Tips for walking in the rain

[David]

Hola! Of course it won't rain on you! - but, just out of interest ... I found these two webpages giving 'tips for walking in the rain' - I thought they were rather good (though some of the points are rather obvious)...

http://sectionhiker.com/why-you-should-hike-in-the-rain/

http://hiking.about.com/od/The-Basics-of-Hiking/a/Tips-For-Hiking-In-The-Rain.htm

 

[whariwharangi]

-Wear blue jeans. Once wet they will take forever to dry. Very good for causing hypothermia.

-When it stops raining put your raingear away wet. That way the next time it rains you'd rather get wet than put the rain gear on because it smells dead.

-When you see the black squalling clouds looming keep walking. Staying under those dense cedar trees, overhanging roofs, and handy bus stops during the initial torrential downpour is just a waste of time.

-When you get wet clothing change into your dry stuff. That way you won't have a change of dry clothes at the end of the day.

-Wear layers under your raingear. That way your clothes gets soaked from sweat. You can then blame it on your leaky rain gear and get new stuff.

-Keep documents and money unprotected in outer pockets. Amuse your friends when you spend hours drying the soggy paper. Amuse the Customs Official with your illegible passport and endearing claims that its really you.

-Rely on your cheap backpack to keep your down sleeping bag dry.

-There is a secret to staying dry: don't get wet. Think about it.

 

[Tincatinker]

Carry an umbrella... keeps the rain off your pack, your glasses and you. And helps you disguise yourself as a native to the confusion of Galician farm dogs. Its a well known fact that all Galicians are born clutching an umbrella.

 

[David]

Even better, lash your umbrella to a straight stick or pole and then stuff it down your back - Hey Presto! - rain cover no hands!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Just at the moment you would be like Mary Poppins and sail away, the forecast for wind in Galicia is appalling. Here it is gusting so badly that it is actually blowing the smoke back down our chimney - something that never happens normally. As for the rain.........
Ivar has started a thread here
Also the 'rtve.es' news site has video clips in the weather forecast section. It is truly dreadful at present.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/strong-winds-and-rain-in-santiago-right-now.24077/

 

[peregrina2000]

Some of these suggestions are really hilarious, but I´ll throw in my non-humorous two cents.

Do not underestimate how cold it can being walking in the rain, even in summertime. I remember one day on my first camino when we essentially walked 8 hours in the rain, no place to stop, and my hands were so cold and shaking that I could not open my partner´s pack to get out her inhaler. She forced me to eat a cheese sandwich, walking in the rain, and it made a huge difference. Just as important as keeping your body fueled, for me anyway, are my lambswool gloves. I know I´ve said this many times, but when people say that wool insulates even when wet, they are right. I don´t even take a day hike anymore without my almost weightless lambswool gloves, and I can´t tell you how often I use them. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BFLFX8/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[simply B]

Tincatinker, David -

"Umbrella" - seriously?

How did you get the rain to fall vertically? Superpowers?

Whether it was on the Meseta or in Galicia, the rain was more often than not approaching at 30 to 45 degrees to the road. (Of course, with the October winds on the Meseta, it was not unusual to get it full in the face.)

I note that you both hail from England. Perhaps you, like the Galicians, have been masters of proper umbrella technique since before you could crawl?

B

 

[David]

Tincatinker, David -

"Umbrella" - seriously?

How did you get the rain to fall vertically? Superpowers?

Whether it was on the Meseta or in Galicia, the rain was more often than not approaching at 30 to 45 degrees to the road. (Of course, with the October winds on the Meseta, it was not unusual to get it full in the face.)

I note that you both hail from England. Perhaps you, like the Galicians, have been masters of proper umbrella technique since before you could crawl?

B

Steady now - I wasn't talking about storms, merely rain - it also works extremely well as a hands-free sunshade - but here is the trick - when gale force winds blow, stop doing it.
p.s. In England we are born with a small collapsible umbrella, I thought everyone knew that

 

[StuartM]

Nicholas Crane's umbrella, Que Chovo, is a major character in his account of walking from Santiago to Istanbul. Apparently Galician umbrellas are reputed to be the best in the world.

