72hrs to go...Can I get the pack weight down!?

[Satírico]

Dear forum,

I read somewhere that these lists are a popular puzzle, so I'll submit mine for your consideration. I just did a second practice pack, which took ages, and the total weight was approx. 7.9kg. I think, for my body weight, 7.0kg or less would be better.

Travelling the Norte in May, what can I afford to lose:

1. the backpack itself (65+5 litres)
2. sleeping bag (Seasons 2/3) 1kg
3. anti-bugs bedsheet
4. rainproof over-trousers
5. short-sleeved, breathable super-duper-wicking quick dry t-shirts (x3)
6. base layer, long-sleeve breathable, super-wicking, quick-dry t-shirt (x1)
7. underwear
8. woollen socks
9. woolly hat
   
10. pair of crocs
11. disposable cameras (x3)
12. journal and pens/pencils
13. quick-dry towel
14. sun-spray; sun-protection chapstick; deep freeze gel; tea-tree oil; gauze + tape + plasters
15. toiletries
16. water canteen (700ml) in the pack, 300ml bottle on the body
17. guidebooks (x2); small guide to get-by-in-French
18. head-torch + spare batteries

I guess I'll just have to get cracking and build up the muscles. It all looks essential from here. What do you think?

 

[Keith Hearn]

Your backpack sounds kind of big. I'm planning on taking a 42l pack, which is a tad larger than most people I've seen on the forum. But if it's a pack you already have and don't want to spend money on a smaller one, that's understandable.

Ditto for the bag. Many people do fine with just a silk bag liner that weighs about 140g. Depends on when you're going and your personal comfort level.

You may not want the rainproof overtrousers. I find that hiking in the rain with wet legs isn't that bad. Your legs will stay warm because of the work they're doing. I carry a pair of smartwool tights to wear at night, and they also work quite well in the rain. They're all I wear on my legs when cycling in the rain. They're a lot more of a pain to put on when it starts raining, though.

How much do your "toiletries" weigh? Some people take just a bar of soap and a toothbrush, some people carry about a kg of gel soap, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, exfoliant, makeup, etc. Take a good look and decide what is really essential. One small bar of plain soap can be used for washing yourself, your hair, and your clothes, for instance. Anything liquid or gel is heavy.

How heavy are 3 disposable cameras compared to one digital camera? I didn't know they still made disposable cameras. You can take a lot more pictures with a digital camera, and don't have send them off to have them developed.

All that being said, you're still about half a kilo below my current projected pack weight, if your water bottles were full when you weighed it. I'm also in the process of figuring out how to pare things down. My raincoat is 550g, and at least 15 years old, so I'm considering a Marmot Precip, which only weighs 320g.

 

[Satírico]

The bottles were empty. Eek! Perhaps the best thing would be to put more fat on my body, hehe. Then I'd get my pack to 10% of the fleshy total.

Disposable cameras are a compromise with trying to be a good pilgrim. The pictures won't become a distraction on the way.
I have got all purpose liquid soap. I suppose I could dump the sunspray and lip balm. What about the head torch? It is kinda lumpy.
Just checked my old copy of Brierley's guide and he recommends an upper limit of 10kg. So, that's encouraging

 

[Keith Hearn]

Keep the sunscreen and lip balm, you'll almost certainly want them (unless you're very sun tolerant). Not having them will probably cause much more suffering than carrying the weight. But don't carry a litre of sunscreen. You can restock along the way. I've only done part of the Le Puy route and at least along the stretch from Le Puy to Conques you do have to plan ahead a bit, as you can go a couple of days without passing a village with a store. I ran short on sunscreen at one point and ended up wearing a long sleeved shirt for a day to keep the sun off. But I understand that finding stores is not a problem on the Camino Frances.

Many people highly recommend a head torch. Something small, with an LED that takes a couple of AA or AAA batteries is fine. You won't be using it to do surgery, it just needs to give enough light to move around at night on the way to/from the bathroom. You won't be wearing it all evening around a campsite while putting up your tent and fixing dinner. Don't take a miner's headlamp that takes a 6v lantern battery.

