what is your "have to have " rain gear ?

[Dutchwalk53]

We were lucky enough last year (aside from 3 hours !!!!) to have no rain at all during our first Camino. I'm off again June 10th, but expect not to be that lucky again I obviously do have a pack cover and rain jacket. But I've never had rain pants(trousers), gaiters or an umbrella with me. What has worked for you , who have walked in heavy rain, the best ? Right now I'm just thinking of winging it and IF the forecast is heavy rain while I am in SJPP maybe get some pants there. Or in Pamplona if needed.

 

[Bradypus]

For me it is pack cover, jacket and rain trousers (I'm a Brit - for me 'pants' means underwear!). No gaiters - my rain trousers fasten fairly neatly round my ankles if necessary. No umbrella. I've tried walking in the rain for long periods without waterproof trousers but even in summer the chill effect of damp kicks in eventually.

 

[Dutchwalk53]

I'm a Brit - for me 'pants' means underwear!)

Thanks for that hint I changed my wording a bit. !

 

[november_moon]

I have a rain jacket and a poncho. My pack has a cover. I'm not taking rain pants or anything like that. If I get wet, I get wet. Won't be the first or the last time

 

[domigee]

You're going in June, so I'd say no waterproof trousers or gaiters necessary... I'd just take a poncho, which serves as pack cover as well. Your legs may(will) get wet but will dry soon enough. As long as you have something warm (a fleece/jumper) to wear underneath the poncho, should it get cold in the mountains, you'll be fine.
I'm thinking this year of taking my umbrella instead of the poncho just as I did last yr on VdlP. I may regret it, I don't know. I'm going in July.
Whatever you choose, buen camino.

 

[MTtoCamino]

For June 1 event fabric rain coat & a pack cover. Both High visual no reason for getting hit in a down pour by a vehicle.

 

[Dutchwalk53]

Thanks all. I think I will indeed stick to just my (bright colored so indeed visible ) rain coat and pack cover.

 

[Mark Lee]

Thanks all. I think I will indeed stick to just my (bright colored so indeed visible ) rain coat and pack cover.

I also carried a thick, heavy duty trash bag in my pack as a waterproof bag for all my stuff. Kinda redundant having that and a pack cover, but it worked great. If it looked like it was going to rain, I went in the common area of the albergue in the morning (fellow pilgrims take note..so you don't disturb others in the sleeping area) dumped out all my stuff from the pack, lined the interior with the trash bag, put all the stuff in and cinched it up. 100% watertight....

 

[Americanperegrino]

Rain jacket, rain pants, pack cover and my extra cloths, sleeping bag, etc in silnylon bags. Some may not care about wet legs, however, wet socks mean blisters.. Get ultralite versions of the rainwear and the weight and volume are just fine

 

[Isca-camigo]

You're going in June, so I'd say no waterproof trousers or gaiters necessary... I'd just take a poncho, which serves as pack cover as well. Your legs may(will) get wet but will dry soon enough. As long as you have something warm (a fleece/jumper) to wear underneath the poncho, should it get cold in the mountains, you'll be fine.
I'm thinking this year of taking my umbrella instead of the poncho just as I did last yr on VdlP. I may regret it, I don't know. I'm going in July.
Whatever you choose, buen camino.

Tell us how the umbrella goes, it's the one thing I have not tried. I have tried ponchos, waterproof coat and trousers, directional clothing( the direction seems to be towards my body) and so on, the result is the same I get wet one way or another.

 

[Icacos]

The only persistent rain I experienced was in Santiago, in May, where my umbrella came in very handy. The days when it was just on again, off again drizzle I used my poncho. It covered my pack and, when it stopped drizzling, I slipped my arms out of the sleeves and tied the sleeves around my waist. If it rained again, I slipped my arms back into my sleeves. I bought gaiters with me, but only wore them once, and they were too hot anyway. My companion wore rain pants - sorry, trousers - and she found them too hot also. The only time my boots got really wet was on the slippery slide descent to Zubiri and I stuffed them with newspapers, with two or three changes prior to bedtime, and they were fine next morning. I think I've seen newspapers stacked next to the boot storage area in rainy weather - for that very purpose, maybe. By the way, a poncho provides a great screen if you need a pit stop, with or without a she-wee.

