1/3 of me or less
When I was thinking more seriously about taking this trip, one of my primary worries was what to bring and how I would carry it all. I imagined myself lumbering along the trail like an overburdened cow, dragging my feet under a pack I could hardly manage.
So many people online have suggestions about packing lists for the Camino. One woman suggested that hikers should aim for 10% of their weight, but said that she could only carry 7%. That didn't leave me with a lot. Others suggested that hikers shouldn't carry more than 1/3 of their weight—a little more manageable.
After various trips to outdoor-wear stores and some online research, I decided on the following list:
- 36 litre hiking backpack (1,451 g or 3.2 lbs)
- Lightweight, packable day pack (106 g)
- Stuff bag for clothing (101 g)
- 8 litre waterproof bag (60 g)
- Passport pouch (29 g)
- 1.5 litre water pouch (161 g)
- 500 ml water bottle (106 g)
- 3 large Ziploc bags for food (38 g)
- Plastic grocery bag (6 g)
- Lightweight, packable day pack (106 g)
- Stuff bag for clothing (101 g)
- 8 litre waterproof bag (60 g)
- Passport pouch (29 g)
- 1.5 litre water pouch (161 g)
- 500 ml water bottle (106 g)
- 3 large Ziploc bags for food (38 g)
- Plastic grocery bag (6 g)
- Thermal fleece sleeping bag liner with pack bag (619 g)
- Silk sleeping bag liner with pack bag (167 g)
- Lightweight towel (189 g)
- Silk sleeping bag liner with pack bag (167 g)
- Lightweight towel (189 g)
Clothing
- 2 t-shirts (90 and 62 g)
- 1 long sleeved shirt (200 g)
- 1 fleece shirt (273 g)
- 2 sets pants, one with zip-offs for shorts (263 and 281 g)
- 1 vest (196 g)
- 1 rain coat (283 g)
- 1 rain poncho (452 g)
- 1 toque/neck warmer (42 g)
- 1 sun cap (61 g)
- 2 sets Smartwool socks (108 g)
- 1 set cotton socks for sleeping (27 g)
- 2 sports bras (90 g)
- 2 pairs underwear (50 g)
- Glasses (25 g)
- Hiking boots (619 g)
- Hiking sandals (365 g)
- Flip flops for showers (119 g)
- 2 t-shirts (90 and 62 g)
- 1 long sleeved shirt (200 g)
- 1 fleece shirt (273 g)
- 2 sets pants, one with zip-offs for shorts (263 and 281 g)
- 1 vest (196 g)
- 1 rain coat (283 g)
- 1 rain poncho (452 g)
- 1 toque/neck warmer (42 g)
- 1 sun cap (61 g)
- 2 sets Smartwool socks (108 g)
- 1 set cotton socks for sleeping (27 g)
- 2 sports bras (90 g)
- 2 pairs underwear (50 g)
- Glasses (25 g)
- Hiking boots (619 g)
- Hiking sandals (365 g)
- Flip flops for showers (119 g)
Toiletries and medical supplies (totaling 989 g)
- Toothbrush
- Mini toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Body soap leaves
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Hand lotion
- Lip balm with SPF
- 10 menstrual pads
- 2 sets tweezers and pouch
- Nail clippers
- 1 half travel mirror
- Glasses cleaning cloth
- Glasses screwdriver
- 2 sets earplugs and case
- Extra nose rings
- Laundry soap leaves
- Toothbrush
- Mini toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Body soap leaves
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Hand lotion
- Lip balm with SPF
- 10 menstrual pads
- 2 sets tweezers and pouch
- Nail clippers
- 1 half travel mirror
- Glasses cleaning cloth
- Glasses screwdriver
- 2 sets earplugs and case
- Extra nose rings
- Laundry soap leaves
- 20 blister bandages
- 25 bandaids
- Medical tape
- Polysporin
- Blister stick
- Muscle balm
- Theraband
- Foot massage ball
- Needles and thread
- 12 diarrhea pills
- 2 yeast infection pills
- Yeast infection cream
- 50 water sanitization pills
- Throat lozenges
- 24 flu/cough/cold pills
- 20 tums
- 55 naproxen
- Mesh toiletry bag
- 5 small Ziploc bags
- 25 bandaids
- Medical tape
- Polysporin
- Blister stick
- Muscle balm
- Theraband
- Foot massage ball
- Needles and thread
- 12 diarrhea pills
- 2 yeast infection pills
