Jacket or poncho??

[Jocelyn]

Hi there,
I fly in to SJPP tomorow to start my walk on Sunday.
I have looked at the weather and see that it is boiling.
Whilst i appreciate that a rainy day is inevitable i am stuck between taking a poncho and a jacket.
I am taking the layered approach to clothing - vest top, t shirt, fleece.
Do you really think i need to carry a heavy jacket or will the poncho suffice??
I know some parts of the walk will be windy but that is why i am layered up.
The majority of my walking will be around the hours of 9-6 so i won't really get the morning chill.
My walking jacket is also borrowed from a friend. I read that lots of people start their walk and realise that they don't need most of their clothes so leave them behind as they go. Obviously this is not an option with a borrowed jacket.
Help please
Jocelyn.

 

[eileene]

Hi Jocelyn

I'm leaving next week and will be taking a poncho, the Altus type with arms. The weather is warming up & is similar to the end of May 2012. When I did the camino that year I only used the poncho 3 or 4 times as it was very dry. Totally different from last year when it was a very cold May. Looking at the forecast there may be some showers towards the end of the month around the Pamplona area. It's unlikely that it will return to freezing temperatures during the day? I've been looking on AccuWeather website for 10 day forecast. If you'd prefer a jacket & then find you are too hot you could always forward it on to Santiago for when you arrive. Hope you have a great time.

Eileen

 

[PANO]

Hi there,
I fly in to SJPP tomorow to start my walk on Sunday.
I have looked at the weather and see that it is boiling.
Whilst i appreciate that a rainy day is inevitable i am stuck between taking a poncho and a jacket.
I am taking the layered approach to clothing - vest top, t shirt, fleece.
Do you really think i need to carry a heavy jacket or will the poncho suffice??
I know some parts of the walk will be windy but that is why i am layered up.
The majority of my walking will be around the hours of 9-6 so i won't really get the morning chill.
My walking jacket is also borrowed from a friend. I read that lots of people start their walk and realise that they don't need most of their clothes so leave them behind as they go. Obviously this is not an option with a borrowed jacket.
Help please
Jocelyn.

Hi Jocelyn
your query comes up regularly here and will never be concluded, there are strong advocates on both sides:
A cover-all poncho protects well from rain...... if there's no wind. Other downsides are, that you start sweating underneath and that it is awkward to put on (I was asked several time to help covering the backpack); the Altus is also heavier and more bulky to carry.
An ultralight windbreaker with hood (less than 300 gr.) in combination with a backpack cover (~100 gr.) is easily put on/off and certainly more comfortable in windy conditions, besides of giving you fairly equal rain protection.
However, be aware: If it really pours, you'll get wet no matter how you cover yourself, (legs and feet).
(I belong to the "jacket-fraction")

 

[Daleen Slabbert]

I live in South Africa and will be doing my first Camino in September. I am trying to find an Altus Poncho to either buy in South Africa or to purchase online. Can anybody help?

 

[Felipe]

Hi there,
The majority of my walking will be around the hours of 9-6 so i won't really get the morning chill.Jocelyn.

Remember that albergues expect all pilgrims leaving max at 8 AM. Actually, it is difficult to stay longer, bcs there is movement, noise, talk, etc.

 

[Mark Lee]

Since it's warming up on the Camino by now I would think a heavy jacket is unnecessary and a lightweight fleece would be fine.
As far as rain jacket versus poncho? I would opt for a combination of a rain jacket and waterproof pack cover. The advantage of a lightweight rain jacket is that is can double as a windbreaker/jacket for cooler weather even if it is not raining.
Also most important is having some sort of waterproof bags (you can even use thick trash bags for this...ignore the posters that complain about these type bags rustling in the albergues....they'll get over it ) to put your gear in while it's inside the backpack. Don't assume it will stay dry because you have a pack-cover or poncho draped on the outside.

 

[Suzanne Edminster]

Since it's warming up on the Camino by now I would think a heavy jacket is unnecessary and a lightweight fleece would be fine.
As far as rain jacket versus poncho? I would opt for a combination of a rain jacket and waterproof pack cover. The advantage of a lightweight rain jacket is that is can double as a windbreaker/jacket for cooler weather even if it is not raining.
Also most important is having some sort of waterproof bags (you can even use thick trash bags for this...ignore the posters that complain about these type bags rustling in the albergues....they'll get over it ) to put your gear in while it's inside the backpack. Don't assume it will stay dry because you have a pack-cover or poncho draped on the outside.

