Camino Primitivo Packing List & Thoughts on Gear
While preparing for my Camino in 2023 I scoured the internet for pilgrim’s gear lists. I found very few concerning the Camino Primitivo, as most are for the Francés route (which is by far the most popular and well trodden Camino). So here I am, paying it forward so to speak. Below is my packing list and links to everything I used. Here is a public Google doc of my packing list.
I think the most common gear-related question is “What shoes should I wear?” There is simply no one one size fits all answer. There are so many variables! The shoes you should wear are the ones that are most comfortable for your body, with the necessary traction and waterproofing for your plans.
My goal was to keep my load <25lb. This is abnormally heavy! But I wasn’t willing to compromise on bringing my Rolleiflex camera and 20+ rolls of film 🙃 The old Camino rule is: Keep your pack as close to 10% of your body weight as possible. Keep in mind this includes water and whatever food you’ll be carrying that day.
I’d like to preface this list with: gear is expensive! (Especially good, light weight, gear.) Please don’t be shy about pursuing secondhand options. REI sells used gear, and has regular sales each season you can also take advantage of. I have a lot of Patagonia hiking clothes, and I love each piece and think they function really well, but none of it was purchased at full retail price.
Your Pack:
Backpack w/ rain cover – I have an Osprey Ariel 55. This was a new purchase for the camino and bought with some other trips in mind. The 52L capacity is more than necessary for a camino. I have other Osprey backpacks and duffle bags. I love them, they’ve held up very well over the years. If I didn’t go Osprey I’d probably look into a Gossamer Gear ultralight pack.
Phone Pocket – If you’re a frequent phone photographer you’re going to want one of these. It keeps your phone (and lip balm) right on your pack strap. A word of caution: on our longest days I could feel the weight difference this (primarily my phone) caused and it gave the shoulder doing the extra work some pain. When that happened, I just slipped it down to the bottom of the strap near my waist that helped enough.
Day Bag/Purse/EDC – For your evenings and days off, so you can offload your pack and carry a few necessities. Also handy to keep certain contents all together instead of floating around your pack. I used a lightweight Tom Bihn packing cube shoulder bag.
2 carabiner clips, hanging on outside of pack – I love these Large Tom Bihn ones. Handy to clip all sorts of things on the outside of your bag, especially for your pair of casual shoes. I typically travel with a pair of these to clip my purse to the seat back pocket in front of me when on a plane.
2+ clothespins, hanging on outside of my pack to dry clothes I hand washed the night before
Laundry line – I already owned this and it proved SO useful. Ideally you have just 2ish sets of clothing, so you wear one during the day and wash it that same night, the next day you wear the other one, and continue to rotate & wash daily.
Sleeping bag – You may not need this. Most if not all the albergues we stayed in had a mattress cover and a blanket to offer. Maybe that’s enough for you? Maybe you’re walking in the summer and only need a sleeping bag liner? Or a light blanket? I know myself and what I need in order to get quality sleep. I have a Nemo Disco 30 and I LOVE IT. It’s great for side sleepers and those of us who need to be able to move our legs.
Pillow case – I dunno… Putting my face on unknown surfaces is kinda gross to me. Even if an albergue had a pillowcase on the included pillow, I’d still put mine on top of it. Whatever helps you sleep at night… literally!
Plastic utensil kit – I love this one. Sure you can get a multi use fork thing, but then you can’t really share it with the people you’re with, or pass around the knife.
Camping bowl + cup – I brought a Sea to Summit “X-Seal & Go” (which they no longer make) collapsible bowl & cup. They’re totally not necessary but were really nice to have. Having something in which to pack/store snacks or leftovers, split food with someone, etc., was really useful. To be able to pick up picnic supplies at a market and then have a surface to eat off of while on the trail was nice.
Hydro/Camelbak – I can’t imagine Camino-ing, or hiking in general, without one. Mine has a 2L capacity and I quickly learned that though I drink a lot of water, I rarely need to fill it all the way up at the beginning of the day. Water is heavy!! There are places to refill along the way. If yours doesn’t come with one, make sure you pick up a sternum strap magnet.
Small Nalgene bottle – At some point once a day I would fill up this 16oz bottle and add a packet of electrolyte drink mix. A small luxury to have a way to drink something other than what’s in your water bladder.
Electrolyte powder – I brought these (lemonade flavor is the best!). I’ve been a fan since I traveled to Morocco & Egypt and was worried about getting dehydrated while working outdoors. I also like these.
Several ziploc bags – Infinitely useful. I ended up keeping my credential (aka Pilgrim passport) in one to keep it dry, but easy to access in an outside pocket on my backpack. Bring a few and uses for them will present themselves.
A couple light plastic grocery store bags – Also super super useful.
Lifestraw – Never used it on this trip, but it seems ill advised to go on a multi-day hiking trip without one.
