Were you searching for the best sleeping bag liner because your old one got too worn out to use? You came to the right place as we already did the hard part which is the research and this article compiles our results. Have a look, and perhaps you’ll find one you like.
At the very least you’ll learn more about them, as well as reasons why some are better than others, if personal preferences stay out of the way.
Some folks are picky eaters while others are picky sleepers. Picky sleepers have a hard time when they travel or sleep anywhere else that is not their own bed or sheets. Some people have phobias related to bacteria and viruses and don’t really like to take any chance when it comes to sleeping in an unfamiliar environment.
At times, those with weaker immune systems need more protection from their surroundings, especially when sleeping.
All these issues are very serious and some of you might not even know of what you’d do if you were in their shoes. Luckily, a sleeping bag liner can make most of these folks sleep better at night, even if it’s not on their bed. This item serves the same purpose as a regular bed sheet and as such it is the closest item coming in contact with your body, other than your sleeping apparel.
Telling a sleeping bag and its liner apart
As the name suggests, the sleeping bag liner is an item that goes inside the actual sleeping bag. If you haven’t gone camping, you may not have seen one, and you may not be able to tell the two camping gears apart. There are several features setting these two items apart.
The main visible difference between the two is that a sleeping bag, or a mummy bag, has a hood to protect your head. The liner doesn’t have this hood, but it is long enough to come between your head and whatever you place under it.
There are a few other differences between the two. For starters, you can sleep only in the mummy bag without being cold, but you can’t do the same with a liner, unless it is summer. The liner goes inside the sleeping bag, but not the other way around.
There is yet another feature setting the two products apart, but you’d need to touch them. The mummy bag has a filling, usually goose down or a synthetic fiber. The filling insulates and warms up the person inside. The liner is a single layer and it is usually made of a single type of fiber: silk, polyester, or fleece.
This feature directly influences the size and weight of the item. Silk and polyester liners don’t add much bulk or weight to your bags, but fleece products add quite a lot of volume.
The several reasons to get a sleeping bag liner
As already mentioned, there are several reasons to buy and use a sleeping bag liner. The main purpose is to use it inside your mummy bag when you go camping. It appears that not many campers pay attention to owning and using such an item. But this attitude should change because the liner will add a few degrees to the temperature inside the bag. This is extremely useful if you go camping in an area where the temperatures can drop considerably.
Another reason is to keep your mummy bag clean for a longer period of time. This is extremely useful if you sweat more than the average Joe. The liner will absorb the perspiration and it gets cleaned much easier and dries faster than your bag.
Now consider the following scenario. You’re invited over to your friend’s house and you end up spending the night over. Will you feel more comfortable sleeping in your own sheets or in some sheets that you can’t be sure when they were last changed.
Another rather icky situation is when you go to a hotel and you don’t really want to touch the sheets even if they appear clean. Wouldn’t you be more comfortable to sleep in something you know for sure to be clean?
Consider you had a sensitive child that got sick really easy. If they were to have a sleepover event you wouldn’t really want them to miss on. You could give them a hypoallergenic liner to make sure they don’t get sick or an allergy outbreak while sleeping in the house of other people. Given you would own one, of course.
You should know that some liners can be opened up and be used as blankets too. This is especially true for the fleece liners. These products are ideal for more situations including camping, sleepovers, napping on the couch, in the office, in the plane, and so on.
For instance, you can even use the 2-in-1 liner as a blanket for two should it be really cold during your expedition. All you’d need to do is to throw it over your sleeping bag and that of another person. You’d both be warmer and avoid resentments.
Perhaps there are more stuff to be said about the sleeping bag liners, however you should now know all you needed to know, and you can go shopping for one. We tried to choose the best of them, so have a look at our short selection below.
A selection of the best liners for your sleeping bag
Swede Travel and Camping Sheet
Weight: –
Dimensions: 105 x 220 cm (41 x 86”)
Size: One size
Features: Foldable, silky texture,
Best for: Traveling, camping,
If you want to feel almost like at home even though you’re miles away, you can always bring your own Friendly Swede Travel and Camping Sheet with you. But why bring the sheets when you can bring this sleeping bag liner that can achieve the same goal? It is lighter, doesn’t get easily dirty, and it is a better option if you want to avoid contact with hotel sheets or want to keep the sleeping bag cleaner for longer.
You probably wonder what to do when it gets dirty. That’s easy: just set your machine on a cold washing cycle and throw it in. you don’t need to iron it, but you can tumble dry it in low heat. You can get in from a side and use the velcro to close it. The lack of zippers is great if you think operating them at night can be difficult. One of the best features this liner comes with is its lifetime warranty for which you must register on the manufacturer’s website.
Related: You’ll surely need a towel while traveling, so you could get the Microfiber Sports & Travel Towels made by The Friendly Swede, for you get 2 of them.
Agemore Microfiber Sleeping Bag Liner
Weight: 23 oz (650 g)
Dimensions: 180 x 75 cm (71 x 30″)
Size: One size
Features: Machine wash, hypoallergenic, lint-free
Best for: Traveling, camping,
Everyone needs a good and lightweight blanket, especially if they like to travel or camping. This product is perfect for them because it can be used a sleeping bag liner to add at least 50 degrees more to it, in cold environments. The Agemore Warm Sleeping Bag Liner closes with a zipper, and this means you can also use it as blanket, when you need more warmth.
There are more colors available and this feature is ideal when you want to quickly recognize your stuff from the rest. The colors are rather dark, therefore stains and dirt will have a hard time showing. Speaking of dirt, you can clean this liner in your laundry machine and then hang to dry.
You’ll like to learn that you can zip together two of these liners to have either a double sized liner or a thicker blanket. The fabric is hypoallergenic and lint-free, thus even more sensitive people can use it. The product comes with a storage bag, for protection when not in use or while traveling.