Many, if not most, people already have most of the stuff they need for a pilgrimage around their house already, but not necessarily stuff that's as light or as functional as it could be. So it's easy to grab the stuff one has and find out that one has a heavier pack than they want. Then you need to start looking at possibly acquiring stuff that is lighter, like my rain jacket situation I mentioned earlier. Or else just cutting stuff out.

The leather wallet I carry every day weighs in at 180g right now (I just weighed it while typing this). Taking a few unneeded things out could easily get it down to ~150g. But buying a lightweight nylon wallet could probably cut that in half. Then again, maybe not carrying a wallet at all and just putting my cash and cards in a ziploc bag would work just as well (and make a pickpocket's job harder).

Eventually, you reach a point where shaving off a few more grams has a higher and higher cost, in terms of of money or inconvenience. You can shave off a few grams by cutting the handle off your toothbrush, but is is worth it? Some people think so, most don't. I could spend twice as much for a rain jacket and save another 100g or so, but I doubt I will.

You could go out and buy a smaller pack and maybe save as much as a kilogram, which is a lot. My Gregory Zulu 40 weighs 1247g, while a randomly chosen pack from rei.com, of similar size to yours (Deuter Aircontact 65 + 10) weighs 2900g. That's a lot of weight difference. But you've already got your pack, and probably don't want to drop something close to $200 (US) on a new one, which anyone can certainly understand. So many tradeoffs and choices...

 

[NorthernLight]

You are going to be in Spain, ditch the French language dictionary.
How many pens/pencils? One each should be enough.
I use a tiny lightweight crankable flashlight for hostels or my smartphone's light. If you don't walk in the dark, a headlamp isn't needed.

Buen camino.

 

[Satírico]

You are going to be in Spain, ditch the French language dictionary.
How many pens/pencils? One each should be enough.
I use a tiny lightweight crankable flashlight for hostels or my smartphone's light. If you don't walk in the dark, a headlamp isn't needed.

Buen camino.

I'm spending approx. 12 days in France. I'm also carrying a french-language guidebook which is a challenge in itself.

 

[Robo]

Dear forum,

I read somewhere that these lists are a popular puzzle, so I'll submit mine for your consideration. I just did a second practice pack, which took ages, and the total weight was approx. 7.9kg. I think, for my body weight, 7.0kg or less would be better.

Travelling the Norte in May, what can I afford to lose:

1. the backpack itself (65+5 litres)
2. sleeping bag (Seasons 2/3) 1kg
3. anti-bugs bedsheet
4. rainproof over-trousers
5. short-sleeved, breathable super-duper-wicking quick dry t-shirts (x3)
6. base layer, long-sleeve breathable, super-wicking, quick-dry t-shirt (x1)
7. underwear
8. woollen socks
9. woolly hat
   
10. pair of crocs
11. disposable cameras (x3)
12. journal and pens/pencils
13. quick-dry towel
14. sun-spray; sun-protection chapstick; deep freeze gel; tea-tree oil; gauze + tape + plasters
15. toiletries
16. water canteen (700ml) in the pack, 300ml bottle on the body
17. guidebooks (x2); small guide to get-by-in-French
18. head-torch + spare batteries

I guess I'll just have to get cracking and build up the muscles. It all looks essential from here. What do you think?

You don't seem to have gone overboard with gear. Though that's a big pack 40L should be ample. And your sleeping bag is a heavy one....

Rather than too much gear, I suspect you just have heavy gear......... i.e. lightweight rain pants are 180-200 gms.

The oils and gels? Are these in glass bottles? How large? For example, I carried lavender oil for sun burn, insect bites etc. Used it lots! But I took about 40 ml in a tiny plastic bottle. Weighed hardly anything.

