Baggage weight

[gracie]

I weighed my baggage and it is already more than 10% of my weight, that doesn't include yet the shampoo, soap, shoes, mobilephone and the charger. Since i will be taking my journey in the middle of August maybe it is not a good idea to take a fleece jacket. Is there an area along Camino Fances that would require a fleece jacket in August? Maybe a long sleeve shirt with a rain coat would be enough if ever it gets chilly? Anybody out there who had their camino in August?

 

[michryan]

I weighed my baggage and it is already more than 10% of my weight, that doesn't include yet the shampoo, soap, shoes, mobilephone and the charger. Since i will be taking my journey in the middle of August maybe it is not a good idea to take a fleece jacket. Is there an area along Camino Fances that would require a fleece jacket in August? Maybe a long sleeve shirt with a rain coat would be enough if ever it gets chilly? Anybody out there who had their camino in August?

Gracie don't worry so much about it being only 10%of your body weight. That is a rough guide line. As long as the bag is comfortable for you to carry. Be smart only take what you need not want. It will come together and if it's too heavy when you start walking you can post stuff home. X

 

[xin loi]

Don't worry about weight--wait until you see the backpacks the Korean women carry. In May some of the young Korean women actually pulled ear muffs out of their packs! Not unusual to see backpackers who packed for 3 months in Europe carrying EVERYTHING they brought on their Camino walk. If something makes you comfortable, it weights zero. You are much tougher than you think.

 

[freespirit]

[Hi Gracie, dont know if you will need a Fleece jacket,but then again it can get chilly in the evenings, and I know the Girls like there Shoes but dont take to many, try to keep the weight right down, I took to much in 2010,dumped some of it in the Bins along the way,and the one man Tent I had taken I had it posted to the post office in Santiago where I later collected It,Good luck I hope to do it again next year in 2015, I have attached a picture,if you dont take that amount you should be OK,,

 

[Stefania13/14]

Please read LesBrass's thread on Tendonitis.
Stefania

 

[annakappa]

If you KNOW that certain item is superfluous, a ' just in case' item, then just don't take it. Remember that, as you walk along, you can always buy something that you really need. As far as hygiene items are concerned, don't take any large bottle of anything. Use tubes ( say of sun cream), decanter shampoo into one of these sample bottles used for marketing purposes, or take some sachets that you find in hotels. Take only a half a tube of toothpaste and then buy when you run out. Personally, I think that if you can start off light, while getting accostumed to the weight you are carrying, then once you've acquired your ' Pilgrim legs", then you can buy other things, but only when necessary.
However, if you you will be walking for more than a month, then, as you go further West and the days get shorter, I would say that you definitely need to take a fleece with you! Anne

 

[cher99840]

Weight is important to me. I carried 14 pounds on the CF last year and was very glad it wasn't more. I have carried more weight backpacking but found myself focusing more on the weight and my discomfort than on my lovely surroundings. Paring down my "supplies" for the Camino was very difficult for me, but so worth the effort. I had less to carry, less to sift thru in finding what I wanted at any given time and less to keep track of in packing up. There are "fleece" and there are "fleece". I took a long sleeved Icebreaker 250 and it served me well during September/October.

 

[scruffy1]

The weight at home will not remain a constant figure. On the Camino your backpack will weight whatever it did at home but then add water, add lunch, add snacks for a start. You will collect quickly along the way quite a bit of flotsam and jetsam of all sorts – medical necessities, post cards, pamphlets, maps, small books, souvenirs of all sorts which you cannot bear to leave behind. Myself I always carry my all-important Emergency Rations. Wouldn't dream of stepping off without a can of Estrella beer nestled in on the top of my backpack. For Emergency use only of course, one cannot be too careful.

 

[cher99840]

I added my water and snacks at home before weighing. No souvenirs and tossed the old pages of my Brierley each day. I did replace snacks as I progressed, but carefully. The only thing I added was dirt that didn't seem to come out. But my Dr Bronner's got smaller so perhaps it was a trade off.

