Do you use a liner?

JKM

Thru Hiker
Have recently acquired my first down bag and was wondering if should get a liner for it.

I imagine I will always be sleeping in it in cleanish long top / leggins and have a tumble drier etc at home so can wash it myself.

Not too tempted to pay £40+ for a silk liner or carry the weight of a cheaper one. But I also want the bag to last a while.

General consensus for liners, yes or no? Silk or something cheaper?

If you know of something both cheap and light, please share!

Cheers
 

Robin

Moderator
Staff member
Nope. I wear base layers. More comfortable and double use. Rohan ultra silver base layers are nice to sleep in. I've found liners get all tangled.
 
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Shewie

Chief Slackpacker
Staff member
They're a bit of a pain with my zipless bags but I occasionally use one
 
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Mole

Thru Hiker
I take a liner sometimes. Usually in poorer/wet/ cool weather. I sometimes sleep in my trousers if it's cold (rarely take spares), so it protects my bag from dirt.
Or as a boost to my quilt. My liner is only ever worn up to under my armpits, so I cut it shorter and re-hem. EBay is worth a look.

I'd never pay 40 for one though

Pertex is ok.

I prefer my liners trim, if too much fabric, they twist up and annoy.
 
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Davy

Thru Hiker
I've got a cheap silk liner I sometimes use. It's 100g and was a lot less than £40. A bit of a faff but not excessively so.

I normally wear base layers and socks irrespective but may need to revisit this this summer now I've a decent down bag...
 
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Jamess

Section Hiker
I always use a silk liner in my down bags. It increases the interval before the bag needs cleaning. I bought a new one over the weekend for £6.99 from a UK eBay seller.
 
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Munro277

Thru Hiker
Never used one in 30 yrs ..sleep in bed clothes which can at a push be used through the day while walking,but like to have a dry set to put on at camp
 
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Charles42

Trail Blazer
Nope. Find liners get tangled and uncomfortable. Use sleep sox and Rohans , like Robin.Use as change of clothes as well
for camp/evening use . Handy if you get wet during the day . More versatile than a liner.
 

gixer

Thru Hiker
No liner here either, but like a few others on here i also have a clean, dry set of Rohan ultra silver base layers to change into.
 
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JKM

Thru Hiker
The Rohan Ultra silver base layers seem very popular!
I have a pair of the undies and they are exceptionally light, comfy and quick drying. Do the L/S tops and leggings keep you reasonably warm also?
 

Arne L.

Thru Hiker
+1 for sleeping clothes. Only like & used liners in Eastern European hostels where the airco has broken down. :)

A liner has no purpose during my trips. I tried them; used a STS Coolmax and a silk liner but got all tangled up and found them awkward to get in or out.
It's just another thing to take care off, to be honest.
 
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Creamy

Section Hiker
Hi jkm
What's the bag if I can ask?
This is a topic that is about opinions and personal choices. Here's mine.
I use a liner in down bags if out for more than a few nights. So much depends I guess on if you can wash properly before bed usually not much wild camping. I don't carry bed clothes sleep in birthday suit and use either a sea to summit reactalite which is just over 200g and they claim adds 8c or a thin silk in warmer Temps
They can as others point out get all tangled up. Find a cheapie and give it a go.
One point on some cold nights I had my liner wrapped around my neck and hanging down my back while cooking. Didn't take a warmer camp top.
Good luck.
 
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JKM

Thru Hiker
Hi jkm
What's the bag if I can ask?.

Hi, nothing fancy, an alpkit skyehigh500.

I haven't used it yet but I don't really like sleeping bags at the best if times so I think I will find a very cheap liner to test and see if I get on with it. Then at least I can keep it in a decent condition in case I dont get on with the bag and want to sell it.
Last bag was a very cheap synthetic mummy bag from tescos that was quite good actually, well under 1kg and packed down well. Since it only cost me £10 I have not been too worried about keeping it nice.
 

Creamy

Section Hiker
Wouldn't describe the bag that way. A great bag for the price. I have one and a pipedream 400. Considering the Arctic 1200 for next winter. Good luck as said.
 
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Teepee

Thru Hiker
Haven't used my silk liners in a few years now as liners, they only see use as a sleeping bag replacement.

I don't have any issues with the comfort of the things, silk is slippy enough to not tangle round my legs.
 
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JKM

Thru Hiker
A great bag for the price.

Even better as it was half price due to a repair to the hood that takes a while to find, just a tiny adhesive patch on the inside of the lining.
They were out if stock when I bought it so I thought I would ask if they had any old seconds lying around and they had several.
If you want another AK bag it's well worth giving them a call and asking what seconds they have in the shop.
 

shetland_breeder

Ultralighter

The vast majority, if not all, of those cheap 'silk' liners are not made of silk at all but of viscose, (Rayon, 'bamboo' or whatever). You have to read the small print to find out.

Viscose fabric feels vaguely like silk but is similar to cotton in its physical properties. It is made from cellulose (bamboo, soy, sugar cane) by a very environmentally unfriendly process - lots of nasty solvents involved.

Pete
 

Scotty Von Porkchop

Ultralighter
I like a liner in warm weather as it's nice to still be covered up when it's too hot for the quilt and it seems to keep the quilt in better condition when things warm up and sweat is an issue but still cool enough pre dawn to need the quilt (and protects the fabric from my mashed up feet!).

I did buy a silk liner that felt pretty nice but wasn't great for slipping about and was weirdly sweaty. I now use the proper habutai momme which is great but sticks to my calluses and comes really thin bolt of fabric, I usually use safety pins to keep it in place.

In colder weather I use my silk base layers, fragile and uncomfortable to walk in but I love it for sleeping in.
 
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