Gloves

[murphydog201]

I'm doing the Camino in a couple of weeks, and I was planning to bring waterproof gloves. However, it's pretty warm now, and I'm wondering if I can get away with bringing just a pair of leather driving gloves. They're light and small. How does leather perform in rain?

[John Hussey]

I would believe that gloves would get wet from the rain. But, it's your call. You are already taking an extra pair of wool socks, so why not use them on your hands as mittens if it gets really cold enough to use them and so save the extra weight. Now, the pair of socks becomes a double-use item and saves you some gear weight upon your back. Every little bit helps, no matter how small it might appear. Ounces add up to pounds as grams do to kilos Plus, wool insulates some while wet. I doubt that leather does at all

[murphydog201]

Do you mean most people don't bring gloves when doing the Camino this time of year? I thought that would be a given in the winter.

Have you had any experience with the rainproof flies that come with backpacks today? I read that they are not reliable in wind, that they can blow right off. I'm debating whether I need a poncho AND a lightweight, packable rain jacket. The poncho I have goes over me and the backpack. That's why I'm also wondering about the fly.

And finally, deoderant? Does everyone bring it, or do people just stink? I'm also debating whether to bring shaving stuff or if I should just let my facial hair grow for a month.

[John Hussey]

Do you mean most people don't bring gloves when doing the Camino this time of year? I thought that would be a given in the winter.

Have you had any experience with the rainproof flies that come with backpacks today? I read that they are not reliable in wind, that they can blow right off. I'm debating whether I need a poncho AND a lightweight, packable rain jacket. The poncho I have goes over me and the backpack. That's why I'm also wondering about the fly.

And finally, deoderant? Does everyone bring it, or do people just stink? I'm also debating whether to bring shaving stuff or if I should just let my facial hair grow for a month.

Gloves. I walked in months of Oct-Nov-Dec, twice. I took no gloves. But if you feel comfortable then do so.

I pack my items in 3-4 extremely lightweight and very waterproof silnylon stuff bags. It keeps my items organized and easily accessible and separated as well as dry. So, I have never taken a pack cover. But, do one or the other to keep your items dry as it rains in Spain. A good venting (with zippered openings) rain gear is warmer than poncho. But if your layers include a thermo-regulated windshirt like the British Buffalo wind shirt (inventers of the system) or Marmot's driclime windshirt you could go either way in winter even.

Deoderant. I took mine. But not all of it. It is a roll-on which I opened and took just some in a smaller vial and put it on with my fingers after the shower. But, if you can find a small one you like..

The Good thing about the Camino is that most of one's normal backpacking items are left at home (tent, pad, food for multiple days, stove, fuel, cooking gear, etc.) so the walker is left with a backpack greatly reduced by weight and so more latitude with gear choices might be absorbed. Of course, the less you do carry, the easier your trip.

Razor. I did take a small one with separate blades and just used regular soap for lather, putting it on my face with my hands and that worked quite well. I used the same bar of soap for everything, cleaning body, including my hair, shaving and even used it after the shower to wash out my socks and underwear nightly and every few days my hiking shorts and separate nylon shirt. The bar of soap I found in Spain, a black one, quite mild, with a nice smell.

[murphydog201]

Have you heard of Northface's Windwall material? I have one of their windwall fleeces. I don't know if it's comparable to Marmot's driclime or the windshirts you referred to.

Is there any reason to bring 2 pairs of hiking pants? I was planning to do so "just in case." They're very light.

I packed my backpack tonight, and without including food and water, it was 11 pounds. Does that sound about right? At first I was planning to bring water bottles, but then I bought a 2 liter hydration bladder just to try it out. I'm concerned that the full bladder will add a lot of weight though.

[Covey]

There are a number of different views about water bladders v a water bottle.

The bladders and associated tubing need cleaning fairly often which means stripping the thing apart and cleaning out the tubes. For a 5 day walk you can get away without the cleaning routine, but on the full Camino in summer it has to be done every three days otherwise your water will begin to taste unpleasant.

Using a bladder is easier to have a drink whilst walking along, but can cause the walker to drink too often and as the bladder is usually in the pack, it is more difficult to keep an eye on how much water you have left.

I buy bottles of water from the shops and carry two bottles, one on either side of the pack in the external net pouches. Carrying two bottles keeps the weight evenly distributed either side of the pack. It can be very uncomfortable walking with a pack which has more weight one side than the other. When you finish the bottle, simply buy another so you don't have to clean bladders and you always have clean drinking water.

Some of the water fountains along the Camino Frances are of doubtful quality, and the quickest way to get "Le Trots" is to drink dirty water.

Being an Old Soldier, I never drink more than half my water until I have arrived at a point where I can replenish my supply. Then I drink the other half and start off again with full bottles. That way you do not run out of water. The Burgos to Leon Meseta stage in July/Aug can be very hot and villages much further apart than say in Galecia, so rationing your water consumption is vital.

