I don’t like tooting my own horn here, but in this case, I’ll make the exception. My packing skills for the Camino de Santiago were excellent. I’m a notorious over-packer. To be frank, I’m shit at packing. I never think things through properly. I always end up with a bag half full of things I never wear.
But with the Camino, I was far more concerned with weight than anything else.
Ideally, your bag should be 7 kg or less. I didn’t have a set of scales to weigh mine, but it was light as balls. My backpack never once gave me an issue while on the trail.
(I love this photo. Yoinked from Elizabeth Cornelius.)
Investing in good gear is the most valuable thing you can do. I screwed up a few times this way. I hadn’t planned on walking the Camino until after moving to Germany, and so I had left most of my good gear back in Canada and didn’t want to spend a fortune buying new stuff.
Here’s what I brought.
The Heavy-Duty Gear
- Lowe Alpine Backpack (32 L or more, expandable — I love this backpack for its air flow)
- Sturdy hiking boots (extra ankle protection, is nice — Columbia Women’s Newton Ridge will work just fine, but sneakers are also doable)
- A light rain jacket (packable)
- Ultra compact sleeping bag
- Water bottle (no filter necessary; there are lots of fountains along the way)
The boots: You don’t have to go too overboard with spending a lot of money on high-end hiking boots. When I first started out, I lamented the fact that I had boots with lots of ankle protection because they’re not really necessary. The trail is easy; it’s not like you’re clamouring over a lot of loose rock. However, on those rainy days when the trail is nothing but mud, I worshipped my boots. With the exception of one day, my feet stayed dry and clean.
My blisters were also very limited. It’s absolutely necessary to break in your boots before you start walking. Uncomfortable boots could cost you your trip.
Waterproofing your shoes is a MUST, at least in the spring and winter. Since I walked in late March and early April, there were a lot of rainy days. Same goes for the rain coat, but you might prefer a poncho.
The backpack: I was looking for something with a lot of hip support, and with tons of airflow. This backpack NAILED IT. I have never even heard of this brand, but my local outdoors shop raved about Lowe Alpine. It was absolutely perfect. You MUST HAVE A RAIN COVER for your backpack. My backpack had one built in. But you can also find rain covers for backpacks (make sure you find one that fits).
The sleeping bag: You have to have a sleeping bag on this trip. Most accommodations only hand you disposable sheets. In the summer months, you can probably get away with a sleeping bag liner, but nights were super cold in March and April.
The Clothes
- Two pairs of tall wool socks (black or grey is best because they WILL get dirty)
- Three pairs of underwear (I love ExOfficio’s briefs – no chafing!)
- One pair of ankle socks for lounging
- Pair of light canvas shoes (also for lounging)
- One pair of cotton leggings (with deep pockets for carrying cash and cards)
- One regular t-shirt
- One sports bra or comfortable bra (I’m all about Knix – get $15 off here)
- One regular bra
- Two pairs of athletic pants
- Two athletic shirts
- One fleece sweater
- One midlayer for under your shirts
- Cotton gloves
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Merino wool beanie
Less is more. Two walking outfits are ideal; nearly all accommodations offer hand-washing basins and clotheslines. So you can wash one outfit each day. However, since temperatures were often cold or rainy in April, sometimes my clothes didn’t dry overnight. I usually just sought out a friend to share the washer and dryer with. It doesn’t make sense to use the laundry when it’s just you washing clothes, but doubling up is worthwhile. Loads are usually about 3 to 4 EUR each, and detergent is almost always included.
(I LOVED my Pinstokill leggings. They dry super quick too.)
I ditched the light walking shoes early on. They were a silly choice – they got wet easily, and were smelly. A Camino friend gave me a pair of flip-flops early on in the walk, and those were perfect.
When possible, do NOT PACK COTTON CLOTHES for walking. They will reek. Like, everyone will hate you. And you’ll hate yourself.
The exception is for lounge clothes in the evening. I love, love, love my leggings with zippered pockets! Especially since I wasn’t travelling with a purse. The pockets are deep enough for cash and your cell phone.
If you can get athletic underwear, I recommend that as well. I had cotton. Did I mention the butt chafing?
What I wish I had packed: better quality gloves (waterproof), and long underwear. Or at least another sweater. It got really, really cold sometimes, and I was completely unprepared for that. I spent many chilled nights wrapped up like a baby in my sleeping bag.
Electronics + Other Hardware
- iPhone 11
- One external battery charger
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Headlamp
- Notebook and pen
- A padlock and key (which I never used)
I know, shocking! I didn’t travel with my laptop or camera!
If I had my time back, I’d probably bring my laptop…if it were a MacBook Air. I was still freelancing on the walk (not an option otherwise, unfortunately) and finding computers was often a struggle. If you can do it with minimal technology, DO IT.
I didn’t want to lug around a camera. My phone took perfect photos for me.
The Kindle Paperwhite was very valuable to me, as was the headlamp. I used that headlamp a LOT.
