“Always With Me” Camino Gear

I need a secure way to carry ID, my phone, and a little cash from my front door to Santiago and back … including when I sleep, shower, shop, hike, and see the sights.

It is easy to focus on how much gear my backpack will hold, but it is important to remember that I also have a travel document pouch and various pockets in my clothing that can help keep important items within immediate reach and safe from pickpockets and rain. Also, if the airline or train service requires me to check my backpack, I don’t want to have to dig through it to retrieve items I need on the plane (or in case my pack gets lost or delayed in transit).

Here is my solution which is my proven go-to from my first Camino in 2016.

The pouch will hold my Passport and Pilgrim credential (a necessary document usually required for entrance to alberques (dormitory-type lodging exclusively for Camino pilgrims), to meet requirements for receiving the “Compostela” (certificate of completion) in Santiago and pilgrim discounts along the way. The leather passport case provides RFID protection and keeps things organized.

The pouch also has two zipper compartments for cash and credit cards. I’m taking my bank card and one credit card as well as my Global Entry ID, state driver’s license, and insurance card – also in an RFID case. It has a neck strap that is adjustable so I can tuck the pouch comfortably inside my coat, into my clothing, or hang inside the shower (yes, it’s water resistant – and I put it inside a second waterproof bag for showering). It’s pretty thin and lightweight.

I have two zippered pockets in my waterproof jacket, a zippered chest pocket, a roomy inner mesh pocket, and a zippered pocket in the sleeve as well.

It’s important to remember when planning that not everything has to fit in the backpack. It’s easy to forget all the things I will be wearing on the plane don’t have to fit in my pack.

I’m also taking my 22L Camelback backpack. It was my pack 10 years ago and it held up like a champ, although it’s a bit worse for wear now. It’s an old friend and treasured hiking companion.

I bought my pack from REI in Boulder, Colorado a decade ago and scheduled an appointment to get help with fine tuning all the possible adjustments it is capable of. It’s lightweight, water resistant, and if I can’t fit something inside it, that thing just stays home.

The only complaint about it that I had on my first Camino was that the padding on the waist straps wasn’t comfortable enough against my hip bones about halfway through the hike (as I lost weight). That was a 5-week hike though, so I’m hoping it doesn’t become an issue on this much shorter trip. If it does, I’ll just tuck my knit cap or other clothing items under the straps for extra padding. If things get extreme, I can also have my bag shipped ahead via one of the affordable couriers available all along the Camino. Even if I don’t know exactly where I’ll be staying, I can just ship the pack to a municipal alburgue and pick it up there before heading on to a private Pension or hotel for instance. On the Camino, you find ways to make things work.

Lastly, my shoes…

Although I have a tremendous emotional attachment to them, I’m not wearing my heavy leather hiking boots this time. This trail will have fewer stretches across mountainous paths and more urban walking. There will be plenty of mud I’m sure, but I won’t need the extra ankle support the boots provide (I hope!). The trail runners’ toe box is wide, the soles are made to absorb impact, and I’ll be taking various inserts for warmth and extra padding as the need arises.

I’ll talk more about gear in future posts, but for now, “Buen Camino” (or “Bom Caminho”when in Portugal)!

Cheers! V-