Sleeping bag

[Buniontrotter]

I hope to start the Camino Mozarabe from Almeria to Cordoba on April 9th. Will I need to bring a sleeping bag or will my silk liner suffice? I am trying to cut down on my weight but don't want to be cold either....

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'd bring a sleeping bag!

 

[trecile]

Maybe add a light weight down blanket to your silk liner. I like to tuck mine inside my silk sleep sack.

 

[Lexicos]

I think it’s best to take one, even if it’s a very light down-filled quilt. That’s what I carry. Weighs next to nothing, scrunches up into a small bag and keeps you comfortably warm when you need it. One of those ‘essentials’ I reckon. Plus I reckon in April you’re likely to strike a few cold nights.

 

[LouiseEdin]

I hope to start the Camino Mozarabe from Almeria to Cordoba on April 9th. Will I need to bring a sleeping bag or will my silk liner suffice? I am trying to cut down on my weight but don't want to be cold either....

I'm starting from antiquera on 24th April and taking a light down sleeping bag, no contest

 

[Buniontrotter]

It looks like I should bring my sleeping bag so. The weather has been atrocious there lately and it doesn't look like it's improving just yet..
Today I took out my sleeping bag and added a pair of leggings and my warmest polartec fleece (to replace the lighter one I had packed originally). This saves me 450 grms.
Now I am thinking to just take out the mulberry silk liner instead (350 grms) and continue as before
However I love the feel of that liner and I feel it keeps me safe from bedbugs....

 

[Buniontrotter]

I think it’s best to take one, even if it’s a very light down-filled quilt. That’s what I carry. Weighs next to nothing, scrunches up into a small bag and keeps you comfortably warm when you need it. One of those ‘essentials’ I reckon. Plus I reckon in April you’re likely to strike a few cold nights.

Tell me more 'a very light down-filled quilt' which from where and how light ? I've been looking and have not foundit

 

[Former member 92300]

I think it’s best to take one, even if it’s a very light down-filled quilt. That’s what I carry. Weighs next to nothing, scrunches up into a small bag and keeps you comfortably warm when you need it. One of those ‘essentials’ I reckon. Plus I reckon in April you’re likely to strike a few cold nights.

Agreed! I was cold in June/July - for April I would definitely have a light weight down quilt or sleeping bag. Plus my silk liner.

 

[Former member 92300]

Tell me more 'a very light down-filled quilt' which from where and how light ? I've been looking and have not foundit

This is one inexpensive sleeping bag I have weighing in at 480 grams with it's stuff sack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GDWAC9M/?tag=casaivar02-20

I also have this sleeping bag that weights 380 grams with it's stuff sack https://www.rei.com/product/152786/sea-to-summit-spark-ultralight-40f-sleeping-bag

 

[SeñorJacques]

Tell me more 'a very light down-filled quilt' which from where and how light ? I've been looking and have not foundit

I was considering something like this for my upcoming CF in May/June until I decided to go with a liner/fleece blanket combo (but that's another story): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TNM7SD/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Mqcola]

Hi, first thanks for this topic, I was just thinking and wondering the same. My husband and I are starting our Camino on May 5th and was going to bring only a liner to save weight, but now I am thinking twice, not only after reading this post but also checking the current weather.. it is cold...

 

[SeñorJacques]

Hi, first thanks for this topic, I was just thinking and wondering the same. My husband and I are starting our Camino on May 5th and was going to bring only a liner to save weight, but now I am thinking twice, not only after reading this post but also checking the current weather.. it is cold...

I'm starting my Camino from SJPP on May 6 (still over a month away, when presumably the weather will be at least a little warmer than it is this week) and am bringing a silk liner and a light fleece blanket.

I am clearly in the minority here since almost everyone seems to recommend bringing a sleeping bag, even for May/June Caminos - but even the lightest ones are heavier and/or bulkier than I want to pack and certainly more than I want to carry for six plus weeks. And although many people worry about being too cold at night (this forum has led me to believe there's no such thing as a heated albergue) I don't see how sleeping in an extra layer or two won't address that issue.

But that's just my personal choice. Only you know how cold you tend to sleep, and how much you want to carry. Buen Camino to you!

