GEAR HUB
I’m getting ready to take a very long walk. In October, I fly to Madrid. From Madrid, I will board a train. That train will unceremoniously take me to Astorga, where I will carry my life on my back for 250 or so miles through the Spanish countryside, through towns, and finally sink my toes into the beach of Finisterre (literally meaning the End of the Earth) at the Galatian seaside.
Sounds sexy, right? The truth of the matter is I will likely have feet covered in blisters, stinking in a shirt I’ve washed in the sink at the previous night’s albergue, shoulders indented with the weight of my pack over those many days. An albergue is a hostel for pilgrims.
I will be a pilgrim—a fresh-off-my-42nd-birthday pilgrim, with my most prized possessions strapped to my body and on my feet. I will carry everything over mountains and through rainy days, with the promise of more miles to come. I will buy a new pair of shoes a few months before my trek, just enough time to break them in before Spain. I will start walking with increasing weight in my pack between now and then.
There are things that need to be done in the months leading up to this journey. I need to walk … a lot. I need to think that a 15-mile walk is an easy feat. I need to be able to do it without headphones. I need to buy things and learn about even more things. I need to brush up on my Spanish.
When you carry your life for two weeks on your back, you start making decisions about what is too heavy for you. What is the thing that I think I absolutely will need that I will abandon somewhere along my journey simply because the weight isn’t worth it?
I’ve carried a backpack on many camping trips. My trusty Osprey 48-liter Kyte bag holding all the bits and baubles I need. However, for the Camino de Santiago, the name of the game is light and loaded—which means downsizing to a 30-to-38 liter bag.
In my research, I wanted to pick a bag that hits both in form and function, not just in a color I like. After a bit of back and forth, I decided on a cranberry-colored 36-liter Osprey Sirrus. It’s classified as a bag appropriate for light backpacking, but it technically isn’t an ultralight bag. Since I’ll be staying in albergues along the way, this size bag gives me just enough space to bring layers, toiletries, and a first aid kit without allowing me too much room to overpack.
A big appeal of this pack for me is that it is designed to fit women’s bodies—a women’s-specific harness with shoulder straps and a hip belt that’s shaped for typical female body contours make it a comfortable fit. It also has the added benefit of adjustability, both in horizontal strap placement and a laddered shoulder strap technology.
It’s got a ventilated back panel, including rain covering (key for the Camino!) and a spot to hold the 1.5-liter water bladder I have. This bag design is a well-loved Camino staple, with easy to reach front pockets as well as hip side compartments that will be perfect for my most easy-to-reach necessities. It also has a “Stow-on-the-Go” pole carrying system that Osprey developed to keep poles within easy access when you need them.
Ultimately, the pack that’s right for me may not be right for you. Maybe my long walk looks different from yours. The important things to consider are the size of pack you need depending on the length of your journey as well as needed supplies, what pack best fits your body, and what is most important for your journey. I’ll see you along the trail, fellow pilgrims!
This article appears in Get Outside – Winter/Spring 2026.