Some of these suggestions are really hilarious, but I´ll throw in my non-humorous two cents.

Do not underestimate how cold it can being walking in the rain, even in summertime. I remember one day on my first camino when we essentially walked 8 hours in the rain, no place to stop, and my hands were so cold and shaking that I could not open my partner´s pack to get out her inhaler. She forced me to eat a cheese sandwich, walking in the rain, and it made a huge difference. Just as important as keeping your body fueled, for me anyway, are my lambswool gloves. I know I´ve said this many times, but when people say that wool insulates even when wet, they are right. I don´t even take a day hike anymore without my almost weightless lambswool gloves, and I can´t tell you how often I use them. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BFLFX8/?tag=casaivar02-20

I was pretty close to hypothermic when I walked Astorga to Rabanal. It was about 14-15degC I'd guess, mild but very wet. I got soaked, didn't eat properly and only had cold drinks. It surprised me just how harsh the wet can be even when it isnt cold.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Even better, lash your umbrella to a straight stick or pole and then stuff it down your back - Hey Presto! - rain cover no hands!

I lashed my umbrella to myself under my pack straps, and it worked great!

Simply B, you'd be surprised how tactically umbrella-sufficient you can get. I found it simple to stay dry in sideways rain. You just have to be sure you're pointing the tip INTO the wind (oh doh!)

 

[ranthr]

First day on my first camino 17.05.05, Norwegian national day by the way, I walked from Roncesvalles, all day in a heavy rain. I was wet all over, all the things inside my backpack were wet, my sleepingbag, my clothes , my shoes. Stayed in Larresoańa that night and managed to get a linen from the strong lady in charge. Had a bad start on my camino and since then i have always brought enough clothes for rainy and cold days: I always put a plastic bag inside my backpack, i bring raintrousers, a rainjacket and poncho, have a raincover over my backpack as well, bring gaiters and waterproof gloves. I have been to several long caminos since then and every time I have needed my gear for some of the days, and I will never walk without it.
Randi

 

[Anniesantiago]

First day on my first camino 17.05.05, Norwegian national day by the way, I walked from Roncesvalles, all day in a heavy rain. I was wet all over, all the things inside my backpack were wet, my sleepingbag, my clothes , my shoes. Stayed in Larresoańa that night and managed to get a linen from the strong lady in charge. Had a bad start on my camino and since then i have always brought enough clothes for rainy and cold days: I always put a plastic bag inside my backpack, i bring raintrousers, a rainjacket and poncho, have a raincover over my backpack as well, bring gaiters and waterproof gloves. I have been to several long caminos since then and every time I have needed my gear for some of the days, and I will never walk without it.
Randi

I agree you need rain gear on the Camino.
I have been, for the first time, considering if I'm carrying too MUCH rain gear.
It would be nice to leave some of it home.

I have an Altus poncho. I love it because it covers my pack, keeps me warm in the rain, goes down past my knees, and also blocks the wind.

I have a thin but good quality rain jacket with a hood. I find I wear it most in the cold mornings, then shed it once I warm up.

I have a nysil pack cover - I don't need it with the altus but it's good in light rain.

I have rain pants. My hips get cold in the rain and these keep the wind off.

Then, I have my umbrella, which I LOVE for sun or rain.

But it feels like too much - just not sure which I could live without.

 

[simply B]

Far be it from me to criticize anyone's choice(s) of rain protection. (I do note (ruefully) to myself a lack of fine motor skills gifted to the more accomplished posters here. )

On my walk in 2012, an umbrella would have had less useful time-in-service than a bride's negligeé on the wedding night.

I think the OP links had good advice which, in retrospect, I followed pretty closely. (More by luck than anything else, I'll admit.)

To each their own, but DO stay dry! I had a "close encounter" with hypothermia many years ago while climbing. NOT an experience I would ever like to repeat!

