another pack list :)

[buena!]

I'm leaving mid-may and will be walking for 40 days. I continue to tweak this list and welcome your feed back!

Gear:
backpack
camelback
pack liners (2 garbage bags)
sleeping bag & stuff sack
mini mini flashlight

Clothing/Wearables
trail runner shoes
teva sandals (want a reliable backup)
3-4 socks (different weights)
spare laces
2 ss shirts (layerable)
1 lightweight fleece
1 pair long pants
1 lightweight skirt (can walk in this)
1 pair leggings (to layer or wear alone)
underwear
hat
sunglasses
poncho
rainpants

Toiletries
shampoo bar, spf lip balm, purell (hand santizier), visine (eye drops), female products, sunscreen

First aid
band aids, sports tape, vaseline, antifungal, duct tape, tp, toothbrush, toothpaste & floss, body glide, molefoam, ankle sock (support), blister pack, second skin

Misc
pillow case, cord & safety pins, sewing kit, whistle, ear plugs, watch, knife
spork, spare hoe laces, sarong, camera & charger, converter, moneybelt, guidebooks, notebook & pen

Right now my bag & gear weighs about 13 lbs. I weigh 110.

THANK YOU!!!

 

[marktqm]

Hola buena!

Consider a light water bottle instead of a camel pack. Easier to fill up and monitor the water level. Unless you plan on buying mineral water along the way.

The flashlight, whistle and duct tape I think you can afford to leave home. You already have sports tape. I'd suggest a hook with suction cup for use in the bathrooms.

And try to find a thicker plastic bag, the type that doesn't make lots of loud sounds when crumpled, esp if you plan on joining the early dawn plastic bag brigade.

Buen camino, buena!

Mark

 

[Anonymous]

I'd take 1 or 2 (disposible) small plastic bottles, or a large one, depending on how much H2O u drink and how long a route u'll walk.

The mini mini flashlight is excellent-need to get 1 myself.

What's a camelback?

I started out with garbage bags and in the end I eliminated them-2 cumbersome.

Sleeping bag: take a mini mini.

Wool socks.

Nix:

laces,
sunglasses,
poncho,
rainpants,
pillow case,
sewing kit,
knife,
spare shoe laces.

That should bring down ur weight.

Buen Camiiiinoooo :!:

xm 8)

 

[summer2005]

I'd say keep the camelback. I love my camelback, and it doesn't weigh any more than bottles.

You might want to consider nixing the skirt and using the sarong as a skirt -- particularly since you're taking leggings. I didn't do that, but met some women who did. You can even tie a sarong into a respectable halter-top dress -- wrap it around yourself from the back (like a towel), then take the two upper corners all the way around and tie them together at the back of your neck. I'm not sure I can describe it without pictures, but it works.

You might be able to get rid of some socks. You really only need two pairs. I personally prefer synthetics or semi-synthetics (Thorlo or SmartWool), but there's nothing wrong with pure wool.

Nix the spare shoe laces, the rain pants, the purell, the sewing kit, the whistle, and maybe the sunglasses (a hat with a brim works pretty well). Keep guide books to a minimum.

You'll probably be able to cut down on your blister-care supplies as you go -- you'll figure out what works for you, and what you don't need.

 

[spursfan]

Keep the spare shoe laces - they weight almost nothing and if your original laces break in the middle of nowhere, you'll have plenty of time to regret not carrying a spare pair

 

[Minkey]

xm, a Camelbak is a sealed bag with a hose that fits into the inside flap of contemporary rucksacks. Useful for carrying water as a) you don't need to faff about when you want water, just suck on the hose and b) keeps the weight of the water closer to your centre of gravity. It's a personal thing but some people like em. I've got one for mountain biking and it does the job, just makes your water taste horrible! I'm a fan of Sigg bottles. Just slap it in the side pocket of my pack.. That said and done, I'm personally not entirely sure which water vessel I'll take this year... Decisions, decisions.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi buena! Keep the laces, nix the laces; take 2 socks, nah, 3 prs of socks (I recommend 3); take/don't take the camelback (thanks for the explanation Minkey) (I'd nix it)...decisions decisions decisions...u can see from the diff suggestions ur getting that we all have our opinions/suggestions/tastes/preferences, all valid. It's great to get the feedback. In the end, like all, it's a personal decision. Best, xm 8)

 

[Minkey]

I think the best advice anyone could offer would be to wear one set of clothes and have two in your pack.