 

[koilife]

For me, it's my umbrella and a pack cover, with a very lightweight wind jacket. Although everything inside the pack is within lightweight waterproof stuff sacks or drybags, a wet pack can weigh an extra pound or two more from retained water, even with everything dry-sacked inside; hence the pack cover.

This year, I broke down and am also carrying my Packa instead of a pack cover (120 grams more than my pack cover), but that should leave me bombproof if we get caught out on a less traveled route with longer gaps between towns and stiffer winds than the umbrella can handle.

My zip-off/convertible backpacking trousers are sufficient leg protection in all but sub-freezing weather.

I don't worry about blisters from wet shoes and socks (proper fit, correct lacing, quality merino socks, and excellent drainage are all I need; others' mileage may vary) and so I don't worry about rain trousers or gaitors.

 

[rometimed]

Gloves, preferably under-armour and thin.

 

[koilife]

Gloves, preferably under-armour and thin.

That's a great point. I didn't take them last time, although I always do when backpacking in the mountains. I won't make that mistake this summer. Mine are Possumdown/merino; super light and toasty, especially when hiking in the rain with poles.

 

[NualaOC]

We were lucky enough last year (aside from 3 hours !!!!) to have no rain at all during our first Camino. I'm off again June 10th, but expect not to be that lucky again I obviously do have a pack cover and rain jacket. But I've never had rain pants(trousers), gaiters or an umbrella with me. What has worked for you , who have walked in heavy rain, the best ? Right now I'm just thinking of winging it and IF the forecast is heavy rain while I am in SJPP maybe get some pants there. Or in Pamplona if needed.

I typically bring a light waterproof jacket, rain trousers and a backpack cover. If you're lucky with the weather, you could manage without rain trousers. Or, you could do what I do in lighter rain - wear shorts with your rain jacket. Wet legs aren't really a big deal, unless it's very cold. But then again - I'm Irish, so I grew up walking to school in the rain long before fancy gear was invented!

Buen Camino.

 

[Bradypus]

But then again - I'm Irish, so I grew up walking to school in the rain long before fancy gear was invented!

I'm a Scot who lives in Wales. Gets pretty damp here too. I've sometimes wondered if the reason why the Welsh language and Irish and Scottish Gaelic are so hard for English-speakers to master is that they are languages spoken by people who are gradually evolving gills to cope with their climate? Might account for the difference between Gallego and Castellano too

 

[NualaOC]

I'm a Scot who lives in Wales. Gets pretty damp here too. I've sometimes wondered if the reason why the Welsh language and Irish and Scottish Gaelic are so hard for English-speakers to master is that they are languages spoken by people who are gradually evolving gills to cope with their climate? Might account for the difference between Gallego and Castellano too

That's an interesting hypothesis, Bradypus!

 

[tpmchugh]

We were lucky enough last year (aside from 3 hours !!!!) to have no rain at all during our first Camino. I'm off again June 10th, but expect not to be that lucky again I obviously do have a pack cover and rain jacket. But I've never had rain pants(trousers), gaiters or an umbrella with me. What has worked for you , who have walked in heavy rain, the best ? Right now I'm just thinking of winging it and IF the forecast is heavy rain while I am in SJPP maybe get some pants there. Or in Pamplona if needed.