Edit: Apologies for posting this in a thread which I'm just now seeing was posted in the Camino Mozarabe section, since my response to @Mqcola clearly applies to the Camino Frances. Carry on!

 

[RussB]

Tell me more 'a very light down-filled quilt' which from where and how light ? I've been looking and have not foundit

Alpkit do one that I was going to use, but reading the above might take my snugpak jungle bag

 

[RussB]

Agreed! I was cold in June/July - for April I would definitely have a light weight down quilt or sleeping bag. Plus my silk liner.

Agreed! I was cold in June/July - for April I would definitely have a light weight down quilt or sleeping bag. Plus my silk liner

Agreed! I was cold in June/July - for April I would definitely have a light weight down quilt or sleeping bag. Plus my silk liner.

Hi, are you a cold sleeper? I only ask as I wasn’t intending to take a sleeping bag only a liner and quilt. The temps in June/ July would suggest that this is enough, but defer to experience

 

[Former member 92300]

Hi, are you a cold sleeper? I only ask as I wasn’t intending to take a sleeping bag only a liner and quilt. The temps in June/ July would suggest that this is enough, but defer to experience

That is a fair question! Personally, yes, I am a cold sleeper. HOWEVER - I will also tell you that June/July 2021 had unseasonably cold temps, and almost everyone was cold. If they had their sleeping bag, they were mostly fine. Those who did not - were VERY cold. This includes many men who are warm sleepers. So my guidance is based on that. There was one young man who wore all of his layers and collected the disposable sheets in a very sad attempt to stay warm. (the disposable sheets are terrible - I doubt they did anything). I based my decision to mail my sleeping bag home because it was very warm, as expected, before Pamplona and I thought it was only going to get warmer. I thought most nights I would be fine in my layers with a silk liner and using my Turkish towel as a blanket. Looking at "traditional temps" is why many others chose not to bring their bags. We all ended up being very wrong and the temperatures dropped right after that. It was cold all the way until Finisterre - in the AMs and at night. So, my question to you - you think you will be fine with the normal expected June/July temps(we thought we would be), but would you still be fine if the temps dropped and were more like April/May temps? Because that can happen and did for us.

 

[RussB]

That is a fair question! Personally, yes, I am a cold sleeper. HOWEVER - I will also tell you that June/July 2021 had unseasonably cold temps, and almost everyone was cold. If they had their sleeping bag, they were mostly fine. Those who did not - were VERY cold. This includes many men who are warm sleepers. So my guidance is based on that. There was one young man who wore all of his layers and collected the disposable sheets in a very sad attempt to stay warm. (the disposable sheets are terrible - I doubt they did anything). I based my decision to mail my sleeping bag home because it was very warm, as expected, before Pamplona and I thought it was only going to get warmer. I thought most nights I would be fine in my layers with a silk liner and using my Turkish towel as a blanket. Looking at "traditional temps" is why many others chose not to bring their bags. We all ended up being very wrong and the temperatures dropped right after that. It was cold all the way until Finisterre - in the AMs and at night. So, my question to you - you think you will be fine with the normal expected June/July temps(we thought we would be), but would you still be fine if the temps dropped and were more like April/May temps? Because that can happen and did for us.

Thanks for taking time to respond, I’ll keep an eye on the weather and see how it looks before final decision. For choice I would prefer not to carry the weight, but the thought of being cold for 7 weeks doesn’t excite.

 

[Former member 92300]

Thanks for taking time to respond, I’ll keep an eye on the weather and see how it looks before final decision. For choice I would prefer not to carry the weight, but the thought of being cold for 7 weeks doesn’t excite.

Glad I can help! But just so you know - when we looked at weather forecasts - we still kept thinking it will warm up! If you do bring a bag - find the lightest most compressible down bag you can afford! That is what I am doing this trip. The bag I mailed home was very light - but found a lighter one this year. We still had a great journey - but nights were pretty miserable and I ended up doing more private rooms than I had planned so I could get some better rest. I kept buying more warm layers too - so I probably ended up adding more weight to my bag than what I mailed home to save weight.

