cloths in sleeping bag

[sailorman50]

i have been reading up on how to take care of one's sleeping bag. it said that the less skin that is exposed in a sleeping bag the longer it will last. so my first thought was to wear long underwear and a long sleeve shirt and socks. is all that really necessary? am i over reacting?

i will be hiking the AT in the summer in a 40 degree sleeping bag (for reference)

[4eyedbuzzard]

I always wear my base layer and clean socks and even a lightweight hat unless it's really hot at night (if not I wash my head and neck thoroughly). If it's too hot for the bag I'll just lay on top of it until it cools off and then crawl in. Usually too hot at night isn't a problem in the mountains. But yeah, wearing a base layer and socks and such or a liner (they're a pain in most people's opinion) will keep your bag much cleaner which is a key to its longevity.

[SCRUB HIKER]

I slept butt naked in my (45-degree, synthetic) sleeping bag all summer on the AT. I've exposed as much sweaty, dirty skin as I possibly could to the bag and it held up just fine. I would prioritize personal comfort over some obsessive bag-longevity argument every time. When it's 75 degrees and humid at night, you're not going to want to be in long johns.

And "too hot at night" is absolutely a problem on the East Coast if you're not in New Hampshire or Maine.

[blackbird04217]

Based on my personal experiences, sleeping with additional layers seemed to reduce the efficiency of my sleeping bag on the colder nights. It would work much better butt naked than hoping in with thermals on. That said, the only thing I see wearing clothes helping is keeping it slightly cleaner, slightly longer. Giving it a wash would probably work a lot better.

[Papa D]

Piling on a bunch of clothes usually doesn't make you warmer - I typically sleep in boxers and a t-shirt in the summer or if it's cool, patagonia long underwear. I do often use a bag liner when it's cool too - a Mont Bell.

[Ashman]

I'm a big fan of bag liners, adds a few degrees on the cold trips, maybe all I need for a warm one. Goes right in the laundry when I get home and is a lot easier to dry.

[Papa D]

I'm a big fan of bag liners, adds a few degrees on the cold trips, maybe all I need for a warm one. Goes right in the laundry when I get home and is a lot easier to dry.

yep - I wash the bag liner sort of like a pair of pants - every third or 4 day or so

[Camping Dave]

Get yourself a nice silk bag liner. Campmor sells them for about 40 bucks. They're great in the winter and summer like Ashman says. On some summer nights a silk bag liner is all the sleeping bag you want.

4eyebuzzerd and a few other folks on this board can't figure out how to use them but 99.9% of the population seems able to understand the concept of a tube with a hole in one end. Kind of like a sleeping bag that packs down to the size of a baseball.​

[Monkeywrench]

During the summer I wear very light-weight silk long johns in my sleeping bag. They are very cool, help keep the bag clean, and prevent that sticky, sweaty feeling on bare skin against the bag fabric.

[sailorman50]

i usually sleep in just boxers as well but i was never taught how to properly take care of one's sleeping bag. idk if im comfortably using just a silk sleeping bag liner, the boy scout in me is saying that isnt being prepared enough.

[Blissful]

Its too hot to wear long john in summer, heavens. Just wash your bag to remove the oils, salt etc.

[lemon b]

Melo wool or in the buff. Depends on the weather.

[HiKen2011]

yep - I wash the bag liner sort of like a pair of pants - every third or 4 day or so

Yeh, I used to wash my underwear that often to, now I just turn it inside out every few days and now get 6-8 days!

[RWheeler]

Yeh, I used to wash my underwear that often to, now I just turn it inside out every few days and now get 6-8 days!

If it rains, then you can consider whichever side is turned out to be clean again. BOOM! 10-12 days.

[Papa D]

Its too hot to wear long john in summer, heavens. Just wash your bag to remove the oils, salt etc.

Not lately but not long ago, I've had 30 degree temps in the "summer" in GSMNP !!