I met a guy who had a huge umbrella that clipped onto the shoulder strap of his rucksack. We laughed at him. The laugh was on me. It started to rain on the way to Navarette and while I struggled to get my raingear on, he flicked up his umbrella and walked on leaving me wishing I could get under the brolly too

 

[aliwalks]

We were lucky enough last year (aside from 3 hours !!!!) to have no rain at all during our first Camino. I'm off again June 10th, but expect not to be that lucky again I obviously do have a pack cover and rain jacket. But I've never had rain pants(trousers), gaiters or an umbrella with me. What has worked for you , who have walked in heavy rain, the best ? Right now I'm just thinking of winging it and IF the forecast is heavy rain while I am in SJPP maybe get some pants there. Or in Pamplona if needed.

I had three solid days of rain used my zip off pants was lucky one night could do laundry!

 

[Silverton]

I really wonder: IS there a solution to this question? I have always been an Altus poncho-fan, but I'm home 12 days after a wet fortnight along the CF, and I admit I'm having doubts. Maybe my Altus has worn out after ten years?? A mere five kilometers up from La Faba to O Cebreiro, on 16 April, and I was drenched to the skin. It took nearly two hours in the bar (very little heat because they were getting a huge delivery of logs that obliterated view or effect from the fireplace/stove) before I could cope with proceeding to Fonfría. Shall I convert to the jacket brigade--but won't wet backpack straps soak into the bag? Although I get very wet from condensation etc, my poncho has never left any of my backpack contents wet.) I have rain trousers, and a tiny umbrella for city-use, but after reading other threads here, I'm seriously doubting that there's a definitive answer, except to walk in a different season, and perhaps NOT in Galicia?? And I love to walk in the spring. Hmm. I guess, like Fagin, I'll have to think it out again!

 

[naplesdon]

Waterproof cover for my pack if it looks like rain, poncho over me and my pack if it starts to do more than drizzle.

 

[obinjatoo]

Rain Jacket and rain pants. Instead of a pack cover, I put a heavy duty trash can liner inside my pack. Pack covers have not been very useful to me. They are heavy and don't work so well. In the kinds of heavy, continuous rains day after day that I experienced while walking in Galicia there is NOTHING that will keep you dry. When I arrived in Santiago, I was soaked through inside and out. My shoes had a half inch of water in them and my back pack had collected about 3 inches of water. But my clothing and sleeping bag inside the trash bag IN the pack were dry. I'm glad it wasn't as cold as it could have been that time of year. Hypothermia could have been a real problem.
Buen Camino

 

[GreatDane]

Walked in rain and drizzle for days this month (though I seemed to stay a day ahead of the worst of it). Goretx jacket on top, Macabi skirt on the bottom (DWR finish), pack liner in pack. Brought along gaiters in case the mud was gumbo but never had to wear them. Stayed 100% dry.

 

[MTtoCamino]

To give some advice at the beginning of every journey with used rain gear I use a tube of silicone from my tent fly company to cover every seam on my rain coat after washing it & then a gortex spray recommended by the coat manufacture. Over years of use you will wear out the taped seams & loose water repelency. For rubber ponchos they develop pin holes. Hold them up to light in a door with no lights on at your back. It will amaze you.

 

[NorthernLight]

I use one of those flimsy emergency ponchos and have a pack cover. I've never had my bag contents get wet. I'm careful putting the poncho on and off so it doesn't tear, and it's been incredibly durable, and it fits over me and the bag.

My arms get wet, my legs get wet, but I stay essentially dry.

Times when I've also had a jacket under the poncho, my body sweats too much and I'm drenched.

 

[trecile]

I met a guy who had a huge umbrella that clipped onto the shoulder strap of his rucksack. We laughed at him. The laugh was on me. It started to rain on the way to Navarette and while I struggled to get my raingear on, he flicked up his umbrella and walked on leaving me wishing I could get under the brolly too

I plan on a hands free umbrella for both rain and sun protection.

Gloves, preferably under-armour and thin.

