What makes the perfect Camino packing list?

On September 12th 2015, I started walking through the city of Leon in northern Spain. For the next twenty days I walked to Santiago de Compostela, then onward to the coastal towns of Finisterre and Muxia where I arrived on October 2nd.

It’s been almost a year since I set out on the Camino de Santiago, and I’m starting to get itchy feet again. My backpack is currently gathering dust on top of the wardrobe; my technical tees and zip-off trousers haven’t been touched in months; and my abandoned steel-tipped walking stick is still wandering somewhere on the Spanish coast. Hopefully.

When I think about that month I spent walking, so many memories come flooding back – so even though I don’t usually write packing list articles, doing a Camino packing list post feels appropriate. It’s a chance for me to remember the good and bad points of my Camino journey, all inextricably tangled up in the possessions I carried on my back.

I also might just possibly be doing it as an excuse to relive the experience, twelve months later. Perhaps I’m even cajoling myself into becoming a pilgrim for the second time around…

How I put together my Camino packing list

Like a true procrastinator, I started my Camino prep by making all the lists I possibly could about what to pack – and then I put off actually packing anything for a very long time. Luckily, packing for the Camino de Santiago is actually quite simple as long as you’re careful.

First up, pack light. Most people suggest carrying a maximum of 10% of your own body weight on the Camino, which means being pretty rigorous with what you pack. Do you really need a camera, or will your phone’s camera suffice? Even if you’re a bookworm, you might regret bringing that heavy paperback after 400kms. And I promise you, there is absolutely no need for a compass! There are plenty of common mistakes made by first-time pilgrims: do some research online and use some common sense – I normally love preparing for every eventuality, but once I reasoned that I could probably buy any essentials in Spain, it made my life much easier.

The other most fundamental part of Camino planning, in my opinion, is simply to practice using each and every part of your kit before you start to walk. Getting your body used to your gear is just as crucial as readying your body itself.

– Wear your chosen backpack everywhere you go in your regular home life

– Spend at least one day each week wandering around in your boots to check they fit right

– Hang your wet clothes outside on a cold night and see how long they take to dry before deciding whether or not to pack them

– And the number one golden rule of the Camino: WEAR YOUR BOOTS IN PROPERLY BEFORE YOU START WALKING!

Choosing a Camino backpack

After a fair amount of research, I bought an Osprey Tempest 30 litre pack and walked all over London with varying amounts of possessions inside so I could imitate my Camino walking. What I forgot to do was actually walk on different types of terrain to see how the pack affected my shoulders and back, but luckily this pack gave me zero problems.

The Osprey Tempest 30 is a pretty simple pack: it has just the one storage space inside with a zipped compartment in the lid. Some of the features I really appreciated were the ventilation system on the back; the stretchy mesh side pockets; a little zip pocket on one half of the hip belt; and the deep front pocket.

– Make sure the hip straps are sturdy and comfortable. These babies will save your back and shoulders from excess strain, and a ventilated section is bliss for keeping back sweat at bay!

– Check the weight distribution. The last thing you want is for all your possessions to migrate to the bottom of the pack. I used the main interior of the Osprey for my compression sacks of clothes and toiletries, but everything else was divided up into various compartments: I put the day’s snack foods in the zipped lid, lip balm and hand sanitiser in the hip pockets, and my hiking sandals, waterproof jacket and a matching Osprey rain cover in the outer front pocket for easy accessibility.

– Clips not zips are the way to go. Once you’ve packed up your possessions for a day of hiking, the last thing you want is to unpack everything at the side of the road when a sudden storm kicks in and you can’t find your raincoat. If your pack is comprised of zipped sections, it’ll take that much longer. The Opsrey is all clips and drawstrings, which is much easier and quicker to use.

– Are there ways to modify your pack? I’m a sucker for backpacks with all manner of straps and cords to hang things from – the Osprey Tempest 30 pack has them in abundance. Discovering I could hang damp underwear from the loops so it could dry in the sun was one thing; squeezing my impulse-bought hiking pole underneath the fastened lid of the pack was a whole other moment of joy!

