Do I need a sleeping bag or liner?

[OK20090]

Hello - my first Camino is the Frances in April of 2024. We are getting excited. We plan to overnight in a private room in most auberges when we can. My question is: Do we need to have a sleeping bag or are private rooms equipped with linens and towels? Im trying to keep my packing weight down as much as I can. Thanks for your comments and Merry Christmas everyone.
Jennifer

 

[good_old_shoes]

Private rooms should have linens, from what I remember. Towels, probably.

But I'd still say: YES, bring a lightweight (!) sleeping bag.

A lightweight sleeping bag only weighs ~500g. A small microfibre towel or dish towel maybe 100-200g. I'd consider those essentials for a Camino, unless you have pre-booked all your private rooms or you're happy to take a taxi to the next hotel if needed.

Even if you carry towel and sleeping bag, you can still keep the weight down easily. Less clothes, less electronics, less cosmetic items...

April can be cold. If for whatever reason you end up in an albergue dormitory at some point, instead of a private room, and there are no blankets available (not that rare), you'll probably wish you brought a sleeping bag...

Personally, I'd prefer to carry 500g more over the risk of being cold and uncomfortable. But that's a personal choice.

Happy planning, Buen Camino, and merry Christmas!

 

[J Willhaus]

If you are only in private rooms, you don't need a sleeping bag. If you are planning a few nights in bunk rooms, you will need something and it may be cool enough that you need more than a silk liner bag.

 

[C clearly]

Personally, I'd prefer to carry 500g more over the risk of being cold and uncomfortable.

I tend to agree with this. Also, I would rather not carry the worry about finding suitable accommodation. I would carry a light sleeping bag anyway. However, you might consider a silk sleeping bag liner combined with a down vest or jacket, a pair of merino wool long johns and some warm socks for sleeping. In the evenings when your body is tired and it is chilly, you may really appreciate having those items anyway! Plan your various day and night layers to include appropriate layers for all purposes.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Here's the thing. You never know when you'll end up in an albergue. Sometimes you just have to, or want to. For this reason i carry a 50 degree (fahrenheit = 10 Celsius) ultra-light down sleeping bag at all times. Sure i've cursed the added weight on occasion, but it's there in case I need it. Not too heavy, but not too cheap either.

 

[nilesite]

Yes. The way you know is this: when your house thermostat is set at 65° F., do you need a blanket? Then bring a sleeping bag.

 

[JeffP]

I used a thirty degree (Enlightened) down quilt. I was comfortably every night and it was easy to pack up in the morning. If you are an early riser like me, you up want to be quickly and quietly ready to go in the morning.

 

[Sherpa47]

Hello - my first Camino is the Frances in April of 2024. We are getting excited. We plan to overnight in a private room in most auberges when we can. My question is: Do we need to have a sleeping bag or are private rooms equipped with linens and towels? Im trying to keep my packing weight down as much as I can. Thanks for your comments and Merry Christmas everyone.
Jennifer

Hi, regardless of whether you take private rooms or not in April I would definitely take both a sleeping bag and towel. It can still be cold in April ….. even Spain!

 

[JabbaPapa]

Well "need" is a relative notion -- but for most flexibility in that season, I'd suggest bringing along a sleeping bag as lightweight as possible.

And you definitely need a towel, but it can be as small as a hand towel.

 

[Roland49]

For April I would bring a lightweight sleepingbag. +10°C comfort. On my CF in July (!!!) '19 it was cold at night in Burgos, despite the fact that the midday temperature reaches almost 30°C. Most Albergues do offer blankets, but that's not for sure.

HTH

 

[Gary Martin]

This is what I’m using now to save a few ounces but It’s probably more trouble than it’s worth. I acquired a down lap blanket. The seams are sewn through and it cost less than $20 US. I sewed the bottom half onto a box shape and the top came about to my armpits. When I combine this with a puffy down jacket that I carry anyway, it works very well.
Best of luck on your walk.

 

[OK20090]

Thank you to all who replied. Looks like we need to go shopping for sleeping bags and towels. I’m looking at the 20 x 40 hand towel size. Is that adequate.

 

[J Willhaus]

Thank you to all who replied. Looks like we need to go shopping for sleeping bags and towels. I’m looking at the 20 x 40 hand towel size. Is that adequate.

