Now that I am nearly done gearing up for the Camino, I decided to get everything out and see what I could expect for packing. I want to get as close to the real deal as possible for training purposes.

Organization

Organization and quick access makes trail life a lot easier – and since my pack is basically one big compartment, I’ll be digging through a deep pile unless I use stuff sacks. I don’t have a very good eye for volume, so I got an assortment pack for $10 (Outdoor Products 3-Pack All Purpose Dry Sacks) and experimented. I got all my clothes minus my jackets (fleece / rain) in the yellow 8 liter bag, my blanket fit in the orange 4 liter, and my sleeping bag liner and towel in the blue 2 liter. These bags tested well, and even if just the items they hold remained dry, I’d be in good shape.

I tried using the extra Blue Sky Basics Waterproof Pouch that came with my waist pack as a “health and hygiene” bag. I’ve heard a lot of albergues don’t have shower shelves and you need to hang your stuff off the curtain rod or a hook, so having a bag with a strap would be helpful. It’s not the perfect size, but it will do if I pack carefully.

I also have a stuff sack for camping that is designed to act as a pillow when turned inside out. I might use that for the jackets or swap with the blanket so that all sleeping stuff would be in one place. I found a small bag for my rock to keep it from scraping other carry items. Most everything else will be packed loose on the outer stretch pocket or the pack’s top (“brain”) for quick access.

Weight

After seeing what packing might look like, it was time to weigh in.

Right now if I brought everything I might want, my pack base weight would be (barely) under 20 pounds. Still in the lightweight category! Including a full water bottle and worn clothing, I am looking at over 25 pounds though.

Not bad, but not great. I only have a few items that weigh a pound or more (including my rock haha), and only 13 that even get into double digit ounces. But it adds up fast. (And wow – I did not realize the blanket and “stuff sack pillow” weighed so much!)

This is good info for training, but I can probably shed some weight when the time comes.