How many liters you need for a backpack for 8 kg

[Yellowfriend]

I saw different sizes, what is the average size for a backpack for the CF. I try to take a maximum of 9 kg with me.
Thank you!

 

[Waka]

Most people will say 35 Litre is an ideal size for everything you'll need. Mine was 35/45 Litre and I didn't fill the 35 Litre section.

 

[dougfitz]

I saw different sizes, what is the average size for a backpack for the CF. I try to take a maximum of 9 kg with me.
Thank you!

Much depends upon how tightly you are prepared to pack things into the backpack, and to a lesser extent, whether you have to carry any particularly large, high density items. My personal experience is that packing around 200gm/li gives sufficient room to access things within most of the pack without having to unload it. By around 250 gm/li things are getting tight, and by 300 gm/li, only the top layer (or layer closest to one of the zips) is accessible without unpacking.

@Waka, you don't say what you pack weight was. Are you prepared to reveal that?

 

[Mark Lee]

If the pack, while loaded for the Camino is too big (and heavy) to carry as a "carry-on" on an airplane, then it's probably too big.
I would guess as long as it's under 50L it's a good size.
I have a 48L REI....frame length of 23" and width of 11". I don't count depth because I never load it to capacity on the Camino.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Some of the items you plan on taking will determine the amount of space needed. For example if you can afford to buy the lightest most tech gear it will take up less space & weigh less. sleeping bags are a good example as well as rain gear/clothing. I think if you are wanting to be comfortable a 35-40l pack is reasonable. I used a 45l for convenience it was 2/3 full. Plus I still use it in the backcountry here in Montana where no cushy bed or electricity exist. It all depends on your pre/post Camino use as well.

 

[C clearly]

I carry about 6 kg, excluding water, in 31 L. That doesn't leave much extra room. I agree with all of the guidance above, so the most comfortable pack between 35 and 45 L should suit anyone.

 

[Bajaracer]

If you can, take all the items in your packing list to the store and test several packs to see how your things will fit, this is the best way to test packs, the weight bags are not a true representation of how your things will ride on your back.

 

[SYates]

That is really a bit like comparing apples and pears ;-) Kg is weight and l is volume, you could pack 9kg of lead in a very tiny backpack and would need a much larger one for 9kg of feathers ;-)

The item which takes typically the most space up is the sleeping bag, followed by clothes, sandals/evening shoes, also important how big is your first aid/personal hygiene kit. You can save some volume (sleeping bag/clothes) by using compression bags. It also depends on how many compartments and outside pockets your backpack has.

I see that you have already done one Camino, so that should give you an idea what you really need and how much bigger/smaller your backpack can be. Also 9kg for a May Camino Francés is a bit on the heavy side, even with water and snacks included.

The best advice I can give you is first to sort the rest of your gear out (perhaps even post a packing list here for help) and then look for a new backpack (btw what was wrong with your old one?).

Buen Camino, SY

 

[Yellowfriend]

That is really a bit like comparing apples and pears ;-) Kg is weight and l is volume, you could pack 9kg of lead in a very tiny backpack and would need a much larger one for 9kg of feathers ;-)

The item which takes typically the most space up is the sleeping bag, followed by clothes, sandals/evening shoes, also important how big is your first aid/personal hygiene kit. You can save some volume (sleeping bag/clothes) by using compression bags. It also depends on how many compartments and outside pockets your backpack has.

I see that you have already done one Camino, so that should give you an idea what you really need and how much bigger/smaller your backpack can be. Also 9kg for a May Camino Francés is a bit on the heavy side, even with water and snacks included.

The best advice I can give you is first to sort the rest of your gear out (perhaps even post a packing list here for help) and then look for a new backpack (btw what was wrong with your old one?).

Buen Camino, SY

Thank you! The old one (also new ; ) is a daypack, 20 l. So it was my daypack as I sended my luggage forward on my CP. Is was my trial Camino, with sending luggage and staying in hotels. So this time I Will arrange it all by myself without a organisation and package deal so this time it Will be different, that is why it is more difficult for me to oversee everthing in what to organise and prebook the first nights and how to walk to Roncevalles etc ; ) . I walk alone again.

 

[Waka]

Much depends upon how tightly you are prepared to pack things into the backpack, and to a lesser extent, whether you have to carry any particularly large, high density items. My personal experience is that packing around 200gm/li gives sufficient room to access things within most of the pack without having to unload it. By around 250 gm/li things are getting tight, and by 300 gm/li, only the top layer (or layer closest to one of the zips) is accessible without unpacking.

@Waka, you don't say what you pack weight was. Are you prepared to reveal that?

My Lowe Alpine pack weight is 1.43 K, with water the total was 8.7 K, well below 10% of my body weight.

