Pillow

[jillianbausch]

Hi! I will be starting my first Camino in Pamplona in late September and plan on staying in the albergues. I find I can't sleep without at least one pillow. Are pillows provided? Should I pack a pillowcase?

 

[henrythedog]

Hi! I will be starting my first Camino in Pamplona in late September and plan on staying in the albergues. I find I can't sleep without at least one pillow. Are pillows provided? Should I pack a pillowcase?

Pack your own pillowcase.

 

[hawkeyepierce]

Some sleeping bag liners have attached pillowcases, if you haven’t already gotten one.

 

[CaminoKentucky]

I was on the Frances from SJPP to Santiago in May-June. Every alberque I stayed in provided pillows. Most also provide pillowcases, sometimes the "paper" type.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Should I pack a pillowcase?

If you do make it extra long. See this old thread (where bringing a sarong to do double duty as a pillow wrap is mentioned too.)

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/pillowcase-sizes.17588/

 

[donalomahony]

Yes, pack a pillowcase, wash every hot afternoon...

Many Spanish pillows are long,

Chinese shops on the way sell cheap long pillowcases...

 

[trecile]

I made a long tube out of silk for a pillowcase that also doubles as a tubular scarf.

 

[Sheesh]

On my first camino (long before supplied pillow cases were a "thing") I took a stretchy infinity scarf, because my sleeping bag did not have a hood. The infinity scarf was a jersey type material, wonderfully soft, and could stretch to handle any shape of pillow. It turned out to be one of my favourite pieces of kit on that camino.

 

[C clearly]

Almost all places provide a pillow. Many places provide disposable sheets and pillow cases, so you might just keep one to carry with you. They are very lightweight.

 

[J Willhaus]

I just use a scarf as a pillowcase when one isn't provided. Many albergues have pillows. A few where you sleep only on mats on the floor do not have pillows. My husband always takes an inflatable camp pillow or two for a knee pillow and to elevate his albergue provided pillow.

 

[norfolk-keith]

Hi! I will be starting my first Camino in Pamplona in late September and plan on staying in the albergues. I find I can't sleep without at least one pillow. Are pillows provided? Should I pack a pillowcase?

Hi Jillian pillows are supplied in all the Albergues I’ve slept in in four Caminos but absolutely take a pillow slip, like most of Spain the pillows are the long ones it’s worth the comfort at night for a fraction of the additional weight. I’ve taken one on my last three Caminos it was heaven. Keith from Norfolk Buen Camino

 

[lt56ny]

I carry my own small pillow. I think the pillows in the albergues are way too hard and I would need a chiropractor every morning.

 

[J Willhaus]

I will say that our pillows at Canfranc this summer were kind of uncomfortable. Too hard and made my neck hurt worse than without one. @jillianbausch, if you need need a pillow to sleep you might consider trying some travel ones that you find comfortable.

 

[Bernard A. (AL) Greig]

I use one of my T shirts as a pillow case, double duty.

Pack your own pillowcase.

 

[EmmaATX]

Hi Jillian pillows are supplied in all the Albergues I’ve slept in in four Caminos but absolutely take a pillow slip, like most of Spain the pillows are the long ones it’s worth the comfort at night for a fraction of the additional weight. I’ve taken one on my last three Caminos it was heaven. Keith from Norfolk Buen Camino

Will a queen size 30” pillow case long enough?

 

[trecile]

Will a queen size 30” pillow case long enough?

It should be, even if the end sticks out a bit, the part that you're sleeping on will be covered.

 

[Vince Rollason]

Hi! I will be starting my first Camino in Pamplona in late September and plan on staying in the albergues. I find I can't sleep without at least one pillow. Are pillows provided? Should I pack a pillowcase?

There is no need. Every alberque I have ever stayed in has provided pillows and pillow cases. Even May/June this year post covid.

 

[trecile]

There is no need. Every alberque I have ever stayed in has provided pillows and pillow cases. Even May/June this year post covid.

I prefer to have my own pillow covering rather than use the disposable ones that are provided by most albergues.

 

[jillianbausch]

On my first camino (long before supplied pillow cases were a "thing") I took a stretchy infinity scarf, because my sleeping bag did not have a hood. The infinity scarf was a jersey type material, wonderfully soft, and could stretch to handle any shape of pillow. It turned out to be one of my favourite pieces of kit on that camino.

Such great ideas!

