Eine ehrliche Jakobsweg-Packliste beginnt nicht mit einer Liste, sondern mit einer Frage: Wie viel von dem, was die üblichen Listen empfehlen, brauchst du wirklich? Wer das erste Mal nach „Jakobsweg Rucksack“ sucht, landet fast überall bei 40 Litern und mehr. Diese Zahl ist kein Naturgesetz, sie ist ein Erbe des spanischen Camino Francés, wo du wochenlang in Pilgerherbergen schläfst und alles selbst trägst. Auf den meisten deutschen Wegen sieht die Lage anders aus, und das verändert die Packliste von Grund auf.
Wir bei WeitLäufer bauen ultraleichte Rucksäcke, und der häufigste Satz, den wir von Pilgern hören, lautet: „Ich hatte viel zu viel dabei.“ Genau darum dreht sich dieser Artikel. Nicht ums Verzichten um des Verzichtens willen, sondern darum, den Rucksack auf das zu bringen, was die Tour tatsächlich verlangt.
How big does a rucksack for the Camino really need to be?
The common recommendation in most pilgrim guidebooks is between 30 and 45 litres.[1] That's not wrong, but it's calculated for the worst-case scenario: complete self-sufficiency, your own sleeping bag, and overnight stays in dormitories. As soon as you start staying in guesthouses, hotels, or monasteries, a large part of this equipment becomes unnecessary. And that is precisely the norm, not the exception, on the German Way of St. James.
For a pilgrimage tour with fixed accommodation each night, 25 to 30 litres is generally more than enough. This sounds like a small amount, but it's sufficient for a change of clothes, rain protection, toiletries, food for the day, and a small buffer. The crucial point isn't the volume itself, but how it affects your packing habits.
Ein 45-Liter-Rucksack ist selten halb leer unterwegs. Der freie Platz lädt dazu ein, „für alle Fälle“ noch etwas einzupacken, und am Ende trägst du drei Kilo, die du nie brauchst. Ein kleiner Rucksack diszipliniert. Du entscheidest bei jedem Gegenstand bewusst, statt ihn beiläufig im Volumen verschwinden zu lassen.
St. James's Way packing list: what really belongs in it
The following packing list is designed for a multi-day tour with fixed accommodation, i.e. the typical German Way of St. James. It is deliberately kept brief. Anything not listed here is, in case of doubt, ballast.
| Item | Number | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Hiking boots or trail runners | 1 | Walked in, a half size bigger really (feet swell on long stages). |
| Merino hiking socks | 2 | One on the foot, one for changing. Merino barely smells even after three days. |
| Performance shirt | 1 | Worn. Merino or synthetic, no cotton shirt. |
| Wanderhose | 1 | Lightweight, quick-drying. |
| Item | Number | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Reversible shirt | 1 | Enough. Wash in the evening, it dries overnight. |
| Spare socks | 1 | Dry socks are the best blister prevention. |
| Underwear | 2 to 3 | Quick-drying, wash out in the evening. |
| Insulating layer | 1 | Lightweight fleece or down jacket for breaks and evenings. |
| Rain protection | 1 | Rain jacket or poncho, depending on preference. A poncho also covers your backpack. |
| Light evening wear | 1 Set | So you can get out of your sweaty clothes. |
| Wash bag minimal | 1 | Travel-sized, bar of pure soap for body and laundry. |
| First Aid and Blister Plasters | 1 | Blister plasters are the most important single item on the Camino. |
| Pilgrim's passport and document | 1 | ID, some cash, mobile phone, charging cable. |
| Drinking system | 1.5 to 2 L | Bottle or bladder. Easily refillable in Germany. |
Sleeping bag: yes or no?
On the German Camino routes, you sleep in hotels, guesthouses, or monasteries, meaning in real beds with bedding. You won't need a sleeping bag there. If you want to be on the safe side, take an ultra-lightweight liner made of silk or microfibre with you; it weighs next to nothing and fits in your fist. A proper sleeping bag only belongs in your rucksack if you are genuinely staying in hostels or camping, and this is the exception in Germany.
