Which bit of kit failed?

[David]

Hi. We read a lot of positive comments about favourite bits of kit ... the best rucksack, poles and so on.
I was wondering about the opposite - which piece of kit wasn't up to the job? Or was good but had a particular drawback ...

for example - I wear Merell trek sandals (Kahunas?).
These are seriously great sandals with a stone-proof sole and great grip but have two problems. The synthetic footbed leads to them, and my feet, smelling terribly - need to be washed every night, and the velcro fastenings fail after a while, they come unstitched from the leather.

(This is easily repairable with that 'one drop' instant glue - the one that sticks your fingers to your sandals if you aren't careful, which happened to me the first time I used it ).

I use an Altus Poncho, which is absolutely brilliant - but, my, don't your arms sweat if you walk fast!!! :shock:
(I sometimes wear it with my arms inside the main body, not using the sleeves - but this is tricky if using a pole :| ).

That's it really - was just wondering what negatives you may have found with a vaunted piece of kit ...

 

[jeff001]

David: Someone suggested that rubbing your feet with disinfectant hand cleaner in the morning would help with the smelly feet/socks/shoes problem and I found it to be very effective.

In my experience, even worse than a poncho is a Gore-Tex rain jacket. No amount of breathability can keep it from becoming terribly overheating unless you are just standing around.

 

[annelise]

Well, my two cents contribution to this post would be gaiters – quite expensive they were, but I had caught from posts in this forum that they would be essential.

I know that many swear by them, but I discarded them already on my first night in Roncesvalles. Too much weight. I never missed them (walked May 2011). So this may not exactly be about failing.

I was in a severe rain and thunderstorm for several hours (walking the several km's towards Los Arcos) with overflows on the paths – like wading - coming towards me or from behind depending on the slant of the path. Gaiters would no way have helped me here.

And whenever over the of hours 'wading', I saw a lightening hit the ground, I said to myself: Ok, you saw it, so you have not been hit!

 

[ria]

Hi,
nice topic!
Being the kind of ultralight backpacker that weighs everything before it gets a place in the pack, i usually don't bring any stuff that has not proven its functionality already. But every now & then you need something new, & that might work out a bit different than one expects
So this year I had inconveniences with:
- also my new gaiters. these are very ultralight short ones, just to keep the rain out of the shoes. But somehow they did not really match with my terrific new salomon shoes. all the time the elastic would flip off the shoe, and in this way directing the rain straight into the shoe.
- Pico, my solar panel. also very light and i thought it would be comfortable to have spare energy during walking (i carry a garmin that measures distances, but is meant for running, so it needs to be recharged after 25 kms, and i have a telephone and an i-pod too). but: it did hardly charge. I was walking from Valencia in the hot burning sun, and after every day of walking it had only a tiny bit of energy gathered. So after a while i used it mainly as a battery, and load it in the evenings in the albergue. but i'm still very fond of Pico, and i still like the idea of having the solar panel. just have to find a better one. does anyone know a good small one?
- icebreaker shirts. These actually weigh quite a lot in comparison with the synthetic stinky ones i usually wear, but since i met a lot of people last year who were very enthusiastic about the merino fabric i decided to buy two icebreakers shirts and a pair of socks. after a week i already knew these were not going to be my favorite shirts or socks, because i just don't like the woolly feeling on the skin, and they take hours to dry. but: too expensive to throw away, so i had to send them home.
- my garmin, during running always my loyal friend, broke down after 1500 kms. i think it was just a bit too much for him... He's still not feeling well.
- a bit off topic: hat/sunglasses. i keep losing hats and sunglasses on caminos. the hats because i prefer the straw ones, that hang somewhere on the pack if not on the head; i leave them in albergues, on terraces, and they were blown away by the wind. fortunately you can buy these on caminos for 2 euro's. the sunglasses - if not get lost - break. i buy these in the asian shops, which are really great places for pilgrims in need of something
ria

 

[Abbeydore]

"- icebreaker shirts. These actually weigh quite a lot in comparison with the synthetic stinky ones i usually wear, but since i met a lot of people last year who were very enthusiastic about the merino fabric i decided to buy two icebreakers shirts and a pair of socks. after a week i already knew these were not going to be my favorite shirts or socks, because i just don't like the woolly feeling on the skin, and they take hours to dry. but: too expensive to throw away, so i had to send them home."