 

[Buniontrotter]

I was considering something like this for my upcoming CF in May/June until I decided to go with a liner/fleece blanket combo (but that's another story): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079TNM7SD/?tag=casaivar02-20

I have to say liner/fleece combo sounds interesting..

 

[SeñorJacques]

I have to say liner/fleece combo sounds interesting..

My logic is that it’s silly to carry anything I’m not sure I’m going to use every single day, which definitely applies to a sleeping bag in May and June. (Yes, I know there will be some cold nights it may come in handy, especially earlier in my walk - but isn’t that an example of packing the fears that everyone tells you not to?) Meanwhile, I will be using that liner every night no matter what the temperature. And aside from keeping me warm on chilly evenings, a light fleece blanket can be used on airplanes, as a ground cover for picnics, as a privacy divider in albergue bunks, and even as an impromptu/emergency towel - all of which would be awkward to do with a sleeping bag. And the low price (mine cost under US$30) means I won’t have to feel bad about donating it or leaving it behind later in my trip if I’m finding I don’t need it as much as I thought I would. Wins all around!

 

[RussB]

My logic is that it’s silly to carry anything I’m not sure I’m going to use every single day, which definitely applies to a sleeping bag in May and June. (Yes, I know there will be some cold nights it may come in handy, especially earlier in my walk - but isn’t that an example of packing the fears that everyone tells you not to?) Meanwhile, I will be using that liner every night no matter what the temperature. And aside from keeping me warm on chilly evenings, a light fleece blanket can be used on airplanes, as a ground cover for picnics, as a privacy divider in albergue bunks, and even as an impromptu/emergency towel - all of which would be awkward to do with a sleeping bag. And the low price (mine cost under US$30) means I won’t have to feel bad about donating it or leaving it behind later in my trip if I’m finding I don’t need it as much as I thought I would. Wins all around!

Agree, I though I was all sorted , but starting to pack “just in case” stuff. So taking your wise words to heart and emptying the back again.

 

[Stivandrer]

Tell me more 'a very light down-filled quilt' which from where and how light ? I've been looking and have not foundit

Look to
Summit to Summit Traveller TR1

total weight : 389g to 457g ( diff sizes)
down content: Normal 200g to 250g
down quality : ULTRA DRY Down®
lift of insulation : 750+ Loft (!)
Temp Rating: 14 ° Comfort to 10 ° low limit
Compression: 1,55 Liter to 1,89 Liter accoding to size

long zip that makes a ample down blanket into a sleeping bag

Best value to quality & useability IMHO

 

[Pintohoo]

Agree, I though I was all sorted , but starting to pack “just in case” stuff. So taking your wise words to heart and emptying the back again.

I'm thinking all of this stuff through atm. I read heaps of experienced people who say - "oh, I went via such and such in 2016 and a liner was more than enough" - then, there's more people as experienced who report from the same location, same time in a different year that they got very cold weather etc - so, as much as I think - yeah - you'll probably never get caught out - what happens if you do - what happens if there's no bed, or the weather is unreasonable and unseasonal? Surely some emergency kit is at least justifiable? For me - perhaps a very light inflatable mat, a quilt type blanket or bag like below and perhaps one of the durable emergency bags?? - even together - it gives a LOT of flexibility and is it a dealbreaker with weight?

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08MPZ8C6K/

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B017UQGLSG/

you could miss a bed on the Everest hut and probably survive a night with that kit or similar. I don't like weight either - but, I sure don't like shivering just as much

 

[SeñorJacques]

What happens if there's no bed, or the weather is unreasonable and unseasonal?

Again, all the “what if”s are tantamount to packing your fears. I can’t speak to the fear of not finding a bed because I am walking the Camino Frances during a shoulder season and it is highly unlikely to be a problem. But it seems that even during crowded times like high summer - and notwithstanding limited anecdotal “evidence” to the contrary - a bed can almost always be found by taking a taxi to an available accommodation, or perhaps spending a little more money to stay in a hotel instead of an albergue for a night. So an extra credit card may be more useful (and certainly easier to carry) than a sleeping mat. (Again, this may not be true of other routes where accommodations may be more limited - but I am still pretty sure the number of people who undertake any Camino who are forced to sleep in the open air is relatively small, and I read somewhere here that sleeping mats are among the most frequently left behind objects along the way.)

