This is long overdue but I am finally putting together (most of) my packing list that I had for the Camino. Part of me is doing this because I’ve had friends and colleagues who told me that they’d love to do it someday, so this is a resource for those individuals. I’m also putting this together because while I was researching, it was next to impossible to find a list for a pilgrim who wants to walk in October and November. It’s not a popular time to go since it gets cold and rainy in November, but many, myself included, found time in their lives to go in this time frame.
If you’re familiar with the Camino, most pilgrims carry their packs with them so you have to be mindful of how much you pack. You can’t bring too many things. There are companies that will send your pack ahead to your destination for the day, but I chose not to do that in case my plans changed or an injury kept me from advancing.
So to be completely candid, this might sound like a huge advertisement for REI. I bought almost all of my Camino items from them, so much so that I became a co-op member with them. The membership is only $20 bucks one time and you’re a member for life. You get perks such as an annual dividend and tracking for all of your purchases, which was a lifesaver for returning a lot of items I decided not to use or bring. You can read more on that here.
For those who just want a downloadable list, I’ll link the spreadsheet at the end. Read on if you want to hear my reviews and my personal advice on what to bring for a walk in northern Spain in October and November.
SHOES
Arguably the single most important piece of equipment you need for your Camino are your shoes. When the goal is to walk 500 miles, you need something that is comfortable and durable. Truth be told, I bought a pair of Altra Lone Peak 4 Trail Shoes after doing some research online. However, I failed to consider that the majority of the reviews are from people who hiked in the summer months when there is little to no rain and inspired me to write this blog post about specifics for walking in October and November. As I was becoming a regular at REI and wearing my trail shoes everywhere to break them in, I was informed my Altras were not going to be waterproof at all and I needed to reconsider my primary shoe. I think it took me two and a half hours to finally settle on the Merrel Moab 2 shoes. I considered so many things all of the way down to the laces. The Merrels were not as flexible at first but my REI associate, Felix, reassured me that with so much consistent hiking for a month straight that a harder shoe was going to be significantly better in the long run than the flexible trail shoes.
Quick shout out for Felix at the REI in Yonkers. He was an incredible resource for me and had so many clutch recommendations based on his own experiences. His advice saved me a ton of grief.
I’m incredibly grateful I chose these shoes because I encountered so many rainy days and one snow day. Admittedly, some days my feet and shoes were soaked through, but I shudder at the thought of what my trip would’ve been like had I opted for the porous trail shoes. I’m still far from an expert so I recommend working with an associate at an outdoors store or a friend who has experience in hiking.
Prior to your trip, do your best to break in your shoes as you could get blisters right from the get go. I bought these a week before I left which wasn’t ideal and thankfully I was okay, but beware. Lastly, take time to waterproof your shoes. I used this product from REI.
Before you pass judgement, it’s important to have comfy shoes for the evenings to give your feet a break from miles of hiking, especially if you opt for a tough and hard shoe like I did. For a short time, I considered sandals or moccasins, but my mom recommended Crocs for their comfort and ability to handle water. I was skeptical, but I also have been in enough questionable locker rooms and dormitories to know that it is better to have shoes on your feet than go barefoot in a public shower. These Crocs are also lightweight and have a covering over the foot, which to me was superior than using a standard flip flop since I planned to explore many of the towns after arriving. For what it’s worth, I had many pilgrims comment and lament that they wish they brought theirs too.
UNDERWEAR
Comfort is key for underwear and especially when you plan to walk several kilometers per day for a month straight. You’ll also want something that doesn’t chaffe. A recurring theme in the apparel section will be how quickly your clothes dry after washing them. There’s access to dryers and washers at the different albergues, but you can save some money by purchasing items that don’t absolutely need to go into a dryer.
These are so comfortable that I ended up buying another pair after my Camino. They are breathable, incredibly lightweight, and dried very quickly after washing. I brought 3-4 pairs with me.