- Yeast infection cream
- 50 water sanitization pills
- Throat lozenges
- 24 flu/cough/cold pills
- 20 tums
- 55 naproxen
- Mesh toiletry bag
- 5 small Ziploc bags
Electronics
- 9.7 inch tablet with case (597 g)
- Tablet charger (58 g)
- iPod and charger (70 g)
- Earbuds and detangling fish (19 g)
- Power converter (97 g)
- 9.7 inch tablet with case (597 g)
- Tablet charger (58 g)
- iPod and charger (70 g)
- Earbuds and detangling fish (19 g)
- Power converter (97 g)
Miscellaneous
- Passport and cards (57 g)
- Lock (125 g)
- Cutlery set (25 g)
- 2 pens (16 g)
- Thick plastic cover for drains (6 g)
- Passport and cards (57 g)
- Lock (125 g)
- Cutlery set (25 g)
- 2 pens (16 g)
- Thick plastic cover for drains (6 g)
Without food and water, my pack weighs under 13lbs. I also have a guide book that I am not sure I will keep on me once I get to the starting point of the walk, as it's rather heavy.
That list looks not awfully dissimilar to Julia and My list. I wish you well on your journey and know it will be life changing. Make sure to enjoy all the hard parts too because traveling is a lot of work in the modern age. It is amazingly freeing to live out of a backpack with only a few things. You realize that so much of the stuff you have in life is not actually stuff you need but just stuff you want, or for us want to get rid of after realizing how not needed they are. Less is always better traveling especially since food is SO HEAVY. Have you considered bringing a smartphone instead of the iPod? We were very glad to have them mostly because we would get cheap prepaid SIMs for each country and that would give us internet connection for maps and finding accommodations and bus schedules, we also used them to read books on Kindle... You might then not even need the tablet which would save significant weight. I am a big fan of the camping towels that are truly tiny and you can squeeze almost all the water out so they dry quick. I have found Smartwool socks to be more comfortable at first but Darn Tough socks to stay comfortable longer. Are you bringing a warm mid-layer like a lightweight down coat or are you only going to be there in the summer? lastly you could probably get away with a lighter/smaller power converter because most tablet or iPod chargers will work with the 220volt power in Europe so all you need is a shape changer. I would also recommend buying the shape changer once you arrive or researching it very carefully because even though most of Europe is the C type with two round prongs many countries, or even different regions, have slightly different ways that the outlets are designed that can make life difficult. For example Switzerland has the two round prongs but they are recessed in a pointy edged hole that makes any rounded shape changers not fit but if you have a pointy shape changer then it doesn't fit well in the round plugs that you find on some trains and such, weeeee. It would be fun to chat if you have time, 218-422-6529. So does this mean I won't see you at FGC Gathering this year?
ReplyDeleteHey Colby! Thank you for all the wonderful advice. I did consider using a smartphone instead, but I wanted something I could take semi-decent photos on and use as a less frustrating blogging tool. I think I will also get more use out of this in the long run, as my laptop is on its way out, and now that I'm done school, I won't need something as versatile. I'll also only be in one country with one route each day, so I'm not too worried about finding new info in the fly.
DeleteThe vest that I have is thin down, and I won't be traveling this time around past June, so I shouldn't need more. This also means I'll be at FGC this year! MaryHelen and I have signed up to lead our workshop again.