Clothing:
Shoes – I’m so glad I wore my Oboz Mid Bridgers. I’ve had them for 5+ years, they’re super comfortable and broken in; they feel like an extension of my body. For this trip I re-waterproofed them and upgraded the insoles. Could I have purchased lighter shoes? Sure. Maybe you’re walking in the summer and don’t need to be concerned about a waterproofed shoe. Regardless of what you wear, make sure it is really and truly broken in.
2x light hiking socks – I love these Darn Tough socks. Two pairs!
1x extra cushion hiking socks – I didn’t need these while we were walking, but I changed into them at the end of each day. They’re my absolute favorite socks! So warm and cushy.
2x Sock liners – Yes. You need them. Two pairs.
2x Bras – I like both of these: Smartwool & Patagonia, but whatever you use make sure you do some mileage in them while wearing your pack to make sure nothing causes annoying or painful friction.
3x Briefs – These are great. I love these other ones and wish they still made them.
1x Pants – This link is the closest I could find, as my Columbia pair are old. They don’t have a drawstring or elastic waist band which I didn’t think twice about until the last few days of the trip and they were too loose around my waist to wear.
1x Shorts – I love these convertible pants/shorts.
1x Leggings – I love these thermal leggings, but be warned they are truly winter leggings and I find them to be super warm. Any temp over 60-65º and they’re way too hot to walk in. I loved wearing them on cold mornings when we got an early start, but by late morning I’d usually take them off.
2x Tees – I love the style/fit of these. They perform better than your typical casual cotton tee, but they don’t LOOK like a hiking shirt.
2x Long sleeved Tees – I have a few Patagonia Capilene Cool long sleeved t-shirts and I absolutely love them. (Buy them when they go on sale at REI!)
Lightweight fleece – A puffer is way too warm to hike in, but this fleece was worn daily.
Rain jacket or poncho – I used my Patagonia Granite Crest jacket. It’s a great middle ground jacket. Functions well with some rain, but not completely rain proof so it still has some breathability, and it’s light and packable. The zippered armpit vents are clutch!
Lounge pants – I was so glad I had something comfy and loose to change into once we arrived at our destination. I think I slept in these fleece pants most nights too.
EVA sandals or similar (for lounge wear + shower shoes) – I brought these and loved them. So cushy and comfy!
Sun/rain hat – This one is definitely more of a rain hat than a sunhat (especially the black colorway which gets hot in the sun), and I was anticipating more rain than sun, but fortunately things went the other way. This style has velcro for the sides to attach up, but I’d rotate it so that I could flip the back up and that way it wouldn’t annoyingly interfere with the top of my pack.
Handkerchief/bandana – One of those simple pieces of gear which are infinitely useful. I wore mine most sunny days around my neck to block the sun.
Sunglasses – goodr glasses are great!
Personal Care:
Sleep eye mask – On a very early morning flight while chaperoning a group of high school students on a tour in Italy I truly learned the benefit of sleep mask. I’ve been a changed person ever since. The quality of sleep is just so much better.
Ear plugs!!! – There will be loud snorers in the albergues!
Camping towel – I have Packtowl towels in a couple different sizes. I brought one of the ‘body’ sized ones and was glad. Didn’t need anything bigger.
Travel washcloth – An innocuous piece of gear that I’ve grown very passionate about. Haha. It’s such a nice little luxury during a time when your skincare routine and/or personal hygiene goes into “efficiency mode”. The Luxe line 10”x14” washcloth makes for a really handy towel when washing your face at night, or washing yourself (and your clothes) in the shower. Worth the weight, people!
Shampoo – I’ve loved Lush’s 2-in-1 Godiva bar for years, but there are so many great bar options out there nowadays.
All purpose soap – I just cut off a chunk of a Bronner’s bar of soap for the trip. I used this for both myself and washing my clothes each day. Worked a treat. Side note: we did do a load of proper laundry in a laundromat on our rest day in Lugo, half way through the trip.
Sunscreen – Some for your face (I like Paula’s Choice mineral SPFs), some for your neck & arms. This year I have since started using this on my body and I love it.
Moisturizer
Face wash
Lip balm
Toothbrush
Toothpaste – Take a mini tube or two from your dentist’s office for the trip 🙃
Deodorant – Don’t bother with the whole thing and plastic case, just put the chunk of product in a little ziplock bag
Travel Comb
Pee cloth – Something I didn’t know existed before this trip and now can’t imagine life (in the outdoors) without.
Hand Sanitizer
Stand-to-pee funnel – Brought one, and I don’t think I used it once. I was either fine timing-wise to pee when we made stops at establishments, or was able to just pop a squat somewhere. If this concept interests you, go for the Tinklebell which is easy to use.
Group first aid kit including:
bandaids/plasters
Neosporin
Tylenol
Benadryl
Needle & thread kit
Duct tape
Nail clippers
Any necessary daily medications
Tech:
Rolleiflex camera – Obviously not a must have item, but sure is a conversation starter.