The notebook is also vital, in my opinion. I tried to write in it daily.
The battery charger, however, was a needless addition. My phone only died maybe twice on the walk, and there are plenty of opportunities for charging. I didn’t need an adapter as I have a European phone charger. For some, though, it might be more necessary.
Cosmetics/Hygiene/Miscellaneous
- Small tube of sunscreen
- Small tube of moisturizer
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Shampoo/conditioner combo (condensed bottle – lasted the whole trip, and I picked it up at a Camino shop in Pamplona)
- Mascara + tiny pot of eyeshadow
- Hairbrush
- Painkillers + Immodium
- Nail clipper
- Lip balm
- Earplugs (SO MUCH SNORING)
- Large travel towel (quick drying)
- Alcohol swabs/gel for cleaning wounds
- Deodorant
What on earth am I doing with make-up, you ask? Good question. Certainly a needless addition. However, after awhile I grew sick of looking at my blonde eyelashes all the time. Mascara was nice. I’d do it again.
My skin was agony on the Camino. Something about the air caused my skin to be dry the whole time, and my lips. Urg.
You might notice that I didn’t include any first aid items here, which was certainly an oversight on my part. It was absolutely no problem to find Band-Aids and plasters, because fellow pilgrims readily offered them when necessary. But I wouldn’t exactly rely on others for your blister needs. Plasters do wonders, by the way.
Menstrual stuff: I almost exclusively use a Diva Cup these days, but forgot to pack mine for this trip. It actually ended up being a good thing because most bathrooms in the albergues aren’t exactly private, and so it wouldn’t have been possible to clean the cup after use. Tampons or sanitary napkins are (unfortunately) your best bet.
I also just used my shampoo and conditioner as body wash. I made the mistake of buying a large rather than extra large travel towel, however. It’s barely enough to cover an arse cheek.
Guidebooks and Walking Poles
I never really felt the need for walking poles, but some people swore by them. If you have any knee or hip issues, it comes recommended.
Guidebooks: ye gods, the options! I don’t think I met a single person who was satisfied with their guidebook. The one used by most Americans was riddled with mistakes. I had a Kindle book, Camino Frances by Leslie Gilmour. It was informative and detailed, but I ended up mostly ignoring the route Gilmour proposed. The altitude guide you can pick up for free at pilgrim offices was a far better daily guide, IMO.
I downloaded the Wise Pilgrims app, which I used mostly for looking up details about albergues and whether or not they had WiFi and a kitchen. The Camino Pilgrim app was useful for distances, but was inaccurate quite often. So yeah, I was excessive with the guides. Haha.
Here’s an Unconventional Packing Tip
You know why I was grateful for having more space in my bag? Later in the walk, I started carrying food. And if there’s one thing I’d recommend for walkers, it’s save a little space for food.
To be blunt, the food on the France Way is utter shit. I was excited by the prospect of pilgrim menus (usually 9 EUR for a three-course meal) but quickly realized it was all awful. I’m not even a picky eater, but half of this stuff was inedible. I’d rather spend 10 EUR for one good course than 9 EUR for dry French fries, half-cooked meat, and flan from a can.
By the time I started walking with regulars, we were cooking together in the evenings. So we’d each carry a little something – a packet of salt, a small bottle of olive oil, etc. Cooking together in the evenings really brought us together. And we ended up eating delicious food, sometimes at only 5 EUR each.
(I loved cooking and walking with these people. And I love this photo, after a gruelling day walking through a blizzard.)
Bread and cheese is a good staple just to stick in your pack for when you want to pause and eat on the walk, especially if you’re on a budget. All those pauses for café con leche can add up.
The Revised Packing List
So here’s a complete list of items I recommend packing for the Camino, including the things I wish I HAD brought with me, and without the things I shouldn’t have brought.
Hardware
- Lowe Alpine backpack (33 L, expandable)
- Hiking boots (high rise)
- PrAna light rain jacket
- Ultra-compact sleeping bag
- Water bottle
Clothing
- Two pairs of tall wool socks
- Three pairs of athletic underwear
- One pair of ankle socks for lounging
- Pair of flip-flops
- One pair of lounge pants
- One regular t-shirt
- One sports bra
- One regular bra
- Two pairs of athletic pants
- Two athletic shirts
- One fleece sweater
- Waterproof gloves
- Sunglasses
- Wool hat
Hygiene
- Small tube of sunscreen
- Small tube of moisturizer
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Alcohol swabs/gel for cleaning wounds
- Shampoo/conditioner combo (condensed bottle – lasted whole trip)
- Hairbrush
- Painkillers + Immodium
- Nail clipper
- Needle and thread for popping blisters
- Plasters
- Tampons
- Earplugs
- Hand sanitizer
- Razor
- Deodorant
- Extra-large travel towel (quick-drying)
Electronics /Miscellaneous
- iPhone11
- Kindle Paperwhite
- Headlamp
- Notebook and pen
- Plastic Ziploc bag
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