How much does the canteen weigh? Why do you need it? Just buy bottles of water,.

If you had weights next to the gear, that would help...

I got to about 6KG plus water and food. With this packing list. (A few more things crept in)
It will give you an idea of weights. http://robscamino.com/the-camino-packing-list/

 

[Satírico]

You don't seem to have gone overboard with gear. Though that's a big pack 40L should be ample. And your sleeping bag is a heavy one....

Rather than too much gear, I suspect you just have heavy gear......... i.e. lightweight rain pants are 180-200 gms.

The oils and gels? Are these in glass bottles? How large? For example, I carried lavender oil for sun burn, insect bites etc. Used it lots! But I took about 40 ml in a tiny platic bottle. Weighed hardly anything.

How much does the canteen weigh? Why do you need it? Just buy bottles of water,.

If you had weights next to the gear, that would help...

I got to about 6KG plus water and food. With this packing list. (A few more things crept in)
It will give you an idea of weights. http://robscamino.com/the-camino-packing-list/

The rain pants are 160g.
The cellphone charger cable is also 160g
Cameras are 140g each (so 420 total)
The headtorch is approx. 110g.
The rucksack is a bit of a monster. I just found two further pockets I didn't even know were on it.

 

[Robo]

The rain pants are 160g.
The cellphone charger cable is also 160g
The headtorch is approx. 110g.
The rucksack is a bit of a monster. I just found two further pockets I didn't even know were on it.

Well, something in there is heavier than it needs to be? Are you carrying a KG of toiletries?

 

[Satírico]

Well, something in there is heavier than it needs to be? Are you carrying a KG of toiletries?

Haha. On my first camino I mostly prayed for my family but maybe this time I can ask the pilgrim angels to support my back.

 

[Marc S.]

Not sure if this is an answer you are looking for, but I would not bother, and see how you get along.
Before my first camino, I was very worried about the weight I carried, but I found out that it is fine for me
to carry 10 kg (depending on the amount of food that is in my pack). I am not a particularly strong person
and my weight is 70 kg. However, I do have a backpack that fits perfectly for me, which I find essential. So
if you are happy with your backpack, although it may be a bit heavy, I would stick with it.

If you carry to much weight, you will find this out during your first week. You will possibly know
by then what you do not need, and then throw it away. It's all part of the fun...

 

[Satírico]

Not sure if this is an answer you are looking for, but I would not bother, and see how you get along.
Before my first camino, I was very worried about the weight I carried, but I found out that it is fine for me
to carry 10 kg (depending on the amount of food that is in my pack). I am not a particularly strong person
and my weight is 70 kg. However, I do have a backpack that fits perfectly for me, which I find essential. So
if you are happy with your backpack, although it may be a bit heavy, I would stick with it.

If you carry to much weight, you will find this out during your first week. You will possibly know
by then what you do not need, and then throw it away. It's all part of the fun...

On my first camino I carried a 35l pack and various people came up to me, groped it like it was a scrotum, and said "ooh, it's light your pack, isn't it?". At least with a 65l I will be spared that indignity

 

[Rajy62]

If you have time, the pack and the sleeping bag could be lighter. Do you really need 3 tshirts. But 7.9 kg base weight is good. Lets face it in two weeks you might loose 1kg in body weight you won't feel any difference.

 

[GreatDane]

How many pens/pencils? One each should be enough.

or you can find mine. I've bought and lost three pens now. And I'm staying in villages with no stores to buy replacements!

 

[Robo]

On my first camino I carried a 35l pack and various people came up to me, groped it like it was a scrotum, and said "ooh, it's light your pack, isn't it?". At least with a 65l I will be spared that indignity

Even so.............I think I'd go with the 35 L......

They were probably jealous

 

[NorthernLight]

Let us know what town you are in when you decide to ditch the French books

 

[Jo Jo]

Let me suggest a process, rather than specific items. Weigh everything (down to the bandaids) in grams, and write them down on a list. I find that procedure helps me to make much better choices for myself. If you are thinking of alternatives, weigh them each.