Oh dear Ria, this is sad, I can only think you got too heavier weight tops & possibly socks; my thin tops are like 'silk' and dry real quick. My thicker ones well if they get wet yep they stay wet. This is all I'm taking April 1st start, am I the fool :lol:

 

[Kitsambler]

The French cell phone (and its charger) which I had SIM-med last September, apparently expired over the intervening 11 months. I was too cheap to buy a new SIM (this is a price-gouging scheme used by the French telephone companies, well known to all except us Yanks, I guess). I was also too cheap to throw the useless brick away, so I lugged it for 3 weeks across France.

Ugh.

Turns out I got along just fine without it; the Tourism Offices and the Gite-du-jour were quite good about calling ahead for me. So I just used the iphone for calling home.

 

[camino-david]

Hi all,
I finished my Caminos one week ago, and have now walked the Aragonnes and the Frances twice plus part of the Arles Camino so I think I have some experience. In my opinion someone who carries an i-pod, a GPS, a solar panel and a cell phone is not an ultra light walker. You do not need them and they are luxouries. Take only absolute necessities.
I cannot understand the comments about Icebreaker not drying, as I took 2 T shirts 200, and they always dried overnight. I hang them from the bunk above with nappy pins. Icebreaker are fantastic, cool in hot weather, warm in cold weather (I walked down from O Cebreiro in a snow blizzard in my Icebreaker T shirt and waterproof jacket and was warm enough), do not stink, and are lighter than cotton. Camino.David

 

[Abbeydore]

Hi all,
I finished my Caminos one week ago, and have now walked the Aragonnes and the Frances twice plus part of the Arles Camino so I think I have some experience. In my opinion someone who carries an i-pod, a GPS, a solar panel and a cell phone is not an ultra light walker. You do not need them and they are luxouries. Take only absolute necessities.
I cannot understand the comments about Icebreaker not drying, as I took 2 T shirts 200, and they always dried overnight. I hang them from the bunk above with nappy pins. Icebreaker are fantastic, cool in hot weather, warm in cold weather (I walked down from O Cebreiro in a snow blizzard in my Icebreaker T shirt and waterproof jacket and was warm enough), do not stink, and are lighter than cotton. Camino.David

David,

Thank you, yes icebreaker is all i'm taking, & a sketch book, that's it. Been wearing 'I' for over 10yrs!
David

 

[mikevasey]

"- icebreaker shirts. These actually weigh quite a lot in comparison with the synthetic stinky ones i usually wear, but since i met a lot of people last year who were very enthusiastic about the merino fabric i decided to buy two icebreakers shirts and a pair of socks. after a week i already knew these were not going to be my favorite shirts or socks, because i just don't like the woolly feeling on the skin, and they take hours to dry.

I have to wear the ultrafine ones they feel prickly on my skin otherwise. I took synthetic ones on my last camino, after 5 days the smell was driving me up the wall, no amount of handwashing could get the smell down to non toxic level, so I be going back to merino wool.

 

[ria]

hi,
together with all my 'luxuries' i had 4,5 kilo this year (without water).
and sorry, i really don't like the icebreaker stuff (not even what they call 'ultralight').
& oh yes, i did norte, primitivo, plata, levante, salvador, ingles, portugues... so have a little experience too
ria

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The GoLite pack waist buckle deformed and would not latch properly. I replaced it at Sarria, though the otherwise well-stocked store at the bottom of the stairs was out of the correct size. The small size worked just fine. I think only a shoe lace is more critical than the waist band!