To Mark Lee and Pano... don't the straps and waist belt get soggy and wet with a pack cover? I have a Deuter women's pack with very thickly padded, spongy straps and hip bet. Don't want to be a walking sponge...But it seems I could get by with a pack cover and my cool lightweight waterproof shell. What really gets wet with your jacket and pack cover method? Legs?

 

[Mark Lee]

To Mark Lee and Pano... don't the straps and waist belt get soggy and wet with a pack cover? I have a Deuter women's pack with very thickly padded, spongy straps and hip bet. Don't want to be a walking sponge...But it seems I could get by with a pack cover and my cool lightweight waterproof shell. What really gets wet with your jacket and pack cover method? Legs?

I suppose that the hip belt would get wet, but I don't think it would soak up enough water to make a difference.
I wore shorts everyday on the Camino, so I wasn't worried about my legs getting wet, and even if I was wearing pants they will dry anyway..
Believe me, if it's raining enough, and you are out walking in it, things will get wet despite anything you wear or do.
Like I stated before, my main priority is keeping the stuff in the pack dry, not whats on the outside. It really sucks when all your stuff in the pack gets soaked.

 

[Suzanne Edminster]

I suppose that the hip belt would get wet, but I don't think it would soak up enough water to make a difference.
I wore shorts everyday on the Camino, so I wasn't worried about my legs getting wet, and even if I was wearing pants they will dry anyway..
Believe me, if it's raining enough, and you are out walking in it, things will get wet despite anything you wear or do.
Like I stated before, my main priority is keeping the stuff in the pack dry, not whats on the outside. It really sucks when all your stuff in the pack gets soaked.

Thanks!

 

[tploomis]

To Mark Lee and Pano... don't the straps and waist belt get soggy and wet with a pack cover? I have a Deuter women's pack with very thickly padded, spongy straps and hip bet. Don't want to be a walking sponge...But it seems I could get by with a pack cover and my cool lightweight waterproof shell. What really gets wet with your jacket and pack cover method? Legs?

If it's seriously raining, you'll get at least damp, no matter what you are wearing -- whether it's poncho, hard shell jacket (light or heavy), or something else. It's very liberating to understand that -- being damp, as long as you are not cold, isn't bad at all. You'll always dry off. It is important to keep the interior of your pack dry, and I agree with Mark that it is best to keep your pack contents in plastic bags. Pack covers also let in water if it rains long enough.

 

[PANO]

To Mark Lee and Pano... don't the straps and waist belt get soggy and wet with a pack cover? I have a Deuter women's pack with very thickly padded, spongy straps and hip bet. Don't want to be a walking sponge...But it seems I could get by with a pack cover and my cool lightweight waterproof shell. What really gets wet with your jacket and pack cover method? Legs?

Yeah, Suzanna ("the Paloma Girl"), straps will get whet, but I think that in a real rain, this would be the lesser of the problems. (apply some water protecting spray....) Besides that Deuter packs are among the best and dry-up very quickly. Neither jacket nor Poncho will prevent your legs and feet get whet. On my Camino in last September, I wore mostly shorts as the weather was warm even when it rained. The biggest problem all poncho people had was the wind and many eventually preferred to get whet and got rid of their "tent". I am in full agreement with Mark Lee's postings.
Which get's us down to the shoes. There are water-resistant walkers, which kill you in the heat and create those extraterrestrial blisters. because THEY DON'T BREATHE. Alternatively, there are the solid, non-waterproof walkers: If these get whet, you're in real trouble because it takes ages to get them to dry. I finally opted for extra-light Mizuno runners covered with a totally permeable fabric. In the rain they make you feel like a duck....but they dry-up so quickly. I consider the issue of footwear a much more concerning and relevant subject.

 

[wayfarer]

I'm with Pano and Mark, a jacket rather than a poncho.
Have a great Camino Jocelyn and Eileen.

