Mattress covers?

[Walkingboy]

I was intending to take an old single sheet to put over the mattresses but am also trying to save weight. Do most places supply a cover on the mattress or if not what is the condition of them?

 

[MikeJS]

Most AdPs supply disposable mattress covers.

 

[jsalt]

I was intending to take an old single sheet to put over the mattresses but am also trying to save weight. Do most places supply a cover on the mattress or if not what is the condition of them?

Hi, you’ll need to take either a sleeping bag, or a liner, both of which will “protect” you from the mattress if no covers are provided. Don’t bother taking your own mattress cover. Some albergues give you a disposable mattress cover when you check in. I have occasionally taken mine with me next day, for future use in albergues that don’t provide mattress covers, as they are extremely lightweight.

 

[Deleted member 77020]

I was intending to take an old single sheet to put over the mattresses but am also trying to save weight. Do most places supply a cover on the mattress or if not what is the condition of them?

be safe take a single sheet. I do every year and spay mine with Permetherin. I have never had Bed bugs.

 

[Delphinoula]

Suffering from dust mite allergies, so I took a very lightweight dust mite blocker sheet. I used it on top of the ones that were provided. It saved me from nightly asthma attacks.

 

[trecile]

Standard bedsheets are heavy! A silk liner is enough of a barrier between you and the mattress. I made my own silk liner with straps to attach to the mattress so that it doesn't shift around entangling me while I sleep. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/my-sleep-sack-innovation.56387/

 

[Nanc]

I took a sheet of Tveck (super light) cut to go over the edges of a twin bed (the size of most auberge bunks) washed it to soften, and sprayed it with pyremethrin and used it to cover every sleeping surface

I slept in a sleeping bag and had my face on a stuff sac etc, not in direct contact with the sheet
many people will not be comfortable with this level of exposure but it provided some imagined security for me

 

[AlexanderAZ]

I do every year and spay mine with Permetherin. I have never had Bed bugs.

I took a sheet applied with Permetherin (and to the rest of my gear) and experienced bed bugs bites twice on the Camino. There are no guarantees that’s for sure.

 

[Lindsay53]

Hi, you’ll need to take either a sleeping bag, or a liner, both of which will “protect” you from the mattress if no covers are provided. Don’t bother taking your own mattress cover. Some albergues give you a disposable mattress cover when you check in. I have occasionally taken mine with me next day, for future use in albergues that don’t provide mattress covers, as they are extremely lightweight.

This idea intrigues me. How durable are these disposable covers? Can you get several nights out of them? Thanks
Lindsay

 

[jsalt]

How durable are these disposable covers?

Not very! They often split as you try getting them over the corners of the mattress .

 

[Kym G.]

On our first Camino, I ordered bed bug sheets from the UK (purpleturtle.co.uk), since we could not find them in the States, and we didn't really know what to expect in the albergues. They were extremely light and compact. They were coated with Permethrin (which I'm fine with); however, we were glad we ordered double bed-sized sheets, as the single-sized would have been too small to drape over the albergue mattresses.

I don't know whether or not they were effective or particularly necessary. Of course, on the next trip, I treated our sleeping bags with Permethrin and didn't take the bed bug sheets. My wife did get some bites about half way through the trip.

Didn't do anything last summer to our bags or take the sheets, and had no issues...Not sure if we'll take them with us this summer.

 

[Via2010]

Nowadays permanent plastic matress-covers become more and more popular for the prevention of bedbugs. I first saw them on the Camino Portugese. They are not very cosy.

As I tend to open my sleeping-back when it is warm and turn frequently at night, I often find myself on the bare matress in the morning. Thus I bought a light and cheap mikrofibre fitted sheet (120 gr). It gives me much more comfort which outweighs the additional weight.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

I carry a single-size fitted sheet as well as my sleep sack. I don´t feel the weight, and I am very glad to have that layer between me and the mattress.

 

[hughb]

I was intending to take an old single sheet to put over the mattresses but am also trying to save weight. Do most places supply a cover on the mattress or if not what is the condition of them?

I always take my own pillowcase. Use it to store things in during the day and I can stuff it at night when there's no pillows and I always know who's head has been on it. It's my luxury item in my rucksack

 

[Nanc]

"This idea intrigues me. How durable are these disposable covers? "

they are tissue thin. so nto hardy. and I would be concerned taking it from one auberge to the other in case of transmission.
I expect the treated Tyveck I carry wouldn't do that

 

[Yoyo]

I was intending to take an old single sheet to put over the mattresses but am also trying to save weight. Do most places supply a cover on the mattress or if not what is the condition of them?

I bought a lightweight rectangular silk liner and cut it open (in a T-shape cut, all the way down right in the middle and then right and left to the bottom corners). That left me with a generous sheet with a pillow compartment.
I was glad to have this between myself and the mostly not-so-clean mattress covers provided. I covered myself with my lightweight down bag that can be opened and used like a duvet.
See bottom bunk in the picture.

 

[elleley]

be safe take a single sheet. I do every year and spay mine with Permetherin. I have never had Bed bugs.

I also take a single sheet, but one made from a silk-like polyester, weighs next to nothing. Also spray with Permethrin and put it down on the mattress FIRST before anything else. Depending on the season, will add a silk liner or lightweight sleep sack. Ultreia! elle

 

[lunna]

Not very! They often split as you try getting them over the corners of the mattress .

Exactly!

 

[Old Kiwi]

My last Camino was in June and July. I do not use a sleeping bag, only a silk liner. I soak it in a permathrin solution and just sleep in it in my underpants. In a couple of places in the higher altitude a blanket was provided and they were the only times I needed one. My silk liner is the rectangular one, not the tapered one. They are extremly small and light to carry. If you feel a bit cool at night you can always put on a few clothes but I never felt the need.

 

[gerip]

The volunteer at the very first albergue I stayed in got upset with me when I told her I had stripped the bed when I woke up that morning. She went to find them and put them back on the bed.
Also, it seems that common practice had changed at some point during the last season. The paper mattress covers were out, and from Roncesvalles to Burgos, a kind of polyester/plastic mattress casing was in. I had taken one of those bedbug sheets with me, but it had become redundant. Nest stage I'll take a lightweight fitted sheet with me, didn't like sleeping on plastic.

 

[alhartman]

I make my own cover from Tyvek--spray with permethrin, and use a single silk sheet sewn into the bottom of the Tyvek. And bring my own silk pillow case. Saw a recent thread that was same Mcgyver but cannot find it now.
Those temporary paper covers do not even make it thru one night the way I toss and turn after a long walk.
And with even minor heat, the plastic mattress covers leave me in a pool of sweat.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I take my sleeping bag and just don't worry about it. Most places I've stayed have sheets and more and more have disposable covers.