B

 

[David]

I don't see why the anti re umbrellas .. sure, they can be difficult in high winds but most rain isn't accompanied by high winds and, if umbrellas didn't work no one would use them ...... the Camino doesn't have special umbrella destroying weather, it just has, well, weather, just like the rest of Europe ... so .. here are some pretty pics of hands free umbrella use whilst hiking (works for rain or sun)

 

[Tincatinker]

David, splendid!

And for those concerned about umbrellas and wind... I guess those of us born with them, small and collapsible (Brit) or world renowned (Galician) are also born with the instinct to point them into the wind. I crossed the Meseta with my 'brolly held side-ways! As I recall "Que Chova", in Nick Crane's book, translates as "What rain?" it was a reference to a postcard / advertisement showing a courting couple sitting under their umbrella on a park bench , in a downpour, oblivious to anything but each other. I was never entirely sure if this was an advert for the power of umbrellas or of love.

 

[Stefania13/14]

Hola! Of course it won't rain on you! - but, just out of interest ... I found these two webpages giving 'tips for walking in the rain' - I thought they were rather good (though some of the points are rather obvious)...

http://sectionhiker.com/why-you-should-hike-in-the-rain/

http://hiking.about.com/od/The-Basics-of-Hiking/a/Tips-For-Hiking-In-The-Rain.htm

Thanks for the info. For me, an attitude adjustment is necessary. Trying to enjoy the sounds and scenes in forests, etc. sounds good (second article idea). Also liked watching out for the "umbles" really struck home (first article).
I appreciate your bringing this to our attention! But of course it won't rain in May or June this year ; )
Stefania

 

[JennyH94]

Hi all -
I have an absolute cracker of a brolly that I'm trialling at the moment ... It's a Kathmandu vented brolly which is designed for those horrible days when you get rain and wind gusts. So far it hasn't let me down. A small downside is that it's not the lightest folding brolly but the fact that it's so heavy duty more than compensates.

 

[David]

Hi all -
I have an absolute cracker of a brolly that I'm trialling at the moment ... It's a Kathmandu vented brolly which is designed for those horrible days when you get rain and wind gusts. So far it hasn't let me down. A small downside is that it's not the lightest folding brolly but the fact that it's so heavy duty more than compensates.

Ahh .. vented brollies!! I use a Fulton, which isn't vented but is double ribbed - so never turns inside out but is quite heavy ..... looked up vented brollies on Ebay, looking for one with a long enough straight handle to allow clipping to the front harness - and, well I never, I found a brown one!! Hurrah - it is on the way - thanks for the heads-up about vented - never heard of that before.

thinks: hhmm .. with this weather we are having I had better work out quick release clips or I might end up in a different county (or become like Mary Poppins)

 

[Canucks]

I don't see why the anti re umbrellas .. sure, they can be difficult in high winds but most rain isn't accompanied by high winds and, if umbrellas didn't work no one would use them ...... the Camino doesn't have special umbrella destroying weather, it just has, well, weather, just like the rest of Europe ..

Other than the days when it was "misting", an umbrella would have generally been of no use on our camino in the October portion when it rained. It had nothing to do with destroying the umbrella but, rather, with being useless because the rain did, in fact, fall at an angle that would have left us soaked. I care about me, not the umbrella.
On the portion to roncevalles, an umbrella may have been sufficient.

 

[David]

Tricky - October can be quite windy, the usual thing is to angle the umbrella into the wind

 

[Canucks]

Except it would protect far less of ones body compared to falling straight down and result in severely limited vision when walking into the rain. I prefer a poncho there and an umbrella when I am in the endless rain in Vancouver.

 

[David]

It is ok Canucks, no law is being brought in - the idea is to use one when one wants to - all is well

 

[whariwharangi]

The problem with an umbrella is the tendancy to get pulled off track by the breeze. The idea (as I understand it) is to walk on the camino and not 200 meters off to one side or the other.