 

[jillianbausch]

I use one of my T shirts as a pillow case, double duty.

Good idea!

 

[jillianbausch]

Thanks to everyone for the ideas. I decided to buy a silk case with a zipper since I was told they dry very quickly and don't weigh much.

 

[Kathy F.]

I’m with you. I can’t really sleep without a pillow!

On my first Camino, I didn’t realize this about myself until several weeks in. Then, at one albergue, they provided “disposable” pillows and pillowcases. The pillow was made out of that basically paper fabric that is not designed to last more than a week in light use. It was filled with polyester fluff.

I finally had a decent night’s sleep with this “pillow.”

Knowing it was disposable and no one else was ever going to use it, I took it with me.

It crushed down to nothing and weighted next to nothing. I squeezed it into a small zip loc baggie I brought with me on the Camino (one of the items I put on my equipment list) and was able to use it, in the baggie, wrapped in a piece of clothing, towel or similar, for the rest of the Camino.

That 2 inches off headspace made a comfortable difference.

Now, 9 years later, I still have that pillow and still use it when I camp.

I suggest either taking a self-inflating SMALL camping pillow or wait for serendipity to bring you sweet dreams in the form of a tiny disposable pillow.

Buen Camino, pilgrim. Comforts are few on the Camino, don’t deny yourself (too much, wink, wink).

 

[dougfitz]

I have a combination of conditions which I address by bringing two inflatable Exped pillows. The larger one is 105 gm in its pouch, the smaller 50 gm. This 155 gm is an impost, but it also goes some way to ensuring that I can get a reasonable nights sleep.

This year on the CP, there were pillows and pillowslips in every albergue at which I stayed. Almost all the pillows provided were too soft for me - I would have loved to have been given one of the hard pillows that people have been talking about earlier in the thread.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I sleep with a pillow on top of a pillow. I found the Spanish pillows so long that I would fold it over. That worked for me because I used a shirt as a pillowcase.

 

[trecile]

I sleep with a pillow on top of a pillow. I found the Spanish pillows so long that I would fold it over. That worked for me because I used a shirt as a pillowcase.

When I'm lying in bed reading I fold the pillow over.

 

[jillianbausch]

I’m with you. I can’t really sleep without a pillow!

On my first Camino, I didn’t realize this about myself until several weeks in. Then, at one albergue, they provided “disposable” pillows and pillowcases. The pillow was made out of that basically paper fabric that is not designed to last more than a week in light use. It was filled with polyester fluff.

I finally had a decent night’s sleep with this “pillow.”

Knowing it was disposable and no one else was ever going to use it, I took it with me.

It crushed down to nothing and weighted next to nothing. I squeezed it into a small zip loc baggie I brought with me on the Camino (one of the items I put on my equipment list) and was able to use it, in the baggie, wrapped in a piece of clothing, towel or similar, for the rest of the Camino.

That 2 inches off headspace made a comfortable difference.

Now, 9 years later, I still have that pillow and still use it when I camp.

I suggest either taking a self-inflating SMALL camping pillow or wait for serendipity to bring you sweet dreams in the form of a tiny disposable pillow.

Buen Camino, pilgrim. Comforts are few on the Camino, don’t deny yourself (too much, wink, wink).

You have convinced me to take the airline pillow I have which sounds so much like your camping pillow! It's just fluff and weighs nothing. I have plenty of room in my pack since I'm keeping my overall weight down. Thanks for your post!

 

[Kathy F.]

You have convinced me to take the airline pillow I have which sounds so much like your camping pillow! It's just fluff and weighs nothing. I have plenty of room in my pack since I'm keeping my overall weight down. Thanks for your post!

If you are like me, you'll be much happier with the pillow than not.

I just flew from Hawaii to Germany, so my ears perked up when you mentioned an airline pillow. Is it the kind you keep around your neck when you are seated on an airplane but trying to get some sleep anyway? The kind that keeps it's shape even when you put pressure on it (the purpose of the pillow on the airplane, of course).

If it is, it is like my airplane pillow, and I would suggest you NOT take it.

It is too . . . "solid" , too bulky to carry in your backpack. It takes up too much space, even if lightweight. If it is a good blow up camping/backpack pillow, by all means, use it (try it out at home first).

I won't second guess your judgement on taking your pillow. I don't know what yours is like, and if yours checks all the boxes, go for it!

