sleeping bag liners

[Ryan Linn]

Does anyone else use a liner with their sleeping bag? On my AT hike I used a Sea To Summit silk mummy liner and was very happy with it, especially since it seemed to keep my sleeping bag from stinking after several months of continued use.

I haven't seen liners on anyone's gear lists here, although at 4 oz, the silk liner is considerably lighter than a full suit of long underwear that I imagine would add a similar amount of warmth to your sleep system.

Thoughts? Past experiences? Rants?

[Tony Wong]

Ryan,

I like to keep my bag as clean as possible inside and I have the BPL Merino Wool thermal tops and bottoms for sleeping.

They might be more than 4 ounces, but I like that they can be duel usage.

I rarely wear them on the trail or in camp, but I like the option to have that "extra" clothing just in case things get unexpectedly cold.

So my suggestion is that you go with the long underwear.

That said, I am on the West Coast and I am in the Sierras where things are not humid and can suddenly turn cold.

My two cents.

-Tony

[Sean Walashek]

I must admit however that I no longer really use it. I enjoy keeping my bag clean but I find that I always get bunched up in it. I like to have space around my legs and I find that if it is not the bag confining me then it is the liner. They are great though if you are traveling and staying at hostels and the like.

[victoria maki]

Ryan, I always use a bag liner. I have a silk one from Cocoon and a nonwoven one from campmor. The silk tends to be alittle sticky feeling so i prefer the nonwoven one. It is a few more ounces. I have a down bag, so don't want to be washing it all the time. Definatly worth it…

[Franco Darioli]

Ryan
To save weight a lot here sleep with some day clothing on so don't use the liner. Myself, I try to keep my body and my sleep gear as clean as possible ( I sleep warmer that way) so I do use a silk liner. However you will never find my gear list in the UL section.
Franco

[Mary D]

I started out a few years ago using a silk sleeping bag liner, expecting it to add warmth to my 30* bag and to keep it clean. I had two problems with the liner: First, I would be so tangled up in it by morning that it would take up to five minutes to get unwound and out of my sleeping bag. Second, it added only a degree or two, at most, for warmth. The 9* additional that the makers of the silk liners claim is strictly hype, IMHO (and I'm not the only one with that opinion). It might be fine for those who don't toss and turn at night, but only to keep the bag clean.

I now sleep in my base layer. Since it is worn either at night or under my outer clothing, it stays pretty clean. I wash face, neck, ears and hands in the evening, and generally wear a hat while sleeping. This routine keeps my bag reasonably clean. I'm giving up wearing my base layer top as my hiking shirt because it gets so grubby–dust, sweat, the inevitable food spills–and I really don't want all that in my sleeping bag. That's particularly true of the food spills! I know the sleeping bag has to be washed eventually, but I don't want to do it too often.

[John Myers]

I used a silk liner on a 10 day hike, but instead of putting it in my bag, I put it over a BA insulated air-core pad and used a quilt. It was more for comfort and keeping the pad clean than warmth. Sometimes I put my GG thinlight pad in it for hammock insulation (the GG pad is really sticky). I always consider it 4 oz. well used.

I also get tangled up in it when using it as a bag liner so I don't care to use it that way.

[Roger Caffin]

> Does anyone else use a liner with their sleeping bag?
Used to always. I still make silk liners for my wife with silk from ThaiSilk. Dead easy!

These days with a quilt I use pyjamas made of the same silk material instead: more room to wave my arms and legs. No tangles. But my pygamas have poly-cotton booties to keep my grubby feet off the quilt, and the top is a hoodie to keep the quilt off my sweaty dirty head. My hands are usually clean by bed-time.

A silk liner does not add a lot of warmth, but it does act very nicely as a draft-stopper.

Cheers

[Franco Darioli]

I need to investigate the silk pyjamas as I could use those at camp under my clothing once I have had my ritualistic full body wash. Pity that I am to klutzy (no, this is not false modesty…) to make my own.
I already use very thin Coolmax socks so with a thin "hat" ( maybe my now retired Bank robbing nylon stocking) that should do the trick.
Now I need to find sub 130g pyjamas.
Franco

[Ryan Linn]

Looks like the full range of answers here… My only grip with my liner on the AT was that it was a bit tricky to get into… with a TNF Beeline (no zipper) and a silk liner (also no zipper) inside of it, my shelter buddies always had a good time in the evening watching me try to get into the whole setup. On my last trip I did end up ripping a huge hole in the liner when I tried to get into it in a hurry.

I guess on my next trip I'll play around with my options a bit. I do love not having to wash my sleeping bag too often, though.

[David Olsen]

On long dusty trips, where I sometime hike with my long johns
and they get dirty too, I will bring a liner. My favorite
was a wool/poly blend that wieghed 10 oz and really did
add a lot of draft stopping warmth.

[Roger B]

I had not thought of silk pyjamas (instead of a liner), makes a lot of sense especially with a quilt, it seems that the bottom could include booties, while the top would include a hoody. Seems ideal for the warmer months in Scandinavia, now I need to find the silk.

[Nick Gatel]

I use a vapor barrier liner in really cold weather/snow with a waterproof bivy and tarp tent. Otherwise by bag gets wet from condensation after a couple of days, and the combination keeps me warmer. VBL's are not for everyone.

All other times I just sleep in Capilene (1 through 3 depending on conditions) and socks. These methods keep all my bags clean. During these other times I bring a breathable bivy and/or poncho-tarp, which I only use if it rains.

[Michael Davis]

My wife and I use silk pyjamas in the summer in the southeast. Otherwise, we wear our merino long johns to sleep in.

The silk pyjamas weigh 4.8 oz for her and 6.1 oz for me. I got them at a very reasonable price from Sierra Trading Post. They usually have them in stock.

[Roger B]

Thanks Michael, what impressed me was the idea of booties with the pants and a hoody top, I am now off to find the pattern

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Roger B

I have had good service from Thai Silks
http://www.thaisilks.com/
Try the 8 mm Habotai silk 026A, in lots of lovely colours.

Cheers

[Lynn Tramper]

I am also a pyjama person, either silk or more recently BPL merino. I hate the entanglement I suffer with a liner. I wear socks if it's not too hot, otherwise I stick my feet out of the bag/quilt so it won't get too dirty.

[Joe Clement]

I'm holding out for silk "footie" pajamas.

[Monty Montana]

Count me in as another satisfied user of silk longjohns. Terramar I think. Anyway the label says "100% Pure Chinese Imperial Silk", 2.9 oz for the top, 3.3 oz for the bottom. It's just enough to take the bite out of the cold when I have to get up in the middle of the night to answer the call of nature. And they help keep my bag clean, too, the original reason I bought them.

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