[John Hussey]

Have you heard of Northface's Windwall material? I have one of their windwall fleeces. I don't know if it's comparable to Marmot's driclime or the windshirts you referred to.

Is there any reason to bring 2 pairs of hiking pants? I was planning to do so "just in case." They're very light.

I packed my backpack tonight, and without including food and water, it was 11 pounds. Does that sound about right? At first I was planning to bring water bottles, but then I bought a 2 liter hydration bladder just to try it out. I'm concerned that the full bladder will add a lot of weight though.

I shall attempt my opinions on your four questions:

First:
I am not familiar with the Northface product but many manufacturers of late have copied the original concept, which is nothing more than a highly wicking short fiber interior fleece material inside, much like Polartec 100, followed by a few layers of ultra thin Pertex. Perhaps Northface is a copy of this simple concept. How it works is that the interior fleece quickly moves the moisture build up on your skin from your hiking extertion to the outer layers of Pertex and the continued heat from your trunk keeps moving it to vent away to the outside. Plus, and significantly important, is that this Pertex is resistant to penetrating wind, which robs you of your heat from convection. One can even use these items in light rain without donning outer rain gear and still remain dry. The outer pertex layers wet out some but the inner heat continues to dry the outside, so you stay warm and dry with them. It is a simple concept. The originator of this "wicking windshirt" concept is one that was designed by the British quite a few years ago when they came up with the Pertex material and it is used successfully by long distance hikers, climbers, and a version of it by the British armed forces, I have been told. It really works. It is a strange concept but works nonetheless. The buffalo is here:
http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog...uffalo_41.html
My preference for hiking is the Buffalo Teclite Activity shirt, toward the end of the page and I have used one now for close to 10 years and it works as good as ever. It is a little hot, though, unless it is extremely cold but you can wear it in the freezing rain and remain warm & dry.

I believe the next company to pick up on the concept was Marmot, with their 'venerable' DriClime Windshirt:
http://marmot.com/spring_2009/mens/o...lime_windshirt
The good thing about this process is that it is not something that wears out. It doesn't. It will last the life of the garment and mine is older than my Buffalo. I use it for hiking in the potential cold when it is not extremely cold, like most three season (spring, summer, fall) use in the mountains. It is a favorite of ultra marathoners, too, with the addition of just a thin nylon shirt like those from RailRiders. Its only draw back is it has no hood, as does the Buffalo. I have used the Marmot version, their DriClime Windshirt, while walking in the rain for hours then donned a poncho and dried the shirt completely while I continued to walk on. It is a remarkable concept.

Second: I seldom take two of anything except 2 (sometimes 3) pair of socks and two wicking underwear (black). I hike always in shorts but it was nice on the Camino to take one thin pair of pants like Railriders to don in the evening while wandering around the town and not generating the heat to keep warm. Plus I felt it was more suitable for me in the cathedrals than shorts. On O'cebreiro it snowed on me that evening in November when I walked downhill to the restaurant and I was glad to have had them on. I occasionally washed my hiking shorts and it was nice to have something else to wear while they dried.

Third: Eleven pounds of gear is good. You are to be congratulated You will also carry the addition of some food as well as water. Snacks for lunch like a fresh loaf of delicious Spanish bread with some sliced chorizo, local cheese, Jamon Serrano, or the like which you will pick up on rather quickly and which will add a pound or two to your weight. Cheese and meat are heavy but well worth the extra little weight since you want carry it far before it's consumed.

Fourth: Your water will weigh slightly more, though. Your choice of the 2 liter hydration bladder is probably a Platypus and a Platypus Hoser if you purchased it with the drinking tube: http://www.platypushydration.com/pro...9&CategoryID=2
I would certainly use it. They carry a lifetime guarantee and I have actually used one so much that it finally sprung a tiny leak up near the thick ridged neck of all places. But, instead of exchanging it for another, I just covered the tiny leak with a piece of duct tape and later bought another Platypus 2 liter Hoser to replace it when I came to a place to do it, a newer one with the dark blue drinking tube and bite valve instead of my older clear one. There is a general misconception about water. Water has no shelf life. By definition it is a colorless, odorless liquid and it will last indefinitely. The water that you will drink today likely has, too. It is considered to have virtually no nutritional value and so is not an adequate substrate for the pathogens responsible for food-borne illnesses. But never add anything to your Hoser but clear water or it will begin to grow them rather quickly from whatever you added to your Platypus.

I suggest you use your Platypus. It is a quick and easy way to maintain hydration and you don't even have to stop to do it. It is another product used by many ultra-marathoners and is much greener and far cheaper than buying bottled water. A thousand years after your demise on earth and your remains have long since turned to dust, all those empty bottles of water that you might have purchased for your Camino will still be languishing in different Spanish land fills, only now just beginning to decompose.

Spanish water is quite good. Just Fill your Platypus in the mornings at the albergue where you slept and you will usually still have a little remaining in the evening when you look for your next albergue for the night.

