Will a sleeping bag liner without a sleeping bag be enough in the middle of summer?
 

My wife and I will be taking our first weeklong tour this year. It will be in the latter part of July and average low temps are around 64.
Does anyone of you have any experience with using only the sleeping bag liner, not a sleeping bag?
I sleep 'hot, but I do like a sheet over me at night.
My wife sleeps 'cold', but she thinks a liner with a t-shirt will be enough

Do you prefer silk or cotton? I am used to cotton sheets

Any advice is appreciated

Duppie

I really like silk sleeping bag liners. Cotton ones are a bit warmer perhaps, but maybe not. They feel thicker though.

I wouldn't leave the sleeping bag at home... You never know what can happen. It's colder in nature after it gets dark and it gets humid during the night, and if you do need your sleeping bag, you'll definitely end up regretting it and it could be enough to ruin the trip.

I wouldn't play around with anything that can compromise a good night's sleep.

Can't you find out in the backyard?

Bring the bag. That said, I am the classic over packer.

In a late August ride from New York to North Carolina, I went without a sleeping bag without problem.

Lots of questions to ask yourself....
How warm is your tent?
Would you be willing to put on all your extra clothing to stay warm ?

I really think you'll be OK with just the liner. I use a silk one personally and love it.

Mike

Classic chicken and egg problem. I don't have the liner, nor a good sleeping bag yet. I was hoping to find out before making a purchase.

Duppie

If you don't have either and are planning to do more trips in the future you may as well get a small 2 season sleeping bag and not worry about a liner at all. Should give you the most flexibility.

Wouldn't be good enough for me. I'd need a bag.

Listen to the pig.

Some summers are colder than others. 1996 and 2000, for example, were relatively cool in my neck of the woods. If you are camping at high elevation, it can get cold before dawn. If you get drenched during a storm, you will probably want a way to stay warm at night. Better to carry a sleeping bag and never use it than not to have one when you really need it.

There are featherweight summer bags that will keep you warm down to around 8 degrees C (45 degrees F) and weigh a kilo (2 lbs) or less. If it's made of down, it will pack down real small.

Where are you going for this week?

For example, if you were coming here to Alberta, I might recommend the sleeping bag liner and a down sleeping bag ... and a sarong ... and a blanket ... and several layers of clothing you could sleep in ... and a balaclava to wear at night to keep your head warm ... and ....

I bring two itty bitty sleeping bags and a sarong. In some places I'm wrapped in the sarong inside both sleeping bags, in other places I sleep on top of the bags (they make an additional cushioning layer for the mattress) with just my sarong over me. It all depends on the night.

We will be doing RAGBRAI. I know what you are going to say....It's supported, why bother about the extra weight...but a good bag costs upward of $100. A good liner goes for under $50.

Duppie

And a good nights sleep - Priceless! An appropriate sleeping bag or system is a must as is an adequate tent. I have been on trips where I ended up being the only dry person with dry gear in the group. The savings in dollars and weight are nothing compared to trying to travel exhausted and miserable. Since it is your first tour I would say be a little bit conservative and travel comfortably.

How about a liner for each of you and one rectangular bag you can unzip and use as a blanket?

Another option is to just bring a lightweight sheet that you already own, and maybe buy small camping blankets that are inexpensive (such as at wal-mart or campmor or rei). I'm warm at 64 degrees (average low) and would probably sleep with only a thin sheet, if that. My wife would prefer a lightweight blanket if there was a breeze.

I have two fleece liners that I can double up and use as a lightweight bag - they'll get the job done, but if you have a night that is colder than average you might be miserable. I would probably take a lightweight bag, or at least back a couple of emergency blankets (good ones, like a HeatSheet or a Sportsman's Blanket from Campmor, not one of those 99-cent mylar cheapies) just in case...

This could possibly be a light weight blanket for the two of you if the expected conditions deteriorate.
[66 in X 84 inches and 22 ozs.]

I have one and have it found quite useful on tour.

http://www.kifaru.net/woobie.htm

I can't imagine a situation where bringing a sleeping bag can be considered overpacking...

JP

I scored a super stuffable survival bag at MontBell a few years back. It stuffs down the size of an orange, but is rated +25degF so plenty for your uses.

It was super cheap, too.

Check out that route. My wife has one and she keeps it in her car in winter just in case she and the kiddo get stranded.

It's what I would take on RAGBRAI.

Remember 64 is an average, but that could be a combo of a 75 degree night followed by a 53 degree night. Is that probable? No. Possible? Yes. If it rains hard it gets cold quick.

You can save yourself from having to overpack warm clothing if you have a nice bag.

Another tip: take chocolate chips to bed with you. Keeping your metabolism going with sugars keeps your system warmer. And a good hat is priceless...I like Mountain Hardwear's windstopper Cascade hat. It's TOO warm, but will ensure a warm night's sleep.

I wouldn't do the liner only route.

when I Mt. guided in the Cascades I would take my -40degF rated bag, even for basecamp in July well below snowline. Yeah, overkill for you, but an example of the fact that overkill can be ok. When hot I would sleep on top of it, but I liked having it and knowing for sure I could handle any situation...and even when I slept on top of it my night was more enjoyable having all that down and snuggliness around me.

Get a bag.

I only needed that single experience I had one time when I decided not to bring both pieces of the sleeping bag. Let me tell you, it can get pretty cold at night sometimes when you least expect it. There's no comparison to anything you do at home in your regular bed.

Here's what I have: http://www.gearzone.com/Montbell-UL-.../165-19014.htm

Warmer than I thought, but I've been in it below 30 and been happy. Not a terrible price, either, especially for down!

I made that mistake once. I was down in New Orleans in August and it was really hot, so I left the sleeping bag behind - BIG mistake! I was freezing every night - I made it but it wasn't comfortable. Now, a sleeping bag is required equipment.

The short answer is yes. A silk liner can be pretty warm. The long answer is, depends on how prepared you want to be. I'd personally take a bag 40 to 50 deg. bag that folds out into a quilt. At 1lb10oz. (for the bag I have) It's not much heavier or space consuming than a sheet or liner, and I know I'll be warm down to 40deg.