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Lightweight down blanket

Tinkelbel

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
14th of August 2023
Hi there,

On the 14th I am going to start walking my first camino.

I bought a lightweight downblanket, based on someones advised however I regret buying it, as I do not know if it will be hygienic to sleep on matresses without fitted sheet. It was rather expensive so I do not like to leave it at home unused.
Does anyone have advise on how I can resolve this without adding too much extra weight?
Thank you ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
 
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If it’s lightweight I’d take it. If it’s down filled it would be, perhaps less than 200 grams. I have one too and I always take it with me. It usually comes in handy. That or a light weight sleeping bag. A bit of insurance. Bedding can vary a lot from one place to another.
 
Hi Tinkelbel!

If you are planning to stay in albergues, you should probably be taking a sleeping bag or sleeping liner with you, exactly so you don't lay directly on the mattresses. As you already have a blanket, I'd say the liner is enough. (I usually carry a silk liner with me, that weights very little.)

The other option is that you sleep on top of the blanket and wrap yourself with clothes. No weight added.
 
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If I take a down blanket I normally carry a silk liner. Others I have seen have brought very lightweight sheet to put over the bed. (But disposable sheets in albergues have become much more common and are lightweight and could be taken and reused )
 
Take a light silk liner and you can put the down blanket inside with you so it won't slide off at night. Other forum members with skills have mentioned sewing a light sheet to one side of the quilt instead so you can use it like a sleep sack.
 
I use a down blanket. In my experience, unless it is a donativo albergue, you are likely to have a sheet and pillowcase provided, either cotton or disposable. Where there is nothing, eg the albergue at Burguete, then you can hire a sheet and pillowcase for a small amount.

The disposable sets are very thin but robust enough to be used more than once. They are very lightweight; mine weigh 64g. (My silk liner weighs 145g, so it's staying home.) My down blanket has a full length zip and drawstrings top and bottom so I can use it as a sleeping bag if I want. But I struggle to sleep being confined, I'm a terrible wriggler! I have kept the last disposable sheet and pillowcase from my last Camino to take with me next time. I always keep the newest set I'm given so they are never used more than twice.

I don't recall my down blanket ever sliding off at night. Generally I make the feet end into a footbox with the drawstring. Maybe I wriggle so much I am used to pulling my home duvet back over me I have slept under my Camino down blanket quite a few times at home. It does help to practice with your kit and then it feels familiar when you are in what at first can feel rather strange surroundings.

Buen Camino. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll get used to it all.
 
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Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

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Us a common sleeping sheet. It can be cotton or nylon . I warm weather just the pocket shaped sleeping sheet is enough but a down coverlet is for cooler weather
 
How do you deal with down blanket/ sleeping bag if you've encountered bedbugs? ( My sleeping bag is synthetic, so is heat tolerant)
(Sorry if this should be in a bedbug thread.)
 
Altus 24 Liters daypack (DENON 24 H30)
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
You can put a dry down blanket in the dryer. You don't have to wash it to kill the bugs.

Actually I have melted synthetics before in a dryer.
 
HappyValerie said:
How do you deal with down blanket/ sleeping bag if you've encountered bedbugs? ( My sleeping bag is synthetic, so is heat tolerant)
(Sorry if this should be in a bedbug thread.)
Click to expand...
Heat. Put them through a tumble dryer at 50C. Down should be able to withstand that for min 40 minutes better than synthetic. Alternatively, in a black plastic bag in the sun for an afternnoon.
 
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Where do you buy blankets with drawstrings ?
 
Thanks a lot for the advise. We still had a sleeping liner somewhere overhere so I decided to take this one with me and either use it solo or in combination with the down blanket when the nights are colder.
 
Altus ANDES 400 H30 sleeping bag
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
I would take a lightweight (possibly silk) liner with you as well. That can be used where fitted sheets are not provided. It won't provide a lot warmth. Less warmth, but less weight and bulk than a sleeping bag. The down blanket can supplement when warmth is needed. On the other hand, where a fitted sheet is provided, you can use it instead of the liner.
 
Sleeping bag liner is all that is required, I carried my Ranger Blanket 800kms and used it once ….
 
I bought a Stealth Angel sleeping bag that unzipped into a quilt. That's how I used it most of the time. All the places I stayed were very clean, either with fresh linens or disposable sheets.
 
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Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Acoupar said:
I use a silk liner with built in pillow case, it’s tiny when folded up. I also pack a light weight down blanket that stuffs into a small bag, very light. The combination is perfect.
Click to expand...
Is it actually silk? What brand? I’m having trouble finding one that’s actually silk. Thanks!!
 
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