An obvious part of the preparation is to gear up. Pretty easy...just buy a pack, shoes, pull some clothes together, add a tooth brush and presto...done! Essentially that's it, but honestly I had no idea that there was such a process involved for distance walking. I've enjoyed reading the various on-line forms and learning from others who have gone before, however there appear to be a great many opinions on each topic. I guess this should come as no surprise, but it really makes it a challenge to sort through. In essence it comes down to what works for one person may not work for another...what a concept:) In a nut shell, what follows are the issues and choices to be made.
Let's start with the pack...so many types, designs and sizes. Internal or external frame? Lots of pockets or just one main compartment? An internal hydration system or do you carry water bottles in outside pockets? How big should the pack be...30, 40, 50 liters? How much should the pack weigh...empty and loaded? How big should the hydration system be? More importantly, what color should our packs be?
Boots: Low rise, mid-rise or full on boots? Do you get a shoe a half size bigger or a full size bigger? You have to allow for foot swelling when you walk for 6-8 hours each day so this is a big decision. Do you purchase waterproof boots (which are hotter) or standard boots and risk wet feet? While on this subject, do you wear only wool socks or add liner socks too? Do you used the liner socks with individual toes? Does one invest a further $30+ for better boot liners? Then there are the sandals to give your boots a rest/dry-out at the end of the day...sandals stable enough to hike in or just good enough for going out to dinner? Flip-flops or crocks? But again, what color should they be??
Poles: Yes or no? Aluminum or carbon fiber? Molded ergonomic handles or straight on handles with straps? Lever or screw tighteners for each of the three pole sections? The general consensus in the literature is that using poles provides better support for your leg joints by helping to redistribute up to 30% of the weight over 4 'legs' instead of just two...sort of like all-wheel drive! Black or silver poles?
Rain Gear: This is a toughie! Wet pants and a rain coat with a pack cover? Or, a poncho and gaiters? The issue with the former is that water can get into your pack as it runs down your back and it can get inside your rain gear too. Also, with a pack on your back, so called breathable coats (even the best Gortex) stop breathing as the pack and straps are pulled tight to the body. Therefore little air flow to wick away the moisture and you can end up swimming in the gear. The typical ponchos available in North America leave your arms fully exposed and there are similar problems with moisture flow not to speak of aerodynamics when the wind is blowing...(think The Flying Nun). Should you color co-ordinate the wet gear and even more confusing, color co-ordinate with each other?
Electronics: This comes down to a function of just how connected you want to be and how much of the trip you want to bring home (photos). Do you take a small digital camera, a full on SLR or a hybrid? Ipod or no Ipod? Cell phone? Ipad, iPad-Mini or iPod-Touch? This one is a tough one as you want to try to disappear out there and live in the moment as much as possible. However, things happen at home so you need to have some level of connection. Then there are all the chargers, cables and adapters! By the way...what color should your IPad be on the Camino...black or silver?
Clothing: Synthetics or natural fibers? Regular pants or zip-off convertibles? How many shirts? What type of underwear...6" or 9" boxer legs?...don't want chafing or riding up happenings! Do you take gloves? And what about a fleece? Should things be color matched or will any one actually notice all your planning and coordination efforts when they're falling asleep in their beer after walking hard all day?
Hats: Baseball hat, cricket cap (if you are from Oz) or wide brim hat? Waterproof or a cooler, lighter hat? Do you take a toque for the dark, early October mornings and the high altitude passes? Should these go well with your pack or with your coat? Tell me, what's in style on the Camino this year?
Sleeping Gear: Sleeping bag or silk liner? Pajama type clothes or do you sleep in your walking clothes (many do)? Sheet to mitigate possible bedbug situations? Pillow case to cover oft-used pillows? Should all these be a really outrageous shade of orange so you don't forget them in the morning?
Other Stuff: Guides/maps...pdf these and put them on your IPad (assuming you take one??) or carry the weight of the original publications? Take a Swiss knife or buy a knife there? Shave or don't shave?...hmmm...no shaving for 6 weeks...less to carry. Deodorant or not...some don't carry this to help shed weight. Nope...bring...Annemarie will make me sleep outside in my orange bedding if I don't..that's fair. How much Ibeprofin do we bring...lots, or even more than that? How many safety pins is it 'safe' to take...to hang your 'fast drying' underwear that somehow didn't dry over-night off the back of your pack? How much emergency food should we carry...probably just one...chocolate! But what color chocolate...white, light brown or dark brown?
Evidently there are a great many decisions in front of us. I often find myself debating many of the options while in bed in the middle of the night...hey, it helps to pass the time. I blame my parents for providing me with an analytical mind:)
My goal is to have my 'carried' dry weight (before chocolate and water) under 14.5 lbs (6.6 kgs) and Annemarie plans to be under 13 lbs. To arrive at these challenging figures will take some shrewd planning and research, but more likely many mugs of tea while visiting with Mr. Google. Fortunately I was able to procure a small digital scale for weighing each item and spreadsheets are now in place to track everything as we add to our virtual packs...what did we ever do before computers? We have already made some progress on many fronts, but this entry is already too long, so we will report on our selection successes (and failures) in future entries. I would like to have most of this wrapped up by early June when we begin to regularly train with our packs, but no doubt some decisions will drift on to be endlessly debated on our many walks:) Its all about the process...
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