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Lightweight Camino Backpacks

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How Much Should a Backpack Weigh?

Ideally 10-12% of your body weight. Yes, it’s difficult to do that. The secret to get that low weight? Weigh everything. Then you can make informed decisions on how to loose pack weight.

Use this hand-held scale to weigh your pack.

Ask Yourself 4 Questions Before Buying a Backpack for the Camino

 1.
What Pack Size Should I Get for the Camino?

Many Camino pilgrims carry a backpack with a volume capacity at about 35-45 Liters*…
Liters?
What does that mean for a backpack's size?

Here are three examples of how a pack’s size is described
when you’re looking for a backpack online…

35 Liters
 50L
 [Backpack’s Brand Name] 40

They describe the measurement of a backpack's volume.
In other words, they tell you how much space there is inside a backpack.

Yikes! Thats confusing!
How do you know what it really means…especially when shopping online?

Here’s how…

These three steps will help you:

1. avoid getting a too-large Camino backpack (unnecessary bulk & weight)

2. avoid getting a too-small Camino backpack (not enough room to meet your needs).

Another thing to consider when choosing your backpack’s size:
the time of year when you’ll walk the camino…

2.
When Will I Walk the Camino?
(how weather effects the backpack size you’ll need)
 

The Early Spring or Late Fall weather in Spain and France can be cold (including sleet and snow).
 Consider allowing a bit more backpack space for cold-weather clothing. 

Summer weather provides the best opportunity to carry the smallest, lightest-weight Camino backpack. 

However: it can get extremely hot, so you'll need to carry extra water—and that takes space, and it adds a lot of weight. 
—
That leads us to the next thing to consider.
It's a bit tricky, because it depends entirely on your personal preference.

3.
 Should I Use a Pack Hydration System?
 

Many pilgrims will choose to use a pack hydration-system, instead of carrying water bottles.
That means their backpack has a large pocket inside that holds a water bladder.
That bladder connects to a tube that runs outside of the pack.
You drink from that tube, like you would from a straw. 

Hiking backpacks nearly always have a large pocket inside
that can hold a hydration-system bladder.

If you don't use that pocket for the hydration system,
it’s an excellent deep-pocket for organizing things inside your backpack.

I discuss the pros & cons for all water-carrying options in To Walk Far, Carry Less. 
(in the chapter "Backpack Features to Consider: How to Avoid a Heavy Backpack Before You Start Packing")

My experience has led me to prefer water bottles, and I state my case for why that is in the book.

—
This is the Best Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle for Backpacking.
At 40 oz this water bottle is just over a Liter of water.
Carry at least that amount when starting out each morning.
—

Even though I prefer water bottles,
I must say that people who use a backpack hydration-system
can be quite persuasive from their point of view too.

In the end, it’s best to know the pros & cons— and then decide what works best for you. 
If you’re not sure, get a backpack with an internal hydration system, and try it while training for the Camino.

Then, if you don't like using it, just leave the hydration system parts (and its cleaning gear) at home. 

 4.
What are the Best Features for a Camino Backpack?

Minimal Features
Or easily-removed features — to make the pack even lighter-in-weight.

Quality Materials, Quality Construction
so it doesn’t fall apart during your long journey

Lightweight from the Start
Read on for the most important advice regarding this...

 The Most Important Advice for a Camino Backpack… 

The weight of the backpack itself is where a "lightweight" backpack begins.
I know I keep repeating this point!
I do so because it’s the easiest way for you to avoid carrying extra pounds (kilograms) everyday, on your Camino journey.

It’s good to remember that the Camino is not a wilderness hike.
So you don't need to carry a tent, cookstove, and other bulky, heavy gear.

And most of all, that means you won’t need a backpack with seriously supportive features to carry all of that wilderness stuff.
(Features like super-padded shoulder straps and hip belts, heavy inserts to give the backpack “structure”, and lots of pockets and straps on the outside of the pack.)

Get the lightest backpack you can find, with:

• the features you want

• the size you’ll need to comfortably fit your body, and

• a pack large enough to carry what you’ll need for the Camino.

Pro Tip
Add 2.2 lbs (or 1kg) to the weight of an empty backpack you’re thinking of buying.
That’s the weight of 1 liter of water—the least amount you should start out with each day on the Camino.

The weight of water, along with the weight of the backpack itself, gives you the starting weight of your backpack.

On the trail, it’s the decent thing to do: bury your personal waste. I got one of these inexpensive shovels. Local residents will appreciate your respecting their homeland; and fellow travelers will appreciate a clean trail. It weighs less than 1oz. You can get it here.

