The less the better. Assuming that you bring only what you can carry yourself and do not ship your backpack, travel trunk or suitcase by courier service or taxi between overnight places, less is truly better. It is generally recommended that backpack and contents should not weigh more than 10% of one's own weight, not counting the bottles of water at one kilo per liter.
Walking El Camino in the warm summer or early Fall months makes things easy. You don't wear many clothes so you don't have to bring much. Here's my suggestion for a male pilgrim:
1 pair of cargo shorts (the type with plenty of pockets)
1 pair of zip-off leg pants
3 pairs of cotton undershorts
3 shortsleeved cotton Jockey T-shirts
2 longsleeved cotton shirts for cool days
3 pairs of trekking socks
Walking El Camino in the warm summer or early Fall months makes things easy. You don't wear many clothes so you don't have to bring much. Here's my suggestion for a male pilgrim:
1 pair of cargo shorts (the type with plenty of pockets)
1 pair of zip-off leg pants
3 pairs of cotton undershorts
3 shortsleeved cotton Jockey T-shirts
2 longsleeved cotton shirts for cool days
3 pairs of trekking socks
1 light sweater
1 pair of bathroom sandals (flip-flops)
1 wide-brimmed hat
1 rain poncho1 pair of bathroom sandals (flip-flops)
1 wide-brimmed hat
With plenty of opportunities for a daily clothes wash along the way, there is no reason to bring more clothes. Stuff and their weight mean a lot when you must walk for more than a month.
Albergues and hostels will normally provide disposable bed linen for free or 1 euro. During the summer and fall months bring a silk sleeping bag liner and forget the sleeping bag. It will save a huge amount of space and a good bit of weight. A silk liner is amazingly warm and will be sufficient in the warm months. Wash with shampoo. If necessary, most albergues or hostels provide bed blankets free of charge.
As a practical matter, bring a few safety pins, a Swiss army knife, and plastic bags for wet bathroom sandals and damp clothes.
Wear good, broken-in hiking boots. High boots with ankle support may be helpful but I don't deem them necessary. Make sure that boots and socks give a very tight fit around the feet. The tighter the better so long as the tightness is soft (which good trekking socks will take care of). To pevent blisters, there must be absolutely no room for slippage or wiggles. Make sure that socks and boots are tight enough also to prevent small gravel and stones to slip inside. Tightness may make you think of too hot feet. Don't worry. Hot or warm feet is far less worrisome than loose boots and socks with slippage, wiggles, stones and gravel.