Wearing a bumbag around my waist

I’ve always mocked the humble bumbag (or the ‘fannypack’, as you lovely Americans say) but there’s no denying that using one for the Camino was perfect, as I didn’t have to constantly swing my bag off my back when I wanted to grab something small. It also made for easier security, as I kept my most valuable items in here at all times.

In the bumbag around my waist I managed to store the following:

• my phone and headphones
• a little coin wallet for money & cards
• my regular passport and Camino passport (both kept in a ziplock bag)
• my little hardback diary and a pen
• a tiny tube of antibacterial hand gel
• lip balm
• a hair band
• hair slides

My only problem? I bought a cheap bumbag, and the strap only adjusted on one side. That meant the buckle was always in the same position on my left hip and occasionally rubbed my skin uncomfortably – and because I never practice-hiked wearing the bumbag, I didn’t discover this fact until I was already on the Camino.

But apart from that, I’m now a total bumbag convert – something I never thought I’d say.

What clothes do pilgrims wear on the Camino?

Choosing what clothes to take on the Camino is an important decision, as they’re undoubtedly the heaviest part of a pilgrim’s packing list.

I didn’t want to spend a huge amount on technical clothing as I don’t do huge amounts of hiking in regular life, so I was usually aiming for the cheaper end of the scale when shopping around.

My desirables for Camino clothes were:

• Breathability – my internal temperature changes pretty quickly.

• Being multipurpose – clothes I could either walk in, sleep in, or feel comfortable wearing in the evenings.

• Having storage space – give me a hidden pocket and I’ll love you forever.

I ended up packing two hiking outfits with a third outfit for sleeping in/relaxing in at the albergues.

Two tee shirts

I had two short-sleeve, scoop neck, quick-dry tees (one from Icebreaker and one from Mountain Warehouse) and wore each of them every other day. The Icebreaker fared much better in terms of softness, sweat absorption and general comfort, and in hindsight I probably should have bought two of them.

One vest top

A loose fitted, red striped vest from Ayacucho served as part of my albergue/sleeping outfit each afternoon and night. I never wore it to walk because it would have rubbed against my pack straps, and I was also worried about sunburn.

One micro fleece

Before starting the Camino I panicked about fluctuating temperatures and eventually shelled out for this Icebreaker merino base layer. I barely ever wore it, but I was still glad to have it in case of emergency temperature dips!

One regular zip fleece

This thin black fleece from Complete Outdoors was permanently on my shoulders, both when walking and in the evenings. It was warm enough to wear on our chilly morning starts, but unzipped with the sleeves rolled up kept me cool, too. Basically, this fleece was my Camino comfort blanket.

One pair of convertible trousers

Choosing to wear Ayacucho trousers that zipped off into shorts made me feel like a real, totally un-fashion-orientated hiker, and though they were a bit ridiculous I still loved them.

Initially I bought a pair of Craghoppers, wore them around a bit and then returned them because they were too slim fitting for me. In comparison, the Ayacucho ones have deep pockets everywhere: two on the arse, two at each hip, and even a set of cargo pockets on each thigh.

One pair of walking shorts

Research told me I had to pack two pairs of shorts, but I ended up always choosing my trouser-shorts and only wore this second pair of Columbia shorts on the days I washed the trousers.

One pair of cycling shorts

These were worn straight after I showered and when I slept, but I could’ve walked in them on really hot days.

One pair of black leggings

My warmer choice for chilly albergue afternoons, and easily rolled up if I suddenly got overheated. I never hiked in these as they were a cheap Primark pair and wouldn’t have wicked any moisture away.

A Camino necessity: a complete set of waterproof outerwear

Even though I was lucky enough to endure just two days of solid rain during my two weeks of hiking, they were enough to make me miserable (don’t let the smile fool you!). Walking in the rain when you don’t have adequate protection SUCKS – particularly when you discover your sleeping bag and comfy, clean sleepwear have got soaked too.

