Do I need to bring an inflatable mattress on the Camino

[Michael Purvis]

Ii am planning on walking the Camino in the near future but i'm not sure if I need to bring a bedroll or an inflatable mattress. I plan to stay in albergues in which I understand that beds with mattresses are provided and all in need to bring is a sleeping bag and an inflatable pillow. Is that correct or will I need to bring some kind of mTtress with me?

 

[C clearly]

Welcome to the forum. Don't bring any kind of sleeping mat. All albergues provide mattresses, even Granon where it is a 2-inch mat on the floor. Almost all albergues provide pillows as well. On the rare occasion where they don't (e.g. Granon) you could roll up some clothes to use.

 

[dougfitz]

Welcome to the forum. Don't bring any kind of sleeping mat. All albergues provide mattresses, even Granon where it is a 2-inch mat on the floor. Almost all albergues provide pillows as well. On the rare occasion where they don't (e.g. Granon) you could roll up some clothes to use.

I agree that there is no need to bring a mat or mattress. Overflow accommodation varied when I walked, but generally did not include a bed in the sense of some structure to keep a mattress off the floor. I experienced rubber covered mattresses on the gym floor in Zubiri and gym mats in the overflow hall in Granon, but there was always something. If you are not in the overflow, there was always a bed or bunks.

 

[SYates]

The trick to make your own pillow 'on the go' is to stuff the bag of your sleeping bag with the clothes you are not wearing. As for mattress, I agree with what the others have written. Buen Camino, SY

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Michael, no mat, mattress or pillow required.
Buen Camino.

 

[purplesage]

Welcome. I agree with the others. You can pack your backpack... then empty the contents on your bed and take only half of what you packed. Even so.... you will realize you won't need some of the stuff you packed. Fill your pockets with adventure, love and smiles and you'd have a great way ahead of you. Buen Camino

 

[xin loi]

Slept on HARD floors 3 times and was glad I carried a sleeping pad. Before you decide to carry a pad or not, go sleep outside on your sidewalk for a night and see how comfortable it is. And lot of people decide to sleep in adjacent fields or woods for a few nights while walking the Camino.

We also found that many people who told us to get rid of our "heavy" (to them) sleeping pads were also spending nights in hotels, not albergues. Lot of free advice on the Camino from people using taxis and staying in hotels.

 

[movinmaggie]

I too agree with others that neither is really necessary. I have a couple of Camino friends who took liners and got by. I did take a cross between a liner and a light bag 'Intrepid Traveler' and even though I used it a few times, I could have done without it. Welcome and Buen Camino.

 

[SYates]

... We also found that many people who told us to get rid of our "heavy" (to them) sleeping pads were also spending nights in hotels, not albergues. Lot of free advice on the Camino from people using taxis and staying in hotels.

Nops, never used a taxi and only very occasionally a hostel and always only because I wanted to, but never because I needed to. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Whalleyranger]

No mattress necessary but I always took my own pillow case. The pillows provided aren't always... fresh ... shall we say, and if all else fails you can stuff it full of clothes.