Camino de Santiago Clothing

A priority aspect in the organization of your pilgrimage trip to Santiago de Compostela is to decide what you will bring luggage. Within this point, clothing is essential and should be appropriate for the time of year chosen to travel. Below, you will find the best suggestions for clothing for the Camino de Santiago.

Summer clothing

Ideally, you should wear clothes made of breathable, quick-drying materials. This way you can wash them every day and make sure they are dry the next morning. If you have chosen to make the pilgrimage in the summer season, a suggestion from the clothing for the Camino de Santiago en:

• A pair of breathable T-shirts, which are usually quite comfortable and dry easily.
• A shirt. This can be worn at the end of each stage in order to visit the interesting sites of each locality along the route.
• Two trousers, preferably one detachable and one short.
• Three changes of underwear. Most of the accommodation where you stay overnight will allow you to wash your clothes so you won't have to carry extra weight.
• Three pairs of socks that are seamless and anti-blister.
• A jumper for cooler evenings should not be too thick and should rather be light.
• Waterproof jacket and trousers. Although it is summer, the Camino de Santiago ends in Galicia and here the rains are characteristic, regardless of the time of year.
• Flip-flops. They are very useful for showering and for resting your feet after a strenuous walk.
• Swimwear. Very important for walking the Camino de Santiago in summer, as there are bathing areas on all the routes, whether beaches, rivers or swimming pools, and in some areas it is necessary to cool off in order to continue walking.

Summer footwear

At this time of year, it is advisable to wear trekking shoes, as they are more comfortable than boots without reducing the protection required for walking during the different stages.

In this period of intense heat, it is also advisable to wear trekking sandals, which will be very useful in certain situations. sections of the Way of St. James, as you will be able to walk comfortably and your feet will be kept sufficiently ventilated.

In summer, your backpack should weigh less than 10 per cent of your body weight, as the clothes suggested for this season are usually lighter and take up less space.

Winter clothing

If you intend to walking the Camino de Santiago In winter, it should be considered that to be warmer, it is not necessary to wear more layers of clothing. What is advisable is to wear technical clothing, such as thermal trousers and T-shirts, windbreakers, among others.

This way you will manage to walk with less weight and when you start walking you will notice that your body sweat and the technical clothing keeps you warmer and more comfortable than conventional clothing.

Your backpack will be heavier, as in the winter season it is normal to carry more clothes and, as these are warm clothes, they are heavier.

In order to try to balance the weight to be carried, it is recommended that the clothing for the Camino de Santiago in winter is as follows:

• Two thermal T-shirts and two cotton T-shirts. The thermal T-shirts are very useful for maintaining the right body temperature, especially when walking, and the other two cotton T-shirts can be used in specific cases or once the stage is over.
• Thermal Tights. They can be worn under trousers if they are short, or as trousers if they are long.
• A pair of shirts to wear on the hikes and at the end of the stages. If they are a bit thick, it would be very convenient.
• A pair of trousers. Which should be waterproof and hiking type.
• A fleece lining that is thick and preferably of a breathable technical type. This accessory will greatly help to walking the Camino de Santiago.
• A jumper. It is suggested to bring only one, and a fairly thick one. It will be useful for walking through the interesting areas of the villages along the Way.
• Three units of underwear to be washed along the Camino.
• Three pairs of socks that are seamless or anti-blister. Thick socks are recommended in order to avoid cold feet.
• Waterproof cape or poncho. As protection from the rain and should cover both the pilgrim and the backpack, to protect the contents from possible damage.
• Hat, gloves and neck warmer. These are necessary accessories at this time of year to prevent heat from escaping from these parts of the body.
• Flip-flops for resting your feet after the hike and for taking showers in the hostels.

What shoes to wear in winter

The recommendation regarding footwear in winter is to wear suitable hiking boots, which help the feet to breathe. They should be of medium or high leg so that the ankles are better supported and it is very important that they are not new, but that they have been tested sufficiently beforehand to prevent them from causing damage to the feet.

Clothing in spring and autumn

In spring and autumn, it is best to pack a combination of the above suggested luggage, as you don't need the same warm clothing as in winter, but you don't need to be as light as in summer either. A maximum weight of 10% of your body weight in your rucksack should always be maintained.

The suggestion of clothing for the Camino de Santiago in spring and autumn is very similar to winter, in that you need a lot of technical clothing, but you have to replace all the thick warm clothes with lighter ones.

In these seasons it becomes more necessary to protect yourself from rain, wind and cold. Therefore, you should consider carrying breathable mackintoshes, waterproof layers and backpack covers in your backpack that will prevent water from having an effect on your personal belongings and yourself.

Footwear for spring and autumn

In spring, trekking shoes are recommended, as they are lighter and help to withstand the spring rains without any inconvenience.

For autumn it is possible to alternate between wearing boots and trainers, as either type of footwear will meet your needs.

Conclusion

Now that you know everything you need to take with you in terms of clothing for the Camino de Santiago, you can continue with the basic preparations to plan your trip and live the experience of being a pilgrim.