Sleeping Bag Recommendations

[whit37788]

Hi all! I'm planning on doing my camino during April/May of 2019. I've done some research on the sleeping bag vs. sleeping sack debate and I've come to the decision that I'll be using a sleeping bag - I usually get cold when I sleep and I've read that the camino can be a bit cooler during April and May than during the rest of the summer. My one problem now is I'm not quite sure what temperature rating I should be looking for. I've found 3 sleeping bags from REI online that look great but they each have different temperature ratings - 55, 45, and 30 degrees F. Does anyone have any experience with using a sleeping bag on their camino around April/May and could recommend a temperature rating? Will 55F leave me too cold? Will 30F leave me too warm? Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[lissie45]

Sleeping bag ratings tend to be based on sleeping naked in the bag and camping. As you probably won't be naked in a dorm and you will be sleeping inside I would go with a "summer" bag - if you're cold you can always add socks, hat etc - my summer weight bag was adequate when camping 0C - so it would certainly do for a hostel in April which may even have heating

 

[Lmsundaze]

I went with a summer bag rated 55F In April-May, also Sept-Oct plenty warm enough

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hi all! I'm planning on doing my camino during April/May of 2019. I've done some research on the sleeping bag vs. sleeping sack debate and I've come to the decision that I'll be using a sleeping bag - I usually get cold when I sleep and I've read that the camino can be a bit cooler during April and May than during the rest of the summer. My one problem now is I'm not quite sure what temperature rating I should be looking for. I've found 3 sleeping bags from REI online that look great but they each have different temperature ratings - 55, 45, and 30 degrees F. Does anyone have any experience with using a sleeping bag on their camino around April/May and could recommend a temperature rating? Will 55F leave me too cold? Will 30F leave me too warm? Any advice is much appreciated!

I do not know f you've considered this: in a sleeping bag, what you are laying on has no insulative value at all. However, you still have to carry that useless weight around. There has been a shift to backpacking sleeping quilts, which provide the same level of warmth, but are a lot lighter.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I'm sorry to say but you have to experiment. Some people will be cold in a bag that someone else will feel warm in with the same conditions. If you are not sure, and without having a discussion with you, I would recommend taking a lighter bag. Your albegue may have blankets to pile on top and you could wear more clothes underneath.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I do not know f you've considered this: in a sleeping bag, what you are laying on has no insulative value at all.

There are, or at least were, down bags where you could shift the down either to the top or the bottom. I have an almost 50 year old down bag that does this. It is still usable because I usually go with a poly-fill bag because where I typically hike it is often wet.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

There are, or at least were, down bags where you could shift the down either to the top or the bottom. I have an almost 50 year old down bag that does this. It is still usable because I usually go with a poly-fill bag because where I typically hike it is often wet.

Yeah.. it depends on how the baffles were constructed. For bags like yours, you could use gravity and a bit of shaking to redistribute where the down needed to go

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Yeah.. it depends on how the baffles were constructed. For bags like yours, you could use gravity and a bit of shaking to redistribute where the down needed to go

Exactly. Thanks Dave, it would have been easy for me to have added that but i didn't think of it.

 

[tomnorth]

Hi all! I'm planning on doing my camino during April/May of 2019. I've done some research on the sleeping bag vs. sleeping sack debate and I've come to the decision that I'll be using a sleeping bag - I usually get cold when I sleep and I've read that the camino can be a bit cooler during April and May than during the rest of the summer. My one problem now is I'm not quite sure what temperature rating I should be looking for. I've found 3 sleeping bags from REI online that look great but they each have different temperature ratings - 55, 45, and 30 degrees F. Does anyone have any experience with using a sleeping bag on their camino around April/May and could recommend a temperature rating? Will 55F leave me too cold? Will 30F leave me too warm? Any advice is much appreciated!

I walked in October and used a 40f rated bag from North Face. I'll use the same bag when I walk next Feb/Mar. I thought long and hard about a quilt, but given that I'd be sleeping on a new bed every night, with varying degrees of cleanliness, I opted for the peace of mind that comes from being enveloped in my own sleeping bag. I believe I slept better than I would have had I been sleeping directly on top of the albergue mattresses under a quilt. At most albergues a quilt would have been just fine, but there were some where I wanted a few more degrees of separation from the mattress if you get my drift.

 

[NomadBoomer]

I have walked in both April and September/October with what is probably like a 55 degree bag. Albergues vary hugely in how warm they are at night. You may be in a cosy room where the southern Europeans refuse to open the window and it gets hot and stuffy. You may be in a cold vast stone building.
Most albergues but not all have blankets so I would often take one of them to put over my quilt. Where there were no blankets and I thought I was going to be cold I used my inner liner and an extra t shirt. I like to be warm at night and this worked for me, I like the lightweight to carry. Saying that if the 45 bag is not much heavier or bulkier I personally would advise that one. It's easy to open up if too warm.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Overnight I thought some more about sleeping bags on the Camino. If you don't already have one then buy a quilt. They are cheaper and you can use them at home. Most of the time when camping or backpacking I use my opened mummy bag as a quilt. If I get cold I zip it up. If still cold I use the hood. The thing is I use my bags and you may not once done with your Camino.

 

[GraemeHall]

In most albergues I was able to scout around and find a spare blanket, fold it an put it under me when I slept. Security over the mattress, extra warmth...and rarely needed the sleeping bag. Just a liner and a blanket on the top.
March/April this year, a cold season with snow etc, and probably used my sleeping bag 5 or 6 nights out of 30.

 

[Vampiro]

What sleeping bag rating would you all recommend for a January Camino? 30, 35, 40?

 

[C clearly]

What sleeping bag rating would you all recommend for a January Camino? 30, 35, 40?

As with clothes, there is no definitive answer except to take layers, as you may be dealing with indoor temperatures from 8C to 18C at night. This means that at the lower temperatures, you go to bed wearing woolies, a down jacket, hat and socks. If the heating blasts to at least 35C (my experience once in O Cebreiro in November) then you kick everything off and still sweat! As your best-guess general-purpose sleeping bag on the Camino, I suggest something rated in the 7 to 10C range. One layering approach is to have a liner and a sleeping bag. Or lay your poncho or rain jacket over your bag.

Be sure that you keep one complete set of clothes dry for the evening snd night.

 

[Darby67]

What sleeping bag rating would you all recommend for a January Camino? 30, 35, 40?

I used a 40 for my walk beginning Jan 12. I used it a handful of times, I honestly found the majority of the municipals heated sufficiently for a silk liner and base layer. A few of the others had blankets as well.

Obviously everybody's mileage may vary on their sleeping comfort but I'm honestly wondering if using 2 silk liners would be sufficient with a backup of wearing more clothing. Hmmm.