After that disastrous day I lined my backpack with a black garbage bag (which I begged from the albergue staff) and swore I’d never forget to properly secure my pack’s rain cover again.

One waterproof jacket

I picked up a cheap waterproof jacket before I left, and randomly chose a men’s Medium so it gave me extra length protection in the sleeves and hood – which turned out to be a very sensible idea.

When looking for a rain jacket, aim for one that’s lightweight, packs down small and has a cinched hood and cinched waist to stop the wind from blowing excess rain underneath it.

One pair of waterproof trousers

Along with the jacket, my waterproof trousers were cheap and cheerful but they did the job. Wide enough that I could wiggle into them while still wearing my boots, they kept the worst of the rain off my legs and kept my socks/boots covered in a downpour, plus they were an added layer of warmth during an eight hour day of constant rain.

It’s worth bearing in mind that if you’re walking in hotter months these won’t be very breathable, so look for some with ventilation if you can.

What underwear should I bring on the Camino?

Two sports bras

Undoubtedly the right choice, but I should have realised the halter straps of my particular bras would keep twisting over themselves under the backpack – not too comfortable! They also gave me occasional strange sunburn marks.

One bandeau bra

Thanks to the heavy fabric of my sports bras which retained moisture and were a little tricky to get on, this was usually my post-shower bra to quickly shove on and thus escape the always-busy albergue bathrooms.

Three pairs of quick-dry knickers

The Tilley brand of quick-dry underwear are completely unflattering (hence the lack of photo) yet dry quickly and are breathable. They’d also have worked as a makeshift bikini if I’d decided to go swimming at any point.

What hiking socks should I wear on the Camino?

Foot care is the most hotly contested topic on Camino internet forums and I read a lot of different suggestions for how socks could help you avoid the all-important blisters.

It’s seriously worth spending money on good, high quality Camino socks. Most people recommend SmartWool, which wicks moisture away from your feet instead of letting it sit next to your skin and cause friction, leading to blisters (which happens with cotton socks).

After some trial and error during my practice walks in London, I eventually went with this winning combo (for me, at least):

Two pairs of sock liners

First, I layered my feet with a healthy coating of intensive foot moisturiser each morning, then I slipped on a pair of thin polyester & Merino blend Coolmax sock liners from Bridgedale. These are quite tight fitting, and transfer moisture away from the skin.

Three pairs of hiking socks

After the liners, I put on a pair of Bridgedale hiking socks (I had two pairs of medium thickness, and one pair of thicker ‘Trekker’ ones).

One pair of thin cotton socks

The last pair socks I had were for general albergue afternoons and for chilly toes at night. Not technical; just a random pair from my drawer!

What footwear do I need for the Camino?

Aside from my pack, the choice of hiking boots tormented me for months before my Camino. The boots I already owned were much too heavy for the warm Spanish weather, so after spending hours in various outdoor stores I bought these:

One pair of Lowa Taurus GTX boots

Despite occasionally feeling like they rubbed at my little toes, I ended up without a single blister in twenty days on the Camino (a feat I’m still amazed by). My Lowa Taurus GTX boots were waterproof enough to get me through the occasional downpour and they had a bit of ankle support, but my favourite aspect was how light they were on my feet.

One pair of light sandals or flipflops

When you’ve been hiking all day, your feet are extremely sensitive – so you need something light and breathable for the evenings and when you get out of the shower.

I took a pair of Keen sandals because they had a hard toe cover, and I could feasibly hike in them if I got blisters (I thought I was being clever by giving myself multiple possibilities for their use). Unfortunately I hadn’t worn my Keen sandals much before the Camino, and that proved to be my downfall: they were supremely uncomfortable on my bare feet and weren’t even waterproof for wearing straight out of the shower.

Ultimately I barely wore them except for the one day when I had a blister forming and we walked forty kilometres…

What technology should be in my Camino packing list?

I’ve never travelled with so little gadgetry as I did on the Camino, and it was a strangely liberating experience. Instead of cameras and computers and music players, plus all the accompanying chargers, I basically just used my phone for everything.

