Sleeping bag type for Sept/Oct

[Terri B]

Hi all, I'm planning to walk the Camino France's next Sept/Oct and I'm not sure which sleeping bag to take. I have two, one is down and rated to -5 Celsius and the other synthetic fibre rated to +5 Celsius.
What is the heating like in the Albuerges? Am I better to take the down just in case??
All comments appreciated.

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Terri B, I would take the lightest weight one for that time of year, the weather should still be nice and most if not all the albergues will have blankets.
Happy planning and Buen Camino.

 

[NualaOC]

Hi Terri B,

Are the two bags the same size/weight? Both would be fine, so I suggest that you take the smaller/lighter one.

Buen Camino!

 

[Seabird]

Have fun planning! These decisions can seem overwhelming sometimes -- as I know. I'm closing in on the last decisions I'll need to make. So take them one at a time, read all the advice, think about your own needs, and keep on weighing every item!

 

[MTtoCamino]

There was only a few places that did not have blankets I would go for the lighter bag as well. In the first week of April I was very happy I carried a bag rated for 19f but buy the end of April I just used the blanket provided. One other suggestion you will find some alburgues have disposable sheets if you go before the bed bugs or after they are great to have on hand if it gets real warm.

 

[Susan Peacock]

Take whatever is lightest. I walked is year in Sept./Oct. and decided not to take a sleeping bag. I took a silk liner and a piece of fleece that could also be used as a wrap on cool nights. The total weight was half of a sleeping bag and had a dual purpose. Most albergies had blankets and we rarely needed them. You can sleep in your pants and fleece on a cool night......just go with the lightest weight and you will be fine.

 

[Kiwi-d]

Take the lightest. I too walked Sep/Oct, and I feel the cold, but mostly managed with a lighter sleeping bag.

 

[Jodean]

I had a Meru Goa sleeping bag that only weighed 830 gr. and I found it to be perfect. Sometimes I used it like a blanket. Treated it with Permithrin.
There were a lot of fairly cold nights in some of the Albergues and looking at the blankets they had, I declined to use them. Maybe that is why I never got any bedbug bites?

 

[Obilix]

I walked the Frances route this year, starting at the end of August and finishing at the start of October. I took both a silk liner and a lightweight bag rated at +10C. I used just the liner for the first week, and the bag the rest of the time. Your +5 should be more than enough -- it might even be too warm. Definitely no need for the -5 version, IMO.

 

[Pawel]

I walked the last week of Sept and whole Oct this year and used +10C ultra light down sleeping bag, which was on many occasions unzipped and used as a blanket. There was no need for anything warmer.
As others said before - the lighter the better.

 

[SYates]

The +5 will be fine provided it is the lighter one of the two. If the down one is lighter you can always open it to regulate the temperature. Buen Camino, SY

 

[tomnorth]

I walked the Camino France's this fall and used a North Face bag rated at 4C. It was perfectly fine...not too warm or too cold...just right. If your 5C bag is the lightest, that's what I'd go with. My bag weighed in at 2 pounds 1 ounce, just under a kilo.

 

[Terri B]

I walked the Camino France's this fall and used a North Face bag rated at 4C. It was perfectly fine...not too warm or too cold...just right. If your 5C bag is the lightest, that's what I'd go with. My bag weighed in at 2 pounds 1 ounce, just under a kilo.

Thanks Tom, also glad you put the metric conversion for me. As an aside, did you have any issues with bed bugs??

 

[tomnorth]

Thanks Tom, also glad you put the metric conversion for me. As an aside, did you have any issues with bed bugs??

None at all. There were some alburgues where the bedding looked a bit grungy, so I was always happy to have my sleeping bag.

 

[NicMen]

It is just over 3 weeks to departure and I still have doubts as to whether I should take a sleeping bag or just a silk liner (which I already have). I will start walking in Lourdes on 31st August via SJPdP and onto SdC which I'm planning to arrive at around 10th October... Will I freeze to death in the later stages if I don't carry a sleeping bag? Or will I carry useless weight and volume for almost 1000km? That is the question... I'd rather be warm than cold, but I guess I can always buy one along the way in Leon or some other largish city... Any suggestions?.... Much appreciated!

