Author	Message
Alpha Guest	# Posted: 29 Nov 2005 00:48:00 Should I bring a sleeping bag with me on my travels? I'm going to go backpacking in Europe for 2 months, and plan to stay in hostels. Is it necessary to buy a sleeping bag? And if so, which is best?

JaMeZ Moderator Amsterdam	# Posted: 29 Nov 2005 11:50:15 Hi there. It's definitely not a necessity to bring a sleeping bag with you. Virtually every hostel I've ever visited in Europe has sheets and blankets provided for. And the hostels that don't, always have the possibility to rent sheets for the night for a small amount of money (in my experience along the lines of 1 euro a night). So it's definitely not necessary. That said, I've found that taking a sleeping bag with me comes in quite useful. You just might end up spending a few nights sleeping on a train for example, and to carry around your own bedding in your backpack will come in handy then. I take mine with me on my travels for "just in case", and have actually always used it during my trips. I carry a light summer sleeping bag (the Micro by Ajungilak) which packs real small but you can even use it outside until like 10-ish degrees Celsius and still be comfortable. And if you're not going to bring a sleeping bag with you, I can recommend you to bring a sleepsack / travelsheet with you. Some hostels don't wash their bedding very often, and can be quite dirty. You'll thank me for that tip later on "It is no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase 'As pretty as an Airport' appear." - Douglas Adams
HHM Guest	# Posted: 30 Nov 2005 00:59:14 You don't really need to bring a sleeping bag. An alternative to a sleeping back is a sleeping bag liner (i.e. sleepsack/travelsheet). A silk one was packs really small and is warmer and less bulky than a cotton one.