10 Essential Items for Your Walking Pack
Discover the 10 must-have items for your backpack on a long-distance trek. A practical checklist to ensure you never leave anything crucial behind.
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You are about to set off on your first walking trip and you are not sure what to pack in your backpack?
Don't worry, we at Apiediperilmondo are here to give you a handy checklist.
1. Sleeping bag
If you are planning a long walking trip, you have probably already budgeted for sleeping in hostels, refuges, or wherever you can find shelter to save some money. Otherwise, you would not be a proper backpacker.
The sleeping bag, or a sleeping liner depending on the season, will be your shelter wherever you go.
2. Windproof jacket or rain poncho
Unfortunately, weather conditions are not up to you, and even if you have chosen the warmest and least rainy time of year, you may still end up walking a few kilometres in the rain. In that case, a windproof jacket or rain poncho can save you from arriving at the hostel soaked to the skin.
3. Two changes of clothes
If you have chosen to travel with a backpack, you are certainly aware that weight matters, so opt for three sets of clothing.
One is what you wear, one is for the next day, and the third is your reserve in case rain or bad weather prevents your laundry from drying in time.
4. Backpack rain cover
Another essential accessory is the backpack rain cover!
Almost all backpacks from major brands already include one, stored in a small pocket. If yours does not, it is worth buying one, since it will protect everything inside your pack from rain and moisture.
5. Anti-blister socks
Since you will be walking many kilometres every day, I strongly recommend bringing anti-blister socks. Designed to protect the most sensitive areas of the foot, these socks feature special padding and reinforcement exactly where blisters are most likely to form. They are somewhat expensive, but absolutely worth every penny. Taking care of your feet is the first step toward a pain-free pilgrimage.
6. Everything for the shower
Remember to pack everything you need for the shower. I am not just talking about soap or a towel, but also flip-flops, for example. To save space in your pack, you could replace them with sandals that can also be used for walking, or worn instead of your boots during rest time, giving your feet a chance to breathe.
Also get yourself a waterproof bag to take into the shower where you can keep your most important belongings, such as money, phone, and documents, so you never lose sight of them.
7. Toilet paper
Yes, when you are out on the trail and walking for hours, nature can call at any moment, forcing you to find a secluded spot. You are not in the city, so there are probably no bathrooms nearby. To avoid improvising with leaves, pack a good roll of toilet paper. And if you need to do something more "substantial", remember to bury it, because no one arriving after you should have to step on it.
Please leave the spot exactly as you found it.
8. A small first aid kit
Bring a few plasters, an anti-inflammatory cream, or a painkiller tablet. They could prove useful, and at least in an emergency you will not have to scramble to find them. Walking does help prevent a lot of aches and pains, but you never know.
9. A notebook
A walking trip is very different from any other kind of travel!
It slows you down, gives you a different kind of contact with the world, introduces you to many new people, and opens up a fresh perspective on countless things.
A notebook can be useful not only for jotting down the contacts of your new friends, or leaving a note for the person who arrives at the hostel after you, but also for capturing feelings, places that moved you, and anything else you want to remember.
Maybe even the phone number of the interesting person you just met!
10. An empty space to fill
Let what you are looking for find you
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Co-fondatore A Piedi Per Il Mondo | Esperto Cammino di Santiago
I have walked the Camino de Santiago more than 100 times: in every season, every month of the year, alone and leading private groups and corporate teams. I know every variant, every stage, every property. Since 2016 I have been building bespoke walking experiences for those who want to travel free and return changed.
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