Picking the right Backpack for the Camino de Santiago

Divided main compartment with a smaller bottom compartment. Either the sleeping bag, socks and underwear go in there, or the flip-flops and the dirty laundry.

Several outside compartments. I find two compartments in the lid particularly practical. So you can organize your equipment better. Things that you need more often, such as sunscreen, wet wipes, etc., go into the outer compartment of the lid.

Elastic side pockets: This is where the drinking bottle and/or flip-flops go.

Bellow pockets. Here, for example, dirty laundry can be accommodated until the next wash.

Mesh compartment: You can quickly stuff sweaters or jackets into this open outer compartment if you don’t need them.

Compression straps

Wide hip belt with a small pocket (money, mobile phone)

Air-permeable/airy back pad: It is important that air can circulate between the backpack and the back. Otherwise you sweat profusely here.

Rain cover

My backpack has a volume of 36 liters. That’s enough for the summer (for the winter it can be a little more).

I use the Futura Pro 36 by the German brand Deuter, which has all the above mentioned features.

The general rule of thumb is: The weight of the backpack should not exceed 10 percent of your body weight. At around 85 kilos, I try to always keep the backpack under 10 kilos, ideally more like 8 in the warmer months. In winter the weight is a little higher because of thicker clothes.

Along with good shoes, the weight of the backpack is the most important factor for a pleasant pilgrimage. Every extra kilo is an additional strain on muscles and joints and leads to faster fatigue and pain. What is more: With too much weight, the risk of developing blisters increases.

Important: Even a backpack that is too heavy feels (usually) comfortable when you try it out at home. The weight only becomes noticeable after a few hours, sometimes even after days. Less is more on the Camino!