 

[Bradypus]

The item which takes typically the most space up is the sleeping bag, followed by clothes, sandals/evening shoes, also important how big is your first aid/personal hygiene kit. You can save some volume (sleeping bag/clothes) by using compression bags. It also depends on how many compartments and outside pockets your backpack has.

I am often amazed at the huge bulk of many of the sleeping bags people carry strapped to the outside of their rucksacks. Not the ideal place for one - one item of gear you really want to keep inside well away from the worst of the weather. If your sleeping bag did not come with a good quality compression bag then it really is worthwhile buying one for it. Amazing how much pack space you can save using one: less need for dangling kit on the outside, far easier to take the pack as cabin baggage, and just so much more convenient to carry in confined spaces.

 

[t2andreo]

I was going to opine 35 liters, off the cuff. However, our resident packing / volume expert "DougFitz" has weighed in. Seriously, he KNOWS his stuff. Doug has worked this all out. Take it to the bank.

This also explains why I keep coming back to my 48 liter Osprey Kestrel rucksack. I have tried smaller capacity bags, only to prove each of Doug's data points each and every time. Compression (kg / liter) and the overall mass (weight) of your stuff yields the optimum rucksack size.

After four Caminos, and testing packs from 30 to 48 liters I have reached these conclusions:

I must carry about 12 Kg, for reasons of health, diet; and being a large fellow, my stuff is larger and weighs more. Try as I might, I have only once gotten the weight down to 11 Kg, all-in.

Using Doug's rules-of-thumb (above) 12 Kg at about 200 gm / liter equals about 44 - 45 liters. My 48 liter pack seems to work well under all conditions, in all seasons. It also affords me enough capacity to stash everything inside the pack, without any "dangly bits" on the outside. I do not like "dangly bits." They are IMHO unsightly, make noise while you are walking, and are susceptible to being "appropriated" by others at rest stops.

Finally, my only opinion is to allow extra space for things you pick up along the way, even if it is only snacks, or the occasional souvenir. In my experience, on a long Camino, extra items seem to "sneak" into your rucksack...

Bottom line...listen to Doug...he's real smart!

I hope this helps.

 

[Former member 22438]

I was going to opine 35 liters, off the cuff. However, our resident packing / volume expert "DougFitz" has weighed in. Seriously, he KNOWS his stuff. Doug has worked this all out. Take it to the bank.

This also explains why I keep coming back to my 48 liter Osprey Kestrel rucksack. I have tried smaller capacity bags, only to prove each of Doug's data points each and every time. Compression (kg / liter) and the overall mass (weight) of your stuff yields the optimum rucksack size.

After four Caminos, and testing packs from 30 to 48 liters I have reached these conclusions:

I must carry about 12 Kg, for reasons of health, diet; and being a large fellow, my stuff is larger and weighs more. Try as I might, I have only once gotten the weight down to 11 Kg, all-in.

Using Doug's rules-of-thumb (above) 12 Kg at about 200 gm / liter equals about 44 - 45 liters. My 48 liter pack seems to work well under all conditions, in all seasons. It also affords me enough capacity to stash everything inside the pack, without any "dangly bits" on the outside. I do not like "dangly bits." They are IMHO unsightly, make noise while you are walking, and are susceptible to being "appropriated" by others at rest stops.

Finally, my only opinion is to allow extra space for things you pick up along the way, even if it is only snacks, or the occasional souvenir. In my experience, on a long Camino, extra items seem to "sneak" into your rucksack...

Bottom line...listen to Doug...he's real smart!

I hope this helps.

Funny word "rucksack"
I do not know where it comes from but in Dutch (not double dutch btw) the backpack is called "rugzak" A"rug" is the back of a human being or animal. A "zak " is a bag

Btw. Mine is an Ospray Atmos 55 liters. Very comfortable and place enough to store and is not heavy
My backpack ,walking from Lisbon to Santiago weighed 7 kgs and I had all stuff in I needed.

 

[t2andreo]

I reduced my load to only 10 Kg ONCE, on the short, 10-day walk from Porto to Santiago in 2015. Then, my RUGZAK was partially full. But it still carried better than another rucksack might.

I actually mailed FOUR parcels of stuff I did not need for the weather conditions I found, ahead to Ivar at Santiago...in a week! I was SO embarrassed when I went to fetch them. I should know better. But I packed for cold, wet weather, in April, and discovered bright, beautiful 27 degree days in Portugal and from Tui to Santiago.

By the way, I just got clever and looked up the definition of rucksack. I did this only to advance the cause of knowledge...knowledge is GOOD.

According to www.dictionary.com, a Rucksack is a "a type of knapsack carried by hikers, bicyclists, etc." The origin of the word is German. From around 1890-1895, it literally means, "back sack."

Also, here is the Wikipedia entry for "Rucksack," in English.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpack

I hope this helps the cause of knowledge...

