Which kind of sleeping bag ? (Camino Francés - May)

[FatmaG]

Hello everybody, and first of all, sorry to ask that question again - but I went back on these pages till about mid-2006 without finding a satisfying answer...

I want to start the camino frances on 30 april 09
As I am an easily freezing person, I would like to know by those of you - very sensitive to cold as me - which kind of sleeping bag would you recommend?

The right balance of course between very light (maximum 1kg) and hot enough for the heights but not too hot for the rest.
(and preferably not too narrow, the mummy bags makes me feel uncomfortable)

Would be a bag with "comfort" temperature of 10° (Celsius) be ok?

Thank you for your help.

FatmaG

PS I like very much the following one (in german!)
http://www.globetrotter.de/de/shop/deta ... 0512&hot=0

 

[sillydoll]

You should be OK with a rectangular bag that opens all the way around to form a duvet. When I walked in May I used a Colibri by Ferrino that weighs 600g. It has a middle layer of aluminium-coated unwoven fabric to increase thermal performance.
http://www.ferrino.it/en/homepage/produ ... illing_112
You can read a reveiw here:
http://www.thebackpacker.com/gear/sleep ... olibri.php

 

[lckgj]

Something to think about if you were considering a down sleeping bag...

I have two lightweight sleeping bags, one is synthetic and the other a warmer (far more expensive)down one. I wouldn't take my down bag on the camino again as when I was bitten alive by bed bugs it was not possible to machine wash it on a hot wash without risking ruining it. ( A hot wash of all clothing etc is the first line of defence after a bed bug incident)

On the odd day when my synthetic bag was not quite warm enough I would just wear some socks etc to keep warm. I am a pretty chilly person myself and survived!

No idea what the bed bug situation will be like this year, but for me its definitely a case of once bitten, twice shy!

Buen Camino

Laura

 

[Deleted member 397]

I used a Snugpak travel lite-blurb below-which I found a good compromise between warmth and weight. It also compresses to fit in the palm of your hand.I bought it off the net for about US$100 (which included postage to Oz)
Features:
Comfort Temp: 17ºC to 7ºC
Low Temp: 2C
Weight: 0.7kg
Pack Size: 12x14cm
Small pocket in lining.
Snugfit hood: Fitted with a draw cord so pulls into shape like a jacket hood minimising heat loss.
Circle foot: to warm and minimises weight of material used.

 

[Kitsambler]

To be the very lightest weight, and to be adaptable to a variety of temperatures, I suggest:
1) A very lightweight bag
2) A silk liner
3) Silk long underwear (top and bottom)

In combination. If you tend to sleep really cold, then add a fleece hat of some sort as well.

 

[sillydoll]

Its actually quite a difficult question to answer satisfactorily. You'll be walking 800km across a country with three mountain ranges, high platteaus, lowlands, forests, wheat fields etc. You'll start at the end of April when it is still early spring and finish at the end of May which could be the start of summer. Most albergues offer blankets (I can recall only two that didn't have any) so take a lightweight bag and dress warmly on cold nights where there are no blankets.

 

[FatmaG]

Thank you for your answers, first of all!
It is really nice to have a place where newcomers to the way get some practical advice by "veterans"

It is - indeed - a tricky question.
I had a look on the bags you proposed, they both look quite good but super thin...
The "snugbag" even has a mosquito net integrated; to repell also "big bugs" - might be usefull...
I guess, the best will be to simply go to some shop here in Brussels, to see what they propose (and at what price; to compare all of it and then to decide whether to buy here or to order by the net - I still have one month and a half...)

For the downs, I simply forget them; Laura, your bedbug report is alerting...
(I didn't realise its extent; on the german and french pages about the camino, they do not focus that much on it... or I didn't want to see it?!)

I will probably try the layers-method with light-weight sleeping bag, a silk liner and something warm on me.
And I thought I could possibly fill a water bottle (or a special trekking 'bottle' like platypus) with hot - of course not boiling water - to improvise a "trekking hot water bottle"
(I will test this these days here to see the result)
Oh yes and, as I read somewhere here, an emergency blanket to put between the bed and me (bed bug prevention)

I am looking forward to get started - well, my head is already halfway on the road, now my feet shall follow soon....

FatmaG

 

[jl]

The only problem with an emergency blanket being used as a layer between the mattress and you Fatma, is that it could be VERY noisy. It would rustle all night long, with every movement you make. Most people will accept (though they might not like it) the noise made by the snorers and sleep talkers, but a rusling aluminium blanket might not help you make friends. If you can, try and find something less noisy. Cheers, Janet

 

[FatmaG]

Oh, I won't use one, believe me, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep myself with all that noise...

(the truth, I just didn't realise that they are aluminium-made sheets - I just read somewhere that someone used a survival blanket not to get into touch with the bed, and thougth it might be a good solution...)

Do you have any proposal for the bedbugs?
Well, I guess : check the bed.
And get informed (if possible) about the places infected and try to find an alternative hostal, or B&B.

The most important is of course not to take them home with you should you ever 'meet' them on your way.

 

[jl]

In April, Fatma, I would think that it would still be a bit cold for the bed bugs plus the pilgrim traffic would not have built up to its full potential, and therfore there would not be as many ways for them to hitch a ride.

On an earlier post there was a suggestion of a sheet that could be purchased and so just have a look (I am not good at finding old posts - otherwise I would post a link). I personally just use my silk inner sheet and take a sleeping bag with me which I generally don't use till the last week or so of my journey because I travel from the summer time to Autumn. I just keep tabs on the grapevine (it usually works quite well) and avoid potential trouble spots, and I also avoid using the blankets, figuring that they are a possible hazard beacause they make a potentially good hiding place (although that is not the case all the time I hasten to add!)! Follow the advice of others on this site and don't do things like put your pack on the bed, check the bed etc etc and you should be fine.

Regards, Janet (I am hoping this won't appear twice as the reply I did dissapeared into the never never!)