Layering clothes
You'll wear most of the clothing yourself, the rucksack merely transports the change of clothes. Three layers are sufficient: a base layer next to the skin, insulation for breaks, and rain protection on the outside. Cotton stays at home; it absorbs sweat and rain and takes ages to dry. Two shirts and two to three pairs of socks and underwear will suffice for any number of days, as you'll wash them out in the evening.
Hygiene, paperwork and odds and ends
This is where the secret weight culprits gather. Full shampoo bottles, the thick book, the second camera. Travel-sized items, a bar of soap for body and laundry, the book on your phone. Don't forget the pilgrim's passport, with its stamps (Sellos) marking your stages, which secures your certificate at the destination.
The 10 percent weight limit and how to maintain it
The most useful rule of thumb when hiking.[2] At a body weight of 75 kg, that's about 7 to 8 kg. Sounds ambitious, but it's quite doable with a bit of discipline, and your body will notice the difference by the third day at the latest, when the first pilgrims start complaining about their knees and shoulders.
Weigh everything before you pack.
Eine Küchenwaage kostet wenig und ist das ehrlichste Packtool. Erst wenn du weißt, dass dein „leichtes“ Handtuch 200 g wiegt, kannst du entscheiden, ob es mitkommt.
A pack for three days, not for thirty.
You wash as you go. More clothes won't make the tour safer, just heavier. Two shirts are enough for the whole trip.
Eliminate packaging.
Shampoo into the 30ml bottle, sun cream into the travel-sized container, the book onto the phone. This quickly saves several hundred grams in total.
Dispense water, don't hoard it.
In Germany, you can find drinking water almost everywhere. Two litres is the upper limit, not the standard. One litre weighs one kilo.
Delete every duplication.
Ein Messer, eine Jacke, ein Paar Wechselsocken. Wer „für alle Fälle“ doppelt packt, trägt die Angst spazieren, nicht die Lösung.
If you honestly go through these five points, you'll almost automatically arrive at a setup that fits within 25 to 30 litres and stays under 8 kg. You can find the detailed methodology on how to systematically reduce your base weight in our Lightweight packing list and in the Ultralight Trekking Guide.
| Block | Weight |
|---|---|
| Rucksack (empty, small ultralight model) | ~600 g |
| Clothes in the rucksack | ~1.500 kg |
| Sleep, hygiene, first aid | ~1.200 g |
| Electronics and documentation | Around 700 g |
| Water and packed lunch | ~2.500 kg |
| PACKED TOTAL | 6.5 kg |
German Routes to Santiago: Munich and Franconia
Anyone making a pilgrimage in Germany has a free choice among dozens of routes. Two of the most popular starting points run through Bavaria, and both are well-suited for a first tour with a small backpack, as there are permanent accommodations throughout.
The Munich Way of St. James runs from Munich to Lindau on Lake Constance, around 290 to 313 km depending on the route. It typically takes 11 to 14 daily stages with an average of about 20 to 30 km.[3] It goes through the pre-Alpine region with constant ups and downs, challenging enough for a good day's feeling, but without high mountains. There isn't a dedicated network of hostels like in Spain; you'll stay in guesthouses, hotels, and the occasional monastery, which is why a small backpack is perfect here.
The Franconian Way of St James From Nuremberg to Ulm is around 220 to 224 km in 12 stages, a bit shorter and flatter, marked with a yellow shell on a blue background.[4] A peaceful, culturally rich route through Middle Franconia and Swabia, ideal for beginners.
| Characteristic | Munich to Lindau | Nuremberg to Ulm |
|---|---|---|
| Length | ~290 to 313 km | ~220 to 224 km |
| Stages | 11 to 14 | 12 |
| Character | Alpine foothills, constant ups and downs | flat, rich in culture |
| Season | Mid-March to mid-December | Spring to autumn |
| Accommodation | Hotels, guesthouses, monasteries | Hotels, Guesthouses |
Both routes can be well walked in weekly sections if you don't have time for the whole thing at once. The exact stages, accommodations and stamp points can be found at the pilgrim associations, for Franconia, for example, at the Franconian St. James Society.
