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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

How many brought a sheet or cover treated with permethrin?

Angie94

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances - 2016 www.angie-carter.com/camino
https://youtu.be/PtE_hvREZc4
I am trying to figure out if I actually need to bring a lightweight sheet or material treated with permethrin to cover the mattresses as a deterrent for those dreadful bedbugs? I have read some threads where people do bring something but after taking a look at quite a few different pack lists I am not seeing where this is on any of them (??)

As it currently stands I am not going to bring one...unless the majority of feedback says it's a good idea.

My sleeping bad will be treated as well as my backpack. Thanks for your feedback on this....
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
I am trying to figure out if I actually need to bring a lightweight sheet or material treated with permethrin to cover the mattresses as a deterrent for those dreadful bedbugs? I have read some threads where people do bring something but after taking a look at quite a few different pack lists I am not seeing where this is on any of them (??)

As it currently stands I am not going to bring one...unless the majority of feedback says it's a good idea.

My sleeping bad will be treated as well as my backpack. Thanks for your feedback on this....

You should get a smal bottle of lavender essential oil or tetra essential oil and sprinkle a few drops where you will sleep. Garanteed to keep the bedbugs away.
One 100 ml bottle should be more than enough for a month or two.
 
Bed bugs don't live in mattresses though you may find sign of them between the mattress and bed frame . They live in cracks in the wall & floor, they live in gaps in wooden bed frames and similar crevices. If you have properly treated your sleeping-bag and pack and take proper precautions (please review the relevant threads) then you are as best protected as you can ever be. And Lavender oil is guaranteed to make you smell of Lavender no other guarantees are issued by the manufacturers or distributors. No responsible qualified herbalist would suggest Lavender oil as a bug repellant. That said I am reliably informed that "Old Soak" aftershave will repel anything.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
I just know it as stiff Tyvek and soft Tyvek! Find the soft stuff, and wash it a couple of times before leaving (and before treating it with permethrin) to make it supple.
 
Bed bugs don't live in mattresses though you may find sign of them between the mattress and bed frame . They live in cracks in the wall & floor, they live in gaps in wooden bed frames and similar crevices. If you have properly treated your sleeping-bag and pack and take proper precautions (please review the relevant threads) then you are as best protected as you can ever be. And Lavender oil is guaranteed to make you smell of Lavender no other guarantees are issued by the manufacturers or distributors. No responsible qualified herbalist would suggest Lavender oil as a bug repellant. That said I am reliably informed that "Old Soak" aftershave will repel anything.

It's not how the lavendel smell but rather keep them away because when an oil is essential means it's slightly acidic, for example sitronnella is good for keeping mosquitoes and knot away again not the smell but rather the cemical combination. Be careful not to drink it's actually deadly and careful not to put it directly on your skin. If you put it on your skin you should use a base oil and only a few drops of essential oil/s miks it together and test a smal area on your arm or leg before you aply to make sure you don't have a alergic reaction and keep away from eyes and delicate areas, if you know what I mean. I do not know about "Old Soak" but I guess every man and woman have their secrets.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I read this on a previous post...but as I recall there was a certain type of "weight" or number of Tyvek. Does the Tyvek you use have a number that goes with it? thanks....
Tyvek 1443R.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Personally I think the whole bedbug issue is way overblown. I never gave them any thought, took no precautions and never even saw one on three Caminos.
The best deterrent is choose your albergues carefully.
And how do you go about spotting the bug free albergues? Because where I saw them and got bitten was in super swanky, modern amd clean looking albergues and a lovely hotel in Santiago. Would have expected them in San Juan de Ortega and yet walked away from there bite free.
 
Hubby and I went CF fall 2015 and used the Sea to Summit silk & cotton premium blend liners. We used it as sleep sacks and we didn't have any bedbug problems. On the few colder nights we wore more clothes. I hesitated to treat sleeping things with stuff I'd have to breath all night. For the most part I found the albergues to be really clean. They don't want to have a reputation for bedbugs either. Word does spread about the good and the bad.
 
It's my understanding that permethrin is a water soluble organic compound and the problem with sheets or anything treated with permethrin is when you wash it you wash out the the Permethrin. It is used primarily to treat lice and scabies and may have insect repellent properties. I don't take one.

Like someone said in this thread, you can't judge a albergue by its appearance. They have had outbreaks in several 4 & 5 star hotels in San Francisco.

Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite. Buen Camino
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
And how do you go about spotting the bug free albergues? Because where I saw them and got bitten was in super swanky, modern amd clean looking albergues and a lovely hotel in Santiago. Would have expected them in San Juan de Ortega and yet walked away from there bite free.
I guess I just go by what looks like a clean, well maintained albergue to me. Condition of the mattresses, what type they are as well as the bed frames. Also how clean are the floors, bathrooms, etc. No real method. Just what looks good to me, and I guess it works because I've had about 100 nights on the CF bed bug free in all manner of accommodations.
 
I sprayed the outside of my backpack and my packing cubes and the underside of my sleeping bag, let them dry well outdoors before packing and felt that I'd done enough when I in addition don't let things float around all over the place. I have a sneaking suspicion that my ritual shaking of things that are going back into the backpack is just a ritual, but I will probably keep doing it.

I've come across people who spray madly around themselves in albergues and said some quite unfriendly things to them.
 
I've used a soft Tyvek sheet treated with permethrin on three caminos now, and never had any bedbug problems. On the other hand, I've never been bitten by a dog, run into by a car, or lost my iPhone on those caminos, either, and I don't attribute that to permethin. Causation is always tricky to establish.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
In all my Camino travels, I have encountered bedbugs only once--in Oct2011. As soon as I realized that my bites were not spider bites, I was able to wash my nightclothes, sleeping bag, and liner in an albergue's machine and dry them in the sun--everything else in my pack was securely rolled up into its own ziplock bag. Once in five years is not so bad!
 
