If you have a sleeping bag, you may wonder - what’s the point of investing in a liner too?
But just like popping on thermal layers in the winter, adding a sleeping bag liner to your camping kit can give you extra insulation against chilly temperatures without adding a whole lot of bulk.
It’s an awful feeling waking up because you’re so cold when you’re out camping. Summer days may give us balmy weather but when the sun drops, the temperature does too. Boosting your sleeping bag’s warmth, a liner is like draping an extra blanket onto a duvet, keeping you snug as a bug all night long.
Those couple of 2 -3 degrees of extra warmth can make all the difference on a cold night. And if it’s the middle of a heatwave, cast aside your sleeping bag entirely and bed down in the liner alone.
As well as warmth, having a liner is a good idea from a hygiene standpoint too. If you’ve been hiking, climbing, biking or engaging in another sweaty activity as is de rigueur in the wild, the liner acts as a barrier between the grime on you and the inside of your bag. When you’re outdoors for stints longer than a weekend, it’s easier to wash the liner than to wash (and dry) your entire sleeping bag - although a deep clean every so often is a good idea. Less washing of the actual bag means you’ll get more use out of it.
They’re not just good for camping; backpackers would do well to invest in one too. Hostels don’t have the greatest reputation for hygiene and sleeping in a liner offers peace of mind when you’re slipping in between unfamiliar sheets. Costs are from around a tenner, so adding a sleeping bag liner to your luggage won’t make much of a dent to your budget.
Liners come in regular rectangular shapes as well as curved mummy styles to best match your sleeping bag. With a season of festivals ahead, not to mention camping trips and potential overseas adventures, get ahead of the curve and invest in one now.
We’ve rounded up the best options below to make them easier to shop.
Sea to Summit Reactor Plus (Compact) Thermolite Mummy Liner
Made from cosy yet lightweight Thermolite, Sea to Summit’s design is less of a liner and more of a warm-weather sleeping bag. It’s offered in a mummy shape to conform to popular sleeping bag shapes with a box foot to give you extra wiggle room. It packs down to minute proportions in its own stuff sack and is machine washable too, so keeping it looking and smelling fresh is as easy as slinging it in with your next wash.
Buy now £54.99, Amazon
Rab Silk Ascent Sleeping Bag Liner
Weighing 120g, this is one of the best liners on the market; silky smooth against skin, and tissue light, folding down so tightly you can easily stuff it into one of your backpack’s side pockets. Reach for this liner in high summer when temperatures are at their highest and you’ll find yourself having a comfortable night’s sleep, covered without feeling smothered.
Buy now £42.00, Tiso
Mountain Warehouse Microfibre Mummy Sleeping Bag Liner
Measuring 193 x 137cm, this liner is ideal for sleeping under the stars on warm nights. Constructed from microfibre, it’s clean, hygienic and lightweight. The fact it comes with its own carry bag is undoubtedly a plus, but rolling it back in can be tricky until you’ve mastered the art. Best for trips where you’re parking at the tent pitch.
Buy now £14.99, Mountain Warehouse
OEX Silk Rectangle Sleeping Bag Liner
Made from 100 per cent silk, this smooth and luxurious rectangle liner makes sleeping in sweltering temperatures that much easier. Housed in a drawstring carry bag, it’s compact to pack into backpacks and dries really quickly, making it perfect for gap years and round-the-world adventures.
Buy now £50.00, Go Outdoors
VACNITE Sleeping Bag Liner
There’s no reason not to add a liner to your camping gear, especially when it packs down to the size of a reusable water bottle, or 155g. Offered in a rectangular shape, this microfibre liner even has a sleeve to add pillows and cushions to up the comfort levels. And at this price, why wouldn’t you?
Buy now £17.99, Amazon
Mountain Warehouse Microfibre Mummy Sleeping Bag Liner
Made for mummy-style sleeping bags with rounded hoods and tapered legs, this machine-washable polyester liner is just the ticket to keeping warm at night. The teal-coloured design not only adds some style to your outdoors set-up but it will help prolong the life of your sleeping bag too, keeping it in good nick for the season ahead.
Buy now £14.99, Mountain Warehouse
Craghoppers NosiLife Stretch Liner - Poseidon Blue
Made from part recycled fibres, this 515g liner offers a few extra features to the other options on our list. One, it’s got an anti-insect treatment built into the fabric, giving you a bit of extra protection against creepy crawlies. There’s also moisture-control, sweat-wicking properties to ensure sleep is as dry and as comfortable as possible. It packs down to pleasingly small proportions. Oh, and there’s a dedicated pocket to hold your pillow so it’s not slipping all over the tent floor at night. Big ticks from us.
Buy now £22.00, Craghoppers
Lifeventure Silk Ultimate Sleeping Bag Liner
Enjoy a breathable kip wrapped in silk thanks to Lifeventure's sleeping bag liner. Designed to regulate body temperature at the optimum level as you snooze, it will turn any sleeping bag into a luxurious bed. It even comes with a pillow sleeve to protect your headrest and there's a hidden pocket just big enough to tuck a passport into, making this perfect for keeping the essentials close on backpacking trips.
Buy now £65.00, Rohan
Cocoon 100% Silk Mummy Liner
Whether you're looking for an extra layer of insulation in your camping gear or you need something lightweight for summer snoozing, Cocoon's silk liner will have you doing it in utmost comfort. It's double-stitched for extra robustness and comes with a drawstring good for head cover too. Adding this to a standard sleeping bag will increase temperatures by up to 5.3°C.
Buy now £80.00, Cotswold Outdoor
