Journey to the Camino de Santiago - What the heck to bring?

Here I am about 8 months away from leaving for the Camino and trying to figure out what is it exactly I need. 

Let's revisit my backpacking experience thus far.

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even more ...


That's right!  Nada.  I have to admit, that's one of the most terrifying part of this process.  Yep, I know that there are shops all along the way but I am doing this on a tight budget and the idea that I get to Spain with a key item forgotten that costs $$$ ... well, makes me nervous.

Thankfully I have a bevy of knowledgeable folk around me who are generous with their patience and advice.  First up, my #caminotwits partner, Krista (who is the blogger behind bitesizedtravel).  She has a wealth of knowledge, great at planning and who will be critiquing my pack ruthlessly (with my blessing).  Also on my speed tweet is Todd (the blogger behind dragonflyhiker). He's a guy who gets gear, tries gear and evaluates it.  A big plus for me!

A few questions that will influence what to take:

1. What must I purchase here?
2. What can I purchase there?
3. How much space do I have (aka How much am I willing to carry)?
4. How long am I going?
5. What's the weather going to be like?
6. Is it possible to share items amongst others traveling with me?

I thought these questions were brilliant.  Not at all original but wicked brilliant anyway.

All the credit goes to Krista - she started me on the list and recommended 95% of what is here.  She is doing her blog post as well.  It will be interesting to see what is different and what is the same.

Lori's Preliminary Camino Packing List 

(as of September 9th, 2014 - updates are in RED)

