they´ll make of it at the post office if my little parcel gets X-rayed :!:

 

[Anonymous]

detonators!

 

[Bridget and Peter]

My problem is that in these days of disposable nappies I have been unable to find any of those large nappy pins which lock,

What is amazing is that they have come up with some non-pins fasteners for the few parents (my daughter used to go to a 'Nappicino' group where they got together to swap second hand nappies and tips on which of the modern designs are the best) who prefer not to fill holes in the ground with 'disposable' but non-degradeable nappies and continue to use real nappies - these are made of stretchy plastic like a three legged spider. At each end they have a spikey bit, a bit like claws, which hook into the loops of the towelling/terry nappy. The force of the pull back to the middle keeps the claws in the loops and the nappy on. So you might be lucky to find any proper nappy pins even in Boots.

Of course, these fasteners would only work with the triangular nappy fold. I used to do the kite with the end folded up style which needed two pins. I dont think the claw thingy would work so well on that!

Anyway, in an obvious ploy to get back on topic - I wonder whether there is any use for a three legged and clawed spider for the environmentally aware pilgrim?

NB What's the problem with the red laces, Sil? It's only someone showing a little individuality and I don't suppose they weigh any more than black ones?

And don't 'some people' have bright red Altu ponchos?!!!! :lol:

 

[Deirdre]

Yes, Falcon,
My Son The Camper insisted that I, too, take a whistle. It probably is a good thing... especially if you were to fall down a ravine or something walking in the early morning darkness as I was wont to do!
Buen Camino,

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I started with a whistle, but there was a reason I was glad to be able to get rid of it. I had taken it, not so much for mountain safety, but because I had had one very scary experience cycling in the Loire two years previously. If such a thing happened to me out walking on the Camino, I had decided that some loud whistle blows might bring me some help from fellow walkers. But after about ten days walking from Le Puy, i felt very safe walking in the countryside, and throwing away the whistle was also a way of throwing away some fears.
But if I walk the Aragonese path, I may well take a whistle again for mountain safety!

Margaret

 

[Arn]

I got rid of my walking stick and added two crutches!

Got rid of the nylon cord, soap, maps, extra compeed (too late)

Added one bottle of vinotino...for each liter of water I'd initially carried, and at each supermercado I replaced a new bottle for each one I drank and found that after awhile, not only was my kit lighter...I couldn't remember what I no longer had nor missed.

Buen tinto or blanco Camino
Arn

 

[30daystosantiago]

Extra batteries for a camera...I found plenty of batteries in shops on the Camino. Also saline solution for contact lenses...pharmacies sell this (however, if you have very sensitive eyes and can only use a certain brand, its better to bring a bottle or two)...else wear glasses instead.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Extra batteries for a camera...I found plenty of batteries in shops on the Camino.

.....except if you are walking in France and want to use AA Lithium batteries, these were not permitted to be sold in France so you can't buy them anywhere, so bring some spares....
Margaret

 

[Priscillian]

No Perfume???
¡Que va!
If I hadn't had exactly the same bottle as the wonderful German woman I walked the whole way with (we met just outside Estella) I might have missed a very special opportunity of a "meeting of minds". While she was unpacking her backpack, out came a bottle of Gio perfume. I produced the identical bottle. "Ah," she said wisely, "we are pilgrims second, but we are Women first!"

Perhaps Gio should be a Camino sponsor for the Forum :?:

http://pilgrimagetoheresy.com

 

[sillydoll]

I take perfumed Musk Oil instead of perfume. It helps keep the insects away and has a pleasant perfume.

 

[Arn]

Sil stated: Musk Oil instead of perfume

Well, just a minute here!

I was in the suk in Cairo and traipsing the spice bazaar when I cam upon a gentleman selling 'exotic' fragrances. He didn't traffic in the end product, but rather in the oils that many expensive perfumes originated. He had a bar of musk that he said came from a male deer, or stag and was not only a "hidden" essence, but a very powerful aphrodisiac.