 

[annelise]

Icebreaker - I am also a great supporter of the Icebreaker T-shirts. I do not understand the comments about long drying time? Never saw this as a problem – but maybe I was lucky in walking when there was not bad weather. When returning from the Camino, I saw them on a sale and went to buy an extra two for my hopefully next camino. (Yes, after camino-washings, my original ones were no longer looking 'up-to-par!)

 

[johnBCCanada]

What failed? my ankle

john

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

In December 2010 I walked Sarria to SdC. I'd decided not to take my Tevas for such a short trip, but found that my trusty boots gave me some grief.

Bought Nike walking sandals at Melide for 50€. Only after a couple of hours did I realise that the main strap just behind the toe area was undone. While the sandals didn't come off or rub, the strap wasn't long enough to remain fastened.

It doesn't help that I have broad feet. I might try to see if a cobbler can do something about it because otherwise they are a nice sandal and at 50€ too expensive to throw away.

 

[+@^^]

in 40 deg C
10 kays from Guillena
on the vdlp
in mid Sept
on my first day on the camino
.
i had bought this neat piece if tech
which measured the amount of water consumed
how much was left in the reservois
Camelbak Flowmeter
brilliant
only 10 kays and 2.4 litres of water left
wonderful thank god ive got a 3 litre water reservois
.
thats when i first heard the death rattle
the sound of no water left
.
malfunction of note = wrong reading - you now have zero water left
.
i remember clutching at the 3 metre high fence that separated me from the farmers sprinkler system
which sprayed water in generous circles
everywhere but not close enough to catch water in my pleading cupped hands

 

[Camino2010]

Hola, David and Annelise! I have come to love my Icebreaker clothing. I am so happy that I took a chance on it before my first Camino in 2010 (because of enthusiastic posts I read about it here on the forum)! But it did "fail" on me in 2010 when it came to getting it dry. David, I have a couple of 200-weight long-sleeved shirts and towards the end of the Camino in October it was more and more difficult to get them dry (also at the beginning of the walk, from Roncesvalles to Pamplona when it was rainy or overcast every day).

I discovered that if I walked longer and got to an albergue in late afternoon, they wouldn't have time to hang to dry outside (or inside overnight either). Happily, because they are so smell-free I was more than once able to just skip a day of washing them. Simply hanging them to air out was enough to freshen them up for the next day.

For my second Camino last year, I still took the Icebreaker but instead of two long-sleeved shirts I took one long-sleeved and two t-shirts. Much better! I lived in the t-shirts until I was across the Meseta and mid-October hit with chilly temperatures. I made sure I washed the Icebreaker stuff as soon as I could after arriving at the albergue, and I went back to the clothes line or drying rack at least a couple of times to squeeze out more water if I could. It's a bit touchy to have Icebreaker in the autumn or winter when there's less sun heat and intensity for drying wool, but worth it to me for the benefits!

If only my brain hadn't failed and I'd remembered to bring my favourite Icebreaker t-shirt from the albergue in Palas de Rei where I left it!!!

Mm, I did have one unexpected failure. The outer part of my plug adaptor was made of hard plastic and the glue holding it together came apart so that the adaptor kept getting stuck in outlets. I got zapped trying to get it out the first time! Luckily that was during my last few days in Spain so no huge inconvenience by then, but next time I'll choose a better quality adaptor.

Rachel

 

[fraluchi]

My iPod touch invariably failed when there was no WiFi available. Not very often though!

 

[antelope]

For my second Camino last year, I still took the Icebreaker but instead of two long-sleeved shirts I took one long-sleeved and two t-shirts. Much better! I lived in the t-shirts until I was across the Meseta and mid-October hit with chilly temperatures. I made sure I washed the Icebreaker stuff as soon as I could after arriving at the albergue, and I went back to the clothes line or drying rack at least a couple of times to squeeze out more water if I could. It's a bit touchy to have Icebreaker in the autumn or winter when there's less sun heat and intensity for drying wool, but worth it to me for the benefits!