Film, 21x rolls
iPhone & Apple watch charging cables – I purchased a 10’ cable based on research for this trip. I don’t think I ever utilized the length on the Camino, but I have in many a hotel room since and I love it.
A note on outlet adapters – Just buy a new brick (for the USB connections you need) and don’t bother with your existing brick plus an adapter.
Kindle – Depending on your group or your style of travel you may not get much of an opportunity to read, but it worth the weight IMO.
Walking headphones – I love love LOVE these. I wear the mini size. I don’t care for earbuds in general and these feel extra safe because you can still hear what (or who 👀) is going on around you. Great for hiking and running. Do you know about bone conducting headphones? They feel like magic. (I mean, science is magic, but that’s a topic for another day…)
Rechargeable Headlamp – Good to have, and necessary if you want to tackle miles before dawn.
Other:
Stuff sacs – I love the ones REI makes, but unfortunately they only make them in one color which is useless for pack organization. I have a variety of colors and sizes by Sea to Summit.
Journal – Yes sure you can just type your journal in your phone. I always journal by hand when I travel and it’s worth the weight for me. I fill one of these over the course of a week long trip, but when traveling upwards of a month I purchase one of these.
Pen, highlighter, washi tape – Not needed unless you’re journaling IRL. Though always smart to have a pen handy.
Sharpie marker – Probably unnecessary for most, but necessary for labeling film rolls.
Trekking poles – I had poles that I liked so I brought them with me. I had no problem with TSA by having them in my carry-on luggage. My parents didn’t have poles so they opted to buy them in Oviedo. I heard people say “Oh you can just buy them on the way if you need them.” And that may be true for the Francés route but between Oviedo and Lugo I don’t think there are any places to procure them. Then again, you may not care to use poles, but I was happy to have mine in the mountains. Some people feel safer by having a pole or two with them in case they encounter an unruly canine.
Passport, valid for 6+ months
Credit card, debit card, euros – I like to have some cash with me upon arrival, but we made periodic ATM stops so we didn’t have to have all our cash for the entire trip on us at one time. Most albergues are cash-only (unless you’ve prepaid online). Have coins on hand for coffee machines!
Items for travel that were be shipped from Oviedo ahead to Santiago de Compostela:
These are primarily niceties which I view as necessities for a long haul flight, but of course didn’t want to carry on the Camino.
Noise canceling headphones
Compression socks
Jeans
Sweater
2x sets of clean clothes
Sneakers/travel shoes
Puffer jacket
Air travel cover for pack – I checked my pack on the flight home and using this gives me peace of mind.
Foldable Lightweight bag – I don’t have a link for mine, as I bought it while I was in Japan many many years ago 💁🏻♀️ but I recommend everyone who travels have one! Lightweight material, folds down into itself, and has a trolley sleeve. Check, check, check. I pretty much always have it in my suitcase and it allows me to indulge in souvenir shopping. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone home with all my clothes in the duffle, and my suitcase filled with beer, wine, or other local tasty souvenirs. Baggu makes what looks like a good (albeit $$) one.
Items I brought to Oviedo, thought I’d carry, but ended up shipping to myself:
Rain pants – We brought these to Spain in anticipation of a lot of rain on our Camino given the time of year, but the day before we left Oviedo the forecast looked pretty good, so we put these in the box we were already shipping ahead.
Sleep shirt – I opted to put on a fresh shirt after I’d showered in the afternoon/evening, and sleep in that shirt which I would also wear the next day.
Power bank + spare cables – Not worth the weight!
Some Things I learned along the way…
Sock situation – I was anticipating and quite weary of getting blisters while on the Camino, but I had no such issues. The strategy I read about beforehand was to have 2 pairs of socks and 2 pairs of sock liners. Every day you swap both the liners and the socks you’re wearing. Regardless of how tired you are, or how much you don’t think they smell, or how much you think it’s fine. If you don’t… your shit will get fucked up.
Snackage – A lesson I learned from hiking Acatenango in Guatemala in 2022. Eat frequent snacks! Regardless of whether you’re feeling hungry or not. If you’re pausing for a break, eat a snack! It’s so important. If you’re moving and using fuel, you need to be adding fuel too. An easy thing for me to consume even when I’m not hungry are baby food pouches. I know, I know. It sounds silly. But a few ounces of what is essentially a smoothie is crucial. Also a takeaway from Acatenango are little Snickers bars. They are one of my favorite hike snacks, and something I can generally always go for. The ones in Guatemala were adorable little skinny bars like a Twix, and the ones in Spain were basically just Fun Sized Snickers. It’s also funny that they’re so widely available. Oh to be a pilgrim in the 21st century.
Permethrin Insect Repellent – In an effort to not pick up a bed bug infestation on the chance we encountered some, we sprayed the outside of our packs and our sleeping bags with this. Did it matter? I don’t know, but we had no insect issues so I’ll count it as a success.
¡Buen camino!
Here is a public Google doc of my packing list.