BOTTOMS
I liked these a lot, but truth be told, I only wore them instead of pants just once. I’m 100% Irish and I can get burned on a cloudy day in March. But it was 88 degrees Fahrenheit on Day 1 of my Camino and I only had to go about 8km so I opted for them. The shorts I mostly used for my afternoons and evening walking around the albergue/hostel I was at or hanging out in the evening while exploring town. I also used them as an extra pair of underwear when I couldn’t get an opportunity to do laundry. One other perk is the zipper pockets. Spain has an unfortunate reputation for pickpockets so zipper pockets at least provide some extra security. Of course though, there aren’t many suspicious people along the Camino. I was never too concerned about theft, but again, a zippered pocket lowers the chance of accidentally dropping some Euros or any other important piece of gear.
REI Co-op Lightweight Base Layer Bottoms
I brought one pair of these lightweight pants with me. They’re more like long underwear and I utilized them more once November came. I occasionally slotted these in as underwear too to give myself some reprieve from laundry. These were good and it might’ve been nice to bring a second pair, but it wasn’t critical.
REI Co-op Talusphere Pants (RAIN PANTS)
This is a clothing item I wish I spent more time researching on. They worked fine and did their job but they didn’t fit well and since they’re water proof, they don’t breathe that much and it gets uncomfortable walking in them for long periods of time. I didn’t like them to the extent that one day I chose not to wear them when it was forecasted to rain, and got drenched. Thankfully, I did research on my other pants so it wasn’t awful, but I do wish I picked better rain pants.
Since they didn’t fit well, you couldn’t really put anything in the pockets. Anything heavier than a few coins enhanced the sagginess. But I’ll reiterate, rain gear is an essential for walking in November. It’s annoying to carry if you split it between October and November, but you’ll be glad you brought it. I don’t recommend these pants. I feel you can find something better.
REI Co-op Activator V2 Soft-Shell Pants
These pants were pretty good. They were one of the two main pairs I brought with me. They had plenty of pockets including one zipper. The fit was comfortable and the material was nice. It kept me cool on the warm days and warm on the colder days. But admittedly, I didn’t like them as much as my other pair of pants I brought.
These pants were excellent! They had a nice built in belt, which I was happy about as I ultimately lost about 10 pounds during my walk. These pants were made for the outdoors. The pants were flexible and fit well. They handled mud and water pretty well. And I was always a little sad when I had to put them in my laundry sack.
The prAna pants also had plenty of pockets including a zippered one too. One thing I want to acknowledge though for both pants is that they both had very deep pockets. I quickly figured out that I could slide my Camino guidebook into one of them and comfortably walk with it. While this might seem a little unnecessary, it was extremely convenient for trying to navigate and figuring out how far the next town was and which albergue to target upon arrival. I gained a reputation as the navigator for my group. Again, this may seem mundane, but it saves a lot of time. Instead of unhooking your bag, putting it down, and then rummaging to find your guide, you can keep your momentum and not break stride. Maintaining your rhythm is useful to get you through some long stages. This isn’t a make-or-break feature but it’s something to consider.
HATS
Similar to my other cold gear items, I used this more in November. The beanie serves its purpose and kept me warm. One aspect I liked is that its small profile allowed me to wear it underneath my other two hats I brought with me.
Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero
This hat was incredibly useful during my Camino. My dad swears by his Tilly hat, and I wanted to get one myself, but Felix explained that the Tilly hats they had in stock were good for blocking the sun, but weren’t so great for the rain. Since November signals the beginning of the Spanish rainy season, I begrudgingly opted for this hat, which now I’m incredibly grateful for. The hat also has Velcro on the left and right sides of the brim, so when it wasn’t raining or terribly sunny, you could lift it out of your way.
Very small side note: this hat isn’t the most stylish, but the Camino isn’t a fashion show. You need to put vanity to the back burner and pack gear that’s going to help you through your Camino.
