(Inflatable mattress?)Camino in 23 days

[cjohnson831]

Hi all,
My girlfriend and I are starting our walk on the Camino at the end of September. We are wanting to go as light as possible like everyone else. The question I have is, do we need an inflatable mattress while on the Camino? Do all places have mattresses for the beds? What if we get there and all the places are full? Or, is it only necessary if we plan on camping outside each town? We will be bringing sleeping bag liners.

All advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Deleted member 43985]

Hi - You're smart of be conscious of weight! At the end of September you'll have no problems getting an Albergue bed, complete with mattress! It may not be a particularly comfortable mattress but it will be there! Camping is not the greatest option if for no other reason that a flush toilet and a hot shower at the end of a good day's walk. Good luck on the rest of your planning and Buen Camino to you both!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

An air mattress/sleeping pad is the most discarded item along the Camino! Leave it at home.

 

[CdnDreamer]

I walked the Camino in May 2015 and only hit one town where the albergue was full. I asked for help to call the hotel in the next town (3 km away) and another pilgrim said he had just called the albergue in the next town and had reserved a bed. So he gave me their number, I reserved a bed and we walked the 3 km together to the next town. I stayed at a lot of different albergues and hotels and found all the beds comfortable. I was exhausted at the end of each day and slept very well - even in a room with over 50 pilgrims.

 

[whariwharangi]

If you really want to carry a mattress bring a closed cell foam mattress such as ridge rest.

You won't likely be sleeping out of doors with only a sleeping bag liner and mattress.

 

[SYates]

No to the sleeping pad, but I would suggest to bring a lightweight sleeping bag and not just a liner. Buen Camino, SY

 

[MTtoCamino]

Agree with the others, Have fun!

 

[cjohnson831]

Thank you for your advice, that was very helpful.

 

[LGLG]

Interesting... I travel very, very light =app 4kg, but a very thin lightweight foam roll up mat is something I would not do without - because for me it has multiple uses.
I have slept on it in between beds in the summer months when the albergue was full, usually later in the day, and when I did not want to walk any further.
I have taken several siestas in the field after multiple interrupted nights of sleep (earplugs don't seem to protect me from loud snorers, or eye masks from people shining a torch in my direction at night)
I have used it as a picnic mat on a quiet spots along the road
I intend to also use if for my stretching exercises on my camino next month.
A blowup mattress type mat, or hiking sleeping mat, however, is far too heavy for my liking.

 

[trecile]

Interesting... I travel very, very light =app 4kg, but a very thin lightweight foam roll up mat is something I would not do without - because for me it has multiple uses.
I have slept on it in between beds in the summer months when the albergue was full, usually later in the day, and when I did not want to walk any further.
I have taken several siestas in the field after multiple interrupted nights of sleep (earplugs don't seem to protect me from loud snorers, or eye masks from people shining a torch in my direction at night)
I have used it as a picnic mat on a quiet spots along the road
I intend to also use if for my stretching exercises on my camino next month.
A blowup mattress type mat, or hiking sleeping mat, however, is far too heavy for my liking.

As a health and safety issue many albergues don't allow people to sleep on the floor.

 

[LGLG]

As a health and safety issue many albergues don't allow people to sleep on the floor.

Fair enough consideration, but obviously not all. I remember one time this was on the Finisterre route, with the albergues paced a day's walk in between. If I hadnt been able to sleep on the floor, it would have had to be outside somewhere. Thanks for your warning though, because maybe I rely on that a little in my planning and things may have changed since my last Camino 9 years ago. I have some particular concern about accomodation availability - albergues or otherwise - on my next planned Arragones in August, so I ll cling onto my mat even more in case it turns out to be under the stars indeed!

 

[jsalt]

Most albergues these days have to abide by stringent health and safety regulations, and if the albergue is full, then they will turn you away. So I was very surprised recently at Armenteira, when mattresses were brought out of the storeroom and put on the floor. They were all placed at the back of the dorm area, so they didn’t block the exits, but I can’t see this being allowed for very much longer. The Variante Espiritual is getting popular, and there will soon be a huge overspill in peak season, too many to accommodate on mattresses on the floor. Hopefully the large hotel nearby will start providing budget rooms for pilgrims in the not too distant future.
Jill