By Priya Anand, Backpacking Gear Research Writer · Published September 14, 2026, 6:03 PM ET · Updated September 29, 2026, 6:16 PM ET
Direct Answer
Most Camino de Santiago pilgrims carry a 20 to 30 liter backpack. Because you sleep in albergues and hostels and resupply food and water daily, there is no tent, sleeping bag, or multi-day food to carry, so a light pack with a real hipbelt is all you need.
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In plain English
The Camino de Santiago is a network of old pilgrimage walking routes across Spain and neighboring countries, most ending at the city of Santiago de Compostela. People walk for days or weeks, sleeping in simple hostels for pilgrims called albergues and buying food in villages along the way.
Because a bed and a meal are waiting at the end of most days, you don't need to carry a tent, a camping stove or lots of food. That's why a small backpack, about the size of a school bag or a little bigger, is usually enough.
The bigger worry is weight. You'll carry the pack for many days in a row, so every extra item adds up. A good approach is to pack clothes for a few days only and plan to wash them as you go.
Most Camino de Santiago pilgrims carry a 20 to 30 liter backpack, and the reason is the trail's infrastructure: you sleep in albergues, refuges, and hostels rather than a tent, and villages along every stage resupply food and water. That removes the shelter, sleep system, and multi-day food that force a larger pack on wilderness treks.
The number that matters more than liters is weight. Aim to keep your loaded pack light: the research literature suggests a pack should not exceed about 10 to 15% of body weight, and a heavy load over hundreds of kilometers is hard on your feet. A light 25-to-30-liter pack with a genuine hipbelt, worn so the weight sits on your hips, is the standard setup.
When to go smaller or larger
Smaller (under 20L): pilgrims who use a daily bag-transfer service and carry only water, snacks, and a rain layer.
Standard (25–30L): self-carried pilgrims carrying a few changes of clothing, rain gear, and toiletries.
Larger (35L+): only if you are camping or walking a remote, less-serviced route with longer resupply gaps.
Whichever size you choose, fit the pack to your torso first, keep the load light, and add a rain cover for the wet stages in Galicia.
Where the 10% target comes from
Keeping a pack to about 10 to 15% of body weight is more conservative than the figures usually quoted for backpacking, and it has some research behind it. A 2026 study of long-distance hikers found forefoot pressure rose 5.41% with a pack of 10% of body weight and 8.73% at 20%, and that packs heavier than about 10% produced a clear, load-dependent rise in plantar pressure, the pressure under the soles of the feet.1 The same paper notes the literature has suggested a backpack should not exceed 10 to 15% of body weight.1
Other sources allow more: Deuter states people can carry a maximum of 20 to 25% of body weight.2 The Camino's pattern of many consecutive long walking days, much of it on pavement and hard tracks, is a good reason to aim for the low end. Some guides call a heavy pack the most common cause of injury and quitting on the Camino; that could not be confirmed from a verified source, so read it as common pilgrim wisdom rather than a measured fact.
Feet matter as much as liters
A systematic review of hiking injuries found blisters and ankle sprains are the most common, with blisters making up 8 to 33% of reported injuries and the lower limb the most commonly injured area.3 Load-carriage research lists foot blisters, stress fractures and knee pain among the common injuries from carrying loads for long periods.4 A light pack reduces the load on your feet; the rest comes down to footwear and socks.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends nylon or moisture-wicking socks, properly fitting shoes, and stopping when skin becomes painful or red, to prevent blisters.5 OrthoInfo notes feet can swell up to 8% during the day, so shoes are best fitted toward the end of the day, with about half an inch between the longest toe and the tip.6 See a doctor if a blister shows signs of infection such as redness, pus or swelling.5
Flying with a Camino pack
Most US pilgrims fly, and a 20 to 30 liter pack is small enough to consider as a carry-on. Airline limits vary, so check yours. Delta's carry-on maximum, for example, is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, and a small backpack can count as the free personal item if it fits under the seat in front.7 A soft, frameless pack squeezes into a sizer more easily than a full one with a rigid back panel.
Security rules shape what goes inside. The TSA allows blunt-tipped hiking poles in carry-on bags but not sharp-tipped ones,8 and knives other than rounded, blunt ones are not allowed in carry-on bags, though they can travel in checked bags.9 Many pilgrims either check a bag or pick up poles and a small knife after arriving. Rules at other airports on the way home may differ, so check those too.