When more volume makes sense
To be honest, the small backpack isn't the right choice for every type of pilgrimage. There are clear cases where 25 to 30 litres will be too tight, and then it would be nonsense to stick to a small volume out of principle. Three scenarios shift the limit upwards.
- Genuine self-sufficiency in Spain. On the Camino Francés, you'll be sleeping in albergue dormitories, so you'll need your own sleeping bag, often a liner, and sometimes a thin sleeping mat for backup accommodation. On top of that, you'll need more provisions for the long, infrastructure-light stages of the Meseta. This all adds up, and 35 to 40 litres is a realistic estimate here, not a luxury but a necessity.
- Tent and trekking stages. Once the tent, sleeping mat and a full sleeping system are included, for example on pilgrimage routes away from accommodation or combined with trekking, the 40-litre-plus territory begins. Here you not only carry more, but also bulkier items, and the volume must accommodate the sleeping system neatly without everything dangling on the outside.
- Winter, shoulder season and cold high altitudes. Thicker insulation, long underwear, warmer sleeping gear, possibly microspikes. Cold always costs volume. Anyone hiking the foothills of the Alps in March or in late autumn simply packs more than in midsummer.
In all three cases, it's worth going for the larger sibling. Our Agilist is precisely built for these multi-volume tours: 40 litres in the weather-protected main compartment plus 14 litres in the external pockets, a total of 54 litres. The division is worth its weight in gold for pilgrims. The dry items (sleeping bag, change of clothes) go in the main compartment, and items that need to be quickly accessible or can get wet go in the external pockets: rain jacket, water bottle, snacks, the damp poncho after a shower. This way, you don't have to empty the entire rucksack every time.
Der Punkt ist nicht „klein um jeden Preis“, sondern: wähle das Volumen nach der tatsächlichen Tour, nicht nach dem Reflex. Für die klassische deutsche Pilgertour mit fester Unterkunft ist der kleine Rucksack fast immer die bessere Wahl. Sobald Selbstversorgung, Zelt oder Kälte ins Spiel kommen, ist der Agilist der ehrlichere Begleiter. Welcher Rucksack für welchen Einsatz passt, dröseln wir im Guide to Ultralight Rucksacks Off.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a pilgrimage with fixed overnight accommodation, 25 to 30 litres is sufficient. The often-mentioned 40 litres comes from the Spanish hostel model with self-catering. On the German Camino routes, you'll sleep in hotels and guest houses and will need significantly less volume.
As a rule of thumb, aim for a maximum of around 10 per cent of your body weight, including water and daily provisions. For 75 kg, that's about 7 to 8 kg. With a small backpack and disciplined packing, this target is easily achievable.
As a rule, no. You'll be staying in hotels, guesthouses, or monasteries with bedding. A lightweight sleeping bag liner is enough as a backup. A full sleeping bag is only necessary for dormitory accommodation or camping.
Too much clothing and full packaging. Beginners pack for thirty days instead of three, as you can do laundry on the go. Two shirts and two to three pairs of socks and underwear are enough for any length of trip.
The Franconian Way of St James from Nuremberg to Ulm is a bit more beginner-friendly at around 220 km and with a flatter profile. The Munich Way of St James leads through the pre-Alpine region with more ups and downs. Both have fixed accommodation and are well-suited to a small backpack.
For pilgrims with back or knee problems, luggage transport from accommodation to accommodation can be a sensible option. Then a small daypack with water, snacks and rain protection is sufficient. However, those who pack light anyway usually don't need transport at all.
Sources
- Bergzeit Magazin, „Die Jakobsweg-Packliste“: Empfehlung zu Rucksackgröße und Gewicht. bergzeit.co.uk
- Camino de Santiago Coastal Path, Packing List and Backpack Size for Pilgrimage (10% Rule of Thumb). jakobsweg-kuestenweg.com
- Munich Way of St James, Stages and Accommodation (Munich to Lindau). jakobsweg-kuestenweg.com, additionally fernwege.de
- Franconian St. James' Society, St. James' Way Nuremberg to Ulm (Length, Stages, Waymarkers). jakobus-franken.de