I am trying to figure out if I actually need to bring a lightweight sheet or material treated with permethrin to cover the mattresses as a deterrent for those dreadful bedbugs? I have read some threads where people do bring something but after taking a look at quite a few different pack lists I am not seeing where this is on any of them (??) As it currently stands I am not going to bring one...unless the majority of feedback says it's a good idea. My sleeping bad will be treated as well as my backpack. Thanks for your feedback on this....
Angie94 - I have been using a sleeping bag liner for the past 10 years and thoroughly recommend them. I have a "silk" one (extra long) and it does help to keep the sleeping bag a lot cleaner (inside). I treated both the bag and the liner with permethrin - and the backpack/panniers. I gave all items a good 2 or 3 days to dry after the treatment. Cheers
 
I brought one and ended up ditching it unused. Just dead weight.

My sleeping bag and backpack were sprayed and although I ended up getting eaten I didn't transport them anywhere else
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I took a Lifeventure anti bed bug sheet weighing 180grams on the Camino Frances last Spring. I did not get bitten. I saw some beetle looking type insects in two places where we stayed but was not sure if they were bed bugs or not. My sleeping bag (also Lifeventure) was treated. I cannot say whether my bed bug sheet made any difference for sure but I liked having it to put on top of mattresses that did not look very clean anyway.
 
I am trying to figure out if I actually need to bring a lightweight sheet or material treated with permethrin to cover the mattresses as a deterrent for those dreadful bedbugs? I have read some threads where people do bring something but after taking a look at quite a few different pack lists I am not seeing where this is on any of them (??)

As it currently stands I am not going to bring one...unless the majority of feedback says it's a good idea.

My sleeping bad will be treated as well as my backpack. Thanks for your feedback on this....

Angie,

I treated my pack, my sleeping bag liner and my boots.

Sadly...........................................................................................................................................................................................

I got bitten by the Camino Bug

Buen (bite-free) Camino
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I treated the outside of my sleeping bag and backpack, soaked it thoroughly and let it air dry. No bites. Had my own pillow case, but it was untreated as my bag has a rounded top to lay your pillow. Next time will definitely take a sheet treated with Permethrin so I can lay on it and use my sleeping bag more like a blanket. Hate having my feet inside the bag.
 
I've used a soft Tyvek sheet treated with permethrin on three caminos now, and never had any bedbug problems. On the other hand, I've never been bitten by a dog, run into by a car, or lost my iPhone on those caminos, either, and I don't attribute that to permethin. Causation is always tricky to establish.

Where can I find soft Tyvek in a small quantity, just enough to use as a mattress cover?
 
First three Camino is I took a pre-treated 'life systems' undersheet. It has a very synthetic feel to it but was ok to lie on. The single bed size is rather under-sized and this year I have purchased the same product but for a double bed, so there will be more of an overhang over the mattress. I also had a silk liner and a down blanket/bag treated with permethrin. This system has worked well so far.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I am taking a hikers sheet (impregnated with pyrethrin) my sleeping bag (sprayed on outside) and silk liner (spayed till soaked). Im happy. Ready to catch the plane on Friday.... woop woop...
 
I took a single fitted sheet which I had soaked in pyrethrin (allowed to dry and placed in a plastic bag) and just had my sleeping bag on top.Travelled in August/Sept/Oct - never had any problems with bedbugs.I did note there were a few around though as other people were getting bitten.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Angie94 - I have been using a sleeping bag liner for the past 10 years and thoroughly recommend them. I have a "silk" one (extra long) and it does help to keep the sleeping bag a lot cleaner (inside). I treated both the bag and the liner with permethrin - and the backpack/panniers. I gave all items a good 2 or 3 days to dry after the treatment. Cheers
Can I ask how you treat the liner with permethrin? do you dip it? Spray it?
Thanks!
Dean
 
I bought Sawyers (already in spray bottle) and sprayed my silk liner until it was soaked. No smell when dry :)
 
I use a solution purchased from a hiking store (DeBug) and soak the liner, in accordance with the instructions, then hang it outside to dry completely.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Can I ask how you treat the liner with permethrin? do you dip it? Spray it?
Thanks!
Dean
Hang it up (in doors) and then spray it - reasonably thoroughly (but not quite dripping!). I then left it to dry for about 2 days. I did the same with the sleeping bag itself. Hope this is clear enough! Cheers
 
You should spray all your stuff thoroughly - as in it should be wet when you are done. Leave it to dry outdoors. It does wash out - but not for at least 6 washings. I do all my clothes - paying special attention to seams and any place that will be tighter against my skin. Like panties and bras. Bedbugs love those areas. You check for bedbugs in the dark - shining a flashlight behind headboards or under bunks, etc. They look like smaller apple seeds. Do the same on your pack and to any stuff sacks. I sleep in those treated clothes too. Your sleeping bag should be heavily treated.
No one ever got rid of bedbugs by washing and drying their clothes in the sun. EVER. If you bring bed bugs home with you the treatment to get rid of them is expensive and requires your ENTIRE home to be heated up to like 140 degrees for several hours straight. Pest Control companies tell you here in Texas that if you suspect you have them - if you have bites - leave your belongings - your suitcase or pack and everything in them wrapped in black plastic garbage bags in the garage in high summer for one week. They'll tell you to strip before entering the house and run naked to your shower. It takes prolonged exposure to very high or very low temps to kill a bed bug. I saw one experiment where they caught some in a petri dish and checked a month later to find that they had reproduced and were healthy as could be with no food and very little air.
Some people have extreme allergic reactions to the bites and could end up with a serious problem - so I think it is a very good idea to take every precaution.
 

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