What do you have inside that thing? Part 1

Since I spent the better part of three months of my life trying to decide what to wear and carry with me on the Camino, I thought I would share what I ended up deciding I couldn’t do without. This is Part 1, which includes sections on backpack, hiking poles, hydration, shoes, clothing, and sleeping system.  

Part 1:

Backpack:  Zpacks Arc Haul Ultra 50L. 

I started with a Fjallraven Abisko 35L.  Great bag and fit everything I planned to carry however I was unable to get it “dialed-in” properly, so it fit comfortably when fully loaded.  The 50L Arc Haul is much bigger than I need, but the roll top design allows a great deal of flexibility for packing various size loads.  For me, the biggest difference is the hip belt on the Zpacks bag.  It’s very wide and well padded. There are adjustments on both the top and bottom of the belt allowing for different tension on the top and bottom of your hips, which is helpful in placement and weight distribution.
The Zpacks Arc Haul fabric is waterproof; however, I store everything inside the pack in dry bags.  I don’t plan to use a pack liner.  Also, I added a couple upgrades to the pack which are super helpful and convenient.  First was a pair of belt pouches which attach (yup, you guessed it) to each side of the belt.  Well sized and located with smooth one-hand zippers.  The second add-on was a front utility pack accessory.  This handy front pouch integrates directly onto the belt center snaps/buckles and serves as a replacement for a waist/fanny pack.  IMO, both add-ons were well worth the cost.

Hiking Poles:  Black Diamond composite adjustable

I went back and forth regarding bringing my hiking poles.  The first and last part of the walk have decent amount of elevation changes, which is when I am most likely to need them.  The question in my mind was, did I want to carry them the other 350 plus miles.  I considered leaving mine home and buying a pair of cheap poles in Spain along the way as needed, then leave them at an Albergue in the ‘spare gear box’.  Finally, I decided that since I already own a good pair, it made sense to take and use them. 

Hydration:  Gregory 3D 2L Hydro Hydration Reservoir

My initial plan was to only uses disposable plastic bottles (i.e. smart water type) rather than a bladder or metal refillable bottle. My thinking was that water is readily available along most of the route, and so I would not need to carry that much at one time.  Also, I could mix electrolyte powder in a recyclable bottle – not something I would do in a hydration pack.  The problem turned out to be that I was unable to reach and remove a water bottle from the side pockets of either pack while wearing it.  I don’t exactly have short T-Rex arms, but nevertheless I was unable to pull anything out of the side pockets without removing the pack, or by asking a friend.  So, I settled on using a bladder and also plan to carry a smart water bottle in my shorts pocket if I need a separate electrolyte drink.

Shoes:  La Sportiva Bushido II Trail Running Shoes

I normally use a Lowa Renegade boot for hiking but decided they are far too heavy and significant overkill for the Camino. I won’t bore you with tales of how many different style, sizes and types of shoes I tried during the replacement selection process.  The Bushido was one of the first shoes I tried, and it turned out to be the best fit for me.   I found some interesting details about my feet that along the way.  For example, my left foot is just about ½ size smaller than my right foot.  This explained a lot of issues in the past with shoes not fitting correctly.  So, had I known this in the beginning, I would have stopped looking after trying the Bushido and just adjusted sizing to accommodate my different size feet.   I ended up buying two pair in 12 1/2, and a two pair in size 13 allowing me to build two pair (one pair to train in, one for the Camino) of properly sized and fitting shoes.  Left foot 12 ½, right foot 13 – this did the trick.  The Bushido II shoes run narrow, as well as small.  My feet are narrow so that was fine for me, small was fixable by sizing up – something I would do anyway for this length of walk.  Happy Feet!   Anyone need a pair of Clay/Tiger Bushido II’s in size 12 ½ right, size 13 left? J   I have spare pair.

Clothing:  This list is basically one to wear, one or more to spare. 

         Shorts - Adidas Golf Shorts (3)
         Shirts - Outdoor Research wicking short sleeve shirt (2)
                       Merino Tech merino wool short sleeve shirt (1)
         Socks – Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew (4)
         Underwear – wicking (3)
         Sun Hoodie – Outdoor Research ActiveIce 50 SPF(2)
         Gaiters – Dirty Girl Hippy Pattern :)
         Misc – Belt, Hat, Gloves, Merino wool long sleeve shirt, puffy vest, rain pants, poncho, sandals (for evenings) and hiking pants

We plan to hand wash clothing at the end of each day.  I brought extra socks thinking I would change multiple times during the day if necessary.  I may have overpacked– especially considering how easy it will be to buy something along the way should I need to.  Of course, I will be wearing one each of most of the items on the list above, so not all of the items will be in the pack. I might review everything again, but my pack weight feels comfortable for now, so I'll decide later.

Sleeping System:  We will be staying in a mix of hostels/albergues, hotels and some apartments.  Albergue linens if supplied at all, are understandably very basic.  Some include blankets, others do not.  I decided to bring my own sleeping gear.   Kit includes the following:

Sea to Summit silk blend sleeping bag liner,
Sea to Summit traveller (not misspelled) down sleeping bag
Hikenture inflatable camping pillow
silk pillow case
eye mask and ear plugs

All lightweight gear which should meet my needs wherever the temperature or situation.

That’s it for now. Stay tuned for Part 2, where I will cover my setup for first aid, personal items, electronics and photography. 

Thanks for reading!

Rich