 

[Mark Lee]

Funny word "rucksack"
I do not know where it comes from but in Dutch (not double dutch btw) the backpack is called "rugzak" A"rug" is the back of a human being or animal. A "zak " is a bag

Btw. Mine is an Ospray Atmos 55 liters. Very comfortable and place enough to store and is not heavy
My backpack ,walking from Lisbon to Santiago weighed 7 kgs and I had all stuff in I needed.

Interesting.
In the US military a pack is often called a "ruck".
"pick up your rucks, and get moving"
"drop your rucks...the smoking lamp is lit"

 

[vlebe]

User's height alto plays an important role on this decision:

I use a 70 L for Caminos...
But thats because I'm 1,96m tall and anything smaller than that does not fit properly on my back.

On my case, it's better to have the backpack a bit empty, but with full support on my back.

My 70L backpack weights 1,8 Kgs.

 

[C clearly]

This thread is a funny example of over-analysis and roundabout ways of solving problems!

our resident packing / volume expert "DougFitz" has weighed in. Seriously, he KNOWS his stuff. Doug has worked this all out. Take it to the bank.

Although I usually agree with @dougfitz and always respect his logic, I think he has headed off into the realm of over-analysis (working backwards, furthermore) in his focus on density! My packing happens to match the 200 g/L he suggests. (But that is without including water, which he usually includes in discussions of pack weight.) However, I only confirmed it after-the-fact, as a point of curiosity. Underlying that average is an assumption that the person is carrying a typical set of camino stuff, and the only question is how tight to pack it!

A more human approach means that if you carry a sleeping bag and the usual things, and use extreme compression, you could possibly go with 20L (at risk of your pack exploding upon impact), but there is no way you would fill a 60L pack without taking a lot of unnecessary things. So, somewhere in the middle is likely to be right. Find the most comfortable pack in that range, recognizing that the low end will require very tight packing, and the high end will either be heavy or have excess capacity. Then do some trial packing, recognizing what @SYates says below.

The item which takes typically the most space up is the sleeping bag, followed by clothes, sandals/evening shoes, also important how big is your first aid/personal hygiene kit. You can save some volume (sleeping bag/clothes) by using compression bags. It also depends on how many compartments and outside pockets your backpack has.

Most likely you will end up agreeing with @t2andreo below, without having to do any arithmetic.

I was going to opine 35 liters, off the cuff... [BUT] My 48 liter pack seems to work well under all conditions

 

[spursfan]

No mention of the most important fact - what time of year is he going?
I know that he has started his question with 9kg and later mentions a 20L day pack
Well if I were going in Summer I'd replace the sleeping bag with a silk liner and, even with water for the warmest days, the day pack would be fine

 

[whariwharangi]

You'll need a 50 - 60 liter pack. There isn't a whole lot of weight difference for packs in this size range so get one that fits you.

Most packs with less volume do not have a frame with associated hip belt. The frame transfers the weight to the hip belt and the load is carried on your hips.

A pack without a frame is designed so all the weight hangs off your shoulders ... which is great for a day but not for several weeks.

If you get too small of a pack you will cram your stuff in and burst the zippers.

 

[SYates]

To shorten my earlier advice: If the backpack fits you perfectly and weights around a kilo (or less), can hold all your intended gear and is within your budget > BUY IT! Buen Camino, SY

 

[C clearly]

No mention of the most important fact - what time of year is he going?

The same approach and ranges of volume apply throughout the year.

You'll need a 50 - 60 liter pack.

Maybe you will end up with a 50-60 L bag, but you don't need that volume! I happily walked with 31 L in November.

 

[Yellowfriend]

No mention of the most important fact - what time of year is he going?
I know that he has started his question with 8kg and later mentions a 20L day pack
Well if I were going in Summer I'd replace the sleeping bag with a silk liner and, even with water for the warmest days, the day pack would be fine

I go begin may for the CF.

 

[Yellowfriend]

To shorten my earlier advice: If the backpack fits you perfectly and weights around a kilo (or less), can hold all your intended gear and is within your budget > BUY IT! Buen Camino, SY

I am 1.58m so I just orderded the Deuter Act lite 35l (can make 10l bigger) and it is 1,5 kg. You can make the back bigger and smaller and it is special for women, so I try this one outbat home.

 

[Yellowfriend]

View attachment 29918 View attachment 29919 View attachment 29918 View attachment 29919
I am 1.58m so I just orderded the Deuter Act lite 35l (can make 10l bigger) and it is 1,5 kg. You can make the back bigger and smaller and it is special for women, so I try this one outbat home.

 

[Yellowfriend]

Excuses for all the pictures, something went wrong. But maybe a tip for women who are also not that tall ; ))

 

[C clearly]

I am 1.62 m tall but have a short back length. I'm very happy with the Osprey Talon 33, in the S/M size. It weighs less than 1 kg and is adjustable for back length. The capacity of 31 L is enough if you are disciplined.

