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Revised Spring gear packing list (after VdlP)

Madis

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Estonia, 2025 weekend dayhikes
I just finished the VdlP from Seville to Santiago in 28 days. I was travelling light. I did do 10-14km walks at home daily for about 8 months to prepare (multiple smaller walks in Winter time instead of 1 longer one). My original packing list did not fully take into account how the rain and the sun shining from your right every morning will change things. Trails become difficult after rain. You do not want to step into water on a cold morning.

I believe in hiking sticks in Spring on a flat trail now and I do think a poncho that covers the backpack is optimal to protect you compared to just a rain jacket. I am no longer a believer in waterproof socks as they lose they value quickly after some wear and tear. I would rather pack more socks in total. Sunscreen is a must. Its only really cloudy on rainy days.

I just updated my blog article on this:
https://caminopilgrim.travel.blog/2023/10/07/spring-autumn-gear-packing-list-for-camino/

Here is the overview of what I see as essential to pack when going very light and still staying comfortable:

Daily wear (2205 grams / 4.9 pounds)

Extra layers in the morning​

Backpack items (2870 grams / 6.3 pounds)

Sleep and evening stuff​

Extra stuff​

Hygene​

Electronics​

Total weight 5.1kg (11.2 pounds)

 
Give back to the Camino. Join us from Logroño to Burgos May 30 to June 8.
Thank you for this @Madis 🙏 I hope to be on the VdlP next April - carrying as little as possible - so I'll make a note of your suggestions! Even on the routes in southern Spain, April can be tricky. Gracias. 😎
 
Give back to the Camino. Join us from Logroño to Burgos May 30 to June 8.
I just finished the VdlP from Seville to Santiago in 28 days. I was travelling light. I did do 10-14km walks at home daily for about 8 months to prepare (multiple smaller walks in Winter time instead of 1 longer one). My original packing list did not fully take into account how the rain and the sun shining from your right every morning will change things. Trails become difficult after rain. You do not want to step into water on a cold morning.

I believe in hiking sticks in Spring on a flat trail now and I do think a poncho that covers the backpack is optimal to protect you compared to just a rain jacket. I am no longer a believer in waterproof socks as they lose they value quickly after some wear and tear. I would rather pack more socks in total. Sunscreen is a must. Its only really cloudy on rainy days.

I just updated my blog article on this:
https://caminopilgrim.travel.blog/2023/10/07/spring-autumn-gear-packing-list-for-camino/

Here is the overview of what I see as essential to pack when going very light and still staying comfortable:

Daily wear (2205 grams / 4.9 pounds)

Extra layers in the morning​

Backpack items (2870 grams / 6.3 pounds)

Sleep and evening stuff​

Extra stuff​

Hygene​

Electronics​

Total weight 5.1kg (11.2 pounds)

I'm impressed ! I really need to drop my backpack weight, so maybe some advice (I am planning the Portuguese Litoral in mid September)
In terms of clothes, how do you manage with just one t-shirt? and is a head light not necessary?
thanks
 
I'm impressed ! I really need to drop my backpack weight, so maybe some advice (I am planning the Portuguese Litoral in mid September)
In terms of clothes, how do you manage with just one t-shirt? and is a head light not necessary?
thanks
September should be very warm. Daily hiking in a T-shirt should be good. I wore the same shirt every day for hiking. Technical shirts are super easy to handwash and dry fast.

In mornings I wore my rain jacket too, but on the revised list I replaced a rain jacket with a poncho. The evening jacket is a bonus layer tl use if really cold.

Have a long sleeve for evenings. Two shirts are enough to cover all kinds of needs.

In case I wanted to wash both shirts, I just wore my jacket.

Headlight was not neccesary for me. i used my phone flashlight if hiking vefore sunrise. It is enough to provide vision. Besides I needed to use the GPS map from my phone anyways to see where the trail goes.
 
So the backpack itself was only 6.3 total a d you wore the rest?
Yes, in mornings I would wear the rest. As the day goes on, I would add clothes from me to backpack.

Temperature rose during the day quite a lot. Especially in the South.

Sunscreen was essential to protect my skin once I was hiking in just shorts, t-shirt and the buff neck gaiter that I wore to protect most pf my head.
 
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2nd ed.

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