Sleeping pad for July

[Jimmy Sedovic]

Hello,

I am going to be hiking the end of June-July and want to sleep out (probably with just a mosquito net) as much as I can. I am a warm bodied sleeper (I've lived in Alaska and Wisconsin my whole life) and am trying to make up my mind about whether to get a sleeping pad with our without insulation. The insulated model weighs about 3 oz more and costs about $30 more. I am planning on using just a sleeping bag liner with layered clothing if it gets cold. Any information on temperature lows in late June and into July would be appreciated as well as any thoughts about sleeping out and whether it would be worth the extra weight and $ to get the insulated model.

-Jimmy

 

[DebraS.]

Interested to see the responses. I was considering camping with a tiny tent but all the comments I have seen so far is that it is difficult to find places. I would also consider just a mat as well but didn't know if this was permitted.

 

[Helen1]

3oz/85g is practically nothing. Less than half an apple? Will you use the sleeping pad again? If so, I would go for the option you will get the most use out of. I get cold at night so would go for the insulation. Does it make the mat much bulkier if you add the insulation?

Google will give you average temperature charts. I assume you are walking the CF from SJPDP? If so, I think it’s probably worth thinking about how many kinds of environments you will be walking through. Mountains are mountains so expect anything. Galicia can be very damp and even if the air isn’t cold the dampness makes it feel colder than it is. The Meseta can be baking during the day and cold at night or it can stay warm.

For me, Early June, cheap summer sleeping bag, bivvy bag, wearing all my clothes, ancient thermarest, at Navarrete I was **COLD**. Outside Sahagun, same set up, I was warm.

I dunno about it being hard to pitch a tent, I camped in France and Spain with a bivvy bag, I wouldn’t have found it difficult to pitch a small tent discretely (except in the cities) but you have to walk in the evening, pitch as the light is going and get up when the sun rises. I wouldn’t bed down at 6pm near a village and expect no one to bother you! (The Spanish live a wonderful life and seem to stay up late and go for evening strolls). If you want to camp at a campsite your options will be much more limited. I believe wild camping in Spain is not legal but I don’t think anyone patrols the camino looking for illegal campers and most people find a quiet spot a little bit off route.(You can tell by the patches of flat grass)

Having said that, I did meet a guy from Belgium who had been camping/pitching a tarp in village squares for a long time, he said it was mostly ok but had some problems with kids throwing stones. (As a solo female I would not have drempt of doing this - out of sight out of mind!)

For info - People walk the camino at weird hours, I got woken up at 4am one morning by walkers talking very loudly. I had no idea why they were walking at 4am in the pitch black when the daytime temps were not going to be particularly high (they would probably have had no idea why anyone would camp either!) Given where I was they must have left at 3am....

FWIW - I usually get eaten alive by mosquitoes but didn’t find them a problem during my May/June and August. Flies and ants bothered me more. Unless you are very lucky you will get rain. Parts of the camino are wooded but a lot is fields grassland if you wanted to hook a tarp up to a tree.

 

[jsalt]

Hi, I guess there are SO many places to stay along the Camino Frances for 5 euros a night, which includes a bed and a hot shower, that there is no point sleeping outside. I would suggest that you pack the lightest sleeping mat you can find, go with the flow, and sleep outside when the opportunities present themselves. I love sleeping outside too, and do so on trails in my own country, so I know where you’re going. By the way, I walked last year in June/July and didn’t encounter a single mosquito, so don’t bother with the mozzie net. Jill

 

[Mark Lee]

I walked my second Camino last June-July. I didn't find the temperatures to be overly hot or cold from SJPdP all the way to Santiago. With a decent ground pad and sleeping bag you should have no problems.
If you want to research past years weather and temperatures in Spain go to this site:
www.wunderground.com

 

[mralisn]

Maybe start without and see how it goes. Mats are found in plenty along the Way as they are discarded quickly. Perhaps after a few nights, you feel the need to grab a simple one left behind. If this doesn't work for you, buy an insulated one at an outdoors shop in one of the bigger cities?

 

[SYates]

Reality check:

• 230,000 pilgrims walked the to Santiago last year.
• Most, if not all, ground in Spain is privately owned.
• Albergues are plenty, well equipped and affordable priced.
• Why would you want to sleep outside, most likely break local laws and upset the people living alongside the way who, very often, especially in Galicia, feel already forced to put up signs 'no camping' on their grounds?

If you like the solitude, choose a time between October and Easter.

Sorry for sounding harsh, Buen Camino!, SY

 

[whariwharangi]

The purpose of a sleeping pad is to insulate the planet from the warming effect of your body. The planet can absorb a lot more heat than you can produce so without a sleeping pad you will get cold.

If there is not ice on the ground a sleeping pad with an R value of 1.5 is sufficient.

I would suggest a closed cell foam pad is light and cheap. I like RidgeRest.

 

[GAUVINS]

1. I would suggest that the tradeoff is closed-cell vs inflatable. Inflatables can be incredibly light and small. A torso length deflated pad is barely bigger than a can of soda. Unfortunately they are more expensive. http://gossamergear.com/sleeping.html has great closed-cell pads. Thermarest xLite is as small and light as it gets. Really depends on what you are looking for (size vs economy)

2. I would argue in favour of a pad for two reasons. First, bivouac (i.e. sleeping outdoors, for ONE night, between sunset and sunrise) is apparently tolerated in Spain. Second, a pad may come in handy if you have to sleep on the floor or outside a full albergue.

take care