As for unseasonable weather (again, we’re talking about spring/early summer Caminos here), that is what extra layers are for, at least for me.

By all means pack a sleeping bag and mat and emergency kit if you want - “walk your own Camino” and all that. For me, packing as little as possible for those “what if?” situations is one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from this forum. Buen Camino!

 

[trecile]

My logic is that it’s silly to carry anything I’m not sure I’m going to use every single day,

I don't need to use an item that I carry every single day in order for it to be useful and important for me to carry.
In fact I carry rain gear that I hope to never use.
I bring a silk sleep sack and tiny down blanket. In warm months I may only use the blanket 25% of the time, but it's still a vital part of my kit.

 

[Pintohoo]

Again, all the “what if”s are tantamount to packing your fears. I can’t speak to the fear of not finding a bed because I am walking the Camino Frances during a shoulder season and it is highly unlikely to be a problem. But it seems that even during crowded times like high summer - and notwithstanding limited anecdotal “evidence” to the contrary - a bed can almost always be found by taking a taxi to an available accommodation, or perhaps spending a little more money to stay in a hotel instead of an albergue for a night. So an extra credit card may be more useful (and certainly easier to carry) than a sleeping mat. (Again, this may not be true of other routes where accommodations may be more limited - but I am still pretty sure the number of people who undertake any Camino who are forced to sleep in the open air is relatively small, and I read somewhere here that sleeping mats are among the most frequently left behind objects along the way.)

As for unseasonable weather (again, we’re talking about spring/early summer Caminos here), that is what extra layers are for, at least for me.

By all means pack a sleeping bag and mat and emergency kit if you want - “walk your own Camino” and all that. For me, packing as little as possible for those “what if?” situations is one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from this forum. Buen Camino!

I find this all a bit weird - I'm still deciding whether to walk or bike and from where for the first one. Going on this philosophy on not packing for one's fears - it sounds like that if one biked - one wouldn't take a bike pump or a spare tube etc. because one was packing for one's fears -- hmmmm, is about all I can think of

atm, I'm thinking of leaving from Auxerre - which makes it about 1500 km (roughly) - and, I'm thinking about just heading off on my bike or with a little pack with a credit card and a bottle of water - well, gosh, that is different - today - I walked again to some Roman ruins in Spit, Croatia - last time - last week, I went there and it was quite warm and sweaty - today - someone had arranged snow on the tippy tops of the mountains and I had a coat on for half of the journey - thank god I had my beanie - pandering to packing for my fears gees, I don't know - I'm listening, but, so are my fears - we prefer to call them contingencies

 

[SeñorJacques]

I don't need to use an item that I carry every single day in order for it to be useful and important for me to carry.
In fact I carry rain gear that I hope to never use.
I bring a silk sleep sack and tiny down blanket. In warm months I may only use the blanket 25% of the time, but it's still a vital part of my kit.

Fair enough! The "logic" of not packing anything I won't use daily is more an ideal to strive towards in managing my pack weight - it's not something that always works in practice. I’m just sharing the thought process that works for me, which I’ve also applied to other long distance trips. Talk to me again after I finish my walk and see if it worked out for me this time too

(PS - I think I may have settled upon the liner-and-blanket combo based on your suggestion at some point - I too would prefer not to have to pack the blanket at all, but think it can also come in handy for the other reasons I mentioned even if I don't sleep with it every night. So thanks for planting the idea!)

 

[SeñorJacques]

I find this all a bit weird - I'm still deciding whether to walk or bike and from where for the first one. Going on this philosophy on not packing for one's fears - it sounds like that if one biked - one wouldn't take a bike pump or a spare tube etc. because one was packing for one's fears -- hmmmm, is about all I can think of

atm, I'm thinking of leaving from Auxerre - which makes it about 1500 km (roughly) - and, I'm thinking about just heading off on my bike or with a little pack with a credit card and a bottle of water - well, gosh, that is different - today - I walked again to some Roman ruins in Spit, Croatia - last time - last week, I went there and it was quite warm and sweaty - today - someone had arranged snow on the tippy tops of the mountains and I had a coat on for half of the journey - thank god I had my beanie - pandering to packing for my fears gees, I don't know - I'm listening, but, so are my fears - we prefer to call them contingencies