A smart phone

My trusty LGG4 phone was my camera, my access to the internet, my music player (thanks, Spotify Premium), my notebook (hello, Evernote), and my Camino guidebook – thanks to a handy app called Camino Pilgrim which I downloaded on The Way and used for maps, mileages, restaurants, albergues and everything else.

I didn’t get a Spanish SIM for data: instead I kept the phone in airplane mode and only used the albergue wifi in the evenings.

A kindle

Bringing a kindle was my luxury Camino item, as I barely ever had time to read but still liked knowing that I could! Also I started my Camino journey by taking a twenty hour bus ride from London to Burgos in Spain, and voraciously read ‘How Not to Travel the World’ by fellow blogger Lauren Juliff the whole way there.

Spanish USB charger and one USB cable

Thanks to my phone and Kindle both having the same plug, I could use one charger for both.

Spare phone battery

I never changed phone batteries but having a spare was a comfort, just in case.

Ear buds

Camino pilgrims snore, and it means albergue dorm rooms can be very noisy. My blogger buddy Dave had a very good suggestion of buying earplugs for heavy machinery & air shows instead of typical travel ones – but I found that using my ear bud headphones was perfect, as they stayed snug in my ears until I fell asleep, and I could always find them the next morning.

Casio watch

I didn’t want to rely on my phone for checking the time, and both setting and turning off the watch’s alarm was a lot less fiddly when I was in my sleeping bag.

Headtorch

As our group often started walking in the dark each morning, having a hands free source of light was a huge help. I didn’t carry spare batteries as I could have bought them on the way.

How do I choose my toiletries for the Camino?

Choosing toiletries was a tricky business. Although I knew most things would be available on route, I still stuck to carrying a fair amount. My trick was getting small bottles and tubes to cut down on excess – and being willing to use combined shampoo/conditioner!

Organisation wise, I split these toiletries into various ziploc bags so I could easily grab the one I needed:

‘Things I Shower With’ 

A liquid bottle of body wash, a tube of Simple face wash, a small bottle of combination shampoo and conditioner, and a razor (another luxury item which I didn’t use much).

‘Things I Use at Night/in the Morning’

A fold up toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, a spray deodorant (I later wished I’d stuck with my usual choice of roll-on instead), a little bottle of Simple face moisturiser, and a Mooncup. 

Scattered extras: 

Various other possessions were scattered around my pack and in my bumbag. These included a little bottle of antibacterial hand gel, a bottle of 50+ SPF face suncream for sensitive skin, another bottle for my body, a tube of lipbalm, hair ties and hair slides. I also had a roll of toilet paper in a ziplock bag and stuffed in the top of my pack for emergency toilet trips and the ever-present need to blow my nose. 

Camino medical kit & foot care

It’s pretty terrifying to read how much potential pain you could be expecting on the Camino. I tried to cover all my bases as simply as possible.

• Sewing kit – this was intended for blisters, but I also could have fixed any minor problems with clothes if necessary

• Scissors – I planned to cut my nails with these, but eventually bought a cheap pair of nail clippers on the way.

• Blister plasters and normal plasters – I never had to use a blister plaster, but the normal ones were good for occasional scratches and paper cuts.

• Medical tape – to tape up the toes which threatened to blister each morning.

• Small tin of Vaseline – used for hotspots on my feet, and doubled as lipbalm when needed.

• Voltarol Pain-Eze gel – in case I had muscle pain which couldn’t be stretched or walked out. I only used a bit, but it came much more in handy for friends who had problems.

• Savlon antiseptic cream – in case of bites, scrapes, and general sterilising of any minor wounds.

• Eucerin Intensive Foot Cream – this was suggested on a forum thread about blister prevention, and as I get rather dry feet I thought it might be useful. This became my own secret weapon: coating my feet with it each day kept me blister free!
• Talcum powder – my hiker friend Simon said this was his best tip for hot, tired feet after a day of walking, so I sprinkled some on my feet every afternoon.