Rachel

When you guys say 'T shirt', are you talking about using them as a base layers under a shirt or fleece? Or as outer wear T shirts, so presumably your only layer? [They're a bit tight for the latter where I'm concerned - cuddly tum!]

 

[Abbeydore]

My boots with 3 weeks to go :roll: , replaced & ready to go again, wearing new boots constantly :lol: , no charge either after 4 months use!

 

[jirit]

My boots from MEC - Vasque Breeze GORE‑TEX XCR Day Hiking Boots

But this was excusable. I had already walked 1,000 km on the Via Francigena in Italy in these boots over some tough terrain. They later failed while I was walking the Jakobsweg in Austria. Basically the sole of each boot started to break away. I barely managed to finished the walk (roughly 440 km that time - Salzburg to Switzerland)

However the uppers were still good, so I had them resoled with new Vibram soles and returned to the Camino Frances once again this past Spring and walked another nearly 900 km to the coast from Saint Jean PdP to Finisterre.

I am planning to reuse them again (after I resole them once more) on the Chemin d'Puy route this Spring, do my best to get another 650 km out of them. God willing that this.

Regards

 

[Fritz]

+1 @ria on hats. I lost two, of my own doing, I can't blame the hats.

 

[domigee]

My first rucksack I bought from Lidl, because it was cheap and I was SOOOOO sure I would never use a rucksack again
My walking companions referred to it as my 'school satchel'... Took me from StJean to Muxia though but admittedly, not terribly comfortably. Only reason I made it was that it was very light.

 

[domigee]

+1 @ria on hats. I lost two, of my own doing, I can't blame the hats.

Blame the hats! They have a life of their own!

 

[Magwood]

A very small (and very cheap) wind up torch was next to useless, minutes of manic winding for seconds of dim light! I also took a mifi unit which worked perfectly for me in Spain, but refused to function at all with a portuguese sim. Everything else served its purpose well.

 

[KinkyOne]

Columbia boots on my last Camino. Not up to the task, the outer sole on the heels area almost gone completely...

 

[SYates]

I carried a tablet + blue tooth keyboard but it wasn't really comfortable to write on. Next time I just carry a smart phone or *gasp* a light weight laptop on a long camino. SY

 

[Mark Lee]

My freaking knees.....
Should have bought the extended warranty.

Seriously though, none of the equipment I used on either CF showed any real wear and tear upon arriving in Santiago. Even the hiking shoes. After a good washing both sets of Merrells used looked as though they could easily do another CF.

 

[jeffnd]

My power converter. After a week and a half, it just refused to stay properly seated the outlets. I would either have to prop it up somehow or put weight on top of it to make the connection so I could charge my stuff.

My camera bag. One of the plastic swivels that connects to the strap broke, so I had to replace it with a small carabiner.

 

[miguel_gp]

I walked the Camino Portugues from Valenca do Minho in 2013. I caught the bus from Santiago to Valenca in order to start the walk back to O Porrino that day.

Upon arrival in Valenca, I retrieved my Berghaus rucksack (only on it's 3rd Camino outing) from underneath the bus and as I lifted it the shoulder strap stitching at the bottom of the pack gave way and ripped completely out. So having not stepped a foot on the trail I was left with a rather large and heavy handbag.

Fortunately one of my walking companions had a canvas belt with him and I managed to fashion a harness to join the strap back to the pack. It took the best part of three days walking to refine the strap so that it didn't keep loosening off, putting the pack into imbalance and cause pain and havoc to my back. However I eventually worked out a decent set up and the final 3 days were almost normal.

My local shoe repair shop re-stitched the shoulder strap for a fiver and it has been fine ever since!

 

[Mark Lee]

I walked the Camino Portugues from Valenca do Minho in 2013. I caught the bus from Santiago to Valenca in order to start the walk back to O Porrino that day.