So, I went back to the embassy to research his claims. Here's what I found (among other things):

Musk Oil: a substance secreted in a glandular sac under the skin of the abdomen of the male musk deer, having a strong odor, and used in perfumery.

The muskox (Ovibos moschatus) is an Arctic mammal of the Bovidae family, noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor emitted by males, from which its name derives. This musky odor is used to attract females.

Now, I'm sure Sil benefits from the insect avoidance capabilities of the musk oil, but what about the unintended consequences?

Buen is that a Buck snort I hear? Camino,

Arn

 

[sillydoll]

Is THAT why I had those queues of young bucks following me? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Arn]

Sil,

Oh...never mind!

Tot Seins

Arn

 

[Priscillian]

Ummm...............
the Gio worked fine for me
..... :wink:

 

[VikingWarrior]

Yes, Falcon,
My Son The Camper insisted that I, too, take a whistle. It probably is a good thing... especially if you were to fall down a ravine or something walking in the early morning darkness as I was wont to do!
Buen Camino,

I was quite surprised to find one built into the chest strap buckle on my pack. Genius idea!!!

 

[alexwalker]

An idiotic guy on his first Camino brought a 1-kg (2 pounds) bicycle chain lock in his backpack, and even dragged it all the way to Santiago, and home again. The purpose was to be able to lock his backpack to a cafe table etc. in order to prevent theft, not realizing that a thief only needed a small knife to cut up the pack and take what he wanted (dirty clothes, smelling sleeping bag, worn-out tooth brush, worn-out soap, and similar) while the idiot was at the toilet, or whatever. It was never used.

The idiot was me...

I am wiser now.

 

[Vacajoe]

The grubbier the backpack, the less likely someone will steal it! Not that it didn't happen somewhere at some time to someone on a Camino, but I’ve never met someone who personally experienced a backpack theft on the trail. Definitely leave the chain and lock at home.

PS: In the US, we call the safety pins for diapers “ diaper pins”

 

[alexwalker]

The grubbier the backpack, the less likely someone will steal it! Not that it didn't happen somewhere at some time to someone on a Camino, but I’ve never met someone who personally experienced a backpack theft on the trail. Definitely leave the chain and lock at home.

PS: In the US, we call the safety pins for diapers “ diaper pins”

Believe me, after 12 years on many Caminos, my backpack is as "grubby" as they get. Most thieves will not touch it, but rather report it to the Spanish health authorities as a health hazard to the public, so they can collect and safely incinerate it. But it works like a charm for me.

PS: In the civilized old world, they are still referred to as "safety pins".

 

[camino07]

On my first Camino I took rain pants, pillow in a little bag and expensive silk liner for inside my sleeping bag.
Used the liner once and hated the feel of it. Walked many times since and never used any of them.

 

[lisaflora]

Utensils, plate and cup - and walking sticks.
I always take a camping knife, fork and spoon set. Very useful for those picnic lunches and when there are only two forks and no knives left in the albergue kitchen! I also take a small spiral, immersion heater. Great for making early morning coffee before starting off or heating soups or making 2 minute noodles.
Ditto the plate. I use a lid from a 2L ice cream tub. Nice and flexible and has a lip around the edge so if you cut tomatoes on it, the juice doesn't spill over the edge.
Can't do without a large but lightweight camp mug. Great for the 2min noodles or cup-of-soup in places where there is no cafe-bar or restaurant.

Same on the mug, found one with a good seal for coffee to go, soup for later, etc. Light, plastic, BPA free. Always have a pocket knife for cheese, bread, snacks.

 

[Kanga]

Interesting that thread has started up again. Look at the dates! Post #41 was in February 2009 and nothing until - post #42 today, June 2021. But no matter, it looks as if the lists are still the same.

 

[Albertagirl]

Bedbugs. Well, somebody brings them.

 

[TalTi]

Walking sticks
floor mats-everyone seems to take them (once) but never uses them

what are floor mats?

 

[nycwalking]

The grubbier the backpack, the less likely someone will steal it! Not that it didn't happen somewhere at some time to someone on a Camino, but I’ve never met someone who personally experienced a backpack theft on the trail. Definitely leave the chain and lock at home.

