A note about rain: It is important that you keep your spare clothes dry in your backpack for that reason you should put it in zip-lock bags and cover your backpack with a rain cover. When it rains, and it will, you are going to get wet, poncho or not.
Your footwear (boots or hiking shoes) should be waterproof. I found out that if you are wearing a poncho and have shorts on the rain will drip down your legs into your boots defeating the waterproof shoe protection. I bring a pair of pants that convert into short; if it looks like is going to rain I attach the bottom part of the pants and that way I avoid getting water dripping into my boots. You can do this on the fly without taking off your boots.
A far as your boots or shoes, not only they should be waterproof but as light as possible, you are going to walk close to a million steps and it does make a difference. DO NOT break in your shoes in the Camino, start breaking them in at home at least a month before your trip. Same goes for the backpack, you don’t want to find out it does not fit right once you get there and start walking.
