sleeping bag liners

[Dick]

What are forum members' opinions on sleeping bag liners? How much warmth improvement do they realistically provide? What materials are best? Thanks.

[Neil]

Dick, my favourite sleeping bag liner is Sylvie!
OK, the only one I've ever used is completely impermeable but has no insulating value. It's a vapour barrier condom sort of thing and it works a treat if your on a multi-day winter trip with a down bag and the mercury is very depressed. I wear light polyprope to bed and don't feel clammy at all and I usually sweat a lot.

[redhawk]

What are forum members' opinions on sleeping bag liners? How much warmth improvement do they realistically provide? What materials are best? Thanks.

1: Silk: about 15 degree gain
2. Microfleece: about 12 degree gain

[Judgeh]

How are you Dick? I never got around to overnighting on the A.T. as we talked about in October.

The Sea to Summit Reactor Liner mentioned in Kevin's post #3 of the Wiggys and other bivies column is grabbing my attention. Very small for packing and apparently very effective! It's on my list for St. Nick.

[Kevin]

The Sea to Summit Reactor Liner mentioned in Kevin's post #3 of the Wiggys and other bivies column is grabbing my attention. Very small for packing and apparently very effective! It's on my list for St. Nick.

I'm pleased now having used it for 3 nights of varying temperature in the woods. I can see how this would actually work during the summer months all by itself. It's next to nothing on weight or size for the comfort on a really cold night.

http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442583786&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=282574488340239&fromTemplate=products%2Fproduct_detail.jsp&bmUID=1098674624958#specs

[lumberzac]

Kevin,
Have you found any negatives with the liner?

[Dick]

Thanks for the replies. Redhawk, do you have a particular silk liner in mind? Where did you get your temp. figures? Sea to Summit Reactor liner looks nice. They claim up to 15 degree gain. A little pricey, though. EMS salesman quoted only a 5-10 degree gain on fleece. Of course I realize these figures are all relative and many factors are involved.

Judgeh, nice to hear from you. I was wondering about the AT trip, but assumed something came up. Summer was fun and I hope we can hike again.

[redhawk]

Thanks for the replies. Redhawk, do you have a particular silk liner in mind? Where did you get your temp. figures? Sea to Summit Reactor liner looks nice. They claim up to 15 degree gain. A little pricey, though. EMS salesman quoted only a 5-10 degree gain on fleece. Of course I realize these figures are all relative and many factors are involved.

Judgeh, nice to hear from you. I was wondering about the AT trip, but assumed something came up. Summer was fun and I hope we can hike again.

The figures I quoted are tre concensus for those materials. I have used those figures in my calculations and have never had a problem. The micro fleece is much more efficent then regular fleece and is lighter.

[Judgeh]

EMS has a sale right now if you have 3 purchases and sales stamps sent in the mail.

[Kevin]

Kevin,
Have you found any negatives with the liner?

None.

[Dick]

Kevin, what bag were you using, and in what temps?

[Kevin]

Kevin, what bag were you using, and in what temps?

25 degree down bag with liner, slightly below freezing (25-30F). Very comfy.

This past weekend I tried the liner with my zero degree bag in 25-30F and it was overkill, the zero degree was sufficient on its own. The liner is definitely only needed for extreme situations (like single digits or colder). In that weather I'm using a hot Nalgene in the bottom too.

[fortysixer5032]

Sleeping bag liners

I pack my silk liner for both summer and winter. Big improvement. Weighs nothing, takes up no space, wears like steel, and gives me about 10 degrees of additional range on my bag. Summers it replaces the bag entirely.

Also, switched a year ago to a Hennessey Hammock. Lighter than tent, waaay more comfort and ventilation than standard tent, cleaner, easier to enter and exit, fabulous 360 degree bug screen, and terrific entry/exit through Velcro longitudinal slit in bottom.

fortysixer5032

[redhawk]

I pack my silk liner for both summer and winter. Big improvement. Weighs nothing, takes up no space, wears like steel, and gives me about 10 degrees of additional range on my bag. Summers it replaces the bag entirely.

Also, switched a year ago to a Hennessey Hammock. Lighter than tent, waaay more comfort and ventilation than standard tent, cleaner, easier to enter and exit, fabulous 360 degree bug screen, and terrific entry/exit through Velcro longitudinal slit in bottom.

fortysixer5032

Which model did you get Joel? And what do you use for a sleeping pad?

[Dick]

I'd be interested in knowing more about the opinions of silk vs. fleece (or other liner material), with warmth gain as the criterion. I'd be willing to carry a few more ounces for a warmer liner. I'm not interested in a VBL. I know Redhawk prefers silk (and he claims 15 degree gain) to fleece (12 degree gain). Joel claims a 10-degree gain for silk. I don't understand how these figures are arrived at. Redhawk mentions a "consensus" but whose consensus? Commercially I have seen the gain for fleece at anywhere between 5 and 15 degrees. Is everyone putting these liners into the same bags? Using the same pads (in winter, I have used a Thermarest for years). Eating the same meals? In the same temperature/climate? I'd love some help with this. Thanks.

Dick