I can think of only 1 item of importance, more relevant than packing as you plan for your upcoming trip to the Camino de Santiago, and that’s footwear (stay tuned for that blog post!). First, let’s start with packing. Walking trips are supposed to be fun right? Tell that to the guy who overpacked! Over packing, or choosing the wrong backpack can derail your journey, and make for a miserable time regardless of where you are walking and for how long.
So where to start?
Let’s start with choosing the correct size backpack. We can figure the rest out as we go! The first time I walked the Camino de Santiago, I thought to myself “bigger is better, and look, I can fit so many things in this 65 litre backpack!”. Okay so while those statements were true, they certainly knocked me on my a** a day or two into my walk. I admit it, I packed too much! Not only that, my back hurt, my knees hurt, and I was in a bad mood! This walk is supposed to be a relaxing opportunity to spend quality time with your friends, family, or yourself. My backpack was too big, PERIOD! And the bigger the backpack you have, the more tempted you will be to stuff as much junk in there as you possible can, and that’s simply not necessary.
For my 2nd trip, I decided to take a more reasonable approach to choosing a backpack. I just happened to be at Costco and I saw a huge box of High Sierra backpacks. Initially I thought, for 29.00 CAD, there is no way this is going to be a good backpack. I was sooo wrong. This 45 litre bag was a god send. But here’s what I did. I bought the pack, brought it home, and really tried it on for an extended period of time. I wanted to make sure it felt right. Was it sitting correctly? Was it large enough for the things I knew I needed to bring (see list below for a checklist). I went ahead and packed the bag as if I was going about to go on my trip and I literally just walked around with it on my back for an hour. I know that sounds insane…I get it. Here’s the thing though. A backpack can make or break your trip. If it’s too large, heavy, or even ergonomically “off”, you could be left hauling this thing with you for 30KM a day. Believe me, those KM’s will feel like a lifetime when you are uncomfortable.
So here are some things to consider:
1. Based on how tall, or short you might be, you will need to try on your backpack and really feel it out for an hour or so. Don’t expect to order a backpack online and think that it will be comfortable. Try it on!!! Don’t be afraid to try a few different brands, and sizes. You will know what feels right. Backpacks, depending on their size, and yours for that matter might hit you in certain places in the wrong way…so please give it a try!
2. You don’t have to spend a ton to get great quality. As I mentioned earlier, my 29.00 CAD backpack was about 300.00 cheaper than the 65 litre bag and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! Initially I assumed, spend more to get more, and that just wasn’t the case, but I did have to try it out to be sure.
3. Don’t over-pack. At the end of each day, you will be feeling a little tired. Great, but tired. You’re going to want to change your clothes and shoes and head out for a beer or two…but this isn’t the runway…..no one is wearing cocktail dresses and heals so let’s check ourselves on this one. Here is what I pack for a 5-day walk:
CLOTHING:
3 pairs of leggings/pants
3 t-shirts or tank tops (depending on time of year) 5 pairs of socks
5 pairs of underwear & 3 sports bras
2 simple rompers or comfy dresses I can wear at night
1 extra pair of shoes (I like to bring a pair of Birkenstock’s as my back-up)-airy and comfortable!
1 rain coat
1 light sweater or long sleeved top (depending on the time of year, mornings can be a little crisp) 1 pair of light pijamas (leave your Christmas onsie at home!)
TOILETRIES
1 toothbrush
1 small tube of toothpaste (nothing over 100ML, TSA will snag that from you)
A few band-aides and a couple of alcohol pads (in case you get a blister)
1 sample tube of face cream (you know the ones you get free with purchase, save those up!)
Deodorant (we all thank you for this)
1 comb or hair brush (if you have hair 🙂
Sunscreen!
LADIES, I get it, you want to look cute! Let’s keep the makeup to a minimum. If you can find a few makeup items that are travel friendly like stick foundations, mascara, and some lip gloss…that should do the trick. But again, this is all up to you. The plan is to pack light but stay comfortable. Usually, you won’t check your backpack in with the airline, so remember you need to pass security, so be mindful of how many liquids you are bringing. That’s why I love to hoard any samples I get (face creams, etc.).
Wear your heavier items on the plane. I will wear my running shoes (I prefer running shoes to hikers), sweater, and even my rain coat on the plane while I am traveling. That way I have a better gauge of what I will actually be carrying. This will also make it easier to stow your backpack on the plane. If it’s really too large a backpack, the airline may make you check it. Not ideal. You may also want to bring a smaller bag like a fanny pack to hold your passport, ear phones, and other little knick knacks that you wouldn’t want checked if it comes to that. From there, that small bag should be easy enough to stuff in your back pack as you walk the camino. I personally find the Hershel or Lululemon fanny packs to work great! Inexpensive and easy to manage.
One last thing to consider. You will notice that I only pack a few pants and shirts. That’s because I like to wash my clothing items throughout the week so that I can keep the packing to a minimum but still be clean. If you can snag a few mini travel Tide packets…do it! These guys are a life saver. You can wash your items in a sink and usually they will be dry by the next morning, before you head out on your adventure.
It’s tough to squeeze in all of my tips into 1 blog post so stay tuned for more tips and tricks as we ramp up for our tours. Also, to make things a little easier for you all, we are going to start a series of videos to help you prepare and pack for your trips so make sure you check back soon….
Happy trails!
Nathalie