Cocoon Travelsheet – Coolmax
Weight: 0.67 pounds
Dimensions: 86 x 33″
Size: One size
Features: Lightweight, quick drying, breathable
Best for: Traveling, sleepovers
Some people are more sensitive when it comes to sleeping in others’ sheets, like in a hotel, hospital, or even at a friend’s house. This travel Cocoon Travelsheet is a great purchase if you’re one of these people as it adds a layer of protection between you and the provided bedding setting. What’s more, it could also help you sleep better by making you feel more like at home. Should you take it with you while camping, you can use it to add another layer of protection to your sleeping bag, therefore making sure the latter stays clean for longer.
Some people sweat more than others, however this item wicks moisture well allowing them to sleep better throughout the night. It can be used both in cold and warm months while camping or hiking, as it can help with the thermal insulation. This travel sheet is quite stretchy therefore those who fear they would suffocate in it have nothing to fear.
Related: This product cannot be used as blanket, therefore those in need of a blanket can consider the Cocoon CoolMax Blanket which can be used anywhere you go as it has a protective sack.
Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner
Weight: 128 grams (4.52 oz)
Dimensions: 95 x 35”(shoulders) and 22” (feet)
Size: Regular
Features: Lightweight
Best for: Year-round camping, traveling
Silk is well known to keep your body cool in summer while providing some warmth in winter. This being said, you’ll probably be better off using this only in summer considering that silk is a cold fabric, especially when compared to other fabrics like polar fleece, wool, or even cotton. You should know this Cocoon SilkMummy Liner does add some 10 degrees Fahrenheit to your regular sleeping bag, so you will definitely not be cold in winter.
The yarn used in the making of this product is a superior type of silk that doesn’t tear easily. Regular silk threads have been modified to make them stronger. This product can be washed in the washing machine, but hand washing it does the job just as good.
This liner has no zippers, and as such it gives the impression of a really big sock, in which you slide. The head part has a flap that can be placed under or over your pillow, however you cannot cover your face with it, unless you’re a shorter person and slide in deeper.
Related: If you think this product might be difficult to use, you can always check out the Cocoon Silk TravelSheet which has a side opening and a pillow pocket.
SE BI7566 Winter Sleeping Bag Liner
Weight: 8.5 ounces
Dimensions: 75 x 66” (open); 75 x 33” (zipped)
Size: One size
Features: Lightweight, cotton fleece, machine wash
Best for: Year round use, camping, survival kits, traveling
This sleeping bag liner can be used as such in winter, and as a sleeping bag or blanket in summer. The Winter Sleeping Bag Liner has a zipper that can be completely undone to turn the liner into a blanket. Being lightweight, it can be carried anywhere you go, especially if you’ll spent the night away from home.
The color of this product is red, which helps which making stains and dirt really difficult to see. If you need to clean this bag liner all you have to do is to throw it in the laundry machine and start the appropriate cycle. This product is made of polar fleece, therefore you know it will keep you warm at night, even if you were to get wet.
This item raises your temperature by at least 10 degrees fahrenheit. It is advisable to use it either in the sleeping bag or on a sleeping pad, and not directly on the ground.
Related: If you want to be more comfortable while you travel, you can always get a Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow, in a matching color.
Toddler Sheet/Sleep Sack by Amadora
Weight: –
Dimensions: 32 x 64″
Size: Child size
Features: Lightweight
Best for: Camping, sleepovers
Having kids, it is possible that at times you’d have to prepare for sleepover events. You might need extra sheets, or you may want your child to sleep in their own sheets, if they go to another person’s house. This Toddler Sheet by Amadora is perfect for this situation because it is rather easy to pack and it doesn’t occupy a lot of storage space either. Parents will like this product because it is stain resistant, breathable, and it protects really well against bedbugs.
It is well known children have weaker bodies than adults, and sudden changes can make them ill. A sleep sack like this one is surely a good tool to protect them in more aspects. Because of its properties, you can pack this item in the camping bag of your kid as well.
You will want a product like this if you can’t be sure of the conditions in which your child will sleep while away from home. You’ll also be happy to learn of the item’s comfort as it is made of brushed microfiber.
Kelty Fleece Rectangular Liner
Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz (1.3 kg)
Dimensions: Length: 80″ (203 cm); Shoulder Girth: 68″ (173 cm)
Size: Regular/ one size
Features: Snap loops, rectangular
Best for: Camping, hiking
This Kelty Fleece Rectangular Liner is more like a 2-in-1 type of product because while zipped up you can place it inside your sleeping bag for more warmth. You can also unzip it and use it instead of a blanket if it’s too hot, like in summer. The item has snap loops to keep it in place, inside the sleeping bag. Some people might find the zipper and the velcro a bit uncomfortable and restrictive, but this could be because the liner is too small for them.
This particular item doesn’t come in more sizes, and if your built is on the bigger spectrum, you might either search for another liner or not get any at all. This item is made entirely of polar fleece, therefore you can be certain it will keep you warm, no matter the weather, due to its highly insulating properties. You’ll like this camping gear because it is easy to clean and dries fast, while proving useful in many different situations.
Related: If you go mountain climbing in winter and you must make absolutely sure you’ll be warm at night, give the Kelty Mistral Right Hand Sleeping Bag a chance. This product is designed for -40 degrees weather.
Final words
Finding a really good sleeping bag liner can be really easy if you take a look at the above list. All you have to do is to match one of them to your preferences and needs. For instance, some people like silk over cotton, or polyester. Others think there is nothing that can be compared to fleece in terms of warmth and insulation.
Featured Image Source: “Sleeping Bag Liner” by Coventry City Council is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