Even though it should be pretty warm when I walk in late August through September, I think that I will take a pair of gloves too. I was just reminded of how cold your hands can get when it's raining, even though it's not very cold. I went on a hike the other day up a small mountain near my house. On my ascent I got hot, so I was just wearing a thin t shirt and leggings. Minutes after I reached the top and took a picture it started to rain, then hail, then the wind blew (typical Oregon spring weather). I put on my fleece and windbreaker and opened up my umbrella, so I kept fairly dry and warm -but my fingers were freezing!

 

[kmrice]

I use one of those flimsy emergency ponchos and have a pack cover. I've never had my bag contents get wet.

Worst equipment failure of my life was when I packed emergency ponchos on our first Camino; I'm not sure my family has completely forgiven me! Ran into howling winds and horizontal rain about three hours into our first day. The light weight ponchos lasted about fifteen seconds before the wind tore them off. We were soaked and freezing, and began showing signs of hypothermia. Fortunately, lovely Spanish family took us in, warmed us up, and sheltered us until the rain stopped.

It's Packas and rain trousers for us now. The Packas have huge vents and build up condensation much less than normal ponchos. We only use the rain pants when it is really wet, or for warmth if it is really cold. Our packs and gear stay nicely dry in the sort of pouch built into the Packa.

 

[Wokabaut_Meri]

1. Goretex rain jacket morphed over the years into eVent fabric with underarm zips for ventilation
2. Cuban fibre pack cover, light but amazingly strong and, more importantly, waterproof
3. a combination of 1&2 for either light showers or as an extra for torrential conditions - an Outdoor Research Pack Hoody which is a pack cover with an integrated hood that also covers your shoulders. Stops the water seeping between your back and backpack and saturating the padding. There are other such developing combinations (not ponchos) on the market but nothing that I've trialled that I like enough to keep. The Packa comes really close though and Aarn have the WaterWizard in development.
4. Hydro/Dry AWP Sprayway Rainpants 2 layer laminate with fully sealed seams. They are really warm in the snow as well and have knee high leg zips so that they can be quickly put on over boots. Super comfy to wear and quiet as well.
5. Didn't/wouldn't take gaiters on the Camino and only use them in snow or the infamous boot eating mud of south west Tasmania.

We were also fortunate last years to only have 1 serious day of rain out of 44 on our Camino.

 

[MTtoCamino]

1. Goretex rain jacket morphed over the years into eVent fabric with underarm zips for ventilation
2. Cuban fibre pack cover, light but amazingly strong and, more importantly, waterproof
3. a combination of 1&2 for either light showers or as an extra for torrential conditions - an Outdoor Research Pack Hoody which is a pack cover with an integrated hood that also covers your shoulders. Stops the water seeping between your back and backpack and saturating the padding. There are other such developing combinations (not ponchos) on the market but nothing that I've trialled that I like enough to keep. The Packa comes really close though and Aarn have the WaterWizard in development.
4. Hydro/Dry AWP Sprayway Rainpants 2 layer laminate with fully sealed seams. They are really warm in the snow as well and have knee high leg zips so that they can be quickly put on over boots. Super comfy to wear and quiet as well.
5. Didn't/wouldn't take gaiters on the Camino and only use them in snow or the infamous boot eating mud of south west Tasmania.

We were also fortunate last years to only have 1 serious day of rain out of 44 on our Camino.

There is a new startup in Britan that is making very nice event Ponchos that cover the pack. Search "Event" Just $$$

 

[Jeff Johnston]

That's a great point. I didn't take them last time, although I always do when backpacking in the mountains. I won't make that mistake this summer. Mine are Possumdown/merino; super light and toasty, especially when hiking in the rain with poles.

Are the Possumdown/Marino gloves waterproof or just warm even wen wet? Thanks.

 

[koilife]

Warm when wet. That are somewhat water resistant, definitely not watetproof.

