Lightening the Load-Rain , warmth and Sleeping gear for Sarria to Santiago in June

littlegreen60

Member
Jan 15, 2023
80
113
Florida
Time of past OR future Camino
Early June 2023
Hello everyone!

I'm looking for 3 recommendations.

I'm on my first, albeit short camino, and really only want to take what makes sense. My pack has a rain cover.

Rain poncho or jacket?

Also,, same question for sleeping. Sleeping bags are so bulky and narrow. I'm a round gal and a side sleeper. I haven't found any good lightweight wide options.I have read many people just use a liner.,but I'd like to have a little warmth if I need it
I'm even thinking lightweight small fleece blanket and a sheet At this point.
Any suggestions?

Finally, is there a better choice than my fleece jacket? It's comfy but it seems bulky.. Thoughts?
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

C clearly

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 28, 2007
12,126
1
42,293
BC, Canada
Time of past OR future Camino
Most years since 2012
Rain jacket or poncho is entirely a personal choice. Could be a last minute decision based on short term weather forecast for the week.

Get a wide liner and put a small blanket inside. Down is nice.
.
Fleece jacket? I wouldn't take a bulky one. But think always about the layers you can combine to achieve the warmth you will need. This might even affect the decision about poncho versus jacket, AND your decision about sleeping warmth.
 
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Kanga

Veteran Member
Jun 2, 2005
10,382
29,270
Sydney, Australia
www.jillhill.com.au
Time of past OR future Camino
Francés x 5, Le Puy x 2, Arles, Tours, Norte, Madrid, Via de la Plata, Portuguese, Primitivo
In June - I'd definitely take a poncho, not a jacket. And an umbrella. It is more likely to be hot than cold, but, being Galicia, it is almost guaranteed to rain.

I use a silk liner with stretch comfort panels down the seams. I echo @C clearly's suggestion of putting something inside the liner - in my case a small down throw. I push it aside if it is hot, pull it over myself if cold.

Fleece - I do need an insulation layer of some sort - woollen or fleece or a puffer. It does not have to be fleece. I have a down jacket bought from Uniqlo that was very reasonable in price, and it cinches down to a tiny ball.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-

J Willhaus

Veteran Member
Nov 3, 2014
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Laramie, WY
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2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, planned 2025
I have a Frogg Toggs poncho. Light and cheap. In 6 trips to Spain it has only rained on my for about 20 minutes total in the summer. Lucky I guess. In the summer I use a silk liner bag and put on socks or something if it seems cold or I could put my poncho over the liner if I needed more. It isn't crinkly or noisy.
 
Aug 31, 2015
184
248
Time of past OR future Camino
2013
2014
2015
Hello everyone!

I'm looking for 3 recommendations.

I'm on my first, albeit short camino, and really only want to take what makes sense. My pack has a rain cover.

Rain poncho or jacket?

Also,, same question for sleeping. Sleeping bags are so bulky and narrow. I'm a round gal and a side sleeper. I haven't found any good lightweight wide options.I have read many people just use a liner.,but I'd like to have a little warmth if I need it
I'm even thinking lightweight small fleece blanket and a sheet At this point.
Any suggestions?

Finally, is there a better choice than my fleece jacket? It's comfy but it seems bulky.. Thoughts?
in the summer, I use a light weight sleeping bag.
I always use a layering system. From the waist down, in the summer, I use zip off pants (2 pairs) and have a pair of rain pants available, if needed. My " luxury" item is a base pair ("long johns") to sleep in at night.
Sooo if I have a few real cold nights, I have a total of 3 layers below the waist AND a sleeping bag. Even in the severe heat of summer, I have always had a few really cold night.
Same for the waist and above. I always have a sleeveless shirt that acts as a type of base layer (I don't like short sleeve shirts as I feel they grab me under the arms. I then have a long sleeve shirt (that I also have ALWAYS needed in the cool mornings. Yes, on top of this I have a light weight fleece AND a lightweight rain jacket for rain. On the coldest of nights in the summer, sometimes I need 3 layeers.
For me, I prefer a lightweight jacket for the rain.
If you know you really sleep hot, you could probably cut out the base layer below the waist and go down to 3 layers from the waist up.
Buen Camino.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

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