Item	Size /# of Items	Sourced From	Name/Link/Notes
General Gear
Backpack	40 L(itre)	MEC	Aria 40 Daypack
Backpack Cover	25-40L	MEC	Pack Rain Cover (Silicone)
Waterproof Sacks/Stuff Sacks	Various Sizes	MEC	MEC Pack Rat Sil Stuff Sacks  - I opted for a 2L and a 5L and a Outdoor Research Ultralight Dry Sack in 15L.
Lightweight Sleeping Bag Liner		LL Bean	Big decision. I opted for a sleeping bag liner to piggy back on my silk liner. I've packed one inside of the other. It's less than half in weight than the sleeping bag I was considering. Total weight of sleeping gear =  348g/12.27oz   Sea to Summit Thermolite Sleeping-Bag Liner
Sleep Sheet	Silk/Cotton Mix	Trekmates via Amazon	Trekmates® Silk/Cotton Mummy Travel liner
Ultra Light Weight Towel	XXL	MEC	MSR PackTowl Ultralite Towel
Spork	1		MEC Folding Spork
Hydration System	2 L (1)	MEC	Decided on the Source WLP Hydration System.
Clothespins	4-6
Laces	3-5ft		Also to be used as a clothesline if needed.
Headlamp	1	MEC	Black Diamond Cosmo
Batteries	1		I'll likely purchase spares in Spain
Guidebook/Albergue Lists	1		I'm using the one from John Brierley
Walking Poles	2		This has been an ongoing debate about the poles. After last weekend's hike, I think the poles are a good investment for my body. I opted for Mountainsmith Carbonlite Pro via Amazon.
Money Belt	1
Clothing
Hiking Boots		MEC	La Sportiva FC ECO 3.0 GTX Trail Shoes (Women's)
Sandals		Lahout's	Teva Terra FI Lite - Scored it at $60US
Socks (prs)	4	IceBreaker	Multisport Ultra Light Mini. I'll likely switch socks 1/2 way through the day so I figure I need 4 pairs for washing and drying time.
Underwear	3	IceBreaker	Tested both Merino and Synthetic fabrics (here's the post). One pair to wear, one is drying and one in case of emergency. Decided on Sprite Hot Pants. Also purchased 2 pairs at Take it Outside.
Bras	2	Moving Comfort via MEC	Moving Comfort Fiona
Fleece Jacket	1	MEC	Men's Trek Jacket
Wool Gloves	1	MEC	Wool Gloves - Upon consultation with the wondrous Krista Spurr I decided to get a pair of wool gloves
Rain Jacket	1	LL Bean	Discovery Rain Jacket.
Tank Tops	2	MEC	Merino Wool blend (2).
T-Shirts	2	Take It Outside	Merino Wool blend (1) thus far. Icebreaker brand. One (1) synthetic technical T shirt from Nike.
Long Sleeved Shirts	1	MEC	Merino Wool blend (1) thus far
Pants	1	LL Bean	Comfort Trail Pants from LL Bean.
Shorts	2 (was 1)		I purchased 1 pair of The North Face and 1 pair of Adidas quick dry running shorts. Mens. They have the length I want and the bagginess I like.
Sleep Gear	1	MEC	Boxers and T-Shirt
Sun Hat/Buff	1		Have a Running Room hat and a Buff (Thanks dragonflyhiker!)
Personal Care Items
Ear Plugs			Snorers in the Albergues.
Laundry Soap			I am traveling with a friend and we are splitting some necessities. I have the phone, she has the Laundry stuff.
Shower Gel/Soap			One small bottle to start then purchase in Spain.
Shampoo			One small bottle to start then purchase in Spain.
Hairbrush	1
Mascara	1		Benefit They're Real mascara in travel size. No joke - It's coming!
Deodorant	1 small		Should last 21 days
Toothbrush	1		Travel sized
Toothpaste	1 small		Replenish in Spain
Floss	1 small		Replenish in Spain
Contact Lenses (spares, case)
Contact Lens Solution	1		Travel size will be enough
Eyeglasses	1
Sun Glasses	1
Facial Tissues	1 small
Toilet Tissue	1/2 roll
Body Lotion	1 small		Replenish in Spain
Face Cream (with Sunscreen)	1 small		Replenish in Spain
Vaseline			People swear that slathering your feet in this makes a world of difference
Moleskin			Purchasing some here and refill in Spain. I have learned that putting some on parts of my foot prevents blisters. Sides of Big Toe for instance.
Antiseptic Spray or cream			Reduce infection around blister area.
Anti-Trots Medicine			Thank you Immodium
Pain Reliever			Ibuprofen and Motrin (Muscle & Body)
Sunscreen	2 small		Replenish in Spain
First Aid Kit	1 small	MEC	Very Basic - Will add some of my other items to the packet
Electronics
iPhone (with a Spain SIM card)	1		Wifi is openly available in Spain. Still, in emergency...
Camera & SD cards	1	Amazon	Olympus VR-370 Point and Shoot Camera.  Weight=172g
Charger for ipod/camera	1
Power adapter for Spain	1		As I am taking a phone, Linda is responsible for the power adapter for all electronics (she's taking an iPad).
Miscellaneous
Journal	1		I have a leather journal that I purchased in Florence, Italy.
Pen	1
Multi-tool	1	MEC	Knife, scissors, etc. From MEC. Leatherman Squirt PS4 Multi‑Tool
Not Addressed/Undecided
Money/ Credit Cards/Passport/ID
Solar Charger	1		Levin Solstar Charger - I have purchased this to test to see if it is worth the extra weight on my pack. It should hook to pack to charge while walking. We'll see.
Micro Solar Lantern	1		Luci Light - It's a backup light should I get stuck in a place where lighting (over and above my headlamp) is needed.

You may notice that my much loved, much mocked (yes I'm looking at you +Krista Spurr) eyelash curler has been removed from my list.... Reluctantly. It won't be making the trip to Spain though - the extra grams mean so much!

So there is my list to date. It seems daunting especially as I hope to keep my pack to less than 15lbs total!  I will be updating the list with my finds as they are decided. I know I've forgotten things. All a work in progress.

There is one thing that all experienced pilgrims/trekkers/hikers agree... Cotton is whack!  It gets absorbs sweat/water and keeps it close to your skin.  Yes, yes, so does wool, however reports indicate that cotton when wet loses insulating properties.  Wool does not. Opt for merino wool or synthetics that wick sweat from your body.  Also a good idea are clothes with antibacterial properties - you know... the smell and rash thing.

I will be posting on my continuing saga for good underwear and socks, the right way to tie my shoe laces, and my physical training for the Camino.

You think I am kidding about the underwear and tying of my laces.... I am not.

Next up is my footwear selection adventure!!!

Buen Camino,
Lori