New York Rangers Cap – from my own dresser
For anyone that knows me, my ensemble wouldn’t be complete without the New York Rangers shield somewhere in my Camino backpack. I wore this on most days. Admittedly, it didn’t protect me from the sun as well as I initially thought, but I’m still happy I brought it. A baseball cap is good to have around and why not add a little bit of your personality to your Camino outfit?
SHIRTS
REI Co-op Lightweight Base Layer Long Sleeve
Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Long Sleeve
I brought both of these shirts with me on the Camino. The lightweight material was good for me as I generally “run warm.” I often find that I’m comfortable when people comment that a room is cold. This will be a recurring theme throughout. Felix at REI could relate to my situation and told me that using layers would be the most efficient way to pack. Theoretically, if a day got really cold, I could double up on these shirts in lieu of bringing a really thick sweatshirt/jacket. Since the first half of my Camino was pretty warm, a single shirt would suffice for most days.
One extra thing is that I opted for the long sleeves. Even on the warm days, I didn’t want to expose my arms to the sun unnecessarily. If I did get too warm, I could always roll the sleeves up, but the light material generally kept me comfortable and I didn’t have to worry about getting sunburned. That’s a big deal to someone who needs to use SPF 50 religiously.
REI Co-op Midweight Base Layer Crew Top
This was the heaviest shirt I packed. I didn’t really need it until November (2 weeks into my journey). It was comfortable and it was nice to have a warmer layer on some of the cold and rainy days. It did take a little longer to dry, but that’s inherent with the heavier shirt. I only brought one of these.
Columbia PFG Tamiami II Long Sleeve Shirt
Toad & Co Debug Lightness Shirt
Not too much to say about these two shirts. They were button down long sleeves that you could wear with or without a base layer. I liked having these as they were a little neater than the base layers. Again, it’s not a fashion show, but these trail shirts added a nice little bit of class without sacrificing functionality. One thing about the Toad & Co shirt: it supposedly has bug repellant made in it that’s good for up to 6 months or 70 washes. I can’t speak to the effectiveness of it, but a pretty useful and cool idea. There are a couple of forested areas along the Camino Frances where this could be handy.
JACKET
Another one of the most important pieces of equipment is your jacket. It’s your first defense against the wind and the rain. Unfortunately, this jacket is just a nice raincoat. Again, layers are the way to go on the Camino instead of having a bulky sweatshirt or winter coat take up precious real estate in your pack. I knew it’d get cold towards the end, but it wasn’t worth investing in a big time winter jacket if half of my trip was going to be pretty reasonable temperature-wise.
This jacket served its purpose. It repelled water and served as a good windbreaker. While it worked, it wasn’t perfect. When you walk for 4-5 hours, eventually you get pretty warm. I had a lot of condensation forming on the inside of my coat, which to an extent, defeated its purpose. REI touts the Goretex material as revolutionary, but I was unimpressed as it wasn’t quite as breathable as advertised. However, that shortcoming I think made the jacket a little warmer, which was incredibly helpful when I trudged 2 miles through 7 inches of snow! I think the coat will be a nice addition to my everyday life as a nice and high performance raincoat, but I feel like there has to be better coat options out there for long hikes.
SOCKS
Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew
I’m going to put all of the socks together just to make things simpler. I liked the socks I brought. I think I brought about 5 pairs, with one set of ankle socks. Those were primarily used in the warmer weather days and then in the albergues in the afternoons and evenings.
I didn’t get a “typical” blister for a solid two weeks with them. Probably a lot of that is due to my twice daily Vaseline ritual, but these socks performed as advertised. If I had to give an edge, I’d say I enjoyed wearing the Wrightsocks more. But you can actually feel the durability of the Darn Tough socks. They’re multi-layered to cushion your foot and reduce chaffing.
Every pilgrim worries about blisters and you can bring a lot of compeeds and other remedies with you but as with most things, prevention is the best solution to fighting blisters. I definitely recommend these socks. I picked crew socks since it was going to be cold, but the crew socks are also good in general for preventing chaffing, especially if you wear higher cut boots for your Camino, and protection against tics and other bugs.