 

[supersullivan]

Best suggestion is to go on a few 3 to 5 hour walks with your backpack as currently is, if you are struggling to carry the weight comfortably then you really need to be a bit more ruthless on what you plan to carry. I regularly hike in Ireland with a 12 to 14 kg load so when I'm on the camino with just 8 or 9 kgs it feels very easy but this is a very individual thing and there are plenty of postings about packing lists elsewhere on the forum to help guide you.

 

[lizaresandrea]

I weighed my baggage and it is already more than 10% of my weight, that doesn't include yet the shampoo, soap, shoes, mobilephone and the charger. Since i will be taking my journey in the middle of August maybe it is not a good idea to take a fleece jacket. Is there an area along Camino Fances that would require a fleece jacket in August? Maybe a long sleeve shirt with a rain coat would be enough if ever it gets chilly? Anybody out there who had their camino in August?

We walked May 24 to June 26 from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago. Instead of fleece, we brought clothes that we could use individually or as layers, a thermal long sleeve Tshirt, a merino tshirt, a nylon or polyester trekking shirt and a windbreaker. We also brought light raincoats and i wore this as an extra layer for cold wet days. August is summer in the Camino so you don't need to prepare for cold as we did.

Where pack weight is concerned, the lighter your load, the more comfortable your walk and the fewer foot and muscle problems you'll have. Aside from the stuff you'll bring from home, remember that you need to add the weight of half a liter to a liter and a half of water and also several hundred grams for food.

A pilgrim friend who said he was used to carrying 15kg loads had to rest more frequently because of his load. The shape of your feet will change more with a heavy load, changing the fit of your Boots/shoes. My daughter 's pack and her Dslr weighed at least 15% of her bodyweight. She had foot and muscle problems from day 1 even if her pack always felt comfortable on her back.

Btw, instead of adding 250+grans of Brierley's guidebook, i scanned the book and saved the file in my android phone which had many uses on the Camino.

 

[Patch]

I took a change of clothes, a silk inner sleeping bag treated for bed bugs, a fleece, cheap plastic Pancho, dish and spoon, water bottle, small wash bag, swimming trunks, very small fleece towel and very small wash bag. Even then I need not have bothered with the water bottle and trunks. Total weight weigh under 5 kg, didn't even notice I was carrying it.
I felt really sorry for those of us with huge packs walking in the hot Spanish sun...think carefully what you really want as everything is buyable along the way if you really need it.

 

[tploomis]

I weighed my baggage and it is already more than 10% of my weight, that doesn't include yet the shampoo, soap, shoes, mobilephone and the charger. Since i will be taking my journey in the middle of August maybe it is not a good idea to take a fleece jacket. Is there an area along Camino Fances that would require a fleece jacket in August? Maybe a long sleeve shirt with a rain coat would be enough if ever it gets chilly? Anybody out there who had their camino in August?

I think seriously considering what you can do without is a worthwhile exercise not only because it can lead to a lighter pack, but also you get to know yourself better when everything is up for consideration to be left behind. And then for everything essential, a question can be asked, is each essential item the lightest it can be? I did not bring shampoo, but washed my hair with soap. If that is unacceptable, just bring a small traveler's tube of shampoo, as previously suggested. There are lighter, more compact alternatives to polar fleece, e.g. the Patagonia Nanopuff, which provides an amazing comfort range, takes up almost no room in the pack, and weighs very little. Many commenters are mentioning snacks and lunch. Only a couple times in the Meseta did I pack a lunch or a snack. Almost everywhere on the Camino there are cheap lunch and snack options, with no need to be hauling extra food with you. I think the pack itself should be light and comfortable. My latest pack, Hyperlite Mountain Gear 2400 Windrider Pack fits the bill perfectly. I took a 2 pound down sleeping bag with me, a total waste of space and weight -- a sleeping bag liner was all I needed. My clothes were all lightweight and quick drying, e.g. Lululemon long sleeve shirts, REI quick drying pants. I wish I had only brought one change of clothes instead of two. I used by smart phone with a blue tooth connected, very lightweight keyboard for blogging. That worked well. I really wish I had not bothered with the Brierley Guide Book or any other guide book. the arrows are clear, and usually the towns are close, accommodations self-evident.

