Packing List
Go take a Hike
The Camino
THE CAMINO PACKING LIST
As you may already know, the Spanish weather can be unpredictable which means that when planning this walk it is important to consider what you need to take with you. The right equipment will ensure that you are comfortable and make your Camino journey much more enjoyable. The following list has been put together based on my own experience but I am sure that you will find other solutions will work equally well. It is important that you pack for you and no-one else.
Weight is obviously important. As a rough guideline, look at carrying no more than 10%-15% of your body weight. (not including food or water). Saying that I currently weigh 8st 9 (about 110 lbs) and my current base weight is around the 17 lb (7.7kg) mark!
For links to the products, click on the item name on the far left. (not affiliate links) – those marked with a * are core items to take
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Clothes
| Item Name | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Hiking Shirt x 2 | £30-£80 | 181g | Craghoppers Nosilife Pro Women’s Long Sleeve Shirt (UPV protection and Insect Repellent) |
| * Two lightweight vests | £12.00 | 0 | I purchased some cheap lightweight vests and then wore my hiking shirt lose over the top. |
| * Bra x 2 | 0 | Sports bras are not essential but will offer more support. | |
| * Runderwear (underwear) x 3 | c£15 | 2oz | I love this brand. Chafe-free, Breathable, moisture wicking, lightweight and durable. |
| * Walking Trousers x 1 | c£30 | 286g | I like the Craghoppers brand as they are excellent quality and reasonably priced (and the sunglasses wipe in the pocket is very handy!) |
| * Light Rain Jacket (or a poncho) | £35.00 | 408g | Frog Toggs are a fabulous brand and very light for rain jackets. Some people prefer a Poncho although I found that they flapped around in the wind and it drove me nuts! |
| * Light cotton t-shirt for sleeping in | I have a comfy cotton t-shirt that I like to sleep in. | ||
| * Lightweight fleece | 0 | I have an Adventure Geek lightweight running top that keeps me warm in the chilly Spanish evenings. | |
| * Sleeping shorts | I have a pair of comfy running shorts that I usually wear to sleep in | ||
| * Buff (Mission Cool Multi-Headwear) | 136g | A buff has so many uses. I never leave home without mine! This particular buff has cooling technology. Just snap it three times and it becomes very cold. (lasts two hours and then add water and re-snap! – perfect for the Spanish sun). | |
| * Adventure Geek Cap | £0.00 | 0 | A cap that has wicking features is essential. |
| * One pair of shorts | Own personal choice. I prefer long hiking shorts (cut-off’s), but you will see many people wearing running shorts or fashion shorts. | ||
| * Liner Socks x 2 | £14.00 | 68g x 2 | After many liner sock experiments, I found that the Coolmax brand seems to work the best for me. |
| * Merino Wool Socks x 1 | £0.00 | 141g | Good quality hiking socks are expensive but so worth it! |
IF YOU ARE WALKING IN LATE AUTUMN OR WINTER THEN CONSIDER THESE CLOTHES |
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| * Long Sleeve Base Layer x 1 | c£30 | 90.7g | Very important on The Camino in the winter months. I like the Under Armour gear for base layers |
| * Gloves x 2 | Good quality gloves to keep those fingers warm on the escarpment. I have glove liners and a main pair of gloves | ||
| * Beanie (Adventure geek) | £14.00 | Beanies will keep you warm in the later months. | |
| * Windproof Jacket | £45.00 | 458g | This Craghoppers jacket is windproof, rain resistant and has the qualities of a down jacket but is super light and has its own stuff sack. |
Gear
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Rucksack | £150.00 | 998g | Osprey are a highly recommended company for backpacks, however, I would always suggest getting your pack fitted properly by an outlet. |
| * Nordic Poles / Trekking Poles | £125.00 | 444g (pair) | Only get Nordic Poles if you have learned how to use them, otherwise consider trekking poles. Always get travel poles that can fold up inside your pack. |
| Sleep Sheet | £13.00 | 272g | I take my luxury sleep sheet (that was under £15) on all of my trips. They help prevent bed bugs which can appear even in the cleanest of hotels. |