I think when you do that, you'll dig out your old 35L pack, drop down to a total or two shirts (not 4, as is on the list), maybe buy new disposable cameras as you go along and mail the old ones to yourself, lose the bed-bug sheet and just spray the outside of your sleeping bag with permethrin (and inside of the pack while you're at it), realize that there are spare batteries for your head torch you can buy along the way, and maybe realize that your hair looks fabulous without gel (plus, I'll be under a hat anyway). Also, you might want to remember your rain jacket, sun hat, some pants other than rain pants, and maybe some thin liner socks.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[Satírico]

Let me suggest a process, rather than specific items. Weigh everything (down to the bandaids) in grams, and write them down on a list. I find that procedure helps me to make much better choices for myself. If you are thinking of alternatives, weigh them each.

I think when you do that, you'll dig out your old 35L pack, drop down to a total or two shirts (not 4, as is on the list), maybe buy new disposable cameras as you go along and mail the old ones to yourself, lose the bed-bug sheet and just spray the outside of your sleeping bag with permethrin (and inside of the pack while you're at it), realize that there are spare batteries for your head torch you can buy along the way, and maybe realize that your hair looks fabulous without gel (plus, I'll be under a hat anyway). Also, you might want to remember your rain jacket, sun hat, some pants other than rain pants, and maybe some thin liner socks.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

Well well, no need for me to be carrying hair products. = an actual likeness.
When I prep'd for 2014 I bought the 35l bag and a 750g sleeping bag which took up half of the space inside. Now I've got a 65l but it's not summer so I need a heavier sleeping bag. Oh dear. No-one ever said it was supposed to be easy.

 

[Satírico]

And so it is. 7.9kg (inclusive of water this time). Once I get going it'll be fine. Probably.

 

[lovingkindness]

...the Camino del Norte traverses regions with an oceanic climate. That means...lluvia, lluvia, mucha lluvia, perhaps even 40 days of it...I'd exchange your bedbug sheet for a wearable XXL plastic garbage bag [neck & arm slits] and cover up the woolly hat with a broad brimmed gortex one...

 

[lovingkindness]

ps and I'd swap the 65 l pack for a 9l Mountain Smith lumbar pack...

Cheers

 

[Satírico]

ps and I'd swap the 65 l pack for a 9l Mountain Smith lumbar pack...

Cheers

Well that bag sure looks nifty. No room for a sleeping bag, I'm guessing, or a change of clothes, but whatever.

 

[Satírico]

...the Camino del Norte traverses regions with an oceanic climate. That means...lluvia, lluvia, mucha lluvia, perhaps even 40 days of it...I'd exchange your bedbug sheet for a wearable XXL plastic garbage bag [neck & arm slits] and cover up the woolly hat with a broad brimmed gortex one...

I will be wearing my Australian broad-brim hat, together with a rain-proof warm coat. Probably too warm. I'm ditching the poncho.

 

[lovingkindness]

hi @Philip347. re Sleeping bag...wrap the sleeping bag in plastic and secure it on the outside of the pack using the exterior yellow elastics...

...I'd limit myself to the clothes I walk in plus an xtra pair of ----- & soxs; add a merino base layer for chilly moments & sleeping in and wear the black rubbish bag over the base layer as evening wear. The water bottles & anything else essential I'd stuff in the front & side pockets of the pack... puzzles are fun...

 

[Satírico]

hi @Philip347. re Sleeping bag...wrap the sleeping bag in plastic and secure it on the outside of the pack using the exterior yellow elastics...

Ah yes, I'm watching their commercial. They look good. They look expensive. I travel tomorrow, so it's a bit late to change now. Thanks anyway.

 

[lovingkindness]

Ah yes, I'm watching their commercial. They look good. They look expensive. I travel tomorrow, so it's a bit late to change now. Thanks anyway.

you're welcome. I've been walking like this for years...minus the sleeping bag...