I hope you are not counting your hiking shoes as part of your weight. I used a lightweight pair of rubber slippers (flip-flops in the vernacular of the rest of the English speaking world), and they were great for walking around town at night, giving my feet a break from my trail-runners.

Please don't skimp on the sunscreen, although you can bring it in just a small bottle. Being all day unprotected in the sun has very negative consequences down the road.

Paring down your possessions, imagining what you really need and what you really don't, is a challenge, but one that is worthwhile and really an enjoyable process to go through. How successfully you do it will be evident on your camino. I didn't throw anything away once I started walking, but next time my pack will be under 10 pounds.

Have fun figuring out what is right for you!

 

[FlechaCadaDia]

For shoes: Your hiking boots will be on your feet. A pair of comfortable, light flip-flops for evening. To give your feet a rest. When in doubt--do I really need this?-- it's probably better to NOT take it.

Water is heavy to carry. Food, too. And these are really important. I guess it's a matter of preference if you want to eat at restaurants or not. You can eat sandwiches for 3-4 euros at bars. Sit-down dinners may run around 9 or 10. I wasn't in the place financially to do that every day, after the plane ticket and everything. You'll want to be sure to get carbohydrates and proteins. I was a fan of baguettes and canned fish, each about 90 centimos. Because not every village is big enough to have a grocery, you may not run into those but once every second or third day. I wanted to get bananas and carrots and chocolate (and food to cook in the albergues) when i had the chance, so sometimes I would end up with (too much) weight in my pack from food. Another advantage of taking food is that you can break for lunch when you're hungry, even if you're a couple hours from a village. Some people may feel that the walking is enough cutting-back, but some also may value the simplicity of eating simple foods/not dining in restaurants, just as they might choose sleeping out or sleeping in an albergue instead of a hotel. I guess it just depends on what you can/want to do.

One bit of advice about water. Drink AT the fountains along the way. Some may fill up their bottle to the top at the fountain so they can sip as they go. But then you're carrying that weight. Drink a bunch of water right there when you don't have to carry it, then fill the bottle up half way.

 

[Olivares]

ALWAYS bring a jacket to the Camino. If summer, a light jacket; heavier in the Winter months. I was on the Camino this last July and had to wear a jacket every morning. In O'Cebreiro (6-7 July) I was wearing 3 layers. Go figure.

 

[MichaelSG]

I look at the pack weight in the most sensible method for myself. I have looked through many other's packing list and decided on things that I wanted to have with me. After packing them, I weighed the pack and found it was 12kg. Keeping in mind that my ideal goal was to get the pack weight under 10% of my body weight, I just started eating a lot more until I put on another 30kg. It took some effort but it was worth it.

 

[waveprof]

In order to facilitate taking a 15 month old, I had to carry around 21% of my body weight, and my wife and mother had to trade off carrying the baby/pack which was roughly 24% of their body weights. And we made it. We were the last ones in every day, and thank goodness fellow peregrinos kept letting albuergue owners know we were coming (so that we always had a bed). But it can be done. More weight, just means slower.

That said, lighter is better. My next camino I plan on being well under 10%. It's amazing what the Camino teaches you you can live without...... I don't think I'll even have a problem getting under 10% next time.

Trouble is, you can leave a jacket behind on the camino, you can't really toss your son overboard

 

[Icacos]

Keeping in mind that my ideal goal was to get the pack weight under 10% of my body weight, I just started eating a lot more until I put on another 30kg. It took some effort but it was worth it.