 

[SYates]

@Yellowfriend
Do you have Decathlon in the Netherlands or are near the border? If yes, have a look at this one: https://www.decathlon.de/rucksack-arpenaz-40-id_8332416.html

40l / 640g / 20 Euro

I used it on shorter caminos like the Via Regia in Spring (470km) and was very happy with it. But you need to try it out and see if it fits you. If it does fit it is a perfect weight/price deal.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[SabsP]

I am 1.62 m tall but have a short back length. I'm very happy with the Osprey Talon 33, in the S/M size. It weighs less than 1 kg and is adjustable for back length. The capacity of 31 L is enough if you are disciplined.

Same pack here. Am ten centimetre taller but also short back length.

 

[dougfitz]

I am 1.58m so I just orderded the Deuter Act lite 35l (can make 10l bigger) and it is 1,5 kg. You can make the back bigger and smaller and it is special for women, so I try this one outbat home.

Since I stand accused of 'over-analysing' this, let me continue! At 1.58m tall your BMI=25 weight would be about 63kg. Provided that you weren't technically obese you would be less than 75kg. Using one of my other rules of thumb, I would suggest that for a summer camino, you would need a pack of around 30 to 35 li. The pack you have chosen should be quite adequate for a summer camino, and even have enough space for the extra you might need to carry if you were planning to walk in spring or autumn. Indeed, you might be at greater risk of being tempted to carry too much than to not have enough room - you will need to be disciplined in your packing and not just be tempted to fill the pack because you have the volume.

For those that don't understand the linkage between weight and volume, it is key to understanding why some of the advice one sees on pack volume is okay, and some is just rubbish, to be brutally honest. As @t2andreo points out, if you are larger, your packing weight will also be greater as a result. It stands to reason that the common factor is not pack size, but the packing density that is achieved. If two pilgrims pack at the same packing density, then the one who has the heavier load will need more volume. Those of us with a bare pack weight (BPW) target of 10kg are going to need a pack 25% larger than someone with a BPW target of only 8kg for the same packing density.

So when I see someone recommend a particular pack volume without first establishing some basic context such as the height and weight of the person, and whether they are walking in summer or another season, it is immediately clear they do not have enough information for their advice to be well founded in the relevant facts.

BTW, @Waka's packing density was about 250 gm/li based on his assessment that he was only using about 35li of a 35+10li pack. This year I walked with a pack just a little over that, and it is clearly workable, but I found it fairly tight. I needed to carefully consider making sure things I might need during the day were placed where they were readily accessible so that I didn't need to unpack to get at something.

 

[C clearly]

@dougfitz Do you include water in the weight? If I do, my density creeps up to 225g/L. But you would have to factor in what water carrying method is used and whether it intrudes on the nominal capacity of the backpack. Tall water bottles would extend above the side pockets of mine, so only a portion (if any) would occupy the official volume. However an integrated system would use up space.

OK. I'm guessing that you don't include water for this exercise as its density is pretty fixed, but that would be fun to take into account.

 

[Yellowfriend]

@Yellowfriend
Do you have Decathlon in the Netherlands or are near the border? If yes, have a look at this one: https://www.decathlon.de/rucksack-arpenaz-40-id_8332416.html

40l / 640g / 20 Euro

I used it on shorter caminos like the Via Regia in Spring (470km) and was very happy with it. But you need to try it out and see if it fits you. If it does fit it is a perfect weight/price deal.

Buen Camino, SY

Thanks! Decathlon is only 50 km away : )))

 

[Yellowfriend]

Same pack here. Am ten centimetre taller but also short back length.

Do you like this backpack?

 

[SabsP]

Do you like this backpack?

Yes prefer it to my bigger Gregory 45 l.

 

[SYates]

Thanks! Decathlon is only 50 km away : )))

Then try it out - Decathlon provides packing cubes to simulate the final load. But beware, that pack doesn't have a frame, so you must either pack ultra light and/or 'simulate' a frame via your packing technique (stiff items close to your back). Buen Camino, SY

 

[dougfitz]

@dougfitz Do you include water in the weight? If I do, my density creeps up to 225g/L. But you would have to factor in what water carrying method is used and whether it intrudes on the nominal capacity of the backpack. Tall water bottles would extend above the side pockets of mine, so only a portion (if any) would occupy the official volume. However an integrated system would use up space.

OK. I'm guessing that you don't include water for this exercise as its density is pretty fixed, but that would be fun to take into account.

My original calculations around this were based on base pack weight (BPW), which is the pack and everything in it less the consumables (food, water, medications, etc). As you say, factoring in water has its complexities, as does factoring in the effect of the weight of worn clothing and carried equipment. In any case, BPW is the measure used in the guidance that was once on the CSJ website*, and is the basis for the much abused '10% rule'.

