Brag about your bag!

[Dov of the Galilee]

Did you find a sleeping bag that was good? Why?

I'd like some direction myself, I'm 6 feet tall\183 cm and a chest 56"\142 cm so bags for me are difficult, I feel like I'm stuffing the meat back inside the casing of a hotdog. Since most places indoors won't be freezing cold I was thinking of a bag that would open up to a square shape rather than a mummy bag and preferably down for drying and packs small as possible. Ideas?

 

[bunnymac]

I prefer a mummy bag as it negates the need for a pillow case. I find a season 1 bag (good to +2 degrees C) is fine for travel from May onwards. However, some albergues can be less warm than others. That combined with being cold/wet/tired may necessitate something a little warmer. It can get pretty cold on the Tierra del Campo at night. I have been in Leon in May when the temperature hit zero degrees C.

 

[Rob the Slob]

You could try a quilt, such as the Sea to Summit Traveller TR1.

 

[Al the optimist]

I would but I don't have one. Then again I only walk May to September (not all 5 months ).

 

[williamlittig]

Find a large bag that has a zipper on your preferred side. Square bags do not stuff well. Down does not dry well, and stays wet longer than the new poli-fills. You should only need a bag down to 35 degrees, there are blanket on most albergues. Sites like "backcountry.com" will have many choices and price-points.
You will be smaller at the end of your Camino......... Willy/Utah/USA

 

[Mark Lee]

The longer and wider a sleeping bag, the more it weighs and it's no longer ultralight. You have to sacrifice a bit of room, and comfort I suppose for packability.
If you are walking the Camino between say mid-May through September, you barely need a bag at all, but I still recommend carrying something to sleep in. Maybe a lightweight, packable quilt as advised above.

 

[Joodle]

Did you find a sleeping bag that was good? Why?

I'd like some direction myself, I'm 6 feet tall\183 cm and a chest 56"\142 cm so bags for me are difficult, I feel like I'm stuffing the meat back inside the casing of a hotdog. Since most places indoors won't be freezing cold I was thinking of a bag that would open up to a square shape rather than a mummy bag and preferably down for drying and packs small as possible. Ideas?

Dov. I made my own sleeping sack using a full sized microfiber sheet, folded in half length wise. I cut some off from the bottom as it was to long for me, sewed about a third of the way up the side and added some snaps for the rest of the way up. I had a down throw quilt that I put snaps on the underside in all four corners. I can now snap it onto my sleeping sack so it won't fall off me in the night. I can also unsnap it and throw it off me if it's hot. It's lovely as I can move my legs freely in it. that sounds like a good option for you if you're a larger man. I also wanted to let you know that I too, am concerned about close sleeping quarters and co-ed bathrooms. I was raised to be modest, so this is going to be a real test for me. I have been so impressed by the quality of all the people on this foum. This is a good group of people!! Lets plan a Santiago Forum Camino 2017 !!!

 

[Magwood]

I have a Mont Bell spiral down thermal sheet weighing 430 grams. The bag completely unzips to be used as a quilt and packs down into a tiny compression sack. The fabric is cut on the bias (hence the name ‘spiral’) and so allows for more movement and stretching than a traditional straight cut bag. It was my biggest single expense but I haven't regretted it. I also use a silk liner.

 

[november_moon]

I went with a silk sleep sack and a down quilt instead of a sleeping bag. I am glad that I did. I walked in the late spring/early summer and a sleeping bag would have been too warm for me - I would have ended up sleeping on top of the bag. The sleep sack was great though because it allowed me to sleep covered up without being too warm. If the night was a little chilly, I used the down quilt also.

 

[Richard Ward]

I have something similar to Magwood, although mine makes a snazzy jacket as well if needed. 17.5 ounces, comfortable to about 45 F, especially when attached to sleeping pad. http://www.jacksrbetter.com/shop/sierra-stealth/ I think I'm bringing this instead of my full sleeping bag, undecided on the inflatable pad (which might be helpful if the alberques are full).

 

[bunnymac]

The longer and wider a sleeping bag, the more it weighs and it's no longer ultralight. You have to sacrifice a bit of room, and comfort I suppose for packability.
If you are walking the Camino between say mid-May through September, you barely need a bag at all, but I still recommend carrying something to sleep in. Maybe a lightweight, packable quilt as advised above.

You must have been really lucky with your weather or maybe I'm just a cold creature.

 

[Mark Lee]

You must have been really lucky with your weather or maybe I'm just a cold creature.

First two Caminos I didn't carry a sleeping bag or liner of any kind, but again I do not recommend that. Having one does give you a measure of comfort.
and yeah, I was really lucky on all my Caminos with the weather...

 

[Jo Jo]

Look at Enlightened Equipment quilts. Get them any size you want. Very light (sub 2lbs--closer to 1 lb, depending on size). The mattresses on the bunk beds are plenty of insulation on the bottom, so the quilt concept would work great. I have one for backpacking (not pilgrimaging), and it worked great (JMT, Sept. 2015). NB: for a July 2014 Camino sleeping bags were unnecessary. Even coolmax liners were too hot some nights.

