hanging up your backpack

The primary reason is bed bugs. If they are present in an albergue they are most likely to get into your kit on the floor.
It is not always possible to hang a pack...usually not possible despite all the talk.
My solution has been to take a black garbage bag and simply set the pack inside it on the floor.
Many Gites (albergues) in France make you leave your pack in a separate area and not in the sleeping area. You take what you need in with you.

A cardinal rule on the Camino is to NEVER SET PACK ON BEDs....they are dirty, possible bed bugs, etc. However many pilgrims do not seem to have gotten the message.

There are now signs in many albergues prohibiting packs on beds.

Most backpacks have a hoist loop at the top, but it is rarely large enough to go over the top of the bed post, so take a length of cord to make a loop for the hoist loop. The general protocol in albergues is to use only half the space of the bunk, so two corner posts are yours, as is half the space underneath. It is rude to use the ladder for a clothes line, or preempt a chair for equipment storage except in the rare circumstance where there is one chair per bed (not per bunk). A clothes line underneath the upper bunk is handy for lower bunk residents, but keep in mind that you can sit up in the upper bunk. Most vertical bunk spacing does not leave sitting space for the lower bunk, at least if you are taller than about 5'8".

grayland said:

The primary reason is bed bugs. If they are present in an albergue they are most likely to get into your kit on the floor.
It is not always possible to hang a pack...usually not possible despite all the talk.
My solution has been to take a black garbage bag and simply set the pack inside it on the floor.
Many Gites (albergues) in France make you leave your pack in a separate area and not in the sleeping area. You take what you need in with you.

A cardinal rule on the Camino is to NEVER SET PACK ON BEDs....they are dirty, possible bed bugs, etc. However many pilgrims do not seem to have gotten the message.

There are now signs in many albergues prohibiting packs on beds.

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I like the garbage bag solution but you have to find/buy garbage bags every day before going to the albergue? If tou bring it with you you may bring bugs on it as well or it does not happens??