* I haven't visited this recently to confirm the current guidance offered.

 

[trecile]

You'll need a 50 - 60 liter pack. There isn't a whole lot of weight difference for packs in this size range so get one that fits you.

Most packs with less volume do not have a frame with associated hip belt. The frame transfers the weight to the hip belt and the load is carried on your hips.

That is absolutely not true. There are many, many packs well under 50 liters with frames and hip belts. Even the Gregory Jade 28(liter) has a frame and hip belt.

 

[dougfitz]

Even the Gregory Jade 28(liter) has a frame and hip belt.

As does my 18li Deuter ACT Lite. It is a great little daypack. I also have a couple of frameless packs around this size, and have just given up on them being comfortable for me. I agree that you don't need to be thinking that a larger pack is the only way to get design features like a good frame and harness. They are available on many smaller packs from different makers.

 

[whariwharangi]

That is absolutely not true. There are many, many packs well under 50 liters with frames and hip belts. Even the Gregory Jade 28(liter) has a frame and hip belt.

I have visions of a pilgrim with a burst pack outstanding in a field. And consoling themselves with a badly damaged bocadilla intended for lunch.

You don't need to fill the pack. You probably should never stuff your pack so it all 'fits'.

I'll stick with my 50 - 60 liter pack recommendation.

 

[whariwharangi]

Funny word "rucksack"
I do not know where it comes from but in Dutch (not double dutch btw) the backpack is called "rugzak" A"rug" is the back of a human being or animal. A "zak " is a bag

Btw. Mine is an Ospray Atmos 55 liters. Very comfortable and place enough to store and is not heavy
My backpack ,walking from Lisbon to Santiago weighed 7 kgs and I had all stuff in I needed.

Translate it into English and its a backpack.

 

[whariwharangi]

Route Napoleon?

http://postalmuseum.si.edu/gold/images/stairscl.jpg

 

[Michael Caleigh]

My 2 cents are just 2 cents. I used an Osprey Talon 33ltrs and I never carry more than 6kgs which is 5% of my body weight. Perfect for the CP in September and I even might get the weight down a bit. Only extra weight for me was food and water to the 6kgs which included also the clothes I was wearing.....I don´t really need much as I found out.

 

[SabsP]

Here's the etymology for you. It is similar in many languages, either because they are closely related or because it became a loanword from another language. The origin is an Alpine German dialect. Today it's Rucksack in standard German, also in English and French (although I never heard anyone say it in French), ruksak in Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian, Slovak and Czech, rjukzak in Russian, ryakkusaku in Japanese, rygsaek in Danish, ryggsekk in Norvegian, ryggsäck in Swedish. Japanese took it over from English and not from German .

Oh, and the military invented it/took it over/refined it - in the 1600s when armies in Europe became more professional armies who carried their stuff with them instead of the mercenary armies who ransacked, plundered and destroyed whole regions to get their vital supplies. It became popular with the general population in the 1900s with the start of the ramblers' movement. A rucksack is different from the rigid containers used by people to transport stuff on their backs in the Middle Ages.

And rugzak in the Lowlands

 

[MarcelWals]

Thanks! Decathlon is only 50 km away : )))

Yellowfriend, order online.
Je kan het ook online bestellen. Scheelt je een rit van 100 km.
Succes!

Marcel

 

[SabsP]

Yellowfriend, order online.
Je kan het ook online bestellen. Scheelt je een rit van 100 km.
Succes!

Marcel

On the other hand Marcel : I personally prefer to see and try out a backpack and shoes. Really are the most expensive items in one's kit ( normally ). Trouser, shirts and the likes : those I will buy online if needed.

 

[Kanga]

Can I stress how important it is to get the back-length right? Some of the previous posters have noted that they have short/long back lengths. It is also my observation that height often has little to do with back length. I've obviously got short legs, because I have a long back length but am just average height for a woman. Other people may have a short back but long legs.

Many of the small packs simply do not fit me.

I stress the point because one of the reasons I have a larger than necessary pack is to get the longer back-length. Having tried the shorter ones, I can say that I would gladly trade the tiny savings in weight of a smaller pack for the comfort of a larger pack that fits properly.

 

[linkster]

Since I stand accused of 'over-analysing' this, let me continue!

I enjoy detailed discussions that attempt to ferret out and share our experiences. Proper planning prevents poor performance.

 

[MarcelWals]

On the other hand Marcel : I personally prefer to see and try out a backpack and shoes. Really are the most expensive items in one's kit ( normally ). Trouser, shirts and the likes : those I will buy online if needed.

Totally agree with it! You are right, you have to feel a click with sack and shoes. The chassis and wheels of your Camino. The funny thing is: I would drive 100 kms for it

 

[SabsP]

Totally agree with it! You are right, you have to feel a click with sack and shoes. The chassis and wheels of your Camino. The funny thing is: I would drive 100 kms for it

Oh yeah...I drove from my Belgian Limburg to Dutch Woerden just for that...;-) Bit more than 100 k. But we got some decent Bitterballen in the process...

