Most packing lists for the Fishermen's Trail cover the obvious stuff - trail runners, sunscreen, a good pack. This article is about the less obvious items that I found genuinely useful on my hike. None of them weigh much, all of them earned their spot. Here are my five must-pack items.
1. Hiking poles
About 60% of the Fisherman's Trail is sand - dunes, loose beach sections and soft coastal paths. Hiking poles make a huge difference here. They help you keep a steady pace through sand that would otherwise slow you down, and they add stability on the rocky, uneven sections in the Algarve where the footing can be loose.
Poles are also surprisingly light. A decent carbon pair weighs around 200-300 g per pole and packs down small. If you have the budget, I'd recommend carbon poles with cork grips. Cork feels better than rubber or plastic when your hands are sweaty (and they will be), and in my experience cork grips last longer too. They're a bit more expensive, but worth it for a multi-day hike.
2. Gaiters
I'll admit I was sceptical about gaiters before this hike. They always seemed like overkill. The Fisherman's Trail changed my mind completely. With so many kilometres of loose sand, you will get sand in your shoes - constantly. Without gaiters I was stopping every 30-45 minutes to empty my shoes. With gaiters, that problem just disappeared.
A lightweight pair of trail running gaiters weighs almost nothing (around 40-60 g) and takes up zero space in your pack. They slip over your trail runners and seal the gap between shoe and ankle. Simple, effective and - as a bonus - they give you a proper thru-hiker look 🤘 Grab your own pair from TidyGear - a super cool small European company run by the experienced hiker Dominik.
3. Padlock
This one might surprise you, but hear me out. You'll most likely stay in hostels, guesthouses and B&Bs along the trail. When you head out for dinner or to explore a town, you're leaving your gear behind. Most hostels have personal storage lockers or lockable drawers, but they rarely provide the lock itself. Bringing your own small padlock means you can secure your phone, cards and cash whenever you leave your room.
A combination padlock weighs about 30-50 g and gives you real peace of mind. I used mine almost every night. Honourable mention: a fanny pack. A small fanny pack lets you carry your valuables with you when you head into town for dinner, laundry or a quick grocery run - super convenient and means you don't have to bring your full daypack everywhere.
4. Rain poncho
A rain poncho beats a rain jacket on this trail. It's lighter, covers both you and your pack in one go, and you can throw it on in seconds when the weather turns. On the Fisherman's Trail, rain tends to come fast and hit hard - there's not much shelter on an exposed coastal path, so speed matters.
I found it overkill to carry a full rain jacket plus rain pants or a rain skirt. The poncho did the job on its own and was far more versatile. As a bonus, I folded mine up and used it as a pillow when sleeping - surprisingly comfortable and one less thing to pack.
5. Spork
An incredibly useful piece of gear that weighs almost nothing. Even if you're not cooking on the trail, you'll find yourself buying ready-made meals or a yoghurt from a supermarket, and you'll be standing there without cutlery. I used my spork on most days of the hike - it gives you flexibility to eat whatever you pick up along the way.
If you're buying one, go for the titanium version. It's a small premium over plastic, but it's lighter, nearly indestructible and will last you years of hiking. As an owner of many sporks over the years, trust me on this one - the titanium upgrade is worth it.