BACKPACK
I actually borrowed this from a family friend as I generally don’t backpack (but that may change now). He walked the Camino twice before, so I knew this would work for me. There are plenty of zippers and pockets along with enough straps for support. I didn’t do a ton of research on this as I took what I got. My friend had a rain cover with it, but I’m not sure if it comes with the bag itself. Double check with any backpack you choose.
The size worked well for me. One thing I noticed was that my pack was wider and shorter than other pilgrims. Not that that was a big deal, more of an observation. Make sure to test your pack with a couple of items at least to make sure it suits you.
Overall, it fit all of my items pretty well. It was pretty full but limiting what you bring is essential. I was worried I still might’ve overpacked when I was leaving for JFK, but while I was on the Camino my fellow pilgrims said it was alright. It was about 19-20 pounds when I left. I was aiming for 16 pounds, but couldn’t part with stuff I deemed essential. Again, this is part of the issue with walking in late October and early November because the weather varies widely. What I will say is that I think I could’ve packed a little more. After a few days, you don’t really notice the weight and you get used to it. This is also coming from a guy who did this in his late 20s. Be diligent on what you pack, but don’t stress out over just 2-4 pounds. I recommend this backpack.
ACCESSORIES
Mountain Hardware Ghost Shadow Vest
The name of the game was layers, so I invested in a vest rather than a jacket to be my primary layer for warmth. A woman I met along the way, also from the United States, spoke highly of her Mountain Hardware apparel. I echo that sentiment as this was less of an investment in real estate than a winter jacket would’ve been. Since half of my journey occurred in warmer weather, it was easy to store the vest in my pack when I wasn’t wearing it.
REI also has a sleeved version of this, but since I run warm, I didn’t want to overcommit. I just needed to really keep my core warm so this worked well.
Some things to know about the vest: first off, it’s not an external layer. If it’s raining, the vest will absorb the water and will hold the water for “a little while” as Felix at REI told me. So if you get the sleeved version, know that it won’t hold up in inclement weather. Second, cleaning this item is a little involved because the care instructions tell you to wash it with tennis balls to fluff the pods up after being soaked. I wasn’t going to bring tennis balls with me just to dry one item, so I only was able to wash my vest on a few occasions when I knew it would have a thorough amount of time to dry. Overall, I definitely recommend this product. You may not need this or need something else depending on if you often feel colder or warmer, but despite the TLC you have to give a Mountain Hardware product, it’s a quality item.
Sea to Summit Dry Sack 35L & 4L option for electronics
If you’re hiking in the rainy season, this is an absolute must. Even if you have a rain cover for your backpack, if you’re outside for several hours, some water will eventually get inside your bag. This will protect all of your items. Admittedly it cuts down on your space in the bag, but you can’t keep constantly drying out everything in your pack.
It was nice having peace of mind because some days were just complete washouts. I also picked up my half compostela in Saghun, which is a certificate you can earn to document that you made it halfway through the Camino. So I was a little concerned it was going to get wet, but this sack ensured it was dry for the second half of my journey.
This may not be completely necessary for the summer, but I did find that this was an item that was really useful and never would’ve thought to bring without advice from Felix.
I also took a much smaller one exclusively for my electronics such as my camera, external battery phone chargers, cords, European plug converters, and other water sensitive items.
Buff Original Multifunctional Headwear
This was also something I didn’t think was necessary but my mom insisted I bring it along based on her research of the Camino. I’m glad she did because I ended up using my Buff a lot. I used it primarily for keeping my neck warm and protecting my face during windier and colder days. It actually became part of my identity on the Camino.
Also, I unfortunately left my Buff behind somewhere around the halfway mark. So while I was in Saghun, I purchased an off brand Buff that was neon green. There was no way you could miss me!
