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If I opened up your tenting gear cabinet, what would I discover? My finest guess could be a complete load of tents, hiking boots, sleeping baggage, and an inflatable mattress or two. However what a couple of sleeping bag liner? I used to be gradual to transform to a sleeping bag liner, I’ll be trustworthy, however these light-weight, comparatively cheap gadgets are the unsung hero of your tenting setup. Certain, it’s exhausting to get enthusiastic about them while you’ve bought all of your devices and equipment, however critically, I implore you by no means to go tenting once more with out one in every of these.
For individuals who haven’t used them, sleeping bag liners are basically skinny sleeping baggage comprised of cotton, silk, or an artificial various that matches inside your sleeping bag. The smallest of those pack right down to in regards to the dimension of your fist and weigh a couple of hundred grams, whereas the bulkiest can rework your growing older summer season sleeping bag right into a three-season dream. Whether or not you’re a fast-and-light thru-hiker, a household automotive camper, or wherever in between, there’s a sleeping bag liner for you — and it is best to undoubtedly purchase it. Right here’s why I believe they’re value their weight in gold.
Sleeping bag liners add insulation
Even a few of the most ardent campers are reluctant to spend a whole bunch of {dollars} on proudly owning a number of sleeping baggage. Likelihood is that if you happen to are inclined to camp within the summertime, you both have a two-season or a light-weight three-season sleeping bag. However now you wish to take issues into winter, you want a brand new bag, proper? Incorrect. Some fleece sleeping bag liners, like this one from Sea to Summit can add as much as 32º to your sleep system. In summer season, it might even be used as a standalone sleeping bag.
In the event you don’t want the additional heat, light-weight polyester, cotton, or silk liners will breathe extra successfully and assist to maintain you cool on heat nights, particularly if you happen to use them with no sleeping bag. Light-weight artificial liners can have an identical weight and temperature ranking to silk, however the extra insulated liners can be heavier and bulkier, so that you gained’t wish to carry them if you happen to don’t want the insulation.
Sleeping bag liners can lengthen the lifetime of your sleeping bag
Whereas it’s doable to wash your sleeping bag after each journey, more often than not, it simply will get opened up, aired out, and packed again into its bag till the subsequent time. Washing a sleeping bag requires house and time, and if you happen to’re tenting regularly, you simply gained’t wish to do it. In any case, you don’t wash your bedding after each night time sleeping in your mattress, proper? However you additionally don’t are inclined to get into your mattress in the identical state you’re in while you climb into your sleeping bag.
After eight hours of pounding the paths, you’re prone to be coated in sweat, mud, and who is aware of what else. A fast wash within the creek may assist, however you’re nonetheless going to be a great distance from clear. In the event you’re utilizing a sleeping bag liner to maintain your sleeping bag clear, most individuals select a silk liner, like this one from Western Mountaineering, for its consolation, breathability, and light-weight. Your sleeping bag liner will defend your sleeping bag from grime and extends its lifespan so that you just don’t have to interchange your tools so usually.
At all times take your sleeping bag liner for staying in huts and hostels
Mountain huts and hostels are a mainstay of hikers and vacationers all over the world. Due to this, you’ll be able to assure that the mattress you’re sleeping in has been utilized by a whole bunch of hikers up to now, all in an identical state to how you are feeling while you crash down onto it. Even when the sheets have been freshly laundered, you’re nonetheless in a mattress that has some mileage on it. A sleeping bag liner will not be solely really useful, however many mountain huts within the US insist that visitors use them.
In the identical means that your sleeping bag liner protects your sleeping bag from you, it might defend you from the mattress you’re about to sleep in. This will help you keep away from accumulating any undesirable clingers-on and act as a barrier between you and others who’ve used the mattress up to now. Vacationers will usually use cotton liners, like this one from REI. Cotton liners are pretty mild, breathable, and reasonably priced, and in hotter hostels, you’ll be able to simply use a liner and keep away from contact with the cover altogether.
Caring to your sleeping bag liner
Let’s be trustworthy, the principle purpose that we don’t wash our sleeping baggage all that usually is as a result of it takes a bit of extra effort. First, you want a unique sort of detergent, and you then’re informed to place it in a tumble dryer with some tennis balls to knock the stuffing again into place. Effectively, the excellent news right here is that, not like your sleeping bag, sleeping bag liners don’t require particular care and a spotlight. As a substitute, they will simply be thrown into the wash with all your different outside gear while you get again out of your tenting journey. However there are a couple of suggestions that may assist hold your liner going for longer.
- Like all outside gear, wash your sleeping bag liner in a low-heat and mild wash. Liners — particularly silk — are delicate and might get broken simply.
- Don’t use any material softener in your sleeping bag liner. It is a good rule for all outside gear, as material softeners will negatively affect the wicking capabilities of your gear.
- Put your sleeping bag liner in a mesh bag or a pillowcase to clean it. It is a must-do if you happen to use a top-loading washer, however I’d advocate it anyway. I’ve misplaced two silk liners to not doing this; they strangle themselves up with different gear and get torn, so now I at all times bag up earlier than washing.
- Air dry your liners. There’s no must tumble dry your sleeping bag liners, they usually’ll last more if you happen to air dry them anyway.
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