Also very fair and reasonable! Our situations (and likely personalities) are very different, so of course we’re going to have different approaches to doing things. As I just told @trecile, I was simply sharing the approach that works for me. We all have to manage the issue of packing for emergencies (or contingencies!) versus lightening our load, and for me a sleeping bag and mat for walking a spring/early summer Camino Frances doesn’t factor into my risk management strategy. (If I were biking from Auxerre my thinking would undoubtedly be much different!) So by all means: you do you Wishing you a Buen Camino no matter what you decide to pack!

 

[Mqcola]

I'm starting my Camino from SJPP on May 6 (still over a month away, when presumably the weather will be at least a little warmer than it is this week) and am bringing a silk liner and a light fleece blanket.

I am clearly in the minority here since almost everyone seems to recommend bringing a sleeping bag, even for May/June Caminos - but even the lightest ones are heavier and/or bulkier than I want to pack and certainly more than I want to carry for six plus weeks. And although many people worry about being too cold at night (this forum has led me to believe there's no such thing as a heated albergue) I don't see how sleeping in an extra layer or two won't address that issue.

But that's just my personal choice. Only you know how cold you tend to sleep, and how much you want to carry. Buen Camino to you!

Edit: Apologies for posting this in a thread which I'm just now seeing was posted in the Camino Mozarabe section, since my response to @Mqcola clearly applies to the Camino Frances. Carry on!

Hi Senor Jacques, thanks for replying and my apologies for not reading the thread properly, wrong route. LOL.
I will follow your recommendation, bring the liner, a light blanket for multiple uses and might bring an warmer legging for cold nights. thank you.

 

[SeñorJacques]

Hi Senor Jacques, thanks for replying and my apologies for not reading the thread properly, wrong route. LOL.
I will follow your recommendation, bring the liner, a light blanket for multiple uses and might bring an warmer legging for cold nights. thank you.

I think I'm the one who needs to apologize to @Buniontrotter (one of my favorite usernames on this forum btw) for completely derailing this thread! Glad you found my advice helpful, but again - it just reflects my own experience and thought process. As the above responses by @trecile and @Pintohoo remind us, we all need to come to our own conclusions based on our particular needs and circumstances. Wishing you a Buen Camino!

 

[RussB]

I'm thinking all of this stuff through atm. I read heaps of experienced people who say - "oh, I went via such and such in 2016 and a liner was more than enough" - then, there's more people as experienced who report from the same location, same time in a different year that they got very cold weather etc - so, as much as I think - yeah - you'll probably never get caught out - what happens if you do - what happens if there's no bed, or the weather is unreasonable and unseasonal? Surely some emergency kit is at least justifiable? For me - perhaps a very light inflatable mat, a quilt type blanket or bag like below and perhaps one of the durable emergency bags?? - even together - it gives a LOT of flexibility and is it a dealbreaker with weight?

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08MPZ8C6K/

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B017UQGLSG/

you could miss a bed on the Everest hut and probably survive a night with that kit or similar. I don't like weight either - but, I sure don't like shivering just as much

I also have a small foil sleeping bag for emergencies, either me or someone else. It’s tiny when wrapped and weighs so little, however could save someone in an emergency so will be coming

 

[Former member 92300]

Again, all the “what if”s are tantamount to packing your fears. I can’t speak to the fear of not finding a bed because I am walking the Camino Frances during a shoulder season and it is highly unlikely to be a problem.

I don't consider preparing for weather and carrying a warm jacket, rain jacket and a sleeping bag "packing your fears". It is being prepared. Weather happens. Heat, Cold, Rain, Wind. Depending on the season - some of us will face more of it than others. You don't have to be left without a bed to use this gear - you may need them every morning as you walk and every night as you sleep - or just some of the mornings/nights.