 

[lettinggo]

Hola
Jacket here as well.
The one I have got zippers under the armpits which is what I need when it gets to warm and I need to ventilate out the heat.

Buen Camino
Lettinggo

 

[Rajy62]

Do you really think i need to carry a heavy jacket or will the poncho suffice??
I know some parts of the walk will be windy but that is why i am layered up.
Jocelyn.

I only had a light breathable shell when i walked the CF in October. The shell was useful in the morning for warmup, as a wind breaker at higher elevations and around town during the evenings. Had a synthetic sweater, used it only once or twice when it was really cold in the morning around Pamplona.
Had to pick up a poncho for those downpours near Galicia, but that Atlus poncho was very uncomfortable as i sweat a lot. I am getting an open sleeve-less poncho for my next walk. Buen Camino.

 

[Jodipup]

I live in South Africa and will be doing my first Camino in September. I am trying to find an Altus Poncho to either buy in South Africa or to purchase online. Can anybody help?

Hi Daleen. I am also from South Africa and starting in September . Not sure if this will be helpful for you! but I bought the Altus from Barrabes online and had it delivered to my daughter in UK. I cannot remember if they would have delivered to South Africa.
When and from where are you starting your Camino.
Lesley

 

[homa_bird]

I learned from day one to "embrace the rain"! By force, of course. Rained hard as we left SJPDP that first day. As we set off, the Basque farmer who had housed me that night said with a twinkle, or maybe not, that the worst sinners begin their Camino in the rain. Hmmm. (Was it me that caused the rain or maybe someone else and we all had to suffer along? Either way, what the hey!)

There is, as someone said earlier on this thread, no way to stay completely dry in a downpour. And as long as I had my small down bag wrapped in plastic, I learned not to worry. There is a bad, sinking feeling of loss of control as you realize that water is going to soak through whatever plan you have to stay dry, then a glorious lift as you realize: C'est la vie!"

I remember great moments of togetherness among fellow half-drowned strangers around steamy wood fires provided by cafes along the way: one in particular the morning before we reached Cruz de Ferro. So many random pilgrims hanging clothes and boots around the tiny stone hearth, laughing, downing the donativo hot milk, cocoa and coffee while we waited for the most major drips to drop, then reluctantly after a half hour or so we yanked and pulled on our sticky wet clothes and hit the shiny rainy roads again...

It's all good, wet, dry, hot, cold. You will love every minute, if only in retrospect! Buen Buen Camino!

 

[Mark Lee]

I learned from day one to "embrace the rain"! By force, of course. Rained hard as we left SJPDP that first day. As we set off, the Basque farmer who had housed me that night said with a twinkle, or maybe not, that the worst sinners begin their Camino in the rain. Hmmm. (Was it me that caused the rain or maybe someone else and we all had to suffer along? Either way, what the hey!)

There is, as someone said earlier on this thread, no way to stay completely dry in a downpour. And as long as I had my small down bag wrapped in plastic, I learned not to worry. There is a bad, sinking feeling of loss of control as you realize that water is going to soak through whatever plan you have to stay dry, then a glorious lift as you realize: C'est la vie!"

I remember great moments of togetherness among fellow half-drowned strangers around steamy wood fires provided by cafes along the way: one in particular the morning before we reached Cruz de Ferro. So many random pilgrims hanging clothes and boots around the tiny stone hearth, laughing, downing the donativo hot milk, cocoa and coffee while we waited for the most major drips to drop, then reluctantly after a half hour or so we yanked and pulled on our sticky wet clothes and hit the shiny rainy roads again...

It's all good, wet, dry, hot, cold. You will love every minute, if only in retrospect! Buen Buen Camino!

That can't possibly be true because it was dry everyday when I walked my Camino. From the first day to the last.

 

[Jane Erasmus]

I live in South Africa and will be doing my first Camino in September. I am trying to find an Altus Poncho to either buy in South Africa or to purchase online. Can anybody help?

Hi Daleen, I can't help with regards to the poncho, but am also from SA (Cape Town) and will also be walking in September I am taking a rain poncho which I will get from the local plastic shop....cheap and cheerful, and light weight and according to the Camino workshop presenters works very well.