 

[inmari]

I saw different sizes, what is the average size for a backpack for the CF. I try to take a maximum of 9 kg with me.
Thank you!

My Osprey Talon (33 l) was just big enough for my 9 kg (including a 2 litre Camelbak bladder) last year. My experience is that if the pack is too big, you just fill it with stuff you don't need.

 

[tomnorth]

I saw different sizes, what is the average size for a backpack for the CF. I try to take a maximum of 9 kg with me.
Thank you!

I used a 37 liter Osprey. It was a perfect size. I carried 8.5 kg in it.

 

[Yellowfriend]

Yellowfriend, order online.
Je kan het ook online bestellen. Scheelt je een rit van 100 km.
Succes!

Marcel

My husband works in Leeuwarden .
Maar is ook een leuk uitje en de Vrijbuiter is ook vlakbij ; ))

 

[Yellowfriend]

And is part of the pre fun of my next Camino, can't wait.
How are you back home?

 

[Yellowfriend]

I Will send it back and Tomorrow go to the special shop and buy another one, They adviced me the Deuter 40 futura , fits better and has space at the backside and is less tall. It is a big searching but nice for the pre fun ; )))))

 

[Yellowfriend]

Totally agree with it! You are right, you have to feel a click with sack and shoes. The chassis and wheels of your Camino. The funny thing is: I would drive 100 kms for it

Yes me too, part of the pre fun ; ))))

 

[Jan de Kaper]

I saw different sizes, what is the average size for a backpack for the CF. I try to take a maximum of 9 kg with me.
Thank you!

Yellowfriend you start the Camino France in May ?
That means I will be walking behind you
I leave the last week in April !
I am from Borculo

 

[Yellowfriend]

Yellowfriend you start the Camino France in May ?
That means I will be walking behind you
I leave the last week in April !
I am from Borculo

I arrive 30 april in St Jean and start walking 1 may. It Will be nice to see you . I go to Biarritz and then transfer to St Jean.
Buen Camino!

 

[Jan de Kaper]

I travel by Thalys to Paris and transfer to TGV to Bayonne and from there to St Jean

 

[Jan de Kaper]

Also Buen Camino !

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

Interesting.
In the US military a pack is often called a "ruck".
"pick up your rucks, and get moving"
"drop your rucks...the smoking lamp is lit"

that's because the Army and Marines like one syllable words. In the Air Force we use porters.

 

[Mark Lee]

that's because the Army and Marines like one syllable words. In the Air Force we use porters.

ha ha....
Y'all do have the best chow halls I ever experienced. I remember the one at Hickam back in the 80's had great food. If it was your birthday...steak and lobster.

 

[dougfitz]

that's because the Army and Marines like one syllable words. In the Air Force we use porters.

There probably aren't enough five star hotels for you either.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

I realize the OP was initially just asking for a WAG to how big a pack to get knowing how much stuff she had. To build on something @Kanga said about pack size and back length, and that @Mark Lee and @whariwharangi have been saying about size, zippers, lunch, etc: In this case, size really doesn't matter...fit does. It must be big enough to carry your stuff, and bigger is better if you don't want to put your bocadillo into a stuff sack, but the bigger it gets, the more it weighs, so there is a trade off. I personally believe it is always better to have all of your belongings inside your pack rather than dangling where they will get wet, dirty, and catch on things. Besides, you will want to have space to hang your underwear on your pack to dry. I tried a Mens Osprey Exos 34 and 46 small (so a bit less than those capacities). The weight difference between the two was not significant, and my belongings would fit in either. but the frame on the 46 felt better...and bonus, it meant not stretching anything (I was actually more worried about getting it tightened down enough). Just because a pack is larger doesn't mean it has to be filled.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

ha ha....
Y'all do have the best chow halls I ever experienced. I remember the one at Hickam back in the 80's had great food. If it was your birthday...steak and lobster.

they just told you that was only for your birthday...it was actually every Tuesday.

 

[Smallest_Sparrow]

There probably aren't enough five star hotels for you either.

There's a marathon I like to do, the Bataan Memorial at Whitesands NM. I enter in the military heavy (boots. full military pack. uniform. 2l water) and we are in the last starting group, behind the civilians and the military light (no pack). I was standing around with the mostly Army guys one time, in my flight suit and pack, and they asked "does the Air Force compete in this". "no," I answered, "I'm just waiting for my airport shuttle."

When I run the Marine Corps Marathon, there's a starbucks about 4 blocks off the course at about mile 22. I always stop for a real bathroom break, and order a frappaccino or latte (depending on weather) to go. The Marines at the next water stop usually ask about it, I always tell them the Air Force has a Starbucks stop half a mile back

 

[dougfitz]

In this case, size really doesn't matter...fit does.