In fact, every pilgrim is entitled to bring one "luxury" item with them. It might be a package of chocolate, a pillow, skin cream, whatever. If this is your luxury item, even if it is a bit heavy and bulky, you can make it work. A soft pillow at the end of the day can help your dreams drown out all the snorers around you.

Buen Camino, pilgrim!!!!

 

[trecile]

I just flew from Hawaii to Germany, so my ears perked up when you mentioned an airline pillow. Is it the kind you keep around your neck when you are seated on an airplane but trying to get some sleep anyway? The kind that keeps it's shape even when you put pressure on it (the purpose of the pillow on the airplane, of course).

It's my guess that it's one of the small rectangular pillows that you find on your seat along with a blanket on the plane. Basically a mini standard pillow.

 

[Kathy F.]

It's my guess that it's one of the small rectangular pillows that you find on your seat along with a blanket on the plane. Basically a mini standard pillow.

Ahh, that makes sense. Yes, I should have snagged one of those from one of my last flights, hahaha!! Yes, one of those would be perfect! Thanks for making it clear for me.

 

[jillianbausch]

If you are like me, you'll be much happier with the pillow than not.

I just flew from Hawaii to Germany, so my ears perked up when you mentioned an airline pillow. Is it the kind you keep around your neck when you are seated on an airplane but trying to get some sleep anyway? The kind that keeps it's shape even when you put pressure on it (the purpose of the pillow on the airplane, of course).

If it is, it is like my airplane pillow, and I would suggest you NOT take it.

It is too . . . "solid" , too bulky to carry in your backpack. It takes up too much space, even if lightweight. If it is a good blow up camping/backpack pillow, by all means, use it (try it out at home first).

I won't second guess your judgement on taking your pillow. I don't know what yours is like, and if yours checks all the boxes, go for it!

In fact, every pilgrim is entitled to bring one "luxury" item with them. It might be a package of chocolate, a pillow, skin cream, whatever. If this is your luxury item, even if it is a bit heavy and bulky, you can make it work. A soft pillow at the end of the day can help your dreams drown out all the snorers around you.

Buen Camino, pilgrim!!!!

It is an airline issue pillow. I got it when they used to hand them out on flights. I'm with you on those horseshoe shape pillows. They are too hard to do any good around my neck or under my head. I have one I only used once! I just packed and my pack is at 13 pounds. No room for extra weight! Really excited! Thanks for the advise!

 

[Salty]

Snoring - Extra pillow remedy : I am a snorer and might snore when I am very tired. Thank you for the invalueble info here. You guys are geniuses ! I am now bringing my own small light weight pillow as well. Then I put the albergue issued pillow, underneath my mattrass to prop/elevate my head way up.This reduces snoring by at least 60 % or more. I can even perhaps ask the albergue if they can spare me an extra pillow, to prop my head up even more, for the sanity of my fellow room mates. I will be on a very tight budget and will have to sleep every night in the albergues and will be almost too afraid to fall asleep,every night, too worried, I will make a nuisance of myself with snoring possibly.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi! I will be starting my first Camino in Pamplona in late September and plan on staying in the albergues. I find I can't sleep without at least one pillow. Are pillows provided? Should I pack a pillowcase?

As others have mentioned, the size of the typical Spanish pillow is very different from the US (I see that’s where you’re from). What I would do is go into what is called a “tienda de chinos” (Chinese stores — so called because they are operated by Chinese people), which are everywhere. I’ve attached a screen shot that shows at least ten in central Pamplona.

They sell just about everything, and I have bought pillowcases there for about a euro. The problem is that I inevitably forget to take it off my pillow, usually after four or five days, and then I’m back to square one. That might make it a more sensible idea to wrap a sarong around it, especially if it’s brightly colored.

The one thing I would never buy in a tienda de chinos is anything electronic — chargers, etc. I have it on good authoritiy that the stuff they sell is usually not the real deal, even though it always has the C€ sticker on it.

 

[lt56ny]

I will say that our pillows at Canfranc this summer were kind of uncomfortable. Too hard and made my neck hurt worse than without one. @jillianbausch, if you need need a pillow to sleep you might consider trying some travel ones that you find comfortable.

Did you see my comment above this one that you wrote?? This is why when I get to Canfranc on October 21st I will be pulling my little pillow out of my pack and enjoying my first "official" night of my 2022 Camino!!!! Can't wait!