Let´s imagine the situation: 5.000 km far from home, in the middle of nowhere, and without spare footwear. The nearest hostel is located 20 km from you, and you just can arrive there walking. Why you did not check your Camino de Santiago packing list in the proper way?
If you would prefer not to find yourself in that situation, follow accurately our blog, and learn what should be in the perfect pilgrim backpack.
The basic, the essential, and the superfluous
Your Camino de Santiago packing list, as your experience, is very personal. Something that could be survival material to anyone could have no importance for other ones. So first of all you should distinguish between those concepts.
Before we continue, we would like to highlight some considerations, which you should take into account, in preparing your baggage for the Camino de Santiago
-There are serious climate differences between the routes you choose. It is not the same to walk by the French Way, in the north of Spain, much more cold and rainy in winter, than the Silver Way, especially in summer, a season in which you can suffer temperatures higher than 38º.
-The same question should be apply to the different year seasons. As we commented you before, the best season to walk the Camino de Santiago are may and june. You will feel not that cold (Sapin also could be snowy!) and not that hot.
-Also, it is not the same to walk the Camino de Santiago with support, or without it. If you decide to find someone who will transport your baggage between stages, as we offer in Living The Camino, you have the possibility to exceed a little bit the weight. Of course a little bit more, than if you transport it in your backpack.
-And, of course, it is not the same to walk one week, or a month. Many hostels for pilgrims have washing machine, but you cannot consider this as a fact, because sometimes there is not that possibility.
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The basic: those things, that you cannot manage without them
Underwear, shocks, walking boots, solar cream or a hat, those are some things, which you cannot manage without them. Those are the points of your Camino de Santiago packing list that you should include, no matter what.
–Backpack: theory says that your backpack cannot load more than 10% your body weight. According to that calculation, you can opt for a 5 kg backpack (if you are a thin woman), 6, 7 or 8 kg. Have you got the requirements to the ideal backpack?
–Clothes: It depends on the possibilities to wash and wet your clothes, but you should consider that, in starting to walk early in the morning, you will arrive to your destiny around 5 in the afternoon, so you will have more than 12 hours in your hostel to wash and wet your dirty clothes.
–Footwear: We will explain in an special blog post of Living The Camino the most convenient footwear, but now we can already note that, in addition to the proper walking boots, you always need a spare footwear, (as sneakers), and flip flops.
Don´t forget: t-shirts, shorts and long pants (detachable ones are the best option), underwear, shocks, some warm clothes, raincoat, hat, sunglasses, towel, pilgrim first-aid kit (sticking plaster / Vaseline / topical antiseptic / betadine), sleeping bag and toiletries.
The essential: those things can save your live! (Although it seems impossible)
Besides all those basics, there are other extras that will help you, and you should add into your Camino de Santiago packing list.
Note down: mini sewing kit for trips, rubbish packs (to protect your backpack when it rains, or to transport your wet clothes), charger and USB adapter, rope and clothespin for your clothes and a small lantern.
The superfluous: those things you can bring or not
Leastly, we add to this Camino de Santiago packing list those things that could seem superfluous, but surely they will help you in some way.
A good book for the rest moments, in the hostels, notebook and pen to write down thoughts and experiences, multipurpose penknife, ski sticks or a guide to explore any corner you visit.
If you have free space, and they are not that heavy, those are some things
that could be very useful, and you must include them in your Camino de Santiago packing list.
What else would you add to your pilgrim backpack? We are waiting for your comments; do not hesitate to contact us in case you have any doubt.