I would nuance this by suggesting that there is a minimum volume needed to make a packing list work, after which size is less important than fit. But as with these things, the risk moves from not having enough room for everything you really need to being tempted to take things that you wouldn't take if you didn't have the room. As many of us know, it is easier to fill a pack than to empty until it is just enough.

 

[Mark Lee]

they just told you that was only for your birthday...it was actually every Tuesday.

whaaaaat....
well, son of a.....
ha ha
Anyway, didn't get there that often, just when we were flying in and out on y'all's C-5's and c-141's and tasked with getting all the gear and vehicles loaded up. We definitely made it a point to eat there. They had some great local style food like pork or chicken adobo (had it in the PI, too), and the ambiance was so mellow compared to our chow halls.
Once we stayed a few days at Clark Air Base. They put us up in two man rooms in the BEQ. The "Mabuhay Inn". So nice. Even came with a Mr. Coffee style coffee maker. I filched a coffee mug and ashtray from the room. Still have them.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Interesting.
In the US military a pack is often called a "ruck".
"pick up your rucks, and get moving"
"drop your rucks...the smoking lamp is lit"

The British Army calls it a Bergen.

 

[Mark Lee]

The British Army calls it a Bergen.

nice piece of kit...
I'm assuming those side compartments are detachable.

 

[newfydog]

A big half full pack with compression straps tightened up a bit carries better than a stuffed small pack. If you are worried that big capacity equals heavy, check out z packs.

 

[DMG]

The overall volume (length x width x height) of the gear you want to take will give you an indication of the size of pack required.

I took a 36 L Deuter Futura Pro 36 for gear (list here) that measured without the sleeping bag 45 x 30 x 23 cm = 31,050 cubic centimetres = 31 L, when laid out roughly in the shape of a pack. The sleeping bag added 4 L to that. The pack was just the right size, with room for a bit of food and water.

 

[C clearly]

the OP was initially just asking for a WAG to how big a pack to get

What's a WAG?

 

[dougfitz]

http://www.acronymfinder.com/WAG.html, but I suggest that wild ass guess is going to be the meaning in this context.

 

[Former member 22438]

@Yellowfriend
Do you have Decathlon in the Netherlands or are near the border? If yes, have a look at this one: https://www.decathlon.de/rucksack-arpenaz-40-id_8332416.html

40l / 640g / 20 Euro

I used it on shorter caminos like the Via Regia in Spring (470km) and was very happy with it. But you need to try it out and see if it fits you. If it does fit it is a perfect weight/price deal.

Buen Camino, SY

Decathlon is coming up now in the Netherlands. The other day they started up a branch here in Rotterdam where I live.
Haven't been there yet but know Decathlon from France, UK -Spain snd Portugal.

 

[Former member 22438]

View attachment 29918 View attachment 29919 View attachment 29918 View attachment 29919
I am 1.58m so I just orderded the Deuter Act lite 35l (can make 10l bigger) and it is 1,5 kg. You can make the back bigger and smaller and it is special for women, so I try this one outbat home.

I advice to go to a shop and fit all sorts being adviced by the staff and feel yourself what the best is rather than buying one in a webshop.
So we discovered in the "Bever" shop (outdoor chain here in the Netherlands-that my wife found an Opsprey "ladyfit- 50 ltrs model and for myself the Osprey Atmos 55 ltr.
We walked 4 times -first time the longdistance Pieterpad here in the Netherlands and 3 times the caminho Portugues and the camino Inglès.
Both packs still are in perfect condition. .

 

[Former member 22438]

Totally agree with it! You are right, you have to feel a click with sack and shoes. The chassis and wheels of your Camino. The funny thing is: I would drive 100 kms for it

the Bever shop is just around the corner

 

[Yellowfriend]

I advice to go to a shop and fit all sorts being adviced by the staff and feel yourself what the best is rather than buying one in a webshop.
So we discovered in the "Bever" shop (outdoor chain here in the Netherlands-that my wife found an Opsprey "ladyfit- 50 ltrs model and for myself the Osprey Atmos 55 ltr.
We walked 4 times -first time the longdistance Pieterpad here in the Netherlands and 3 times the caminho Portugues and the camino Inglès.
Both packs still are in perfect condition. .

Thank you! Going to Bever today, here in Groningen they didn't have the Osprey 36, so today we are going stopping in Leeuwarden, Bever and Decathlon : )

 

[Jan de Kaper]

My 2 cents are just 2 cents. I used an Osprey Talon 33ltrs and I never carry more than 6kgs which is 5% of my body weight. Perfect for the CP in September and I even might get the weight down a bit. Only extra weight for me was food and water to the 6kgs which included also the clothes I was wearing.....I don´t really need much as I found out.