Keep it simple! Life's easier when you're stripped right down to bare essentials.

 

[Anonymous]

wear one set of clothes and have two in your pack.

:lol: For another contradiction in suggestions, peregrina, I take two sets, wear one and wash, exchanging them both, daily. I took three once and felt that I was bing "extravagant," can u imagine that :!: Ah, preferences. Buen Camino, xm 8)

 

[Minkey]

My daily routine was to shower once I'd arrived at the refuge, change into some sweetly clean clothes, wear em for the day, whilst I washed my other stuff... Actually come to think of it I only had 2 t-shirts... But they were tech fabrics... So in essence I really only had 2.5 changes, but I didn't wanna risk having wet clothes for me to change into...

 

[BobM]

Headlamp instead of torch

Consider leaving the torch and buying one of those small LED headlamps (Google "Petzl" to see what they are like). They look like useless toys, but those little LEDs throw out a lot of light.

The small ones use AAA batteries that would probably last the whole trip.

With a headlamp, you have both hands free for working, reading, packing. When you turn your head to look for something in the dark, the light is right there where you want it! And it is a soft light that causes minimal annoyance to others who might be trying to sleep.

Also very useful if you do any pre-dawn starts. They can generally be set up to illuminate the path a couple of metres in front of you and you still have hands free for a walking pole.

They are magic - one of man's greatest inventions (along with the thremarest!)

Hope this helps.

Bob M

 

[Anonymous]

I've seen pilgrims with headlamps and, however cumbersome they look to me, they're an option. What is their weight? Certainly (at least a bit) more than a mini flashlight. Best, xm 8)

 

[marktqm]

I beg to disagree that those headlamps are the least disturbing. In fact, I was awakened many times by lights dancing around the room like it was a disco with crunching plastic bags as the music.

I had one of those Petzl things too, did't weigh more than 100 grams with the batteries if I remember correctly. Didn't need it. Sent it home.

Mark

 

[Anonymous]

I meant "perhaps" cumbersome to wear. Best, xm

 

[Minkey]

You could always get a Petzl and hold it when in the refuges. They seem quite handy on the trail though. I don't see a huge necessity to use a torch in refuges anyway, seeing as I was virtually packed the night before.

 

[Deleted member 397]

If you want to leave at some ungodly hour-PACK THE NIGHT BEFORE!
Why would you want to walk in the dark???? Wait till daylight then you don't to wake everyone up with those head torches, rustling plastic bags,packing and re packing and endless conversations.

 

[Anonymous]

Some discipline, packing the night before! Though it makes the most sense, how have I tried it!, can't do it. Congrats for those who can. 8)

 

[Minkey]

Omar, in August it's a necessary evil. Leaving at 6-6.30am means you'll get to your destination earlier, beating the heat.

 

[Deleted member 397]

True, but on the vdlp last year in early may some people were leaving at 5.30am-over 2 hours before it was even light-and made plenty of noise. It was not too hot then. Frankly, I don't care if people leave at 8pm and walk all night my only point is why do they think it's OK to disturb everyone else?

 

[Minkey]

Not being one of these people, I couldn't comment. As I've said, I leave about 30mins to 1 hour before sunrise so as to make the most of the slightly cooler weather. As I say, I pack the night before and see no real reason as to why it would be necessary to rustle and do the disco headlamp trick so early...

These people aren't terribly considerate, I grant you that.

Most of the time, people seemed to be waking at roughly the same time as me... although I do remember the 4.30am wake up call by some fella who stopped at the same town as me the next day... He must've been hanging about for hours. Boredom is their payback...

 

[Anonymous]

...why do they think it's OK to disturb everyone else?

Good question. A statement re: their feeling "superior pilgrims? Wanting to make sure they get beds at their next albergue? Preference for walking during those hours? An exercise in sadism? Too much excitement? Hmm... Best, xm 8)

 

[Anonymous]

On the other hand, I've gotten into leaving my gear overnight in a "safe" place other than in the sleeping quarters. Helps avoid potential noise and facilitates a prompt exit. Best, xm 8)

 

[jeff001]

...why do they think it's OK to disturb everyone else?

