Some ideas for cutting packweight - others who have already walked the camino are welcome to chime in with suggestions. Please, no arguing/defending ones right to walk with a heavy pack, just accept suggestions for what they are - suggestions - from those who have experienced the pain of being overloaded and seek to help others making decisions now. Buen camino. 1) think multifunctional for everything ex. pillowcase can serve as a towel, picnic blanket, bunkbed privacy screen, sunshade dangling from the back of a hat, and extra bootlaces can serve as belt, clothesline and emergency backpack strap/tourniquet 2) a ski hat and thin long underwear bottoms will keep you warm on cold mornings/are more compact than heavy jacket or extra fleece 3) you only need one of certain items like sunglasses, hat and shoelace belt because youll always be wearing it/will notice immediately if its gone 4) two pairs of footwear only, primary trail shoe/boot and walking sandal - no showershoes, wear walking sandals or socks into shower 5) if you want something dressier for evenings (completely not necessary, but some insist), make one of your walking bottoms dark-colored and one of your tshirts black instead of toting separate outfit unsuitable for walking 6) bring a dozen bandaids etc only - not 50 (like I did first camino, duh), everyone has bandaids and there are pharmacies everywhere 6) geartest everything before going, you may think this is the perfect x and then it chafes you on a geartest walk so you know to toss it before leaving home 7) choose cheaper/unsentimental gear when possible (ex no bringing Dads tshirt he wore jumping into Normandy, go to Old Navy instead) - this way you will leave it at an albergue/give it to someone in need quicker (see photo of caminobuddy wearing my Yankees hat) and wont end up mourning lost gear/toting a heavy $200 jacket over the meseta in 100 degree weather 8) realize you are walking through a large town/city every week and will have plenty of opportunity to get new gear ex. skip poncho for meseta in August and buy one in Ponferrada or Astorga 9) minimize grooming needs by getting haircuts, waxes etc before leaving home/enroute, and find a solid soap bar that also works for you as hand laundry and shampoo (I like both Lush and Dr Bronner solid bars) instead of bringing soap, shampoo AND laundry detergent.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 15:01:22 +0000