 

[Satírico]

you're welcome. I've been walking like this for years...minus the sleeping bag...

Don't you get cold at night?

 

[lovingkindness]

...rarely. Nowadays I aim at sleeping inside on a sofa or in a bed, not out. If the shelter is cold and I'm on the floor I wear absolutely everything I own: day clothes; merino base layer & rain gear, gloves & cap. I carry a silver/gold emergency blanket and wrap myself in that. It also depends on the season.

 

[DeadFred]

Keep this between you and me ... I didn't pack the underwear

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ay-june-2016-peregrinos-camino-frances.36410/

 

[lovingkindness]

Keep this between you and me ... I didn't pack the underwear

....nah....keep it to yourself...

 

[CaminoDebrita]

If you have time, the pack and the sleeping bag could be lighter. Do you really need 3 tshirts. But 7.9 kg base weight is good. Lets face it in two weeks you might loose 1kg in body weight you won't feel any difference.

Ha ha, in two weeks, I had lost four kilos!

I love it.

 

[Rajy62]

Ha ha, in two weeks, I had lost four kilos!

I love it.

Thats a lots of weight in a short time. Mostly water i guess. haha.. One tends to eat more on the camino.

 

[Patch]

I usually put on weight when doing the Camino!
Would not bother with sleeping bag. I use phone as camera and have Kindle on it as well - so maps, guides and language guides are all on it. Would not bother getting new bag - I use a small bag so I can carry on as hand luggage (it's cheaper).

 

[Hurry Krishna]

Dear forum,

I read somewhere that these lists are a popular puzzle, so I'll submit mine for your consideration. I just did a second practice pack, which took ages, and the total weight was approx. 7.9kg. I think, for my body weight, 7.0kg or less would be better.

Travelling the Norte in May, what can I afford to lose:

1. the backpack itself (65+5 litres)
2. sleeping bag (Seasons 2/3) 1kg
3. anti-bugs bedsheet
4. rainproof over-trousers
5. short-sleeved, breathable super-duper-wicking quick dry t-shirts (x3)
6. base layer, long-sleeve breathable, super-wicking, quick-dry t-shirt (x1)
7. underwear
8. woollen socks
9. woolly hat
   
10. pair of crocs
11. disposable cameras (x3)
12. journal and pens/pencils
13. quick-dry towel
14. sun-spray; sun-protection chapstick; deep freeze gel; tea-tree oil; gauze + tape + plasters
15. toiletries
16. water canteen (700ml) in the pack, 300ml bottle on the body
17. guidebooks (x2); small guide to get-by-in-French
18. head-torch + spare batteries

I guess I'll just have to get cracking and build up the muscles. It all looks essential from here. What do you think?

 

[Hurry Krishna]

I am getting ready for the Portuguese Camino and have total pack weight down to 7 kilos with 1.2 liters of water. You may be able to cut down some of the weight by ditching the camera as some others have suggested. Also, it shouldn't be very cold right now and weather reports I have checked, at least for Portugal, suggest it's warming up. In any case once you are on the walk, if there are things in the pack that you are not using, you can always post them ahead to Santiago - that way clean clothes will await you at the other end of the walk

 

[Shalaw]

I had a 55l pack with a swivelling hip belt and if was amazing!! I'm 5'7" and weigh 135lbs and my pack weighed 10 kilos, but because I had such an awesome pack, it didn't feel heavy at all. Plus there were a few days when we sent our packs ahead, on those 30+ km days or if it was going to be super hot. Also, I used my iPad (or you could use a smart phone too - even better as its smaller) for journaling, taking pictures and translating which would do away with the weight of all those disposable cameras and your journal and your translator books. Books are heavy!!

Burn Camino!!

 

[PIER-GIORGIO BASSI]

Dear forum,

I read somewhere that these lists are a popular puzzle, so I'll submit mine for your consideration. I just did a second practice pack, which took ages, and the total weight was approx. 7.9kg. I think, for my body weight, 7.0kg or less would be better.