Upon arrival in Valenca, I retrieved my Berghaus rucksack (only on it's 3rd Camino outing) from underneath the bus and as I lifted it the shoulder strap stitching at the bottom of the pack gave way and ripped completely out. So having not stepped a foot on the trail I was left with a rather large and heavy handbag.

Fortunately one of my walking companions had a canvas belt with him and I managed to fashion a harness to join the strap back to the pack. It took the best part of three days walking to refine the strap so that it didn't keep loosening off, putting the pack into imbalance and cause pain and havoc to my back. However I eventually worked out a decent set up and the final 3 days were almost normal.

My local shoe repair shop re-stitched the shoulder strap for a fiver and it has been fine ever since!

May be a good lesson there to future pilgrims. Give your kit a thorough inspection at home prior to your walk.

 

[artangel2015]

Well, my two cents contribution to this post would be gaiters – quite expensive they were, but I had caught from posts in this forum that they would be essential.

I know that many swear by them, but I discarded them already on my first night in Roncesvalles. Too much weight. I never missed them (walked May 2011). So this may not exactly be about failing.

I was in a severe rain and thunderstorm for several hours (walking the several km's towards Los Arcos) with overflows on the paths – like wading - coming towards me or from behind depending on the slant of the path. Gaiters would no way have helped me here.

And whenever over the of hours 'wading', I saw a lightening hit the ground, I said to myself: Ok, you saw it, so you have not been hit!

Hi Annelise... I'm planning to walk in may/june this year and wondered what the weather might be like then. Can you offer some insights to me?
Thanks,
Laura

 

[annelise]

Hi Annelise... I'm planning to walk in may/june this year and wondered what the weather might be like then. Can you offer some insights to me?
Thanks,
Laura

Laura, It is very difficult to predict the weather, even in the same months from one year to another.

All I can say is that when I walked (from early May 2012), I was fortunate in the weather keeping mostly dry. A bit coolish in the mornings where I needed to wear my fleece, but that would generally come off around 9ish, 10ish from which time I would walk with bare arms. Also mostly needed my fleece when outdoors in the evenings.

But others have experienced rather bad weather in May, lots of rains. - So definitely bring rain protection gear.

As for gaiters, you might wish to just choose to have a couple of plastic bags handy which with a couple of elastics would serve just as well to prevent rain from coming down the top of your boots - no weight and much cheaper.

Best, annelise

 

[Al the optimist]

Last year the idiot standing in the shoes failed at Oviedo! Seriously though I have been fortunate. Nothing has failed except a pair of liner socks that failed to be around when I took my washing off a line once. Guess that's why I am an optimist, I'm just so lucky. BTW that's apart from poles that failed to get through SDC security!

 

[wayfarer]

That's it really - was just wondering what negatives you may have found with a vaunted piece of kit ...

The old ticker in 2014 David, but I got it repaired and its working fine now TG.

 

[Al the optimist]

It was a poor excuse to not climb the Col de Lepoeder though Pat.

 

[Paschulke]

Must have been my fleece jacket. I wasn't really prepared for 2 degrees in may so I put this on cycling. Since this isn't really functional wear I ended up sweating up the hill, then went down the hill at above mentioned temperature and caught a really bad bronchitis. Goretex & co all the way next time (or layering underwear).

 

[hecate105]

TWO bike stands. Two sets of panniers purchased from Ebay for £10 total - no surprise that they gave out and had to be regularly patched up with the wonderfully useful cable ties. When my bike fell over (again!) and broke my seed sprouter I'm ashamed to say I cried... I cried even more when I broke my hipflask. By the time I got back to the UK I had broken my back wheel, which my husband said served me right for careering down kerbs thoughtlessly. The huge wicker basket I carried on the rear (for the food) was still in one piece - but infested with earwigs, uugghhh!!!
But I failed to break my marriage or my sense of humour - so that's all right then...