 

[David]

All the 'no umbrella' posts are quite on target - but they are all to do with when there is a high wind, and I agree, though the same 'anti' arguments are used against cycling. Autumn in western Europe is the time of gales .. umbrella not too good during a gale, true .. I suppose I am thinking of balmy tranquil times, both when it rains and when it is soooooooooo hot (as in, summer on the Camino).
A great thing one can do with an umbrella on hot and sunny days is to open it and lay it down, then lay oneself down, with head in the shade.
There is another good thing about an umbrella .. if a crazy dog gets too interested in you then opening the umbrella towards it seems to cause it some confusion (the only scary bit is that you can no longer see the dog!!!!!)
I do like umbrellas .. the first time I attached one to a pole and stuck it down my back was in England in a true downpour back in the early eighties when I was trying to sort arriving cyclists coming in to a campsite for one of the nights on a Lands End to John o Groats charity cycle ride; three weeks, 200 cyclists .. I was the ride and team manager and all was ridiculously soaked - having my hands free was really helpful - since then I have found that there are times where an umbrella is a marvellous thing. There is something very romantically Zen about walking around in sandals with an umbrella, don't you think?? (but, yes, do prefer my poncho when all hell breaks loose!! )

 

[freescot]

I bought an umbrella, eventually, in Kendal and it served well in the UK. I arrived a week ago in Vigo and stayed in Freixe where the wonderful hospitalero, Luis, offered to be my guide for the next morning which was another day of cyclogenesis explosivo as the Spanish Weather girl calls it - i.e. heavy rain and gales. He had a real umbrella made of carbon fibre.

It was of a good size which served him fairly well. My own was too small and I rarely used it. I was lucky with all the bad weather in that the Camino Portugese nearly always had the wind on my back giving me a good shove all the time and I was not pestered by driving rain on my face. I have been enjoing Pilgrimpace Blog with the account of the Camino Inglés in just such weather. I just trusted in God and let myself be surprised one day at a time.

 

[freescot]

-Wear blue jeans. Once wet they will take forever to dry. Very good for causing hypothermia.

-When it stops raining put your raingear away wet. That way the next time it rains you'd rather get wet than put the rain gear on because it smells dead.

-When you see the black squalling clouds looming keep walking. Staying under those dense cedar trees, overhanging roofs, and handy bus stops during the initial torrential downpour is just a waste of time.

-When you get wet clothing change into your dry stuff. That way you won't have a change of dry clothes at the end of the day.

-Wear layers under your raingear. That way your clothes gets soaked from sweat. You can then blame it on your leaky rain gear and get new stuff.

-Keep documents and money unprotected in outer pockets. Amuse your friends when you spend hours drying the soggy paper. Amuse the Customs Official with your illegible passport and endearing claims that its really you.

-Rely on your cheap backpack to keep your down sleeping bag dry.

-There is a secret to staying dry: don't get wet. Think about it.

This I love: I've tried all these tips and they perform just as stated.
As a sandal wearer I would add, Wear good waterproof boots, they fill up when your path becomes a deep river for kilometres every day.

 

[whariwharangi]

This I love: I've tried all these tips and they perform just as stated.
As a sandal wearer I would add, Wear good waterproof boots, they fill up when your path becomes a deep river for kilometres every day.

To which I would add a favorite tactic for dealing with avoiding the worst of the mud. ... Skip from side to side of the deep river in the center of the track using any footing available in order to keep boots clean. Repeat until you slip and fall (butt first) into the deepest of mud holes. Don't worry ... your pack will cushion your fall.

 

[Metropolly]

If Camino can be seen as a form of penance, then God must have greater insight into my sins than I had feared before I set off last year for 14 weeks, 11 of which were solid rain from Calais to Galicia via Vezelay. Hoping to save pack weight after the first few weeks, I mistook a brief glimmer of sunshine for spring at last - and posted my Goretex jacket home. For the rest of the way it was a cut-price fleece and a £12 rain cape from Decathlon - and light non-waterproof trail-running shoes. I won't say I didn't mind being damp from morning to night, but I will say that a cafe con cognac goes a long way to making things right again