MISCELLANEOUS

Around this point is where I can’t believe I actually fitted so much stuff into my pack. But wait, there’s more to add to these seemingly never-ending Camino packing list!

• Sleeping bag – I toyed with the idea of bringing a silk liner as well, but just using a sleeping bag turned out to be enough.

• Microtowel – quick dry and packs down small, plus it has a little tag for hanging on the hooks in the shower. So useful!

• Water bottle – I brought a 750ml bottle with a wide lip to refill easily. I thought about bringing a Platypus but a bottle worked much better for me.

• Sun hat — As you can see above, this hat looked ridiculous on me and I only wore it once or twice when the sun was super strong.

• Buff – in comparison to the sun hat, I wore my trusty Buff over my head every damn day. It kept me cool and kept my flyaway hair out of my face – both necessary factors.

• Thin gloves – only used in the mornings when it was chilly, or when walking with a wooden stick which hurt my hand occasionally.

• Glasses – usually I’m a terrible glasses wearer, but I had them jammed on my face throughout the Camino. Who knew how good it’d feel to actually be able to see things clearly all the time?

• Sunglasses – barely worn because I don’t have prescription lenses and the whole ‘sunglasses on top of regular glasses’ look is a bit too much for me.

• Two big carabiners & three safety pins – these hung from the outside of my pack to hold still-damp clothes or to secure random paraphernalia.

• A Spork (plastic knife/fork/spoon combo) – these were never used: every albergue I stayed in had plenty of cutlery, and all the food I bought on route was edible without needing to use a purple plastic fork.

• Spare shoe laces – I’m glad my boot’s laces didn’t need replacing, and these spares could have been used for something else if necessary. A clothes line, perhaps?

• Two bin bags – These were neatly folded and unused at the bottom of my pack, but after a day of heavy rain when half of my possessions got soaked I started loading everything inside a black bin bag to keep things waterproofed. Learn from my mistakes!

• Printed copies of my passport, return flight, and travel insurance – self explanatory, really. These were kept in yet another ziploc bag.

I’m glad I didn’t bring: there were a lot of things I considered then rejected, but the main ones were:

• a plastic mug – it would’ve been a bulky extra weight.
• the very popular Camino guidebook – more than enough people had physical copies of guidebooks, which I occasionally borrowed when necessary and took photos of crucial pages.
• walking poles – I didn’t think I’d want them, but I ended up buying a wooden walking pole for €5 and donated it to a hostel in Muxia when I’d finished walking.

How did I actually pack all this?

The inside of my pack was comprised of different compression sacks and ziplock bags, and these were placed into the pack according to when I’d next need them. That meant something like this:

• Sleeping bag (a little zippered pocket held spare earplugs and an eye mask)

• One big dry bag with all my clothes

• One smaller dry bag with electronics and miscellaneous extra gear

• One ziplock bag with my showering stuff

• One ziplock bag with morning/evening stuff

Into the zippered pocket of my pack’s lid, I put:

• a lightweight bag made of parachute silk with spare layers for the day (gloves, microfleece) and any spare snack food I had (fruit, nuts, chocolate etc)

• one ziplock bag with toilet roll

• one ziplock bag with foot care stuff, in case it had to be accessed during the day

Into the outside front pocket of the pack I put my waterproof jacket, trousers and my Keen sandals, along with the pack’s waterproof cover. There was a water bottle in one side pocket of the pack, and suncream tucked in the hip belt pocket.

And then?

After all that packing was finally sorted out, it was just a matter of last minute prep. Putting suncream on my face; plaiting my hair and covering it with a Buff; grabbing my stick; putting on my glasses; and clipping my bumbag around my waist.

Then I heaved my pack on, stepped out of the albergue in the early morning, and started to walk.

Have you walked the Camino de Santiago? How did your Camino packing list differ to mine?

Pin this article if you enjoyed it!

Note: This post contains some affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase through them it won’t cost you anything extra, but I’ll receive a small commission which helps to keep the site running. Thanks!