Starting a hike in late summer in southern Europe and then hiking north as autumn gets going, I expect to encounter a variety of weather conditions. In the early days, I’ll be encountering overnight lows that will be higher than daytime highs by the end. For this reason, layering will be a key to staying warm on cool mornings while being able to quickly shed layers as the sun heats things up.
I also expect to encounter a fair amount of rain. While September is normally fairly dry in southern Portugal, but by the time I reach northern Spain, they average 17 days of measurable rain in October.
Extra wear dry bag with fleece, running shorts, compression leggings and long hiking pants.
To keep me warm and dry, I will be taking:
A hat – I’ve picked up a Columbia Sportswear sun hat. It looks like a baseball cap but has flaps that can drop down to protect your neck, ears and even cheeks.
Sun shirt – I have a Mountain Hardwear sun hoody with built in SPF 50 sun protection. On cold mornings, it even has thumb holes so you can wear it over your hands. It also includes a hood to give me another layer of warmth or sun protection.
Rain jacket – Mountain Hardwear strikes again with their 3-layer rain jacket. This should protect me from all but the most torrential rains and if they come, I’ll wait them out indoors or under a tree.
Leggings – I’m slightly on the fence as to if these will make the final cut, but right now I have a pair of Nike Pro Combat leggings in my kit. These can be worn under pants as a base layer or as pajama bottoms on cold nights.
Running Shorts – I’ve also tossed in a pair of Nike running shorts that can serve as something to wear while doing laundry. They can also double as a swimsuit if I need one.
Let’s start by pointing out that the Camino is not a fashion show. Most hikers carry a very limited wardrobe and so hopefully you like the clothes you take because you’ll be wearing them OFTEN. My packing list – including the clothes on my body – will include:
3 pair socks (51 grams each)
2 pair boxer briefs (84 grams each)
2 handkerchiefs (14 grams each)
2 T-shirts (14 grams each)
1 long sleeve shirt (158 grams)
1 UV Hoodie (223 grams)
1 pair shorts (210 grams)
1 pair long pants (380 grams)
1 pair trail runners (675 grams)
1 pair sandals (413 grams)
My 10L dry bag with long and short sleeve merino wool shirts; bamboo briefs; sun shirt, two pair of socks & handkerchief
A quick word about fabrics: I’m not a big fan of the class of fabrics called “technical.” To me, they are just a fancy way of saying polyester and I still have PTSD from my high school yearbook photo and that brown polyester leisure suit with the floral shirt. I really don’t care if it’s a little lighter and dries quicker. When I wear technical fabrics – especially next to my body – it doesn’t take long for me to stink.
Instead, I like natural fibers like merino wool and bamboo. Not cotton folks – it holds moisture and takes too long to dry. And if you get caught in a cold rain storm, it can contribute to hypothermia.
I absolutely LOVE merino wool. It’s super soft, dries quickly and is naturally anti-microbial. I’ve been told that its fibers are so fine, that the bacteria can’t hold on. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I do know that I can take off a sweaty merino t-shirt after a long hike and it doesn’t stink. Both of my t-shirts and the long-sleeve shirt are merino and made by Quince.
On a trip to SE Asia a few years ago, I discovered Bamboo Cool brand boxer briefs and they are my go-to for underwear. They have similar properties to merino in terms of both quick dry and being anti-microbial.
I plan to hike in shorts most days if the temperature stays above 10 degrees (50 Fahrenheit). My go-to shorts are Columbia Sportswear Silver Ridge Utility Cargo Shorts. Not only are they comfy, but they are super lightweight at only 210 grams, very quick drying and offer SPF 40 protection. Since there is limited direct skin contact, I’m not bothered by the fact they are made of 100% recycled polyester. For colder days, I’ll be carrying a pair of Kuhl Renegade Recon hiking pants. More polyester, but I’ll live. I like everything about these pants except for the tapered legs that tend to get stuck going over my calves.
For brisk mornings, or when I feel the need for extra sun protection, I’ll be packing a Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Hoody. It offers UPF 50 sun protection and has thumb holes so that you can have the backs of your hands protected from sun or cold.
When you are going to be taking close to a million steps, it’s important to take good care of your feet. I will be hiking in Brooks Cascadia 18 trail runners. I was fitted for a pair of these in January and really like them. I now own three pair and trade off between two for my training hikes and will take the third pair out of the box at the end of August. At the suggestion of a friend in my MeetUp hiking group with multiple Caminos completed, I am currently testing SOLE cork inserts. I’m not 100% sold on these, as they are a little thicker than my original inserts and make my feet feel a little crowded by the end of a long hike, I’m going to relace my shoes and will test them on an upcoming 15-miler to see if that solves the issue.
When it comes to socks, I have become an absolute disciple of Darn Tough. I probably have close to 30 pair and haven’t worn anything else for at least 5 years. For this trip, I’ll be taking three pair of the Hiker Quarter Midweight. The midweight balances cushion with not having so much fabric that your foot gets tight in your shoe as they swell. They are merino wool and have a lifetime guarantee.
The last item in my daily wear list is my Columbia Sportswear Thrive Revive slides. These sandals will be what I slip into the minute I hit the alberge. They have little knobs on the foot pad which act like tiny massagers. The are very lightweight and are made of plastic, so I can wear them into the shower to avoid whatever gross fungi may be lurking on the shower floor.
There are dozens (more likely hundreds) of resources on the web for what you should pack for a Camino pilgrimage. So why am I doing another? Well, because what you bring is very personal and while I’ve seen lots of good advice, I haven’t yet seen a packing list that matches exactly what I intend to take along. My objective isn’t to tell you what to bring, but rather what I chose to take and why and the corollary of what I decided to leave behind.
There is an adage that we pack our fears. We take along things we MIGHT need, as opposed to the essentials. On a Camino hike – unlike a wilderness thru-hike – you are passing through towns daily. So rather than bring along a bunch of “just in case” items, the objective is to stick to the things you know you’ll need and make purchases along the way as needed.
The general rule for Camino hikers is to carry no more than 10% of your body weight – excluding water and snacks. For me, that translates to 7.8 kilograms. I hope to come in under that number so my total pack weight with water will be under that number.
I will cover my packing list in a series of entries covering the following topics.
Daily wear
Outer wear/layers
Pack and related items
Electronics
Toiletries
Sleeping
Miscellaneous
Full disclosure: I live a few miles from the Columbia Sportswear headquarters, and their employee store has free access for seniors every Tuesday. You’ll see a lot of Columbia and Mountain Hardwear gear on my list because I can purchase it deeply discounted. That said, I think their products are fantastic and would not buy them simply because they were cheap. I just consider myself lucky to be getting great gear for a great price.
More disclosure: while I didn’t set out to monetize this site, I have registered as an Amazon associate and if you click on a link on one of my posts and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission.
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