| Starbucks Cup | £2.00 | 0 | Grab one of the recycled Starbucks cups from any Starbucks coffeehouse. They are super lightweight, have a lid and they are perfect for that early morning coffee. (As I am awake before most people!). |
| Trekking Umbrella | £45.00 | 295g | I love my lightweight trekking umbrella and it is another essential bit of gear for The Camino (or any trek where it may be very hot or very wet!). |
| Water bottle or hydration bladder | c£30 | 0 | Some form of water carrying system is essential. I have used the Osprey Hydration bladder, but a simple water bottle is just as efficient. |
| * Pack Rain Cover | £18.00 | 0 | Please check to see if your rucksack comes with a rain cover already (mine was stored in the “brain” part of my pack). If you do not already have one, then most outdoor shops will supply. |
| * Lightweight Gaiters | £20.00 | 2oz | I wear these gaiters on every single hike, even training hikes and parkruns on a Saturday morning. You simply wear them like socks. They are not waterproof, but they will keep debris from getting into your shoes. |
| * Dry bags | from £10 | 0 | Dry bags are to keep your clothes and other items dry inside your pack. If you are intending on walking in England then be prepared for some wet weather! I use the Exped as they are good quality, but even large ziplock bags will do the job. |
| * Headtorch | If you are walking in the summer then this may not be necessary, but it is handy to have a headtorch in your pack. You may decide to get up very early to watch the sunrise in a special place or do a night hike. | ||
| Extra Bag (Sea to Sumit Backpack) | c£20 | 68g | I never leave home without my Sea to Summit daypack. If you decide to send your pack on to have a rest for the day then this daypack is brilliant for the essentials. You will also use a small bag (or bum-bag) for going out in the evenings. The pack that I use is big enough to house grocery shopping for the evening. |
| Mini Laundry Bag | £1.99 | I purchased my bag from Decathlon in Estella (on the Camino). A fellow Pilgrim had one and it was so handy! This is a total luxury but it weighs nothing. |
Tech
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| * SmartPhone (iPhone 7) | 0 | I use my iPhone as a Kindle, camera, navigation, and vlog recorder. (and much more!). | |
| * Mini tripod and rig for iPhone | If you are recording video’s or taking lots of photos then a tripod comes in very handy. I use a hoslter mount which is secured onto my pack for easy access to the rig and phone. | ||
| * UK USB Plug | £15.00 | 191g | I like to use a plug that has at least four USB sockets, but that is due to having so many gadgets on the trail. For most people, a 2 plug USB socket adapter will be sufficient. |
| * Power Pack | £89.00 | 299g | The power pack also has a built-in charger for my Apple Watch and will charge my watch twelve times and my phone multiple times. You can’t go wrong with Belkin chargers. |
| * Charging Cable (long) | £13.00 | 50g | I always take a long cable with me as its nice to sit in bed and charge your phone whilst updating Facebook or your blog. (I have a 3m cable) |
| Polaroid Zip & Paper | £109. | 200g | A real luxury item but I use it every day to print my “photo of the day” which gets added to my journal. This little mini printer is light and syncronises with my iPhone. |
| Micro USB cable | Charges the Smooth Q and my Powerpack. | ||
| iPhone Earbuds | For a quick microphone when recording videos, and for listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks whilst on the trail. | ||
| iPhone fan | @2.50 | 18g | Not essential, but in the Spanish heat, this is a neat little gadget that is powered by your phone and keeps you cool. |
| USB Stick for iPhone | £26.00 | 9g | I always keep this little dinky USB stick with me as it is great to have a backup for my videos and photos. There is nothing worse than running out of space on your phone and not being able to record videos or take any more pictures. |
| Booklight | £6.00 | 0 | For writing in my journal in the morning when everyone else is still asleep. You can pick up cheap ones at the local garage or fuel station. |