As I said before - I listened to people who said I woudn't need a sleeping bag or blanket - brought mine anyway - when it was too hot for a few days I thought "well, I guess they were right" and since my bag still felt heavy (under 15lbs) I mailed my sleeping bag home. HUGE mistake. I won't make that mistake again. Most of my nights were miserable. I spent most nights not sleeping very well. When I did come across towns with hiking supplies - I couldn't find a lightweight blanket or bag to replace mine with (they had them - but they were significantly heavier than the one I sent home). Last year, I would say at least 90% of the people who stayed in the same albergue rooms as me had sleeping bag liners AND sleeping bags - or just sleeping bags. They were ALL using them. The 10% who did not have a sleeping bag - we were way too cold. I did not hear one person say "I wish I left my bag home" (except stupid me who mailed mine home in Pamplona), but the rest of us wished we had our sleeping bags. Oh... and I never received the package I mailed home - so that sleeping bag is gone forever at this point. Hopefully it found a new home and not a landfill.

Now other supplies for being prepared - like first aid stuff and extra clothing - a spare pair of hiking shoes (in case yours fail) that is easier to buy on the Camino so better to leave home the "just in case" extra medications, first aid supplies, and extra layers that you "might" need. But for me - not the sleeping bag. This time - I will definitely have my sleeping bag and if my bag weighs too much (doubtful at this point) - I will pick less essential items to mail home. To me - a sleeping bag is now essential for any season - after being cold all last summer.


And when I say sleeping bag - another type of quilt or blanket is equally sufficient and interchangeable if that is what you prefer.

 

[SeñorJacques]

I don't consider preparing for weather and carrying a warm jacket, rain jacket and a sleeping bag "packing your fears". It is being prepared. Weather happens. Heat, Cold, Rain, Wind. Depending on the season - some of us will face more of it than others. You don't have to be left without a bed to use this gear - you may need them every morning as you walk and every night as you sleep - or just some of the mornings/nights.

Not to keep going back and forth on this - but if you read through my posts I said several times that I was simply sharing the approach that works for me (and moreover was specifically responding to the "fear" of not finding places to stay and having to sleep outdoors). We all have to manage the issue of packing for emergencies/contingencies versus lightening our load, and for me a sleeping bag (versus the less bulky liner + blanket combo I'm choosing to use) for walking a spring/early summer Camino Frances doesn’t factor into my own risk management strategy. But I'm glad you happened upon a system that works for you. Buen Camino to you, now and always.

 

[trecile]

Not to keep going back and forth on this - but if you read through my posts I said several times that I was simply sharing the approach that works for me (and moreover was specifically responding to the "fear" of not finding places to stay and having to sleep outdoors). We all have to manage the issue of packing for emergencies/contingencies versus lightening our load, and for me a sleeping bag (versus the less bulky liner + blanket combo I'm choosing to use) for walking a spring/early summer Camino Frances doesn’t factor into my own risk management strategy. But I'm glad you happened upon a system that works for you. Buen Camino to you, now and always.

We all need to weigh packing our fears vs preparedness!

 

[RussB]

We all need to weigh packing our fears vs preparedness!

I’m packing fears at the moment, need to step back from it and look at the forecast

 

[dougfitz]

The Spanish Meteorological Service has some wonderful resources for those who want to test what are fears and what might be realities. As an example, here is a link to the extreme conditions for Lugo in Jun. These are found under the climate services heading. (Remember that one should plan for the climate, and dress for the weather.)

 

[Former member 92300]

I’m packing fears at the moment, need to step back from it and look at the forecast

The forecast will only get you 10 days into the future -

 

[RussB]

That is a fair question! Personally, yes, I am a cold sleeper. HOWEVER - I will also tell you that June/July 2021 had unseasonably cold temps, and almost everyone was cold. If they had their sleeping bag, they were mostly fine. Those who did not - were VERY cold. This includes many men who are warm sleepers. So my guidance is based on that. There was one young man who wore all of his layers and collected the disposable sheets in a very sad attempt to stay warm. (the disposable sheets are terrible - I doubt they did anything). I based my decision to mail my sleeping bag home because it was very warm, as expected, before Pamplona and I thought it was only going to get warmer. I thought most nights I would be fine in my layers with a silk liner and using my Turkish towel as a blanket. Looking at "traditional temps" is why many others chose not to bring their bags. We all ended up being very wrong and the temperatures dropped right after that. It was cold all the way until Finisterre - in the AMs and at night. So, my question to you - you think you will be fine with the normal expected June/July temps(we thought we would be), but would you still be fine if the temps dropped and were more like April/May temps? Because that can happen and did for us.

i think yes, looking at the Met Office forecast , only 10 days I appreciate, and longer range more general forecasts for the Iberian peninsula the weather looks normal , compared to seasonal averages, abet wetter than usual.
So I’m thinking silk liner and down quilt, i can always put some clothes on if I feel cold.

