Packing for the Camino de Santiago starts with the backpack. It’s very important to pick the right one for you and to ensure that it does not weigh too much. But how much should your backpack weigh for the Camino de Santiago and how big should it be?
For a full packing list for women walking the Camino de Santiago, you can find our article here.
Camino backpack size: What size backpack do you need for the Camino de Santiago?
Most people walking a long distance hike such as the Camino de Santiago will carry a backpack of between 30 and 40 litres. This should be sufficient to carry all of your essentials on the Camino, including a sleeping bag or sleep sheet.
If you are planning to camp on the Camino de Santiago, you may need a larger bag. Perhaps 40 to 70 litres, depending on the size of your tent and weather you are travelling alone.
However, for most people, anything bigger than 40 litres would be too much. The risk of carrying a larger bag, is that you will star to fill it with non-essential items.
How much should your backpack weigh on the Camino de Santiago?
As a guide, your backpack for walking on the Camino de Santiago should not weigh more than 10% of your body weight. So, if you weigh 80kg, the backpack should weigh no more than 8kg.
There may be exceptions, if for example you are very strong or used to carrying weight whilst exercising. However, it’s important to remember that you are likely to be walking long distances every day on the Camino de Santiago. Any extra weight on your back is likely to put unnecessary strain on your body and could lead to injury, or at least discomfort.
For more information on training for the Camino de Santiago, you can find our guide here.
Best backpacks for the Camino de Santiago in 2023
There are a few important things to look for when you are trying to find your backpack for the Camino de Santiago:
- Correct fit – backpacks come in different sizes to suit different heights, pick the correct one and find a backpack with adjustable straps
- Backpack weight – check the weight of your pack when it is empty
- Backpack size – look for something between 30 and 40 litres that you can also carry onto an airplane
- Pockets and sections – look for a bag with hip compartments, side pockets and other zipped sections
- Hip and chest straps – ensure that your backpack has hip and chest straps to take the weight off your shoulders
Finally, don’t forget to try it before you walk the Camino de Santiago and return it if it doesn’t feel right. And of course, don’t forget to train with the backpack on.
Here are six of our favourite backpacks for the Camino de Santiago in 2023.
- Best for women – Osprey Sirrus 34 Women’s Hiking Backpack
Available in the US (as a 36 litre version) for $240 here and the UK here for £141.
2. Best for petite women – Osprey Tempest 30 – available in Small Size to suit a petite frame
Available in the US here and in the UK here for £139.99.
3. Best if you need to pack camping equipment – Osprey 65litre backpack.
This larger backpack is available in the US here for $190 and in the UK for £149.
4. Most stylish backpack – Fjällräven Kaipak 38 Backpack 55 cm
Available in the UK here for £179.95 and the US here.
5. Best for men – Osprey Talon 33 litre requiring different sizes
Available in the UK here for £179.95 and the US here.
Available here in the UK for £109 or the US for $185. This bag also comes in different colours.
6. Best unisex option – Deuter Unisex Futura Pro 36 Backpack
Available in the UK here for £145 and $195 in the US here.
If you’re looking for a more budget option, you can find our guide to budget hiking here.
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7 responses to “How much should your backpack weigh for the Camino de Santiago?”
[…] may want to consider packing a small selection of blister prevention and healing plasters in your backpack. Of course, you can easily pop into a pharmacy on the Camino if you need anything on the […]
[…] removing your backpack. This is an especially helpful option if you have a backpack, like the Osprey Tempest, which has a slot to put a water bladder in. This one also holds up to 3 […]
[…] will require a bigger backpack than you might carry on the Camino de Santiago, as you will need to carry a sleeping bag (see below), sufficient water and food supplies, plus […]
[…] Let’s start with the object that will be attached to your back for the next 4 weeks. It must most importantly be comfortable across your shoulders and back. Have enough space to hold your supplies. As the Camino is long distance walk which doesn’t step into true wilderness one of the larger backpacks (60 litres plus) is unnecessary. As you will not need to carry a huge amount of supplies and no camping gear. We therefore recommend some of the following backpacks for being the most comfortable and the correct size. For a longer article about how much a backpack should weigh read our article here. […]
[…] Wondering how much your backpack should weigh for the Camino? You can find out more in our guide here. […]
[…] On top of this, you will have the costs associated with purchasing items for the Camino. For example, a new backpack. […]
[…] a normal Camino, we would recommend taking a 30 or 40 litre backpack. However, this is not ideal for the Norwegian Camino. For this route, we would recommend that you […]