Slepping Bag Liner

[partinj]

Hi just wonder if any of you have ever use a em blanket for a slepping bag liner and how warm you were. I have 15 deg mummy from mountain hardware i plan on leaving on Feb 3 2008
:D

[Jim Adams]

not sure...I never tried a liner when I was slepping!

Actually, I really never did try a liner. I've wanted to try many times but read many people complaining of getting wrapped up (tangled) in them while sleeping and constantly being awakened to straighten them out. Still would like to try just to keep the bag cleaner.

geek

[OldStormcrow]

Don't do it! Use the emergency blanket for a liner, that is. If you are winter camping with something plastic and unbreathable like that inside your bag you will stay warm for about 20 minutes. Then you will be soaking wet from the inside out, then you AND your sleeping bag start to freeze. If you want to add a couple of degrees tolerance to your bag, or just want to keep it cleaner, you can get an inexpensive liner at the backpacking store. Kelty makes one, and there are various bed covers for use in hostels that work well, too. Oshmans and Sports Authority both sell a rectangular-shaped polarfleece envelope-type "sleeping bag" thingy for about $15.00 that is pretty light and will add a few degrees to your bag without turning it into a rice steamer.

[iliketacos]

If it gets so cold that you need to use an em blanket as a liner for your 15-degree bag I would suggest (imho) that you be aware of the temp. shift and get the hell off the trail-but I am a weeny. Use a liner as a back-up during the cold months of hiking. I mailed my liner home as a last minute weight saving plan and suffered teribbly for it. As mentioned do not use the em blanket as a liner inside your bag-if you have to I would use the em blanket on the outside of your bag, that's just my opinion. If it gets so freakin' cold that you think you have to I (have) would collapse your tent, slide your sleeping bag into it with the em blanket wrapped around the sleeping bag, cover your tent with leaves, crawl in and pray.

But, with a 15 degree bag and a liner-which should give you at a minimum another 5 degrees of warmth, along with a nalgene filled with hot water at your feet and every stitch of clothing you have, you should be able to survive most 10 degree F. weather.

Hopefully someone will shed some expert light on this matter.

[shelterbuilder]

Don't do it! Use the emergency blanket for a liner, that is. If you are winter camping with something plastic and unbreathable like that inside your bag you will stay warm for about 20 minutes. Then you will be soaking wet from the inside out, then you AND your sleeping bag start to freeze. If you want to add a couple of degrees tolerance to your bag, or just want to keep it cleaner, you can get an inexpensive liner at the backpacking store. Kelty makes one, and there are various bed covers for use in hostels that work well, too. Oshmans and Sports Authority both sell a rectangular-shaped polarfleece envelope-type "sleeping bag" thingy for about $15.00 that is pretty light and will add a few degrees to your bag without turning it into a rice steamer.

Okay, let's see if I can muddy the waters!

The way I understand it, there are two schools of thought with regard to cold weather camping. The first school is the one that says get rid of your excess perspiration as quickly as you can, so that your clothing (insulation) doesn't get soaked. Generally, this is good advice. Any kind of liner (home made or store-bought) that doesn't pass perspiration is NOT going to help you get rid of your sweat - and you'll wake up wet and cold, especially if you try to use it on the outside of your bag.

Now, the second school of thought SEEMS to run counter to this, even though it was devoloped in Arctic conditions. The second school says to keep ALL of your perspiration contained next to your skin!!! Normal skin will STOP sweating when the humidity reaches about 95% (and, yes, you will feel clammy). BUT, if your sweat is 100% contained, it's NOT going into your clothes (insulation), which means that, unless your clothes get wet from the ouside, they will never lose their insulative value. The trick is that you need some type of vapor barrier suit to do this, but it does work. However, it works best under conditions that will be considerably colder than those which you will be facing.

My suggestion is to never use any kind of vapor barrier material on the outside of your sleeping bag. I have used liners (one very good one from many years ago was a perforated vapor barrier which only slowed vapor passage, but was also heat-reflective) and been satisfied with them. I've also bought 2 light-weight bags and used one inside of the other and I like that as well (with temps down to -10 and only had one hood drawn shut). I've often thought about trying the rectangular fleece liners that sell for under $20 - I think that they might work reasonably well, even for someone like me who sleeps cold. And if you sleep REALLY cold, wear your cap to bed.

[Jim Adams]

mis-read the text. I wouldn't use an em blanket as a liner---second rule of thought will work (containing sweat) but it is sooo uncomfortable that you will be warm but never sleep!
I was considering a normal liner.

geek