Another thing I noticed was that the women I met on the Camino got creative with their Buffs. Many used it for the same functions as I did, but they also used it as a hair accessory or a fashion piece. Some used it as a headband. Others used it as a bow. And others turned it into a full head and neck wrap. I was impressed with their ingenuity!
Osprey Hydraulics LT Reservoir 2.5 Liters
I’ll admit that this was a little tough to figure out at first. I’ve never used something like this, but I was incredibly satisfied with this purchase. The 2.5L was probably just right. I drink a lot of water, so you might be okay with 2L, but I erred on the side of caution. I can imagine this is absolutely necessary if you’re walking in the summertime.
My favorite part about this was that I was able to stay hydrated without breaking stride and unfastening my pack to grab a water bottle. It seems like such a minor thing, but at times, doing all of that for a swig of water eventually becomes a hassle.
You fill up the “bladder” with water and run the nozzle through an opening in your bag so the water can sit in your bag but can be sipped as you walk. My pack had a separate compartment to place the bladder. Then you’re able to run the hose through a slip and the mouthpiece rests right along you backpack strap. It’s easy access to water for the whole day. You also come across lots of taps of potable water along the way that are clearly marked. So even if you run out of water, it’s usually pretty easy to refill once you get to a town.
Kelty Galactic 30 Sleeping Bag
This sleeping bag is warm! As I mentioned, I’m generally warmer than I am cold, but not knowing what albergues would do in the cold weather, I thought this was a safe choice. Admittedly though, I was often too warm. Most people say you’ll be okay with just a sleeping bag liner. I think this is especially true in the summer. Perhaps this is necessary for other pilgrims for the October/November timeframe but it was too warm for me in most situations.
If you do your research on the Camino though, sometimes pilgrims encounter what I think is the worst case scenario: sleeping outside. I actually heard a couple of pilgrims had to sleep outside in the Pyrenees on the first night of my Camino. That must be equally harrowing as it is exciting. One plus about that, it’s free!
Thankfully, it did not come to that for me, but if it did, I think this sleeping bag would be able to live up to it.
One last thing: I sprayed both my backpack and sleeping bag with this bug repellent two days before I left. I can say I didn’t have any bedbug issues and just feel it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Disclaimer: I did not bring this with me, but I wish I had. It was literally a last minute cut as I was leaving for JFK in an attempt to cut weight on my backpack. Hindsight is 20/20 and I definitely could’ve afforded the meager ounces. I was trying to beat the sun on a lot of days so I wasn’t at risk of getting burned. Unfortunately, though, it was pretty dark on some days. The day I was leaving out of Roncesvalles, I decided to leave really early but it was almost pitch black out and there were no lights once you entered the forested area outside of town. Thankfully a crew of Italians with their own headlamps let me trail them for the first hour and a half.
In addition to its usefulness for walking in the predawn hours, it would’ve been helpful for navigating the albergues in case you needed to use the bathroom or something else in the middle of the night.
I recommend any pilgrim bring a headlamp. You may not intend to walk in the dark but you never know for sure.
This wallet deceivingly has a lot of space inside of it. I was able to stash all of my cash, credit card, pens, and even my passport in here. I feel I was a bit overprotective of it, but I wasn’t taking any chances with my passport. As a result, I wore this everywhere and only took it off to shower and to sleep where I still attached it to a snap inside my sleeping bag. I’ll admit that maybe I was more paranoid than I needed to be. The Camino was very safe. This was probably more of the New Yorker in me just trying to keep my guard up.
If you plan to take the same amount of diligence, do some comparing with other wallets as I wasn’t thrilled with the material. Plus I couldn’t find a good length for it to hang around my neck. The wallet was safe because it was on my body rather than a pocket, but at times it made me look like I had a potbelly. It’s not a fashion show, but I was self-conscious at times.
Overall, it got the job done. You just might be able to find one that’s better. If you plan to hang out in Barcelona or other big European cities before or after your Camino, find something that you can keep securely on your person.