 

[Al the optimist]

I look at the pack weight in the most sensible method for myself. I have looked through many other's packing list and decided on things that I wanted to have with me. After packing them, I weighed the pack and found it was 12kg. Keeping in mind that my ideal goal was to get the pack weight under 10% of my body weight, I just started eating a lot more until I put on another 30kg. It took some effort but it was worth it.

Are you by any chance a computer engineer? Your alternative problem solving approach is a bit familiar. A little tip to assist you - there are lots of calories in cervesas to enable you to keep up that extra weight while walking.

 

[DurhamParish]

A little tip to assist you - there are lots of calories in cervesas to enable you to keep up that extra weight while walking.

Amen.

 

[tominrm]

Gracie, one of ways solving your problem is getting more weight before you leave by eating and drinking. Haha. The "10% of your body weight" is just a rule of thumb. Depending on your physical condition, even 10% maybe too heavy too. Like other people suggest, try to walk with your backpack (dry run) and see how you feel. That's the only way. Occasionally, if you want, you can "cheat" a little by shipping your backpack for 7 euro if it is too heavy.

 

[JP]

Biggest mistake we made was an overweight Pack, if I ever do it again my pack won't go over 8 Kilos!

 

[Al the optimist]

IF JP? WHEN surely!

 

[Tia Valeria]

We load our packs as for a hot day. If it is too heavy then something must come out. When it is cold the pack will be lighter but you will be wearing the extra layers. This method works even better if done on a cold day as we are carrying 'hot day ' packs and also wearing extra clothes, so testing the weight on our hips and feet. The 10% is a good guide, but that is all it is. Toiletries etc are kept to a minimum, clothes and waterproofs are the esentials, plus your sleeping bag/liner and towel.

 

[dougfitz]

We load our packs as for a hot day. If it is too heavy then something must come out. When it is cold the pack will be lighter but you will be wearing the extra layers. This method works even better if done on a cold day as we are carrying 'hot day ' packs and also wearing extra clothes, so testing the weight on our hips and feet. The 10% is a good guide, but that is all it is. Toiletries etc are kept to a minimum, clothes and waterproofs are the esentials, plus your sleeping bag/liner and towel.

This illustrates why using from the skin out (FSO) weight targets is a more reliable indicator than merely a pack weight target. Tia's approach will work - ie size and weigh one's pack with both cold and wet weather gear in the pack.

That said, when planning weight trade-offs in your packing, knowing the weight of worn or carried gear is just as important. FSO calculations also take into account the weight of food and water, and tradeoffs between carrying a bladder and smaller water bottles can be more consistently assessed.

 

[nreyn12]

Gracie, yes on the fleece...but I'm curious to know what else is in there that has it so heavy. Carrying too much weight is the biggest cause of blisters and tendonitis among pilgrims who have trained and prepared for their Camino. If you haven't trained, it's even worse. The 10% is just a guideline, but it really goes a long way to increasing the enjoyment of your walk. It will all work itself out, but you really really (really) want to start out as light as possible, especially if you are walking over the Pyrenees from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles.

Good luck! (And let us know if we can help with any more specifics of your packing list.)

 

[vgen5122]

I weighed my baggage and it is already more than 10% of my weight, that doesn't include yet the shampoo, soap, shoes, mobilephone and the charger. Since i will be taking my journey in the middle of August maybe it is not a good idea to take a fleece jacket. Is there an area along Camino Fances that would require a fleece jacket in August? Maybe a long sleeve shirt with a rain coat would be enough if ever it gets chilly? Anybody out there who had their camino in August?

I complete the Camino Frances on 9/30/13. We started in SJPDP in late August. If you exclude going over the Pyrenees, I did not need a fleece jacket and my poncho until I reached Galicia. Yes, you may need to pack your jacket and poncho. So what I would recommend is taking your jacket and your poncho because you may need it fron Sarria on to Santiago. Please note that most of my Camino was walked in September and only ten days in August.