Late October Camino Portugues, No Sleeping Bag?

[Jo Jo]

My wife and I have walked a couple of CF's (one in July, one Sept-Oct) and never needed more than a silk liner bag. She thinks we can do the same on the Camino Portugues (roughly Oct. 15-Oct.28). We also carry light down jackets that we can sleep in if necessary. Usually staying in municipal or parochial alburgues. I have found in my life that I do far better just assuming my wife is right, but not always (say, for instance, that Italian pilgrimage in July). Any opinions as to whether she's right on this one? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[JSaito]

Hello, Jo Jo! I'm just planning my Camino adventure. Thus I have no practical experience. However, I research the topic every day to get prepared and I several times encountered the advice from Camino pilgrims to take a sleep sack. They say - sleeping bags are too heavy while sleep sacks will keep you warm and take less place. So, I believe that silk liner bag is okay.
I hope it will help! Also, I hope that more experienced pilgrims will answer your question as well.

 

[SYates]

I walked the Camino Portugues this September and needed my sleeping bag, also not all albergues have blankets/will turn on the heating. Second half of October I would always take a sleeping bag and not just a liner. BC SY

 

[Deleted member 29041]

'Tis better to have loved and lost .... Oops, wrong quote

It's better to bring the bag and not need it, than not bringing the bag and needing it.

In October, I certainly wouldn't walk without my sleeping bag AND my silk liner. Without the bag, I'd most likely shiver all night in one of those unheated albergues without blankets, while in a heated one, I'd sweat if I used the bag for more than covering my lower body (I usually sleep in my silk liner, and use the open sleeping bag like a blanket, with my feet in the foot box).

 

[Lmsundaze]

I am on the Camino Portuguese now, it is quite chilly at night, glad to have my sleeping bag

 

[mcopeland]

She thinks we can do the same on the Camino Portugues (roughly Oct. 15-Oct.28). We also carry light down jackets that we can sleep in if necessary. Usually staying in municipal or parochial alburguesp.

We too, will be walking from around October 17th from Lisbon though. Where do you start? We have down quilts which we like a lot plus a sleep sack.

 

[JCLima]

As a portuguese living in Portugal: bring a sleeping bag.

 

[HedaP]

'Tis better to have loved and lost .... Oops, wrong quote

Is this the quote you are looking for?
“He left, bag and baggage.”

 

[Older Guy]

I do some glacier mountaineering and have pretty much totally given up on a sleeping bag even for that. Let me explain. I know a mountaineer who is into ultra-light climbing trips. He told me that the best thing to take with you is a set of down or synthetic puffed insulated belay pants and a bivy sack or thermal sleeping bag liner (if you have a tent).

The reason is that if you sleep in a sleeping bag your body weight will compress the insulating material under you and that reduces insulation. The only insulation on top of you that does much good is right above or beside your body. Pants fit much closer to your body and so there is not wasted or extra insulation material to carry or extra air pockets your body has to warm. What you wear is full insulation. You do need to have a warm jacket and a warm hat, but everyone tends to take a warm jacket & hat with them. You then crawl inside your bivy sack or sleeping bag liner which also helps keep you warm and reflect back body heat.

For belay pants I have something like (it is a different brand) the following: https://www.backcountry.com/western..._clickid=098c5db3-416f-4321-ac99-d826e8571681
https://www.backcountry.com/western..._clickid=098c5db3-416f-4321-ac99-d826e8571681
For my bivy sack I have a http://www.ultralitegear.com/montbell-ultralight-gore-tex-bivy-bag.html
http://www.ultralitegear.com/montbell-ultralight-gore-tex-bivy-bag.html
Unless you are going to be sleeping outside I would opt for a sleeping bag liner instead of a bivy sack.

On my Camino I took my belay pants and a Columbia Omniheat sleeping bag liner. https://www.backpacker.com/gear/columbia-sportswear-omni-heat-sleeping-bag-liner?_escaped_fragment_=
After all, if it will keep you alive on a glacier or in a tent on a glacier in the middle of a winter climb, it should be more than adequate is some Albergue.