Good Luck on your Camino!

[murphydog201]

Again, thanks for answering my questions.

Are water "resistant" pants good enough for the Camino or does one need "waterproof"?

[John Hussey]

Again, thanks for answering my questions.

Are water "resistant" pants good enough for the Camino or does one need "waterproof"?

I am not sure I am the one to answer as I walked both Caminos in only shorts. I knew that if I keep my upper torso dry and warm then I care less about the legs getting wet. Besides, they dry quickly when the rain stops. Therefore, I would go with the water resistant pants. The water proof ones would likely make you sweat like mad inside them and there is no place to easily vent except for the leg zippers and then you would get your legs wet from below knee down, completely negating the benefit of wearing them at all. Some thin synthetic material pants would serve the same purpose. I do have one pair of the waterproof pants with the long zips up the legs that I tried some years ago but I found them to be so hot that I never wore them again. If I were going to walk in the snow, I would likely take them, though. But, I am quite accustomed to a warmer climate, and would not, by choice, elect to do that.

I have observed that most of the walkers do prefer to do their hiking in long pants instead of shorts, and for why I have no clue. The water resistant pants though, could be the long pants that you could make do double duty by wearing after your shower in the towns and villages where you stop for the night.

This is just my opinion though as, like I said, I never hike in long pants anymore. You may opine otherwise.

[murphydog201]

I have to admit I'm a little confused by the notion of hiking in shorts in winter. The temperature here in Pennsylvania is very similar to that of Spain, and if someone walks around in shorts people look at them like they're nuts. But I'm not an experienced hiker, so I don't know. Maybe I'll be zipping off the legs of my hiking pants.

I tried out a Nike windshirt tonight (with Capilene base layer underneath) while walking my dog. I was chilly. Now, I know I won't be hiking at night, but that's how I've been testing stuff. I figure if something is warm enough for a PA night, it should be good enough for the Camino. A month ago I was worried about not being warm enough, and now I'm trying to avoid bringing warm clothing that I don't need.

[murphydog201]

Also, I don't know about wicking underwear. Is that just synthetic underwear-- like spandex? Would any such athletic underwear do? I was actually planning to just bring cotton briefs.

[Covey]

The majority of pilgrims seem to go with the hiking trousers with the zip off legs so you can wear them as shorts if the weather is OK and then convert them back to trousers for the evenings.

Sometimes you see people wearing running shorts. They are very lightweight, and quick to wash and dry.

I prefer to wear hiking trousers with the zip legs as they normally have multiple pockets for documents, mobiles, sweets etc etc.

[John Hussey]

I have to admit I'm a little confused by the notion of hiking in shorts in winter. The temperature here in Pennsylvania is very similar to that of Spain, and if someone walks around in shorts people look at them like they're nuts. But I'm not an experienced hiker, so I don't know. Maybe I'll be zipping off the legs of my hiking pants.

I tried out a Nike windshirt tonight (with Capilene base layer underneath) while walking my dog. I was chilly. Now, I know I won't be hiking at night, but that's how I've been testing stuff. I figure if something is warm enough for a PA night, it should be good enough for the Camino. A month ago I was worried about not being warm enough, and now I'm trying to avoid bringing warm clothing that I don't need.

I should have been more specific. I don't hike much in winter at all-just three-season only - spring, summer, fall. During colder snaps some Spaniards did look at me strangely, I admit but not during the warmer or hotter days. I finished second Camino by first week in December.

The Camino is not a wilderness and is quite a civilized walk, in fact. You can stop in numerous towns and villages along The Way so one's clothing selection is not as important as it would be were those towns and villages not so numerous.

[John Hussey]

The majority of pilgrims seem to go with the hiking trousers with the zip off legs so you can wear them as shorts if the weather is OK and then convert them back to trousers for the evenings.

Sometimes you see people wearing running shorts. They are very lightweight, and quick to wash and dry.

I prefer to wear hiking trousers with the zip legs as they normally have multiple pockets for documents, mobiles, sweets etc etc.

I heartily agree; a great compromise, Covey. Carry one thin, synthetic running shorts for when it is hot and the convertible, zip off pants for evenings or the cold. While most manufacturers offer running shorts only with that tiny, almost useless key pocket in the waist, if you look carefully and you can find some that offer running shorts with two front pockets and one rear one. New Balance did once and I bought a few pair, some of which i still use.

But I'd advise against any cotton of any sort in any months, but especially the colder ones. Look for synthetic briefs. If you have never hiked before get two pair with the 3" to 6" short legs, that are tight against the skin, that usually are made with at least some Lycra that stretches. They will save you from getting inner thigh chaffing if you get up to long miles in the sweaty heat. The material of your underwear will rub together rather than the flesh of your inner thighs. A suggestion:
http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/ua-underwear boxer jock for men, boy shorts for women.
http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/...ess_Wind_Boxer for another suggestion.