Travelling the Norte in May, what can I afford to lose:

1. the backpack itself (65+5 litres)
2. sleeping bag (Seasons 2/3) 1kg
3. anti-bugs bedsheet
4. rainproof over-trousers
5. short-sleeved, breathable super-duper-wicking quick dry t-shirts (x3)
6. base layer, long-sleeve breathable, super-wicking, quick-dry t-shirt (x1)
7. underwear
8. woollen socks
9. woolly hat
   
10. pair of crocs
11. disposable cameras (x3)
12. journal and pens/pencils
13. quick-dry towel
14. sun-spray; sun-protection chapstick; deep freeze gel; tea-tree oil; gauze + tape + plasters
15. toiletries
16. water canteen (700ml) in the pack, 300ml bottle on the body
17. guidebooks (x2); small guide to get-by-in-French
18. head-torch + spare batteries

I guess I'll just have to get cracking and build up the muscles. It all looks essential from here. What do you think?

I have a 65lt pack as well and I have less items than you have but mine weighs 9kg/20lbs. I am trying to figure out how to reduce
the weight, too. If I am successful, I will forward my suggestions. One thing that comes to mind is why 3 disposable cameras?
Buen Camino,

 

[Brubru]

I had a 55l pack with a swivelling hip belt and if was amazing!! I'm 5'7" and weigh 135lbs and my pack weighed 10 kilos, but because I had such an awesome pack, it didn't feel heavy at all. Plus there were a few days when we sent our packs ahead, on those 30+ km days or if it was going to be super hot. Also, I used my iPad (or you could use a smart phone too - even better as its smaller) for journaling, taking pictures and translating which would do away with the weight of all those disposable cameras and your journal and your translator books. Books are heavy!!

Burn Camino!!

Hey ShaLaw your bag sounds interesting. May I ask which one is it? Cheers

 

[Satírico]

I have a 65lt pack as well and I have less items than you have but mine weighs 9kg/20lbs. I am trying to figure out how to reduce
the weight, too. If I am successful, I will forward my suggestions. One thing that comes to mind is why 3 disposable cameras?
Buen Camino,

Thanks, but I am on the camino now and I just dumped my heavy gear for new Osprey stuff. It is likely to help a lot.

 

[Shalaw]

Hey ShaLaw your bag sounds interesting. May I ask which one is it? Cheers

It's a Black Diamond Onyx 55. I tried to attach a pic so hopefully I was successful (note the proud Canadian flag!! I also carried a shell for Denise). One thing I really like about this pack is that it has a zipper that goes all the way around the pack so it can open up like a suitcase which comes in handy when you're looking for something that's at the bottom of your pack. You can access it from the top as well (like a duffel bag) but this zipper feature avoids having to rummage around blindly at the bottom of the bag. It also had what we Canadians call a fanny pack that attaches to the top of the bag that I took off and wore around my waist on those days where I sent my pack ahead, for my guidebook and snacks and water.

And BUEN Camino, not BURN Camino!! Lol

 

[Brubru]

It's a Black Diamond Onyx 55. I tried to attach a pic so hopefully I was successful (note the proud Canadian flag!! I also carried a shell for Denise). One thing I really like about this pack is that it has a zipper that goes all the way around the pack so it can open up like a suitcase which comes in handy when you're looking for something that's at the bottom of your pack. You can access it from the top as well (like a duffel bag) but this zipper feature avoids having to rummage around blindly at the bottom of the bag. It also had what we Canadians call a fanny pack that attaches to the top of the bag that I took off and wore around my waist on those days where I sent my pack ahead, for my guidebook and snacks and water.

And BUEN Camino, not BURN Camino!! Lol

Thanks so much for that! I have bought my backpack online and it's a mans one so it doesn't feel very comfortable in tha back. I need to get a new one pretty soon .