Sleeping Bag vs Sleep Liner

[Kathleen PEters]

I am planning to start my first Camino Frances on May 6, finishing around June 10. I bought a light sleeping bag for the trip, assuming that alburges don't supply anything beyond a mattress Someone mentioned to me that most do and that I should ditch the sleeping bag for a liner treated for bedbugs. Hmmm. I would love to lose the sleeping bad and just go with the liner. I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on this topic. Much appreciated! Kathleen

 

[mspath]

Welcome to the Forum!

Here are some recent posts re the sleeping bag or liner question.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sleeping-bag-or-liner.46082/

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/is-a-cotton-silk-liner-enough-for-sleeping.45096/

Enjoy your planning and Buen camino!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I am planning to start my first Camino Frances on May 6, finishing around June 10. I bought a light sleeping bag for the trip, assuming that alburges don't supply anything beyond a mattress Someone mentioned to me that most do and that I should ditch the sleeping bag for a liner treated for bedbugs. Hmmm. I would love to lose the sleeping bad and just go with the liner. I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on this topic. Much appreciated! Kathleen

I took a very lightweight, inexpensive sleeping bag on my two spring Caminos and am glad I did. I treated the outside for bedbugs and I loved the cozy feel of it at night. A liner wouldn't have felt warm enough for me at that time of year. Just my opinion cuz it worked well. I also brought a very lightweight, inexpensive sheet and pillowcase, treated for bedbugs, too.

 

[Mark Lee]

Depends on how cold natured you sleep....
If you sleep warm, you only need a good bag liner. If not, carry a summer weight sleeping bag, one that shouldn't weigh more that 1 1/2 pounds, and is bigger than a 2 liter water bottle when rolled up.
Many of the albergues have blankets, at least in my experience on multiple Caminos. I used them without hesitation, and they were clean and I never battled the bedbugs that so many on here fear so much.
Personally I wouldn't spray down with a toxic, possibly carcogenic substance anything I sleep in for several hours a night, with my skin and possibly mucous membranes (eyes) making contact with it. but that's just me....
ultreia

 

[trecile]

I took a 5 ounce silk liner, and this 7 ounce small down throw blanket from Montbell that was just the right size to tuck inside the silk liner. When it was hot I put the blanket underneath my silk liner as insulation between me and the mattresses that had a rubbery/plasticky cover.

 

[GPeachy]

Last May, I used 2 liners. a larger rectangular one that I put on the bed and over a pillow (if provided) and a sea to summit cool max / insect shield liner, both very lightweight and compact, along with a rectangular fleece shawl that I used inside the liner. I also slept in a Patagonia fleece pullover nearly every night. It was very cold at night (mind you I am one of those people who is always cold) and the alburges understandably are not heated + the "sleep with the windows open" crowd always seems to prevail. I used the blankets provided three times, but prefer not to. I was comfortable enough with my sleeping gear, but I think that if I ever walk the Camino again, I will bring a lightweight sleeping bag. In the morning, it is faster to stuff and pack one item and would probably take up about the same amount of room in my backpack. It would also be an easier set up when having to sleep in the top bunk.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I typcially walk starting in the 3rd week of May and was very happy for 2 years with a liner and a super light poly blanket. And then May of 2013 happened and I was cold. Very cold. Ended up buying the first sleeping bag I could find when I finally got to Burgos. Being cold at night meansnot sleeping well, and making your days miserable as well as your nights. I now take a sleeping bag or light duvet as well as my liner. When I catch myself wondering why I brought it I remember 2013 andpat myself on the back.

 

[tillyjones]

I trust there are lots of bedbugs threads which I've not looked at, but I saw bedbugs the whole way, so, in my opinion, no sense spending a lot of effort to ward off the bed bugs...just make sure they don't get back into your house when you return. Don't take your bag or anything you're wearing inside. Sort stuff into bags which you seal shut. Wash the washable stuff and dry, hot, hot, hot. Anything not washable, but dryable, throw it in the dryer hot, hot, hot. Anything else, spray down thoroughly with bed bug spray and/or throw it in a sealed plastic bag, for, like, a year and/or throw it out.

 

[jsalt]

I am planning to start my first Camino Frances on May 6, finishing around June 10. I bought a light sleeping bag for the trip, assuming that alburges don't supply anything beyond a mattress Someone mentioned to me that most do and that I should ditch the sleeping bag for a liner treated for bedbugs. Hmmm. I would love to lose the sleeping bad and just go with the liner. I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on this topic. Much appreciated! Kathleen

Hi, take the lightweight sleeping bag. May could still be chilly some nights. In albergues on chilly nights:

a) You will need your own warm sleeping bag, or

b) You will need your own liner and a blanket, or

c) The albergue has heating, so you just need a liner.

But May is a busy month and places fill up quickly, so you may end up in an albergue that has no blankets and no heating.

Take the sleeping bag.

Jill
P.S. The albergues usually turn the automatic central heating off between 31 March and 31 October whatever the weather.

 

[CdnDreamer]

I walked in May 2015 and I took just the top half of the sleeping bag - I cut the bottom half off, including the zipper. I took a silk liner and put the top half of the sleeping bag into the liner to keep me warm. It worked well for me.