 

[artangel2015]

Laura, It is very difficult to predict the weather, even in the same months from one year to another.

All I can say is that when I walked (from early May 2012), I was fortunate in the weather keeping mostly dry. A bit coolish in the mornings where I needed to wear my fleece, but that would generally come off around 9ish, 10ish from which time I would walk with bare arms. Also mostly needed my fleece when outdoors in the evenings.

But others have experienced rather bad weather in May, lots of rains. - So definitely bring rain protection gear.

As for gaiters, you might wish to just choose to have a couple of plastic bags handy which with a couple of elastics would serve just as well to prevent rain from coming down the top of your boots - no weight and much cheaper.

Best, annelise

Thank you so much annelise, you've been a great help,
laura

 

[Fritz]

Hi, sorry to double post on this, but I remembered something that may be helpful. As a last minute item - without much thought, I packed a leather dress belt -- even though my pants fit snug. Between rain and sweat, the color bled from the belt on my clothes -- which ruined my chances of being named "best dressed pilgrim" So a nylon or more traditional camping belt is a better choice.

And even with al; the wonderful Spanish meals, I managed to loose weight on the camino. By Leon, the belt was helpful, but Santiago, it was absolutely necessary!

 

[hsabs]

Hi. We read a lot of positive comments about favourite bits of kit ... the best rucksack, poles and so on.
I was wondering about the opposite - which piece of kit wasn't up to the job? Or was good but had a particular drawback ...

for example - I wear Merell trek sandals (Kahunas?).
These are seriously great sandals with a stone-proof sole and great grip but have two problems. The synthetic footbed leads to them, and my feet, smelling terribly - need to be washed every night, and the velcro fastenings fail after a while, they come unstitched from the leather.

(This is easily repairable with that 'one drop' instant glue - the one that sticks your fingers to your sandals if you aren't careful, which happened to me the first time I used it ).

I use an Altus Poncho, which is absolutely brilliant - but, my, don't your arms sweat if you walk fast!!! :shock:
(I sometimes wear it with my arms inside the main body, not using the sleeves - but this is tricky if using a pole :| ).

That's it really - was just wondering what negatives you may have found with a vaunted piece of kit ...

Ice breaker T shirt was great when walking and I would not take anything else. What I wasnt so convinced by was the camelback - heavy when filled with water and I didnt use it as much as I expected. Not a complete fail but carrying a smaller bottle and filling it regularly means less weight in your back. Tastes better too!

 

[Urban Trekker]

My feet the second day of the English camino. Poor fitting boots. No blistets, just painful feet. Same level of pain every day of the camino and for weeks after and lost some toenails. Bought Adidas hiking shoes for the Portuguese camino, what a difference.

 

[Melensdad]

Hi all,
I finished my Caminos one week ago, and have now walked the Aragonnes and the Frances twice plus part of the Arles Camino so I think I have some experience. In my opinion someone who carries an i-pod, a GPS, a solar panel and a cell phone is not an ultra light walker. You do not need them and they are luxouries. Take only absolute necessities.
I cannot understand the comments about Icebreaker not drying, as I took 2 T shirts 200, and they always dried overnight. I hang them from the bunk above with nappy pins. Icebreaker are fantastic, cool in hot weather, warm in cold weather (I walked down from O Cebreiro in a snow blizzard in my Icebreaker T shirt and waterproof jacket and was warm enough), do not stink, and are lighter than cotton. Camino.David

I have not yet walked a Camino, but I regularly wear Merino wool baselayer shirts. I have them from several differnent brands and in 150, 200 and 250 weights. I hike with them regularly and will say that Icebreaker, Stoic, Hagglunds, Ibex and others are all GREAT. No comparison between Merino and cotton or the various polyester tech shirts. Merino keeps you warm when its wet in cold weather. Keeps you comfortable and cool in hot weather. And it does NOT stink like the polyester/nylon/synthetic shirts.