5 Things to Prepare for Camino de Santiago

[@jamiedietrich3058]

Trail runners were perfect for the Del Norte and the Portugues in April/May. Most people I met who suffered from blisters were wearing boots. I did use gaiters to keep the dust and rocks out. Shoes will get muddy and wet but can be rinsed and dried quickly. Buy your trail runners 1/2 - 1 size larger than normal and purchase a good set of supportive insoles. I like Superfeet. A pair of foam Birkenstock sandals are great for showers and indoors.

[@carmel_badchap]

Hi Greg. I finished the Frances last week. Thanks for your helpful videos. My backpack was smallish -24 litres, and it was great. I usually kept it under about 5.5 kilos. One thing I really found was important was my hiking poles. I know you don’t think they’re very important, but I absolutely recommend them. I used them all day, nearly every day, uphill and down and along the stoney, uneven trails and I’m sure they saved me several times a day from overbalancing, slips and falls as well as easing the general ongoing stress on my old knees. (saying this as a fairly strong & fit older woman with no previous injuries or issues). Now looking back, I can hardly believe I actually did it, and yet, of course! Thanks in no small part to your helpful advice. Cheers mate x

[@leopas88]

Yeah started the Camino from St Jean on 22 Oct and along the way a bunch of people who were behind us were having to walk a town or two to the next one for an available Albergue and yeah 31 Oct is end of season for a bunch of them. Just arrived in Burgos (love it) today.

[@paulgallagher6544]

I walked the camino twice after doing 9 days at Christmas. So hiking shoes not boots. Teva sandals are great to wear on flat sections to air feet, I switched between them during the day and wore them inside refuges. Pack if in summer very little. One change of t-shirt, one trousers or shorts, one pair of socks. Having a very small supply of pain killers a very small tube of gel pain killer, electrolytes, blister patches which with right footwear you won't need. Then toothpaste half a tube, very small shampoo bottle, tooth brush. No need for power bank. Phone camera if good is enough. Light backpack. Aim for under 7kg. If in summer 10 degree bag. One evening wear top like a light fleece. One very light rain jacket. When walking stop, air out socks, especially in the first week. Shin splints are common, gel helps. Knees next. The biggest thing that will stop people is blisters. Footwaer and correct socks is 90 percent of your key to success. My teva sandals weigh 700 gram and after 15 years where in Irish sunners they don't get used much they have done about 2500 miles are good, for the same again. Meindl shoes did about a thousand of trail. Now I would go even lighter but yea I loved the middle trekking shoes. I'm into wild camping now and much steeper hikes. Later maybe I might do a full caminio again but the French route did become a bit to busy. It was social and that was great but its hard too when on a spiritual journey of a kind. The last day I walked 70 km more so to be on the trail alone and enjoy it. Starting at 6 and ending at 9.15 it was a lovely day after 11 pm when tge dash to the next place ended.

[@mattnorris241]

You said in the video you got a round trip flight from LAX to Europe for $200??? How???

[@TheCaminoGuide]

@@mattnorris241 Not round trip. I just fly one way because I never know when I'm coming back And usually I will continue my travels after the walk. So just one way from LAX, which is a major international hub so the prices are often low. There are several airports around the country that have inexpensive flights to Europe. You can fly through New York and I think it's something like $130 normally to fly to Paris or London from New York. I can usually find a $300 direct flight to Tokyo from LAX as well if I'm going to Asia. Just go on Google flights and search by Europe region. I did a video on this a while back. If you just put in Europe as the destination it will give pricing for many of the major airports.