Travel blanket or sleeping bag

I'd like some input from ya'll on this. I will be hiking the last 200 mile portion of the El Camino de Santiago de Compastelo the first week of June and will take 2 weeks. I'll be staying in the hostels along the way (for the most part). It's in northern Spain, mountain area, and looking at the weather info, the temps will be rather cool at night and in the morning. Somewhere around 50-60 degrees. I am carrying very little and want to keep the weight down, so.....I don't want to just sleep on those nasty beds without something. Would a summer bag be better than a travel blanket? I want something easy to pack, and wash if I get bed bugs. Some travel blankets fold into a square shaped bag.

Any suggestions about products, brands, etc? I will probably use a fleece jacket at night to sleep in if I need to. Or whatever I am bringing for warmth in the morning.

Also...I don't want to spend big $$ on this item.

If volume is a major not a concern, a cheapie $15.00 Coleman fleece bag could work. You could take it down to 50 with the fleece jacket. You sleep in it, not under it on those hostel beds. It's bomber, easy to wash, and if you lose it, no big deal.

I used one of those cheap fleece blankets the summer before last on a week-long kayak trip on the lower Colorado River. I don't know if it was a Coleman or not, but it has a full length zipper that converts it into a sleeping bag. It was hotter than a pistol during the days and we slept on top of the fleece, but in the wee hours it became cold enough to throw the thing over me and it kept me warm. It's a handy little robe.

Cliff

Leadfoot,
A couple of options:
1) Perhaps a poncho liner (I would suggest black color, ~ $25).
2) Here's a sleeping bag that I use during spring and early summer here in Texas:
www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=129749
It packs into it's own stuff sack measuring 5.5 in. diameter x 11 in. long
Weighs about 30oz. Not sure if that is too heavy for you. It's about $25.

Tango

Wow, that just might be the ticket on the bag. I found one similar at Dick's on sale for $20 but it weighs over 2 lbs and doesn't pack small so I figured I just don't want that bulk and weight. BTW...is it really 30 oz? The store says less.

Deuter has a new summer bag out that weighs 1 lb 2 oz. Prices vary on line. But I will look into your bag.

Are poncho liners easy to sleep in? Somehow I imagine them getting all tangled up. I move around alot.

How small can you pack the bag? Nalgene liter bottle?

Poncho liners (otherwise known as "woobies") are just blankets that are pretty light. If you are into making your own, then just sandwich a sheet of 2.5 oz Climashield between two light breathable layers. The cost might be about as much as just buying one, but the climashield would be warmer. I cut my woobie in half and made two bags for my kids to match my 65F bag. This is a summer only bag. I will probably use it for CG this summer.

I've got several of those fleece bags from Coleman (walmart...$9) for laying around the house and overnighters for the kids. Two things I don't like....they are cold if the room goes below 65 and they don't crunch down well for packing. The flip side is they are indestructible and handle endless washing. I've car camped inside two of em' which worked pretty well. They are NOT wind proof.

The poncho/shelter idea is good. Why not a bedsized sheet of coated ripstop or silnylon to shield you from the cooties? It would double as all sorts of things like rain gear and a tarp. I camp with a Robinson poncho, but a sheet of material would work fine.

Get to Campmor if you can Donna and climb in all the kinds they have. Much easier to make an in person choice in this case I think <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> Plus, you can shop til you go nuts! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

boy, that's the last place I need to be. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> I would have to take the 12 step program for hikers...

My hiking buddy said she might bring a silk liner and a fleece blanket. I thought I was bad about the cooties! But everyone has given me some good ideas. This bag/poncho/blanket/liner will be the biggest item in my pack. Maybe even the heaviest. Depends if I bring another pair of shoes..like sneakers. I'm wearing Keens for the hike. Do or die. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I'm so excited! This is my dream hike. Yeah...it's no AT, or JMT or anything...but it's the spiritual part of it that's way cool. and all these people from different countries.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

oh yeah...and some good wine.

Leadfoot,
The weight of 30 oz. is what I weighed it on my scale so I'm fairly confident it's good. That includes the stuff sack.

It is about he size of a "fat" 1 liter nalgene. It's stuff sack has compression straps on it so I could probably squash it down a little more.

T

If you are hosteling and not camping, simpler would be a cotton or silk or (lightest) nonwoven nylon sleep sack, like the Cocoon sleeping bag liners. Most hostels forbid sleeping bags, claiming that they spread bedbugs. I also took a pillowcase with me when I was traveling in Europe after I found that, during the night, the sleep sack tended to work its way off the pillow that who knows how many other hostelers had slept on! A few hostels insist on your using their sheets, but most allow the sleep sacks.

Hostel beds are funky. I would put visqueen on the bed then sleep in a light sleeping bag.

The hostels along the way there do allow sleeping bags, or travel sheets. I spoke with someone who has done the trail and said to at least bring a travel sheet. He used a bag. I also plan on bringing my own pillow and pillow case.

I like the idea of the poncho liner with a sheet. More multi-use when I get home. I didn't realize how light they were. I'll check out the local Army-Navy and get an up close and personal view.

hooty...what's visqueen?

I put a Travel Sheet into the Earthling Doodad Box for you but the whole box appears to be deadheaded at CamperMom's place for the past few months <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I second Hootyhoo's comment on the funky hostel beds.

Pack a can of insecticide if you use them, and douse the pad before you put your bedding on it.

Otherwise, you may find yourself waking in the middle of the night already scratching bites.

The sheet liner/light fleece blanket is a good combination. You need no bag, as all places usually provide blankets. If you can sew, making a sheet liner with pillow sleeve is very easy, in silk or thin cotton or even UL pertex. A fleece blanket can also be used to keep warm as a shawl in the morning or evening...A sarong or pareo will double as lightweight "dress" , towel, and whatever use you can find for it! Add flip-flops for resting of feet and possibly shower...

Thank you all! And thanks, Earthling, for the almost-nice- gift. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Like frenchie and a few have said, I decided to go with a travel sheet and a poncho liner. I think the ponco liner is very useful for this trip. We can sit on it while resting or having lunch, I can throw it over me if I get cold ( I doubt that will happen) I can use the sheet alone if the room is hot and still have something between me and cootie mattresses. Both will wash and dry easily. Both take little room in my pack and are lightweight.

I'll go to the local fabric shop and see if they have something like Coolmax to sew up a sheet.

This site is so cool. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

frenchie-

I like the sarong idea. I was wanting something a bit more...feminine <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> after I get out of my hiking clothes. I thought of a skirt but the sarong seems more fitting. Is it like origami to figure how to wear it or easily to slip on?

Have a look here .
Sarong can also be used as sheet, chech, scarf, curtain, beach towel....I never travel without one.

Donna, you should also spray your clothing and bedding with Sawyer Permethrin before you go. It'll help keep the hostel cooties away while you sleep. Once you get over there try to find a pump bottle of it and use it after the first 2 weeks again.

Yeah, CamperMom vanished with the goods...must be out hiking <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />