Le Puy to Santiago

The Pack – Osprey Exos 48. Finding the right pack can be difficult, but it’s so important! It’s a little like trying on shoes: when you find the right one, it just fits, and feels good. If it doesn’t fit and doesn’t feel good, you haven’t found the right pack yet!

I went through several packs until I found the Osprey Exos 48. I actually bought an Exos 38, but with going on a potentially cold weather camino, I needed more space. I could have used the 38 if I didn’t take a sleeping bag and only one long sleeve shirt, but since I’m going through most of November, I didn’t want to risk it.

This is by no means a minimalist list. I’m taking a few luxuries, like a larger than necessary towel! But I am also carrying everything I will need for 12 weeks on my back, or on my person, so I tried to keep it fairly short. It may seem like a big list, but a lot of the items are quite small! It all adds up, though. I was hoping to stay under 7kg without water (about 15 lbs), but I was a little naive. This is where a good fitting pack comes in! Hopefully the extra few pounds won’t be as noticeable…

Total Pack Weight = 22lbs. Much more than I’d wanted!

Clothes

2 short sleeve merino wool shirts, both 150 weight – 256g
2 long sleeve merino wool shirts, one 200 weight and one 260 weight – 458g
1 nice polyester shirt – 137g
1 pair mountain hardware yuma pants – 314 g
2 macabi skirts (splurging a bit!) – 314g ea (628g)
3 pairs thorlo hiking socks – 279g
2 pairs injinji liner toe socks – 74g
1 pair sleeping pants – 150g
3 sets of underwear – 368g
Visor hat – 47g
Merino wool buff – 46g
Arc’teryx Atom jacket with hood – 341g
Gloves and glove liners – 48g
Sierra rain jacket – 199g
Gaitor/boot covers – 178g

Toiletries

3 oz shampoo – 202g
1 oz sunscreen – 38g
3 oz lotion – 100g
2 chapsticks – 20g
1 bar soap – 134g
1 disposable razor – 12g
Small hairbrush with the handle cut off – 30g
Small nail clippers –
hairties – 10g
hairclip – 8g
First aid kit –
Toothbrush with handle cut in half (more for space than weight) – 13g
2 oz toothpaste – 62g
Dental floss – 16g
Oils – 90g

Electronics

1 portable battery 3200 hz – 76g
European plug adapter with 4 usb ports – 121g
Anker bluetooth keyboard – 355g
6 plus iphone for pictures, blogging, and various apps and phone calls.

Documents

Money belt
Passport
Pilgrim’s credential
Credit card
2 Debit cards
Medical insurance info
List of numbers

Misc

Safety pins – 12g
Clothes line – 13g
S hook – 12g
2 small carabiners – 18g
Very small scissors – 3g
Small red photon light with clip – 16g
Shower flip flops – 116g
Big Agnes sleeping bag in compression sack – 932g
Sea to Summit sling bag – 60g
XL pack towel (luxury item) – 276g
Small journal – 138g
Pack rain cover –
Nuun natural U hydration electrolyte tabs (ridiculously heavy, but I need them when walking long distances. I get headaches without them.) – 279g
Miam miam dodo guidebook – 257g
Scrubba – 140g
Sea to Summit laundry soap – 40g

Kit List II

Le Puy to Rome

A few changes! I know better what I need and don’t need this time. Most of it is the same.

Pack, Osprey Exos 48 – same as last time!

I will buy earplugs, laundry bar soap, and walking poles when I get to France.

I’m taking a bladder this time. I did fine with water bottles in my pockets last time, but this time I’m hoping to do some alpine hiking and will need more water. I don’t like the idea of having a bladder for 3 months and not being able to properly clean it, but I think it’s a good idea to have.

I’m taking a sleep sheet instead of a sleeping bag. I sleep hot. Last time the bag (2 season) was too hot most of the time. I have the possibility of some cold nights in the mountains, but I can sleep in layers. It’s not worth carrying a bag the whole time.

I’m sticking with the XL towel. Last time, I sent the towel home halfway through and bought a towel half the size. I totally regretted it.

I replaced the rain jacket/pack cover combo with a poncho that covers both.

Shoes, I was going to take Hokas again, but I didn’t do well with testing them. I ended up with Altra Timp 1.5s and superfeet insoles.

Total Pack Weight = 19 lbs/8.62 kilos – less than last time, even though I feel like I’m taking more this time!

Clothes

2 short sleeve merino wool shirts, both 150 weight – 244g
1 long sleeve merino wool shirt 200 weight – 182g
1 nice silk shirt – 60g
2 macabi skirts – 314g ea (628g)
3 pairs thorlo hiking socks and 3 pairs injinji liner toe socks – 400g
1 pair sleeping pants – 150g
3 sets of underwear – 600g
Visor hat – 47g
Merino wool buff – 46g
Arc’teryx Atom jacket with hood – 341g
Gloves – 34g
Altus Poncho – 345g
Swim wear – 138g
Merino wool tights – 160 g
Ecco hiking sandals – 680g

Toiletries

3 oz shampoo – 100g
1 oz sunscreen – 38g
3 oz lotion – 100g
2 chapsticks – 20g
1 bar soap – 118g
1 disposable razor – 9g
Small hairbrush with the handle cut off – 16g
Small nail clippers – 16g
hairties – 10g
hairclip – 8g
First aid kit – bandaids and neosporin – 20g
Toothbrush with handle cut in half (more for space than weight) – 13g
2 oz toothpaste – 71g
Dental floss – 16g
Oils – 111g
glide stick – 28g
Q-tips – 32g
pack of tissues – 23g

Electronics

1 portable battery 5200 hz – 147g
European plug adapter with 4 usb ports – 121g
Anker bluetooth keyboard – 355g
iPhone XR for pictures, blogging, and various apps and phone calls.
Charging cords – 48g
ear buds –

Documents

Money belt
Passport
Pilgrim’s credential
Credit card Debit card
Medical insurance info
List of numbers

Misc

Safety pins – 12g
Clothes line – 13g
S hook – 12g
2 small carabiners – 18g
Very small scissors – 2g
shower cap foot covers – 20g
Small red photon light with clip – 16g
Shower flip flops – 116g
Inflatable pillow – 119g
Sea to Summit sling bag – 60g
Sleeping sheet – 360g
XL pack towel (luxury item) – 276g
Nuun natural U hydration electrolyte tabs (ridiculously heavy, but I need them when walking long distances. I get headaches without them.) – 279g
3 L Deuter bladder – 170g
Guidebooks – 424g
Pills and supplements – 789g