 

[Rambler]

I'm with Pano and Mark, a jacket rather than a poncho.
Have a great Camino Jocelyn and Eileen.

So here I go again, the devil's advocate...

I highly respect Pano, Mark, and Wayfarer for their opinions.
My preference is the Altus jacket/poncho. First, I found that the Altus was lighter than carrying a rain jacket, pack cover, and rain pants. I also think that the Altus handles the blowing rain the best and allows for much more air circulation around your body, especially if you walk with your arms not in the sleeves but in the body of the rain jacket. Putting it on can take a bit of practice, but it isn't rocket science. The over the head approach worked best for me.
For this Camino I am on the fence about carrying light gaiters or rain chaps for protecting my lower legs in a driving rain. But last Camino, I did not need them; we had only one day of rain.

As to pack covers, Suzanna is totally correct about the pack getting wet. I know this subject has come up many a time before, but a pack cover only shields a pack from getting totally water soaked. It is not waterproof, and your gear is highly dependent on the waterproof bags that we all should use. The Altus totally covers all the pack and keeps it fully dry.

The one point I do agree on is that using the Altus as a "walk around town" jacket definitely has its limitations. But hey, I am wearing a dumb looking hat and dumb looking crocs, so what should I care if I look like a giant tomato in my Altus to boot?


Lastly on shoes, I am of the opinion for Goretex shoes on the Camino. Personally, I have found that the breath-ability of the boots is fine even is heavy heat. The biggest reason for blisters is wet feet and the non protected shoes put you at a greater risk. I have walked in goretex shoes and boots since they began making them and have only gotten one blister the entire time. And I do most my hiking in the Deep South of the US where it is hot and humid, so sweat would be a big issue. Last year my family did a hike in the pouring rain and I was the only one with Goretex shoes. Everyone else was miserable and my feet were dry and warm.

Mis dos pesetas...

Rambler

 

[wayfarer]

So here I go again, the devil's advocate...

I highly respect Pano, Mark, and Wayfarer for their opinions.
My preference is the Altus jacket/poncho. First, I found that the Altus was lighter than carrying a rain jacket, pack cover, and rain pants. I also think that the Altus handles the blowing rain the best and allows for much more air circulation around your body, especially if you walk with your arms not in the sleeves but in the body of the rain jacket. Putting it on can take a bit of practice, but it isn't rocket science. The over the head approach worked best for me.
For this Camino I am on the fence about carrying light gaiters or rain chaps for protecting my lower legs in a driving rain. But last Camino, I did not need them; we had only one day of rain.

As to pack covers, Suzanna is totally correct about the pack getting wet. I know this subject has come up many a time before, but a pack cover only shields a pack from getting totally water soaked. It is not waterproof, and your gear is highly dependent on the waterproof bags that we all should use. The Altus totally covers all the pack and keeps it fully dry.

The one point I do agree on is that using the Altus as a "walk around town" jacket definitely has its limitations. But hey, I am wearing a dumb looking hat and dumb looking crocs, so what should I care if I look like a giant tomato in my Altus to boot?


Lastly on shoes, I am of the opinion for Goretex shoes on the Camino. Personally, I have found that the breath-ability of the boots is fine even is heavy heat. The biggest reason for blisters is wet feet and the non protected shoes put you at a greater risk. I have walked in goretex shoes and boots since they began making them and have only gotten one blister the entire time. And I do most my hiking in the Deep South of the US where it is hot and humid, so sweat would be a big issue. Last year my family did a hike in the pouring rain and I was the only one with Goretex shoes. Everyone else was miserable and my feet were dry and warm.

Mis dos pesetas...

Rambler

I used the Altus in 2012 and whereas I found it great, I also found that with the condensation and perspiration I was sometimes as wet inside it as outside. I used the rain pants and Jacket from Sarria in 2013 and found it a better combination for me. I agree that the Altus is a better choice than a poncho in windy wet conditions, I still have the Altus and will probably use it in extremely wet conditions at home which are more often than not.

Edit: I also agree with you on the boots issue, waterproof/Goretex all the way. I never believed in the old adage "an army marches on its stomach" it marches on its feet and if you look after those you will march further, faster and happier. The food will come later.