Sleeping bag weight

[sofronii]

Hi guys!

I decided to most probably go for a sleeping bag. However, the one in my local camping store is around 880 grams - I've read and heard people with sleeping bags that weight 500 grams or so. I don't really know, if it would be alright for me to just buy the one they have in the store or start looking online? Would it make such a big difference?

I am also very much considering to just maybe buy a liner that is fleece and somewhat warm on its own and a blanket - but would that be a lighter option? The fleece liner I was looking at was around 600 grams on its own... I don't know whether I should look for the lightest/ or just a lighter liner?
I am honestly so confused! Please help.
PS I live in the UK, so although, of course helpful, and I do look at the links my fellow American, Canadian and other pilgrims send me, I won't be able to buy those ones. And also, I am on a budget, so I just don't know anymore!
Addition: I love to be warm, and plan to take off somewhere between the 16th of April to the end of April - not quite decided just yet.

Look forward to your help!
Sophia

 

[Robo]

All depends what time of year you are travelling and how 'hot' you sleep. It's a very personal thing.
We have slightly different sleeping bags in terms of warmth but they are very light weight .
Pat's 8C bag weighs 348 gms and my 10C bag weighs 389 gms.
If they are still too cold we'll wear merino shirts and socks to bed.

Sleeping bag costs, like many 'tech' hiking gear items often tend to rise sharply the more lightweight they are.
It's a trade off frequently between cost and weight.
Being old, unfit and with bad feet, we opt for light weight (but they were not cheap)

Lots of research online should help you pick something within your budget I'm sure, and other members will no doubt have suggestions.

Gear selection is all part of the fun !

 

[Deleted member 3000]

And also, I am on a budget, so I just don't know anymore!

An excellent reason to use the blankets provided in almost all albergues. After winter, you may need to ask for one, as they may be in storage.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Weight, though it should be kept at a minimum, can become an obsession.
Just get a lightweight sleeping bag.
You'll be fine.
Not sure where you live, but REI has a HELIO bag that compresses down to the size of a football and it's under $60

 

[ortemio]

An excellent reason to use the blankets provided in almost all albergues. After winter, you may need to ask for one, as they may be in storage.

OjO ===> "as they may be in storage" and full of the dreaded bed bugs!

 

[NomadBoomer]

An excellent reason to use the blankets provided in almost all albergues. After winter, you may need to ask for one, as they may be in storage.

Some albergues such as Roncevalles do not provide blankets at all, presumably for health reasons. I would recommend bringing something light and wearing something warm to bed for those few nights. Nicer to have your own stuff to sleep in anyhow.

 

[CdnDreamer]

In 2015 I walked from the end of April to the beginning of June. I took a fake silk liner (bought online but it took over 4 weeks to be delivered) and then I cut up my sleeping bag and just took the top half. I then put the top half over me and inside the silk liner. I still had a few nights where I was freezing, and had to wear my down jacket to bed. If you need to be warm at night, take a sleeping bag.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

OjO ===> "as they may be in storage" and full of the dreaded bed bugs!

Bed bugs do not nest in blankets. They are found in walls and furniture. They want access to food, so try to stay close to their food source, people. Their stay in blankets is temporary.

Some albergues such as Roncevalles do not provide blankets at all, presumably for health reasons.

Everyone uses the same mattresses, so health is not a big concern. Money is. Roncesvalles is one of the few that does not supply blankets. It used to, but when the old chapel albergue was closed, they chose not to use the blankets in the new facility. The choose to keep a lot of beds off the market, too, for some obscure bureaucratic reasons. For the first stop out of SJPdP, it has become something of a roadblock to comfort!

 

[Tia Valeria]

We used the snugpak bags, weight in compression bag was 750gms. The Travelpak 1 style is most like ours but is given as 85ogm so not much different to yours. If expense is not an issue then the 'adventure racing system' is the lightest they make.
We used our 'travelpaks' without a liner - to save weight and were warm enough in a chilly April/May.
The snugpak site lists stockists as well as being available on-line.

 

[ortemio]

Bed bugs do not nest in blankets. They are found in walls and furniture. They want access to food, so try to stay close to their food source, people. Their stay in blankets is temporary.

;-) Yeah they normally check out after dinner ... I remember my stay at the singing nuns, it got so cold that I went and got a blanket from storage, that was a big mistake as later on that night I could feel them crawling around my legs. Not something I want to repeat, so I carry a black light and sleeping bag. No more blankets for me unless I can truly verify that they are shaken and re-shaken and re-checked under a microscope. ;-) That was a nasty experience.