This item was seldomly used, but it did save me two times during the Camino when air drying outside was not going to be effective. In November, it’s noticeably colder and you can’t rely on the sun and heat to dry your clothes. My group often split the cost to put our clothes in a dryer, but some albergues don’t have dryers. There’s nothing worse than having wet clothes because they’re cold and also heavy. One November night, I saved the day by jerry rigging the clothesline in the hallway of our dorm and we all hung our stuff in the warm room instead of out in the cold.
This towel is excellent. It packs nice and small, still large enough to adequately wrap yourself in it, and most importantly, it dries quickly. There’s not much else to say other than you’ll want a no-nonsense towel because showering after a day of walking is one of the best feelings when on the Camino. You won’t have to worry about your towel drying and getting your stuff wet for the next day.
Eagle Creek Translucent Specter Pack-It Bags
To make things a little easier for packing, I stowed all of my apparel into various sized bags within my backpack in an attempt to maintain a little bit of organization. For example, all underwear and socks went into one bag. Shirts went into another and pants in another. When one bag was emptied, I used the empty bag to store dirty laundry. I assume this is largely based on preference, but I did find it was easy for me to pull things out of my bag this way. Things weren’t all over the place and I could feel around for the specific thing I needed if I was out on the road.
GUIDE BOOK
Village to Village Press Camino de Santiago – ISBN #: 9781947474079
When walking the Camino, a guide book is a must. The Camino Frances route is pretty well marked but the book allows you to have some semblance of direction and know where you can make pit stops for food and water breaks. I followed and read my book a ton while on the Camino. It was filled with history about different towns and landmarks. It also let me know of alternative routes or somewhat tricky sections such as crossing highways or rocky climbs.
Many swear by the collection of books written by John Brierly. He’s written at least 10 editions of guidebooks about the Camino and many hail him as the ultimate Camino guru. To each their own, but I liked the book I took. First off, it was smaller and lighter than Brierly’s book. Second, this book was simpler and easier to digest. Brierly’s books have a ton of great information but to me it seemed like too much. It’s nice to have but it’s not exactly practical or integral to have that much detail and add extra weight. Additionally, there are extra sections inside his book just for notes. If you want to journal, which I encourage every pilgrim to do, bring a separate notebook.
My book had a lot more visuals and was easier to decipher, especially while I was walking. My fellow pilgrims always looked to me on how far we had to go and which albergues had wifi. As I mentioned earlier, this book fit into my pants pockets too, which made it very easy to access.
MEDICINE BAG
I imagine this is something that needs to be personalized for every pilgrim, but a quick list of what I brought with me:
- Swiss Army Knife
- Make sure to check it into your bag when flying! You can’t carry it on with you.
- Useful to have for repairs or cutting food
- Ibuprofen
- Tums
- Kenzi tape
- I brought about half a role and folded it upon itself
- Only used it twice
- Chap stick
- Sewing kit
- Compeeds
- Blisters are inevitable and these are really easy to use.
- Also readily available in most pharmacies along the way.
- Gauze
- Band-aids
- Sunscreen
- Bought this in Spain when it became obvious none of my hats were fully shielding me.
- Small rolls of duct tape
- Only used it twice, but useful in case you need to make a quick patch of something.
- Vaseline
- Used twice daily to help prevent blisters.
- Sensation can be icky but I swear it worked!
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Collapsible cup
- Incredibly useful and a small profile.
- There’s also a wine fountain along the way so you’ll want to be prepared when the time comes!
- Small roll of toilet paper
- You never know…
- Campsuds Biodegradable Soap
- Use for hair, body, face, laundry, anything.
- It’s concentrated so you don’t need to use a ton at a time.
That’s just about the gist of my list! I will update it as I see fit or if I remember something useful or important. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me personally. As promised, below you can download a simplified version of this blog post for yourself with links to buy most of the items mentioned. Buen Camino!