Boots, Backpacks & Paraphernalia

Arguably, the most important items of equipment required to walk the Camino are your boots and backpack. We’re bushwalkers so we already have good boots, Scarpa, made in Italy.  We have daypacks which are too small for the Camino, and backpacks which are too big for the Camino (Steve’s 65L and my 50L) so new packs had to be purchased.  Steve settled on a 45L Mont Sentinel and I have a 42L Mont Sentinel.

Of equal importance, in my opinion, are socks.  There are many different stances regarding socks, various brands are recommended and some believe the addition of a thin inner sock liner is the way to go.  We are going to stick with our Thorlo Running Socks with thick padding on the toe and heel which we’ve found to be excellent for bushwalking.

Our clothes are lightweight and quick drying, the same as we wear for bushwalking and kayaking. We’ve probably got too many clothes and may live to regret the extra weight.  We’ve read that most people take too much gear and either discard some or post some on to Santiago.  One could probably get away with less clothing if walking in summer, but we start walking in April and will likely experience some cold weather and rain.  Also, we’ll be travelling for three months with an initial two weeks in France, 6 to 8 weeks walking the Camino, and the remainder of our time travelling in Spain before heading back to France to fly home from Paris.

Pack List

2 Long Pants                                         Sandals
2 Shorts                                                 Small Travel Towel
3 Shirts                                                  Sleeping Bag
1 Merino T-Shirt                                  Stuff Sack with Toiletries + First Aid
1 Fleece Top                                         Tilley Hat
4 Socks                                                   Head Torch
4 Underpants                                        Phone
Gortex Jacket                                        Camera
Waterproof Pants                                Guidebook
Waterproof Pack Cover                      I'll carry a Kindle and Steve an iPad Mini