| Apple Watch | My everyday watch which records my mileage and of course tells the time! |
Toiletries & First Aid Kit
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lush Shampoo Bar | c£6.00 | Lush shampoo bars are great for backpackers. Wash your body, hair and clothes with one bar. Tip – get a round bar, but a square tin! | |
| Toothbrush | No need to buy a special travel toothbrush. | ||
| Toothpaste | £3.00 | But I would buy a travel sized tube of toothpaste (or get tooth powder) | |
| Mini Hairbrush | £2.95 | Any cheap fold away hairbrush from a chemist or supermarket will be fine. | |
| Ladies things | No explanation needed. | ||
| Floss Sticks | I take a few floss sticks with me. I feel grubby if I have not flossed my teeth! | ||
| Blister Kit | My blister kit comprises of x 2 packs of Compeed, sewing kit, and a roll of moleskin tape and a few plasters. | ||
| Sudafed & Zovirax | I suffer from sinus pain and cold sores, so these items are a staple in my first aid kit. | ||
| iBrobrufen | Essential on any backpacking trip | ||
| Melatonin | I use Melatonin when I am having trouble sleeping, so it is always handy to keep in my rucksack. Unlike in the USA you can not purchase this off the shelf in the UK, but you can buy it from Amazon. | ||
| Sun Cream | If you are travelling from May to October then I would recommend taking suncream. | ||
| Nail Clippers | £3.80 | 18g | Travel nail clippers are another staple for the toiletry bag – all walkers should keep their mails short when on a trail otherwise you tend to get black toes which is not nice. |
| Razor | A personal choice, but I’m not one for hairy armpits! | ||
| Lipsil | Another staple in my toiletry bag. If it is very cold, or very hot then Lipsel always comes in handy. | ||
| Hand Sanitizer | I have a travel hand sanitizer which is attached to the outside of my pack. | ||
| Toilet Roll | Camping loo roll or just packets of handy toilet tissue is great for nose wiping and if you get caught short on the trail. Always have a ziplock bag with you so that you can pack your rubbish and leave no trace. |
Misc
| Item | Price | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journal | £45.00 | I love to journal my thoughts and record my adventures in good old fashioned pen and paper (as well as printing a photo of the day). I have used the Medori journalling system for years and I love it. | |
| • Wallet | |||
| * Cash | |||
| * Guidebook / Map | If you do not use technology (GPS/Phone) to help with navigation, then I would suggest using the Kevin Reynolds Guidebook as the maps are great. The route along the Cotswold Way is a National Trail and well maintained, so it is unlikely that you will feel the need to consult a map, but it is worth having for peace of mind. | ||
| Micro towel | £6.00 | 240g | A micro towel is very handy on any trek. If you are staying at B&B’s or Pub’s then you may not need one, but if you are staying at a hostel then you probably will. It is worth checking with your accommodation. |
| Penknife | £18.00 | 59g | I find that I use a penknife to cut cheese more than anything else. If you have one with a corkscrew then you will soon become very popular on any trail! |
| Pen x 2 | Personal choice of pen | ||
| Pack of cards | Everyone loves a game of cards | ||
| *Walking Boots/Shoes | I love my Soloman Trail runners for summer Camino’s and then Soloman Walking Boots for the autumn and winter Camino’s. | ||
| * Lightweight Shoes | There is nothing better than removing your walking shoes/boots at the end of the day and slipping into a comfy lightweight pair of shoes. People tend to wear Crocs, Toms or lightweight running shoes. |
The above list includes many personal items that are really not essential for The Camino, but they certainly make my life on the trail more enjoyable. Items such as my journal, mini-tripod and the Polaroid Zip Printer are items that I would not expect other people to take with them. Any hike should be YOUR hike and no-one else’s. Some of the ultra-light backpackers will cringe at this list! Simply work through the list and decide what is right for you.
The Camino Checklist
Download your free copy of my checklist above to check against when packing for your own adventure.