In my May 2016 Camino, I wore my belay pants a couple nights, but most of the time there were blankets and the buildings were warm enough. I never unpacked my Omni-Heat sleeping bag liner.

 

[anniethenurse]

I walked the Camino Portugues this September and needed my sleeping bag, also not all albergues have blankets/will turn on the heating. Second half of October I would always take a sleeping bag and not just a liner. BC SY

As SYates says and most people above said - definitely a sleeping bag.

In my case an ultralight sleeping bag under 400 gr and it has been with me on all my caminos (about 130 nights) during winter and summer during many years. Sprayed with Permethrin keeps the bugs away. After the camino it is either washed or tumble dried at home.

In October the heating will not be turned on yet.

Buen camino

 

[Jo Jo]

Thank you all. Sleeping quilt ordered for my wife (over stern protests--but it's only 9oz in her size (medium hobbit). I'll just carry it until she needs it).

Bon Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[Jo Jo]

We too, will be walking from around October 17th from Lisbon though. Where do you start? We have down quilts which we like a lot plus a sleep sack.

McCopeland, we're starting in Porto, so unless you walk really fast, we will not see you.

Bon Camino,
Jo Jo

 

[Anne-Claire]

Hi Jojo! I am planning to do the portuguese camino in a few days but I don't have a sleeping bag. Do I really need one or do u think the blankets in the hostels will be enough?
Anne-Claire

 

[mcopeland]

We are on the Portuguese now. It has been unseasonably warm this year, but has turned cold at night in the last week. Most places turn on the heat by November 1, but have been slow to do so this year. The last 2 nights we have stayed in hotels just to keep warm (among other reasons). It depends on where you stay. We were in an old stone uninsulated pension a few days ago with no heat and froze, but they did have several blankets. That said, some albergues are well insulated. We both have down quilts. I would bring one or a sleeping bag and if necessary ask about whether the heat is turned on yet.

 

[LesBrass]

I am on the Camino Portuguese now, it is quite chilly at night, glad to have my sleeping bag

Me too and once the sun goes down it gets very chilly...last night I had silk liner + quilt + blanket... brrr

 

[Jo Jo]

Just an after-action report in case someone looks up this thread in years to come. We took the down quilts (Enlightened Equipment, 50 degrees F, 8oz for the Hobbit, 13 oz for me) plus silk liners (4oz). Stayed almost exclusively in alburgues, generally municipal. The quilts were worth every ounce and every penny. First few days were hot and they stayed in my pack (this was around the time of the sever forest fires). Then the cold rains came. All of a sudden the quilts were a big hit. Thanks everyone for your advice.

 

[HedaP]

Just an after-action report in case someone looks up this thread in years to come. We took the down quilts (Enlightened Equipment, 50 degrees F, 8oz for the Hobbit, 13 oz for me) plus silk liners (4oz). Stayed almost exclusively in alburgues, generally municipal. The quilts were worth every ounce and every penny. First few days were hot and they stayed in my pack (this was around the time of the sever forest fires). Then the cold rains came. All of a sudden the quilts were a big hit. Thanks everyone for your advice.

Brilliant. Thank you for the update.

 

[surya8]

Hi Jojo! I am planning to do the portuguese camino in a few days but I don't have a sleeping bag. Do I really need one or do u think the blankets in the hostels will be enough?
Anne-Claire

Depends, if you want to carry less but ready to pay slightly more there are private albergues that have bed linnens and blankets. There are different options available on the Portuguese way. If you decide to stick to municipal ones then be ready to need a sleeping bag, especially in Galicia. Light sliping bag gives you flexibility and comfort.

 

[surya8]

I walked from Santarem in late Oct and was glad to have a sleeping bag with me. Some nights on the way were very chilly, and also it depends on the location and the build of albergue itself, but I remember feeling grateful for extra blankets in Mealhada and Agueda on top of my sleeping bag.