When it comes to buying all the essential items for your trip, you may think that a sleeping bag liner is overkill…but these little beauties aren’t purely used as a removable lining for your sleeping bag, and there are a number of reasons why you should consider buying a sleeping bag liner for your gap year.
Add Warmth to Your Sleeping Bag
This is possibly the most well known reason for buying a sleeping bag liner, and is often the reason people travelling to countries with a warmer climate will think that they don’t need one. Silk liners are a popular option for people wanting to add warmth to their sleeping bag, and you can also buy special thermolite sleeping bag liners, which can add 1-2 seasons (or more, depending on the model!) to your sleeping bag’s rating. Thermolite liners are particularly useful for travellers who need a warmer sleeping bag, without the large pack size and hefty weight. The pack size is minimal and they can combine it with a low season bag to create a sleeping bag with a higher season rating.
Keep your Sleeping Bag Clean
Sleeping bags are a pain to keep clean, and after months and months of sleeping in the same sleeping bag night after night, you’ll start to wish you could wash it! If you sleep with a sleeping bag liner inside your sleeping bag, you can easily remove the liner and wash it, then leave it out to dry during the day (it’ll dry in no time in those tropical climates!) By using a sleeping bag liner in addition to your sleeping bag, you can help pro-long it’s lifespan and avoid having to bin it when you can no longer handle the stench!
Avoid Dirty Bedding
Don’t get us wrong, some hostels have an impressive standard of hygiene, but you may well come across some that leave a lot to be desired in that department! If you do come across dirty bedding during your trip, having your own little (clean) cocoon that you can climb into will make bed time less of a daunting prospect. Some liners also come with a sleeve for pulling over your pillow, so if it’s just the pillow that looks a little suspect…or you’re a bit of a germ freak, you can just pull the sleeve over the hostel pillow.
Prevent Insect Bites
Bed bugs can be a problem in many hostels around the world, as these little critters thrive in mattresses and come out to feast on unsuspecting backpackers as they sleep! For this reason, special sleeping bag liners with insect repellent properties have been developed. Lifeventure’s EX3 treated liner repels bed bugs, as well as mosquitoes and is also anti-bacterial to help keep it fresher for longer.
Use Instead of a Sleeping Bag
Depending on your travel plans, you may find that you don’t even need to pack a sleeping bag for your trip, especially if you’re sleeping in hostels in tropical climates. For people travelling in countries with a warm climate, a sleeping bag can sometimes be a little uncomfortable, so a cotton or silk sleeping bag liner can be a good alternative to a sleeping bag. Obviously, if you plan on sleeping outdoors at any point, you will want to pack a travel sleeping bag.