secondhand gear

[MALM]

I've heard that many Camino hikers discover that they have brought too much stuff and as a result, start unloading weight by leaving gear behind. Is there a system, formal or otherwise, to manage the unwanted gear that Camino pilgrims unload either en route or before heading home? I am bringing carry on luggage only which means I won't bring my hiking poles from home. So I wondered if there was anything like thrift shops or pilgrim centres where hikers donate their gear and then others can purchase it. If push comes to shove, I will buy new poles in Porto (our starting point) but I thought I'd ask.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can abandon equipment, but it is unlikely that you will be able to sell it. There are markets along the way with potpourri tables, but I have never seen poles.

 

[KinkyOne]

I concure falcon's post. I've seen many things left behind by pilgrims in donativo boxes in albergues but if there were walking poles they were surely forgotten and not intentionally left behind I'm sure.
I don't know about Portugues Caminhos though, it's my experience from Spain.

 

[KariC]

Problem is that much stuff gets offloaded past the starting points, so unlikely to find things like poles at starting points. Having started at Matosinhos myself, and always hiking with poles at home, I did not find them necessary along the Caminho Portugues - so flat they're not needed.

 

[Anniesantiago]

You can buy a wooden hiking pole in nearly any village.
You can buy telescoping poles in sports shops in SJPP, Zubiri, Pamplona, and most larger cities.

 

[J F Gregory]

We use CNOC carbine fiber poles that fold down to 14 inches and carry them in our pack that we carry on. They come with a mesh case.

 

[erith long]

when arriving to Porto, go to Decathlon
Matasinhos Decathlon easy to get to.

Come out of the terminal walk straight ahead to the line of bus stops and head to the right a bit.

Catch the 601 bus to bus stop NÓ FREIXIEIRO (8 stops from the airport, €1.85); cross the road, walk around the roundabout and Decathlon is just ahead of you. When you're finished back to teh same bus stop, 601 to CORDOARIA (end of the line also €1.85) takes you to the city centre.

 

[Former member 22438]

The only place where I saw forgotten stuff was when I was hospitaleiro at Casa Fernanda but never saw poles.
So do what Erith says and go to the Decathlon in Matosinhos.
Bom caminho

 

[Letsgocamino]

Problem is that much stuff gets offloaded past the starting points, so unlikely to find things like poles at starting points. Having started at Matosinhos myself, and always hiking with poles at home, I did not find them necessary along the Caminho Portugues - so flat they're not needed.

I've heard this from other people, "it's flat." Well, I'm glad I had my poles going up Alto da Portela Grande Labruja. And those bags of resin! I was so busy looking down to avoid tripping that when I looked up and saw them I that I was in a Game of Thrones episode. I love my sticks