 

[Camino2010]

I really wonder: IS there a solution to this question? I have always been an Altus poncho-fan, but I'm home 12 days after a wet fortnight along the CF, and I admit I'm having doubts. Maybe my Altus has worn out after ten years?? A mere five kilometers up from La Faba to O Cebreiro, on 16 April, and I was drenched to the skin. It took nearly two hours in the bar (very little heat because they were getting a huge delivery of logs that obliterated view or effect from the fireplace/stove) before I could cope with proceeding to Fonfría. Shall I convert to the jacket brigade--but won't wet backpack straps soak into the bag? Although I get very wet from condensation etc, my poncho has never left any of my backpack contents wet.) I have rain trousers, and a tiny umbrella for city-use, but after reading other threads here, I'm seriously doubting that there's a definitive answer, except to walk in a different season, and perhaps NOT in Galicia?? And I love to walk in the spring. Hmm. I guess, like Fagin, I'll have to think it out again!

Had you ever washed your Altus before? I looked at the label of mine a few days ago and saw that it's hand-washable but I don't know if I want to take the chance. I decided to hold off for now. I've had my Altus for almost 6 years and it's still going strong. I'd be delighted if I could get 10 years out of it! But perhaps it's not meant to last forever? I bought a different brand of rain jacket on my first Camino in 2010 (in addition to my Altus it was meant mostly for warmth and as a windbreaker because it was October and I found that just my fleece wasn't warm enough on chilly evenings and mornings). I loved that jacket and wore it all over the place but finally last October after 5 years I threw it away because the waterproof lining had rotted.

If and when my Altus fails me, I'll look to buy another. I wouldn't want to be without one on the Camino! Like you, even in a downpour, and when there's condensation inside (which doesn't always happen with it), my Altus has never let my backpack or what's inside it get wet. I appreciate that greatly!

C'mon Rain!!!!

Rachel

 

[Lance Chambers]

I learned a long time ago that skin is water-proof and that has dictated the rain gear I use. I make sure that I wear clothes that will dry rapidly. I do NOT wear rain gear unless it is cold. I see so many people struggling with their gear, so many sweating and cursing because they get so hot under it all.

I find most often that I dry off very quickly when the rain stops - if it stops and if it doesn't I can most often get it all dry at the next stop and if I can't I get back into wet gear the next morning and it then dries as I warm up.

Also good rain gear is often quite bulking or if it's not it doesn't breathe and you end up stiflingly hot.

 

[domigee]

Tell us how the umbrella goes, it's the one thing I have not tried. I have tried ponchos, waterproof coat and trousers, directional clothing( the direction seems to be towards my body) and so on, the result is the same I get wet one way or another.

Training walk in heavy rain today (not on the Camino) trying out my umbrella ... It worked, backpack remained dry
Long trousers were a bad idea though, sticking to shorts or macabi skirt in future.

 

[spursfan]

I certainly agree with Lance that there's no problem, at least in the May-Sep times that I walk in, wearing shorts and indeed trail running shoes and just wating for them to dry pretty quickly merely from the warmth of the sun/one's feet

Though I do find it difficult to justify the poncho/rain cover for pack/gaiters setup that many on the forum advocate - I rely on just a ultra-light waterproof (that does allow some condensation) or my proper Goretex pac-lite jacket if the weather forecast promised prolonged rain

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Euroschrim treking umbrella with silver outer shell: allows you to still use your poles, or walk hands free, walk condensatinfree with an Altus on as it allows you to keep it open.

Also, Double Diamond Duvet, instead of a sleeping bag, with a few homemade custom features.

Hanging toilettey kit.

Electrolyte tablets.

Iphone, to know there are no emergencies back home andtake a few pics here and there. The more I walk the fewer pics, but still love the few I take.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Euroschrim treking umbrella with silver outer shell: allows you to still use your poles, or walk hands free, walk condensatinfree with an Altus on as it allows you to keep it open.

Also, Double Diamond Duvet, instead of a sleeping bag, with a few homemade custom features.

Hanging toilettey kit.

Electrolyte tablets.

Iphone, to know there are no emergencies back home andtake a few pics here and there. The more I walk the fewer pics, but still love the few I take.