 

[ClaytonR]

Tell me more 'a very light down-filled quilt' which from where and how light ? I've been looking and have not foundit

Check out Hammock Gear. They are a US based company nd make a very reasonably priced custom quilt.

Economy Burrow Custom

Hammock Gear's Economy Burrow is our top quilt for those on a budget. Save weight, bulk in your pack, & make the switch to this budget ultralight quilt today!

hammockgear.com

 

[peregrina2000]

Personally, yes, I am a cold sleeper. HOWEVER - I will also tell you that June/July 2021 had unseasonably cold temps, and almost everyone was cold. If they had their sleeping bag, they were mostly fine. Those who did not - were VERY cold. This includes many men who are warm sleepers.

This is the kind of advice we should all try to give! There is so much variation between genders and among all the different body types. I know that people are trying to be helpful when they say — yes, bring a bag, or no, you won’t need one. But without saying more about how your own body works, it is really not going to help the forum member make a good decision.

Those who have slept in albergues have no doubt seen that in some bunks people were ensconced in a sleeping bag while others were lying uncovered or with very light sheets over them. If you had asked those people if a sleeping bag was necessary, you would have gotten the whole range of answers, from a strong yes to a strong no.

 

[Former member 92300]

This is the kind of advice we should all try to give! There is so much variation between genders and among all the different body types. I know that people are trying to be helpful when they say — yes, bring a bag, or no, you won’t need one. But without saying more about how your own body works, it is really not going to help the forum member make a good decision.

Those who have slept in albergues have no doubt seen that in some bunks people were ensconced in a sleeping bag while others were lying uncovered or with very light sheets over them. If you had asked those people if a sleeping bag was necessary, you would have gotten the whole range of answers, from a strong yes to a strong no.

Yes - and we all must take into account that the "average" temperatures may not be what we experience. I had no idea I would be as cold as I was - and the cold nights surprised everyone. . There was definitely a cold front when I went, and this summer it can just as easily be a heat wave - or average temperatures - or another colder than normal year. Anyhow - I think having a thin liner and a VERY lightweight bag/quilt is good for almost everyone.

 

[Old walker]

Good quality down gives comfort in a such wide temperature range with little weight. Either a quilt or a sleeping bag, like the ones we used across Spain and the Via Regia ,was so easy to stuff directly into our light weight backpacks, which added structure to the pack. Do experiment with fashioning a pouch for your feet if you go with a quilt. Based on experience with a commercial backpacking quilt, this makes all the difference in keeping your feet warm and not floating away. our sleeping bags weight a few oz over a lb. Cozy. I should add that we don’t do these hikes in summer months, just the shoulder seasons

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

I hope to start the Camino Mozarabe from Almeria to Cordoba on April 9th. Will I need to bring a sleeping bag or will my silk liner suffice? I am trying to cut down on my weight but don't want to be cold either....

Artic Tern, Microtech Ultra. Small, weights nothing and take up very little space. 40 Euros here in Sweden . Used in autumn camino . Liked it.

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

I hope to start the Camino Mozarabe from Almeria to Cordoba on April 9th. Will I need to bring a sleeping bag or will my silk liner suffice? I am trying to cut down on my weight but don't want to be cold either....

Microtech Ultra

Microtech Ultra from Arctic Tern is a super lightweighted slepping bag for hot summer nights during hiking. Mummy shaped design filled with downlike micro fibres for a light-weight construction that still keeps you warm. Practical compression bag is included and makes it easy to compress the...

www.outnorth.com

International site for the sleepingbag. 38.90 Euros