Go here if you want to read about their living arrangements : http://www.bedbug-answers.com/where-do-bed-bugs-hide.html

 

[julia-t]

We used the snugpak bags, weight in compression bag was 750gms. The Travelpak 1 style is most like ours but is given as 85ogm so not much different to yours. If expense is not an issue then the 'adventure racing system' is the lightest they make.
We used our 'travelpaks' without a liner - to save weight and were warm enough in a chilly April/May.
The snugpak site lists stockists as well as being available on-line.

Like Tia Valeria, I'm also in the UK, and have a 2 season Snugpak sleeping bag which is very small and light, and I'll be taking it with me at the end of April. It wasn't very expensive - I bought it online a couple of years ago, but can't recall if it was on ebay, amazon or another outdoor equipment website.

Another alternative is to look for the Double Black Diamond down throw (I got mine on amazon) which is less than £20. And incredibly light. You can use this with a liner. I've stitched mine in half along the bottom and halfway up one side and attached some velcro so it's like a sleeping bag. Could be a good idea if you're on a tight budget.

 

[StFina]

On my last Camino Frances, I reached out to my "target" albergues by phone or e--mail and asked them if they had blankets available. All except one did. Saved quite a bit in terms of weight in not carrying a sleeping bag. BTW, when you get your bed in the albergue, the FIRST THING you do thereafter is pick out a blanket. Blanket hogs who take two or more blankets are not unknown.

 

[Bisnick]

I'm in UK as well and I have taken this one
http://www.highlander-outdoor.com/s.../sleeping-bags/trekker-superlite-sleeping-bag
with me on two Caminos in April and May and I also take a silk liner not a mummy type as I like to move my feet around. I have never lasted all night in it as I have found it hot, most nights I just slept in the liner on top of the bag.

 

[FourSeasons]

OjO ===> "as they may be in storage" and full of the dreaded bed bugs!

I used plenty a blanket and didn't' met any bedbugs. Both Spring and Fall.

 

[FourSeasons]

Hi guys!

I decided to most probably go for a sleeping bag. However, the one in my local camping store is around 880 grams - I've read and heard people with sleeping bags that weight 500 grams or so. I don't really know, if it would be alright for me to just buy the one they have in the store or start looking online? Would it make such a big difference?

I am also very much considering to just maybe buy a liner that is fleece and somewhat warm on its own and a blanket - but would that be a lighter option? The fleece liner I was looking at was around 600 grams on its own... I don't know whether I should look for the lightest/ or just a lighter liner?
I am honestly so confused! Please help.
PS I live in the UK, so although, of course helpful, and I do look at the links my fellow American, Canadian and other pilgrims send me, I won't be able to buy those ones. And also, I am on a budget, so I just don't know anymore!
Addition: I love to be warm, and plan to take off somewhere between the 16th of April to the end of April - not quite decided just yet.

Look forward to your help!
Sophia

Yes, please take a sleeping bag, it can be cold and damp during the Spring. Have fun and don't be afraid to use a blanket when available.
Buen Camino

 

[domigee]

Hi guys!

I decided to most probably go for a sleeping bag. However, the one in my local camping store is around 880 grams - I've read and heard people with sleeping bags that weight 500 grams or so. I don't really know, if it would be alright for me to just buy the one they have in the store or start looking online? Would it make such a big difference?

I am also very much considering to just maybe buy a liner that is fleece and somewhat warm on its own and a blanket - but would that be a lighter option? The fleece liner I was looking at was around 600 grams on its own... I don't know whether I should look for the lightest/ or just a lighter liner?
I am honestly so confused! Please help.
PS I live in the UK, so although, of course helpful, and I do look at the links my fellow American, Canadian and other pilgrims send me, I won't be able to buy those ones. And also, I am on a budget, so I just don't know anymore!
Addition: I love to be warm, and plan to take off somewhere between the 16th of April to the end of April - not quite decided just yet.

Look forward to your help!
Sophia

If you're in the UK, have a look at that website IF you need to buy anything. http://www.gapyeartravelstore.com/1-season-sleeping-bags/

 

[RJM]

An 880 gram sleeping bag is too heavy, IMO.
Bring that liner you mentioned, and use the blankets in albergues when available. I walked the Frances twice with no sleeping bag or even a liner.
or if possible, get that sleeping bag that the link was provided for. That looks like a good deal to me.
Also, don't forget. You're sleeping indoors every night. Not actually camping. I never stayed in an albergue that was very cold at night and you would be surprised how warm they get when several fellow pilgrims in the room with you. I think there has yet to be a pilgrim succumb to exposure or hypothermia in a cold albergue. Lol...

