Contents no. 35 - March 2025
What equipment for the Camino de Santiago?
Whether you see it as a pilgrimage, a walk or a long journey, setting out on the Camino de Santiago is a special experience requiring careful preparation, particularly regarding equipment.
What equipment should you take on the Camino? Your choices depend on several factors: trip length, season, accommodation type (hostels or camping) and terrain along your route (lowland or mountain).
RayonRando offers detailed advice to help you select equipment suited to your needs.
This is not an endless inventory (we will not remind you to bring your glasses and payment card). We list essential equipment and items for which we have specific Camino advice or recommendations.
Before considering what to pack for the Camino, the 1st step is choosing the right backpack.
What is R-value?
We are talking about sleeping mats, whether inflatable, foam or self-inflating, and insulation. R-value is a rating measuring a mat's thermal insulation against the ground. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation. Note that a well-insulated mat does not warm you up but reduces heat loss from your body to the ground.
I explain how it is measured and how to use it.
To begin, here is a small diagram summarising how heat can be lost to the ground:
How to find safe drinking water when hiking?
Finding safe drinking water on a hike can be challenging, either because water sources are absent or because available water is unsafe or uncertain. While you can go without food for a while, a lack of water during activity quickly becomes a problem, even a danger.
In this article, I share tips and good practices for ensuring access to safe drinking water when hiking.
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