It's a manifestation of the Spanish custom of "Viva Yo" - essentially "good for me, and too bad for you." The same attitude that leads people to believe that we all want to hear what is blaring out of their car stereo systems or the details of their latest cell phone call.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but I've seen that in people from diff countries, not only Spaniards. I'd venture to say that "viva yo," as ur describing it, may be in-born to the human species, manifesting itself or not, to whatever degrees, in diff circumstances. Stereo-typing has good/negative implications. I don't believe, for ex., that the "hospitalera from hell" is typical of her countrymen/women. Best, xm 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Fantastic! Pick and mix! Buena! - take it all and discard things you don't need by leaving them on low walls next to primary schools - think of the joy of the little finders!
I say a whistle is a great item, if you keep it handy - scares off predators (including biped ones). If I was a single female I'd take my Grannies long and sharp hatpin too - worked for them.

 

[Anonymous]

Fantastic! Pick and mix! ...take it all and discard things you don't need by leaving them on low walls next to primary schools - think of the joy of the little finders!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: (cracked up with this :!: :!: :!: )

 

[buena!]

THANKS TO YOU ALL. what great advice.

everything i see right now in terms of grams and ounces --i had a salesman laughing when i produced my little scale in the middle of the shop to compare products!

xm, where do you get a mini mini sleeping bag? the one i have is a primaloft synthetic bag, super small, and rather light (2 ish pounds) and i have not found anything lighter. i've considered a sleepsack of varying materials but i'm always cold, and would like to have the option of sleeping under the stars (weather permitting). i'd love to shave the weight, but how? the other plus of my present bag is it was free....

also-- it sounds like a pretty wet ride out there right now; why nix the poncho and pants??? the plastic bag liners are only if it rains to line my whole backpack. i don't plan to use any plastic grocery bags except for collecting rubbish along the route (and tossing before entering the albergues). however i've noticed (since it's such a hot topic!) that even my stuff sacks are not silent; some noise seems somewhat unavoidable.?

 

[Anonymous]

buena! I don't know if this cut/paste is gonna work, but here r two interesting posts u may want to check out:

spursfan

your old "lightweight" bag is now very very heavy

I treated myself to a PHD Minimus bag (down to 5C) that weighs 465g albeit expensive (£154) - typically classed as ultralight

omar504
160 or more posts

Omar

Take a sleeping bag. Mine is rated to 0 c and I used it on the vdlp last may/june.It weighed about 1.3kgs and there were nights were it proved invaluable. I don't know about you but to have a decent nights sleep I need an adequate sleeping bag-a sheet is not enough

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[Anonymous]

Hello buena!

...pretty wet ride out there right now; why nix the poncho and pants???

Good point, buena! For some reason I has assumed that u were talking about the CF during the summertime. If u r going now, I would take the pants :!: Have tried the poncho, but, it didn't work for me. It may for u, though.

the plastic bag liners are only if it rains to line my whole backpack.

I understand. I tried it and, for me, it became a hassle. And so noisy :!: :!: :!:

i don't plan to use any plastic grocery bags

Here, I'd have to plead a "mea culpa." I've taken small plastic bags of things that I've bought along the Caminos to wrap diff things I carried inside my backpack. Was ok with that.

some noise seems somewhat unavoidable.?

buena!, don't feel intimidated by this issue, which we all seem to share it is one. You are now knowledgeable about it (I wasn't prior to my first Camino), and will know that ur reaction to it may not be unique to u (I thought it was then). You've heard some suggestions about how to deal with it in the event that it bothers u, as well as how to minimize the noise that u will have to make (we r living organisms after all). Now it's a matter of going through it, deciding what to do, and smile remembering all these talks :!:

U know, comes to mind that by now I don't get bothered anymore by that early am noise. I did for a looong time. Took me a while, but I've accepted it by now. I guess with me it's that when am on the Caminos I want to eliminate as much stress as poss. Wonder if that makes sense...

You will be more than fine,
you'll have a heck of a beautiful experience,
give in to your obvious joy and excitement.

As someone used to say: Azuucar :!:

Best,

xm 8)