But Michael what is your packinglist ?
I myself will start the Camino France last week of April
What will I need ?
I could give you my email adress if you want so !
Jan

 

[Jan de Kaper]

Yellowfriend you start the Camino France in May ?
That means I will be walking behind you
I leave the last week in April !
I am from Borculo

Oeps I will be walking in front of you that means that I have to slow down a bit

 

[MTtoCamino]

Since I stand accused of 'over-analysing' this, let me continue! At 1.58m tall your BMI=25 weight would be about 63kg. Provided that you weren't technically obese you would be less than 75kg. Using one of my other rules of thumb, I would suggest that for a summer camino, you would need a pack of around 30 to 35 li. The pack you have chosen should be quite adequate for a summer camino, and even have enough space for the extra you might need to carry if you were planning to walk in spring or autumn. Indeed, you might be at greater risk of being tempted to carry too much than to not have enough room - you will need to be disciplined in your packing and not just be tempted to fill the pack because you have the volume.

For those that don't understand the linkage between weight and volume, it is key to understanding why some of the advice one sees on pack volume is okay, and some is just rubbish, to be brutally honest. As @t2andreo points out, if you are larger, your packing weight will also be greater as a result. It stands to reason that the common factor is not pack size, but the packing density that is achieved. If two pilgrims pack at the same packing density, then the one who has the heavier load will need more volume. Those of us with a bare pack weight (BPW) target of 10kg are going to need a pack 25% larger than someone with a BPW target of only 8kg for the same packing density.

So when I see someone recommend a particular pack volume without first establishing some basic context such as the height and weight of the person, and whether they are walking in summer or another season, it is immediately clear they do not have enough information for their advice to be well founded in the relevant facts.

BTW, @Waka's packing density was about 250 gm/li based on his assessment that he was only using about 35li of a 35+10li pack. This year I walked with a pack just a little over that, and it is clearly workable, but I found it fairly tight. I needed to carefully consider making sure things I might need during the day were placed where they were readily accessible so that I didn't need to unpack to get at something.

Doug

If nothing else I respect your opinions primarily because you break down the topic to very fine detail, even when I have no reason to utilize the mathematics you present. Keep posting!

 

[Michael Caleigh]

But Michael what is your packinglist ?
I myself will start the Camino France last week of April
What will I need ?
I could give you my email adress if you want so !
Jan

Here my list:

Rucksack: 35ltrs - Osprey Talon & 2 dry sacks
Water-Resistant liner bag for your rucksack.
Lightweight sturdy boots + crocs
3 pairs of socks
sleeping bag
rainjacket
walking pole
2 sets pants
2 pairs walking trousers
2 t-shirts
1 long-sleeve fleece jacket
Broad-brimmed hat & head scarf
Passport, travel tickets, pilgrim record/credencial, credit cards, money (all in money belt or chest pouch)
Mobile phone
Sunglasses
Shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush, tissues, nail clippers, lip balm, sun protection
Medicine and first aid kit
Towel
notebook/guide and pen
Chargers for electronic devices and plug adapter.
Plastic spoon + fork
foldable rucksack for the evenings
LED head lamp

 

[MarcelWals]

And is part of the pre fun of my next Camino, can't wait.
How are you back home?

Honestly....When I noticed I walked slower and slower to reach Santiago, I knew I would miss this (feeling). And I do miss it...

 

[Jan de Kaper]

Here my list:

Rucksack: 35ltrs - Osprey Talon & 2 dry sacks
Water-Resistant liner bag for your rucksack.
Lightweight sturdy boots + crocs
3 pairs of socks
sleeping bag
rainjacket
walking pole
2 sets pants
2 pairs walking trousers
2 t-shirts
1 long-sleeve fleece jacket
Broad-brimmed hat & head scarf
Passport, travel tickets, pilgrim record/credencial, credit cards, money (all in money belt or chest pouch)
Mobile phone
Sunglasses
Shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush, tissues, nail clippers, lip balm, sun protection
Medicine and first aid kit
Towel
notebook/guide and pen
Chargers for electronic devices and plug adapter.
Plastic spoon + fork
foldable rucksack for the evenings
LED head lamp

Thank you for the list !

 

[Jeff Crawley]

nice piece of kit...
I'm assuming those side compartments are detachable.
View attachment 29957

Hi Mark,
If it's MOLLE (pronounced Molly) then there are all sorts of add on pouches - there are attachment ladder straps all over them - great for ammo clips and granades but a bit impractical for your average pilgrim!

 

[Mark Lee]

Hi Mark,
If it's MOLLE (pronounced Molly) then there are all sorts of add on pouches - there are attachment ladder straps all over them - great for ammo clips and granades but a bit impractical for your average pilgrim!

yeah, we had MOLLE gear when I was in Afghanistan. I just couldn't tell if that was on the pack.