What to carry

  http://www.urcamino.com/caminofrances/whattocarry  

  General advice

- What follows below is only an advice based on experience. Some things are optional to take, whereas you might find some items missing from the list.

- Ideally, your backpack shouldn't weigh more than 10% of your body weight. Try to keep that in mind when packing.

- To keep the weight of clothes in your backpack to a minimum, prepare to wash them every two or three days.

- Also count in the weight of water you'll be carrying with yourself.

- In case of smaller people, the 10% ratio is unrealistic, so don't be suprised if you can't keep the weight of your backpack under 8 kgs.

  (In summer : )

  Clothes

- Two or three T-shirts plus one with long sleeves (to protect against sun/chill).

- Shorts and trousers. A good solution are zip-off pants with removable leggings.

- A light sweater/summer fleece for cooler nights (or days).

- Raincoat/poncho with cape. It should cover your backpack, too.

  Walking

- A pair of hiking shoes. Preferably Gore-Tex or the like. These shoes are water resistant, yet let your feet breathe.

- As soon as you try them on in the shop, there should be no doubt that they are comfortable. Don't make any

compromise here. Also keep in mind that feet have a tendency to swell in warm weather.

- A hat or bandana to protect you from the sun.

- Sunglasses.

- Three pairs of hiking socks. Quality is very important here to avoid the biggest fear of every pilgrim: blisters.

- Walking poles (optional). They are useful on downhill and uphill paths, and also in wet and muddy conditions,

but will turn into extra weight when not needed.

  Resting

- A pair of sandals. They will serve you well when strolling around in towns.

- A pair of plastic slippers or flip-flops.

- Swimwear.

  Sleeping

- A light sleeping bag. If it gets cold, you can always put some more clothes on.

- Earplugs (for those who are annoyed by snoring).

- Pyjamas (or just a pair of shorts and a T-shirt).

  Personal care

- One or two towels. Baby towels serve well because they soak up a lot and get dry fast.

- Shower gel. Preferably with protection cap on top.

- Soap (washing soap also).

- Deodorant.

- Toothbrush and a small quantity of toothpaste.

- Razor.

- Face cream and/or suntan lotion.

- Something against flu for the first few days. Some people experience the syndromes of influenza after the first few days.

- Painkillers.

- Any medicine you usually take.

- Sticking plasters that you can cut yourself.

- Tea tree oil to disinfect wounds and blisters.

- Wound treatment creme, also good for wounds caused by sweating.

- Comfrey creme for treating arthritis, inflammations or bruises.

- Some sports cream to treat your feet with after a day's walk (and also to massage other hurting body parts).

  Miscellaneous

- A few clothespins to hang out your drying clothes.

- A pocket knife.

- A pair of small scissors.

- Something to read if you're the reading type; something to write on and with if you're the writing type.

- Headlamp or small torch.

- Tissue paper, toilet paper. Don't take too much, you can buy them on the way.

- A small sewing set.

- Some safety pins.

- A smaller shoulder bag or neck wallet for your documents.

- European Health Insurance Card if you're from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

  From autumn to spring

- Basically the same equipment as in summer, except that clothes should be warmer, but breathable. Walking

makes you sweat in winter, too.

- Consider swapping the hiking shoes for boots, especially in winter.

- Two pairs of long under leggings, one for walking and one for sleeping.

- A hooded anorak that's warm enough and protects you against the wind.

- Gaiters or waterproof trousers.

- A warm but light sleeping bag that is appropriate for below zero temperatures.

- Cap.

- A pair of gloves.

- Count an extra two-kilogram weight on top of your summer equipment. If it's 8 kilos in summer, it will be about 10 in winter.

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