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hi guys!

I decided to most probably go for a sleeping bag. However, the one in my local camping store is around 880 grams - I've read and heard people with sleeping bags that weight 500 grams or so. I don't really know, if it would be alright for me to just buy the one they have in the store or start looking online? Would it make such a big difference?

I am also very much considering to just maybe buy a liner that is fleece and somewhat warm on its own and a blanket - but would that be a lighter option? The fleece liner I was looking at was around 600 grams on its own... I don't know whether I should look for the lightest/ or just a lighter liner?
I am honestly so confused! Please help.
PS I live in the UK, so although, of course helpful, and I do look at the links my fellow American, Canadian and other pilgrims send me, I won't be able to buy those ones. And also, I am on a budget, so I just don't know anymore!
Addition: I love to be warm, and plan to take off somewhere between the 16th of April to the end of April - not quite decided just yet.

Look forward to your help!
Sophia

When you are in a sleeping bag, you have no effective insulation under you; it is crushed under your weight. Therefore you can do what thousands of ultra light backpackers do, and get a sleeping quilt. By getting rid of the fabric and insulation that makes up the bottom of the bag, you save a significant amount of weight.

The 40 F (4.5 C) sleeping quilt that I use for wilderness backpacking, and on Camino, weighs just 283 grams. It is versatile and allows easy adaptation for a variety of temperatures. Mine comes from Enlightened Equipment, and it is a quality made piece of kit; but it is a bit pricey. You can do what a number of forum members do, and buy a down quilt from a big box store.

This is an example of a 425 gram sleeping quilt from Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074PJ7C4C/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[tomnorth]

I don’t think your sleeping bag sounds too heavy. In 2015 I took one that weighs just under a kilo, or just under a tenth of my weight budget. I’ll take the same sleeping bag in 2019. If the sleeping bag fits within your weight budget then I wouldn’t worry about it. The problem as I see it with chasing the ultimate in light weight is that there is a trade off with comfort. I am a big guy, so I need a wider bag. Yes, most albergues provide blankets, but I would rather sleep in my sleeping bag rather than the bedding provided. Some of the blankets looked pretty ratty. I just felt better climbing into my bag at night. It comes down to a personal preference, but I wouldn’t worry about the weight of your bag.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

I don’t think your sleeping bag sounds too heavy. In 2015 I took one that weighs just under a kilo, or just under a tenth of my weight budget. I’ll take the same sleeping bag in 2019. If the sleeping bag fits within your weight budget then I wouldn’t worry about it. The problem as I see it with chasing the ultimate in light weight is that there is a trade off with comfort. I am a big guy, so I need a wider bag. Yes, most albergues provide blankets, but I would rather sleep in my sleeping bag rather than the bedding provided. Some of the blankets looked pretty ratty. I just felt better climbing into my bag at night. It comes down to a personal preference, but I wouldn’t worry about the weight of your bag.

You are so right, Tom; it doesn't really matter what the individual weight of an item might be, as long as it is within your total weight allocation for your pack. Getting picky about shaving weight item by item is only necessary when you are over the weight, and you are determined to keep to your weight goal.

And I hear you about the width and length of a bag or quilt. I have to have sufficient room to sleep on my side without getting twisted up in my bedding. My sleeping quilts are custom width and length to accomplish my needed level of comfort. A good night's rest is essential in order to keep one's energy up.

 

[Juspassinthru]

Sophia, if you "love to be warm", I'd find a light sleeping bag. The one I took was rated to 40 degrees and weighed under 2 lbs. Some of the private albergues sometimes have blankets but you cannot count on them so Pilgrim, you need to look out for yourself.

Buen Camino!

 

[Helen1]

Here's something I put together a couple of years ago:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KaJNF62YmY1SgftFdqTiFYs7_l50SZF6YnTNLKQOvgs/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Casserole]

I used a liner and was just fine. If I remember correctly, most albergues have blankets. Using a liner saves so much space and weight, not to mention money.

 

[jflorez]

I have the previously mentioned REI Helio bag. packs to smaller than a football (American, not proper football ). Weight is 1.5lbs (680grams) which isn't too much, and was purchased for $45 on sale. But, as you mentioned you aren't in the US, though I can't imagine something similar being available from a local outdoor activity shop. I'll find out in about 7 days if it worked out for me when I start out on my Camino. Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[Phil71]

In the UK, check out decathlon. I've been using one of theirs for the last 5 years. Under 700 g and about £30. Does the job just fine.