 Recommended Lightweight Backpacks for the Camino

Lightweight Osprey Backpacks

Osprey backpacks are tried and true long-distance hiker backpacks. They’re built for the rough-and-tumble of a traveling pack, and will last a long, long time. In other words, they’re an excellent investment for serious backpackers (but if budget is a concern, scroll down for a “lightweight and super inexpensive” option).

And: they have an excellent “Almighty Guarantee” for all of their backpacks, so you can count on quality.

For women, this Osprey Tempest 40 backpack weighs under 3 pounds / 1.35 kilogram; with a 40 Liter volume. (Note: it’s weight is less on the Osprey website than at Amazon — which seems to show only a heavier shipping weight). It also comes in black.

For men, this Osprey Talon 44 backpack weighs 2.45 pounds / 1.1 kilogram; with a 44 Liter volume.

Both backpacks feature a hip belt — and a floatable removable top-lid (put valuables inside this, and take it with you when you leave your backpack somewhere). Or, remove it entirely if you don’t need it to create an even lighter backpack.

Be sure to choose the right size for your body. Exchange or return to get it right.

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Apple AirTag

Track your backpack by tucking this little button inside.
(read the system requirements to make sure it works with your. iPhone or iPad.)

Some people even use this to find their cars in parking lots!

Rainproof Backpack Cover

This is one of the best.
Lightweight. Features to ensure your pack stays dry.
Plan for rain on the Camino all year round—you won’t be sorry!

Lightweight to Ultra-light Camino Backpacks

Gossamer Gear makes highly-rated backpacks for those obsessed with lightweight and ultra-light backpacking.

Be sure to notice if a hip-belt is included in the price, sometimes it’s not (ultra-light packs do not need one if your load is truly light).

Also, look at other add-ons, like a shoulder strap pocket.

These backpacks are reminiscent of GoLite backpacks that I’ve used in the past,
but are sadly no longer being made.
I’ve not tried the Gossamer Gear backpacks but,
from what I’ve seen on their website and from reviews elsewhere,
I’m recommending them here.

Kumo 36 Superlight Backpack — perhaps best used in the summertime when it’s hot and you can travel with less gear on the Camino. You’ll need to be very disciplined with what you take! Weighs just over 18.5 ounces / about 524 grams. Max. load: 25 pounds / over 11 Kilograms.

Gorilla 40 Ultralight Backpack — A little more room than the Kumo with 40 Liters volume capacity. Weighs 30.6 ounces / almost 868 grams. Maximum loads 30 pounds / almost 14 Kilograms. Has really nice features!

Again: look to the add-ons for features. These add to the weight of the backpack, and may be considered “nice-to-have”, more than “necessary.’ But of course, you decide: it’s your journey, and the goal is for you to get the Camino gear that works best for you. ;-)

Lightweight & Super-Inexpensive Camino Pack

I ordered this backpack to see if it would be good enough to mention to people with a limited budget. Sometimes you get what you pay for…but I’ve also learned that inexpensive can often be “good enough”, and even “great”!

After testing the pack, I’ve determined I’d take it on the Camino — but probably only on shorter journeys
(like one to maybe even three weeks) and when the weather is likely to be warm
(when you can carry less gear, which means it’ll be a lighter-in-weight backpack).

However:
it could make it for longer journeys too — if you’re mindful to treat it gently;
and if you’re strict about creating a lightweight backpack.

My favorite features of this inexpensive backpack:

• Excellent zippers (no catching; I think they’ll endure)

• Four compartments (easy access; easy organizing of your gear)

• A pack hydration-system pocket and tube holes (it also has deep side-pockets for water bottles)

• A waterproof pack cover (fits neatly into a zipped-pocket at the bottom of the pack)

• A whistle on the chest strap (good for warning dogs)

Disadvantages
Be careful of the pack fit… for example, the hip belt is not a terrific fit for me.
So I’d be super-careful to not carry a lot of weight.
That’s why I’d recommend 1-2 week journeys for this backpack…
and only in the summer, late spring, early fall times…
when the weather is likely to be nice and you don’t have to carry extra gear.

A Caution Before Buying this Inexpensive Backpack - Pay Attention to the the Color
You’ll see on the sales page a huge selection of colors for this backpack.
But it may not actually be this backpack, as I learned when first ordering.
I ordered a green-colored pack from this sale page, thinking it would be the same as this one.
It was not—not at all. There were missing features, and the green pack was not of the same quality.
So please use this link, to get the black with orange trim color — and choose 40L
(that’s “forty liters” — the smaller size is most likely too small)

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Camino Packing List Guidebook

A complete packing-list checklist.
Plus: Tips & Advice

★★★★★ 
Essential information to prepare a Camino backpack!

Next, let’s look at the best Camino Footwear

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