PS: In the US, we call the safety pins for diapers “ diaper pins”

I met a woman whose backpack was stolen. She’s left it in back queue outside of albergue in Pamplona, then went in search of coffee.

She had plenty money to replace pack. Her valuables and identification were on her person so no worries there.

However, she told me in a past life she’d been a robber on the camino and karma was paying her back; and that knowledge saddened her a bit.

Oh well.

 

[trecile]

what are floor mats?

Sleeping pads

 

[backpack45]

Hairdryers
Perfume or Aftershave lotion
Electric razors
Makeup
Water purifiers
Heavy bottles of shampoo, rinse, whatever
More than 2 Tampons or sanitary napkins
Tent
Umbrellas
Heavy Can Openers (most cans I found on Camino were pop-top)
Mess kits
stoves and gas
utensils
plates
cups
food from home
more than one full change of clothes
????? what else?????

Since there are many routes of the Camino, and not all have the pilgrim infrastructure of the Frances, my advice on what one would need varies according to the route. I disagree about "umbrella"--they can be very useful in the heat (I have measured the temperature difference, it's not psychological). Useful in the rain. Whether or not you need stoves, plates, etc. would depend on whether you are camping out (yes, I know it is not legal many places, but some do camp.) A cup is handy if the places you will stay don't have them -- I like tea at night. A small knife is useful for cutting salami, cheese, bread for picnic lunches. There are probably some items in everyone's pack that go unused on a particular trip --and I don't advise carrying the kitchen sink, but, like insurance, it is important to carry the ten essentials.

 

[henrythedog]

Since there are many routes of the Camino, and not all have the pilgrim infrastructure of the Frances, my advice on what one would need varies according to the route. I disagree about "umbrella"--they can be very useful in the heat (I have measured the temperature difference, it's not psychological). Useful in the rain. Whether or not you need stoves, plates, etc. would depend on whether you are camping out (yes, I know it is not legal many places, but some do camp.) A cup is handy if the places you will stay don't have them -- I like tea at night. A small knife is useful for cutting salami, cheese, bread for picnic lunches. There are probably some items in everyone's pack that go unused on a particular trip --and I don't advise carrying the kitchen sink, but, like insurance, it is important to carry the ten essentials.

And the ten essentials are …

 

[Anniesantiago]

Since there are many routes of the Camino, and not all have the pilgrim infrastructure of the Frances, my advice on what one would need varies according to the route. I disagree about "umbrella"--they can be very useful in the heat (I have measured the temperature difference, it's not psychological). Useful in the rain. Whether or not you need stoves, plates, etc. would depend on whether you are camping out (yes, I know it is not legal many places, but some do camp.) A cup is handy if the places you will stay don't have them -- I like tea at night. A small knife is useful for cutting salami, cheese, bread for picnic lunches. There are probably some items in everyone's pack that go unused on a particular trip --and I don't advise carrying the kitchen sink, but, like insurance, it is important to carry the ten essentials.

This post was about what you do not NEED, not what you want.

 

[dougfitz]

And the ten essentials are …

If they are the ones she listed on her website a few years back, they probably couldn't be listed without breaking the rule on commercial posts. Scroll down a bit to her 15 Dec 2008 blog entry titled 'Stocking Stuffers'.

 

[Anamiri]

Walking sticks
floor mats-everyone seems to take them (once) but never uses them

No I love my poles, wouldnt walk without them

 

[malingerer]

Walking sticks
floor mats-everyone seems to take them (once) but never uses them

Never seen a floor-mat BUT I do use and carry a sleeping-mat, more often than not at bus stations , rail stations and airport floors. I loved my little self-inflating one till punctured it and cant afford a new one Buen camino anyhow as for walking POLES I never leave the flat without them due to balance problems, arthritis etc and of course AGE

samarkand.

 

[Bristle Boy]

When it comes to what not to pack and leave at home could I suggest that prejudices might be a good place to start.