Weight (or lack of) is of the essence on the Camino de Santiago. The items below are (usually) not needed. Read more about
Camino de Santiago 1. Water Canteen
Canteens are heavy - what's the point when disposable plastic water bottles are in such plentiful supply. Easily the most pointless item I've seen people take on the Camino.2. Camping Stove
Virtually all hostels (perhaps even all of them) have cooking facilities. There are also numerous restaurants that serve three-course meals to pilgrims for under 10 euros.3. A Sleeping Bag
Sleeping bags are bulky and unless you pay a large amount of money, they can be quite heavy too. In the summer you will not need the warmth of a sleeping bag. Instead, buy a sleeping bag liner or simply a duvet (comforter) cover and climb inside that. In the cooler months, you can supplement that with a fleece blanket: the combination of the two will still be cheaper and smaller than a full sleeping bag.4. A Tent
Tents are far too heavy to be practical on the Camino. In the winter there will always be enough beds in the albergues. In summer, if you are forced to sleep in the open, it will be too warm to need a tent.5. A Sleeping Mat
Most people (myself included) bring a sleeping mat with them, in case you need to sleep on the floor. But for most of the year this is not necessary. After about three weeks I left mine at a hostel as it was still unused.6. Books
No need for any books on the Camino - neither leisure reading nor a guide to the Camino. If you're the reading type you might expect to want some bedtime reading, but you'll be too tired to read it. And what about a guidebook. If you're staying in an albergue with twenty other people, there'll be twenty guidebooks to take a look at, so no need to bring your own. The route is well signposted, anyway. The only information that it is useful to have is the distance between towns and the amenities in them. So borrow a book each night and write the essential information down.