 

[SYates]

September/October? I would take a sleeping bag without any doubt! Buen Camino, SY

 

[Kiwi-d]

I took a silk liner and a sleeping bag, and walked almost exactly the same dates. I used the liner for about one week, but from then on used a zip-open sleeping bag. I wouldn't rely too much on the possibility of always finding blankets. Some albergues had them, others didn't, and I personally would avoid them because of the risk of bedbugs.

 

[NicMen]

Thank you Kiwi-d and SYates for the advice. It seems like I will have to bite the bullet and accept the extra weight... :-/

 

[homebuilt]

Know one has asked if you are a warm or cold sleeper? The +5 bag has the advantage that you can add clothes to increase warmth where as the - 5 if it's to warm then you can find it a struggle to find a balance that is comfortable.

Beside the difference in weight between the bags, whether you are a cold or warm sleeper and what clothes you are carrying should all be considered before making a decision.

My choice is a +5 zip less 10oz 1/2 quilt down bag.

 

[Tim O'Donoghue]

September/October? I would take a sleeping bag without any doubt! Buen Camino, SY

Hi SYates, I've seen quite a bit of conversation and good advice, such as your's, on what kind of sleeping bag to bring on the Camino. Is it your opinion that a sleeping bag or liner is a must versus relying on bedding provided by the alburques?

 

[SYates]

@Tim O'Donoghue Albergues don't provide bedding normally. If you want to stay in their dorm-style accommodation you need at least a liner. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Tim O'Donoghue]

@Tim O'Donoghue Albergues don't provide bedding normally. If you want to stay in their dorm-style accommodation you need at least a liner. Buen Camino, SY

Thanks!

 

[linkster]

I am planning on next September ~ October, and plan on taking the following:

Enlightened Equipment - Revelation (40°, 850, DownTek™ Water-Repellent Down, Regular - 6', Regular - 54")

It can be opened up for use as a quilt, weighs 13.85 oz, and packs up to 5.5L. The only downside is lead time ... 5 ~ 7 weeks. Here is a hyperlink to the Outdoor Gear Lab review.

I considered the 50° quilt, but I would like to use it in my Warbonnet Blackbird hammock for camping at home and did not think it would be warm enough.

I am still on the fence about a travel sheet. My silk sheet only weighs 5.6 oz. It is comfortable. On a warm night I could just use the sheet and leave the quilt in my pack. OR I could leave it at home, not carry it across Spain, and just make do.

I always wrestle with less is more!

 

[Albertagirl]

I am planning on next September ~ October, and plan on taking the following:

Enlightened Equipment - Revelation (40°, 850, DownTek™ Water-Repellent Down, Regular - 6', Regular - 54")

It can be opened up for use as a quilt, weighs 13.85 oz, and packs up to 5.5L. The only downside is lead time ... 5 ~ 7 weeks. Here is a hyperlink to the Outdoor Gear Lab review.

I considered the 50° quilt, but I would like to use it in my Warbonnet Blackbird hammock for camping at home and did not think it would be warm enough.

I am still on the fence about a travel sheet. My silk sheet only weighs 5.6 oz. It is comfortable. On a warm night I could just use the sheet and leave the quilt in my pack. OR I could leave it at home, not carry it across Spain, and just make do.

I always wrestle with less is more!

@linkster
I am going September/October this year, leaving in three weeks. Last year , I went two weeks later. So I got a lighter sleeping bag for this year. It is only 600 grams and is supplemented with a new pair of merino wool long johns and a long sleeved shirt, if needed. Or just a tshirt and light cotton shorts in warmer weather. If you supplement your sleeping bag with warm undergarments instead of a sleep sack, you can wear them as an inner layer on cold days and get a dual use out of them. Enjoy your planning.