Do I need a sleeping bag or just liner?

[el padre]

LAST SECOND HELP!

I am leaving tomrrow! Super excited but my bag weighs a lot more than I thought it would (23lbs). I will be in Spain for two weeks May21-June 2 (few days in Leon).

Instead of giving you my entire packing list do I need a sleeping bag at this time of year? Or should I opt just for the lighter liner? I would save 3lbs easy that way.

Thank you! i stsrt in Foncebadon on 21st. Hope we'll walk together.

El Padre

 

[wayfarer]

Short answer is yes in my opinion.
Buen Camino.

 

[Mark Lee]

Three pound sleeping bag, Padre?
I would definitely try to go with something half that weight, like a liner.
cheers

 

[donalomahony]

Yes, a lightweight one. Buen Camino. There is stuff in your rucsac that you won't need!

 

[el padre]

Three pound sleeping bag, Padre?
I would definitely try to go with something half that weight, like a liner
cheers

No it's more of a 1.7 down bag. But if I don't bring it I won't need my compression sack etc.

thought then?

 

[Camino Concierge]

You will need more than a liner; some alburgues provide blankets, but they are never cleaned and bedbugs could be a worry. Some of the alburgues in the mountains are very cold. Bring a very light sleeping bag with a compression sack. My mistake was I purchased a sleeping bag for 32 degrees Fahrenheit and BAKED at night. I forgot that I was sleeping indoors, not outdoors.
Don't forget a pillow case!

Have a ball!

 

[Mark Lee]

No it's more of a 1.7 down bag. But if I don't bring it I won't need my compression sack etc.

thought then?

Well Padre, I can only advise based on my own experience. I walked two Caminos from St Jean to Santiago. The first one July-August and the second one from June-July. I did not carry a sleeping bag or even a liner on either one and survived. I did use the blankets provided by several of the albergues I stayed in. I did not find them to be dirty or smelly and had zero bedbug encounters on both my Caminos. I was picky about my albergues and only stayed in ones that were clean and maintained. In a few of the albergues I stayed in that were not very full I put two blankets on my bunk. One covering the mattress and the other on top of me and sometimes the albergues get quite warm and stuffy at night. Never found one to really be cold.
If I were to walk the Camino again I would bring a liner to sleep in. Also if you do get a bit chilly at night, put on your fleece pullover/jacket if you are bringing one (and honestly that's all you need to bring as far as outerwear this time of year....besides a rain-jacket). They are very warm for their weight.
cheers

 

[Jo Jo]

You will be fine with just a liner. That is all we carried (July Aug. 2014), and all a friend carried (March April 2015). Most alburgues have blankets, although in many places you will not want even that (sleeping pilgrims in bunk beds generate an amazing amount of body heat).

buen camino

jo jo

 

[frasert]

Just came back last week and I took a sleeping bag. I think a liner would have been fine even this time of year as there were always blankets.

 

[Undermanager]

Carrying 23 pounds is weigh too much. Aim for about 14 pounds at the most.

 

[Anniesantiago]

This time of year the weather is very changeable, and if I were walking, I would definitely take at least a liner or a lightweight bag. If I were walking in July and August, I would still take a liner because sometimes the sheets on the albergue beds don't get washed for a week or more and can be quite "ripe." That said, I don't bother with a pillowcase but I take my tiny travel pillow.

 

[Anniesantiago]

And I do agree with Undermanager that 24 pounds sounds like too much. How much do you weigh and can you post your packing list? Maybe we can help you drop some weight?