Towel size is totally adequate. Think about a t-towel or maybe a camp towel.

 

[good_old_shoes]

For April I would bring a lightweight sleepingbag. +10°C comfort. On my CF in July (!!!) '19 it was cold at night in Burgos, despite the fact that the midday temperature reaches almost 30°C. Most Albergues do offer blankets, but that's not for sure.

HTH

I also remember it being very cold some nights that exact july '19 and also in '17.

In Foncebadon it was maybe 5°C max in the morning when I started walking, but felt even colder, almost freezing cold. Down in Molinaseca/Ponferrada later that day it was >30°C.

Summer is definitely no guarantee to be toasty warm at night with just a liner. I had a lightweight summer sleeping bag and was still very cold for example in the San Juan de Ortega albergue (the one in Foncebadon had turned on the heating, thankfully!).

I think it is easy to forget that for example the very flat meseta is on a high plateau and at an elevation where temperatures can easily drop at night, even in summer.

Now I always bring a warmer sleeping bag, even in summer. Lesson learned.

 

[trecile]

Thank you to all who replied. Looks like we need to go shopping for sleeping bags and towels. I’m looking at the 20 x 40 hand towel size. Is that adequate.

I can recommend the Packtowl UltraLite body size - it's 64cm x 137 cm and weighs only 100 gm.

If I were going to try to stay mostly in private rooms I would just go with a silk or synthetic sleeping bag liner and use albergue provided blankets, or make sure that I have enough layers to wear to keep me warm. Which would probably include my lightweight puffer jacket and leggings. As I stay more often in albergues I use a silk sleep sack and a tiny down blanket that I tuck inside the sleep sack when I need it for extra warmth.

I have this one from Montbell and it weighs only 209 gm

Down Blanket M

Fitted with snaps and lightweight adjustable cords, this down blanket easily converts to a shawl...

www.montbell.us

Here's a silk liner that weighs only 120 gm.

So these three items would add 429 grams to your kit.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

albergue provided blankets,

I mean... but, how often do they wash them? I stay clear, out of fear... how often do they wash them? Maybe unfounded fear, too paranoid? or they actually wash them more often than I think?

 

[trecile]

I mean... but, how often do they wash them? I stay clear, out of fear... how often do they wash them? Maybe unfounded fear, too paranoid? or they actually wash them more often than I think?

Yes, I get the heebie jeebies when I look at some albergue blankets, but have used them when it was cold enough and had left my down blanket at home! But that's why I bring my own little down blanket. I don't like to bring a sleeping bag because it would be too warm on hot nights, and I don't want to sleep uncovered in a dorm situation. On those hot nights I put the down blanket between the (sticky!) vinyl covered mattress and my sleep sack.
I have stayed in places where I saw the blankets being washed and hung on the line.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

But that's why I bring my own little down blanket

Good choice. IMO.

 

[J Willhaus]

Good choice. IMO.

I am a hospitalera and I don't trust albergue blankets (and the washing machines at the albergues are usually too small to handle one.) I have only worked at one place where we had blankets. We do wash the sheets after each pilgrim though.

 

[Lexicos]

In my humble opinion, yes, you do. I never go without one. A sleeping bag, or liner, or both. A good nights sleep is a good nights sleep and you need that when you’re walking long distances every day.

 

[punch]

Instead of a sleeping bag, consider a down quilt, as mentioned by others. Much lighter, more compact and likely cheaper than an ultralite sleeping bag.

 

[ANGLICO1]

Hello - my first Camino is the Frances in April of 2024. We are getting excited. We plan to overnight in a private room in most auberges when we can. My question is: Do we need to have a sleeping bag or are private rooms equipped with linens and towels? Im trying to keep my packing weight down as much as I can. Thanks for your comments and Merry Christmas everyone.
Jennifer

Hi Jennifer, my Son and I walked the Camino Frances April 2023. I would recommend a lite weight sleeping bag, quick dry towel the size you mention in your other post will work fine. Most of the Camino will still be rather cool in the morning untill you get past Ocebeiro. On a side note I would also recommend merino wool base layers and socks, you will not be dissapointed IMO.

Buen Camino and a Happy New Year!!

 

[Drifter]

At 8 ounces, the Sea-To-Summit "Spark" "liner" kind of does both
Spark