Buen Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[Introibo]

Yeti do amazingly light sleeping bags. But be aware that they are down bags. You need to make
sure you keep them dry. I kept mine inside it's own dry bag. They perform really well. For the
warmth / weight ratio nothing beats down.

But then, at Los Arcos, I discovered blankets. A lot more freedom than being wrapped up in a bag.
Depends on when you're walking Dov. If it's not too cold go for the Albergue blankets.

Having said that, in some Albergues you're so close to the person next to you a bag liner would be
warm enough

Pax et bonum

 

[gerardcarey]

I like the look of that Sea to Summit Traveller Tr1.
While I haven't got my hands on one yet, in a couple of utube videos they appear spacious towards the footbox, and the sizes appear generous.
Regards
Gerard

 

[MaidinBham]

I really like the idea of the spiral stretch material in the Mont Bell bag as described by Magwood. It only comes in one size though. I ended up with Sea & Summit Traveler, on sale, regular size, (6 ft) but it does come in different sizes. You could also use your mummy bag, unzipped with your feet anchored in the foot box and use as a quilt. Like was stated, you do not need insulation underneath if you are sleeping atop a mattress. And if money is no object - go for a custom made bag and choose the size, materials, down fill, weight etc.
I couldn't fit the Traveler bag inside it's stuff sack - impossible! I just put it inside a 2.5 gallon zip lock bag and it fits in the bag section of pack, with room to spare.
Janice

 

[MTtoCamino]

Coming from Montana a good bag is critical in the back country, when I return if it is May forward I will leave my Rei bag & take a quilt. If starting in October thru April I will carry my 17f bag again. It weighs 2lb or 1 kg

 

[MaidinBham]

I like the look of that Sea to Summit Traveller Tr1.
While I haven't got my hands on one yet, in a couple of utube videos they appear spacious towards the footbox, and the sizes appear generous.
Regards
Gerard

They are tapered toward the foot box. I wouldn't call the bag generous, it is after all a sub 1 lb bag, and so depends on your size, how you sleep, how much you are willing to sacrifice weight. I shaved off ~ 200 gm from pack weight with other down bag. Some may not care about additional weight.
Janice

 

[Mike Savage]

For me the Sea to Summit Traveler was perfect. Too warm some nights and just enough other nights (September through October Northern Spain) It was an adequate size for me but I am 5' 8" and 135 lbs. I did use it as a quilt some nights which was nice. I do think it might be a bit small for you but if you could find something of similar design and adequate size I think you would me very happy with it Spring through Fall.

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

Find a large bag that has a zipper on your preferred side. Square bags do not stuff well. Down does not dry well, and stays wet longer than the new poli-fills. You should only need a bag down to 35 degrees, there are blanket on most albergues. Sites like "backcountry.com" will have many choices and price-points.
You will be smaller at the end of your Camino......... Willy/Utah/USA

Actually, all the newer down bags (at least the better ones) have treated plumage and the fabrics are moisture resistant. I wouldn't submerge one in a lake or anything but I've woken up to plenty of moisture on top of my bag and it's been fine. Also of note. Once on a ski trip in Wyoming, the ice formed around the hoods of our sleeping bags. We left them to dry outside often in the driving snow and the ixe melted and evaporated.
Down is much lighter, holds it's loft longer and compresses,far smaller.
I'm all for down except in extreme wet conditions like Alaska in late summer or the Olympic range in Washington.

 

[MaidinBham]

Did you find a sleeping bag that was good? Why?

I'd like some direction myself, I'm 6 feet tall\183 cm and a chest 56"\142 cm so bags for me are difficult, I feel like I'm stuffing the meat back inside the casing of a hotdog. Since most places indoors won't be freezing cold I was thinking of a bag that would open up to a square shape rather than a mummy bag and preferably down for drying and packs small as possible. Ideas?

For your stated size, I would take a look at Enlightened bags. The StS Traveler bag measures 18" at foot box and 25", so as a quilt ~ 51". Two traveler bags can be zipped together, but at this price point ($400 usd) look at Enlightened bags - they can be ordered

• Slim - 50"
• Regular - 54"
• Wide - 58"
• XWide - 64"

Janice

 

[SusanH]

Dov. I made my own sleeping sack using a full sized microfiber sheet, folded in half length wise. I cut some off from the bottom as it was to long for me, sewed about a third of the way up the side and added some snaps for the rest of the way up. I had a down throw quilt that I put snaps on the underside in all four corners. I can now snap it onto my sleeping sack so it won't fall off me in the night. I can also unsnap it and throw it off me if it's hot. It's lovely as I can move my legs freely in it.

Joodle, would you post a few pics of your sleeping sack? It sounds great!!