Difference in equipment from CF to CP?

[Anamya]

Dear all

I just finished CF with my husband in May. We loved every minute of it (except the day we had a heat stroke ).

We do feel like the Camino is still calling us and we are thinking about doing the Camino Portugues next year, around the end of March. In terms of equipment, is there anything that you would change in your backpack, or the necessary items are the same?

I had a 4,5 kg backpack with me (I'm VERY small, lucky that my clothes weight nothing) and he had a 8kg. We both felt fine with out choices and did not miss anything or felt overweight.

Should we repeat it or change something?

 

[MichaelSG]

I used the exact same gear / clothing for both except bringing arm warmers on my later Portuguese Caminho. I like to hike in shorts pants and shirts and the arm warmers work well on cold mornings as well as under my raincoat (to keep the clammy fabric off me) and even on some days to keep the burning sun off my arms. Then again, I should have had them on the French route.

If you are walking from Lisbon, i found less of a need for a sleeping bag. I only had a silk liner on each route but I pined for more warmth a few times on the French route but never on the Portuguese route. I walked both times in September. Bom Caminho!

 

[Anamya]

Thanks, Michael! We'll be probably walking from Porto in the end of March and I'm still researching about the weather.

You think a liner would do? That reduces our weight a lot, my (already small) backpack would become a little kangaroo pouch! I'll be leaving from Sydney.

 

[MichaelSG]

March / April will likely be chillier & wetter than September. If you plan on staying in albergues (there are plenty from Porto to Santiago) then it is more likely that you will need a sleeping bag than in June - September or if you were staying in pensions, casa rurals, etc. As always though, it depends on how well you tolerate cold at night. I rarely need more than a liner but my wife often needs more. Snuggling doesn't work too well in albergues!

 

[Kiwi-family]

Time of year/weather would be your main consideration. I have just completed a June CP from Porto and frequently used my lightweight sleeping bag over my silk liner. I would certainly freeze in March without it!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I used all the same equipment.

 

[Anamya]

Thanks everyone for all your advice! My equipment list from the CF is still hanging on the door of the fridge, I'll keep it there to repeat it for CP!
The lightweight sleeping bag goes with me, then.