Winter and cold-weather camping is still far from over in most parts of the country. So if you’re done being stuck in the house and are ready to spend a few nights out of doors, then don’t be afraid of a little cold! Grab a winter camping tent, a warm synthetic sleeping bag, and one of these cozy sleeping bag liners to give that bag’s temperature rating a much needed boost!
Why Use a Sleeping Bag Liner?
Right about now, you might be wondering why you’d want to bother buying a sleeping bag liner when you could just buy a warmer bag. Fair question. And if you spend a lot of time winter camping, buying a 0ºF bag or warmer in addition to a warmer-weather bag like one in the 35º-50º range might be your best bet. After all, a good night’s sleep is vital to enjoying time in the outdoors.
But if you’re only an infrequent winter camper, a sleeping bag meant for extreme temps might be overkill. In addition to taking up space in your gear closet, cold weather bags also tend to be more expensive than less insulating bags, so you’re gonna end up dropping a lot of cash to outfit yourself with all the different bags you need.
A better solution? Buy a bag liner. They’re cheaper, they take up less space, and they extend the usability of the sleeping bag you already have! Some can even increase your bag’s temperature rating by over 30º! BTW, if you haven’t read our post demystifying sleeping bag temperature ratings, you definitely should. It’s craziness.
So here are a few sleeping bag liners that will help you sleep warm on your next winter camping excursion whether it’s close to home or miles into the backcountry.
Sleeping Bag Liners
Big Agnes Alpha Direct Fleece Liner
No material packs more insulating power for the weight than Alpha Direct (check out our guide to ultralight fleece for more info). Thanks to long, fluffy insulating fibers paired with an open grid pattern, it’s both highly breathable on its own and great at trapping heat when layered with an extra layer like an ultralight sleeping bag. So you better believe this ultralight sleeping bag liner will keep you cozy. Plus, it packs up to a lighter (7oz), more compressible size that’s about the size of a 1-liter Nalgene.
There’s a cinch cord at the top, a mummy bag silhouette, it dries super fast, is soft to the touch, and can also be used on its own in hot climates. Find the Big Agnes Alpha Direct Fleece Liner HERE.
Sea To Summit
Sea To Summit has a full line of sleeping bag liners to suit whatever your camping needs might be! The Thermolite Reactor Liner adds around a thermal boost to your sleep setup while the Extreme version offers even more warmth. The Thermolite Reactor Fleece Liner takes the cake, however, by adding noticeable coziness to your sleeping bag via a warm grid fleece material.
These liners are designed for camping or backpacking and are on the lighter side. During winter camping excursions in Utah, they did seem to boost the coziness factor a touch. The heaviest and warmest weighs 14.8 oz and the lightest only 8.7 oz. Find them all on Sea to Summit’s site here (just avoid any with silk if you’re vegan).
Nemo Tracer Blaze Sleeping Bag Liner
It makes sense that this quality, sustainability-focused outdoor gear brand would make a liner to accompany their cozy bags. And this knit liner is no joke. It’s made with 100% recycled materials, has odor control technology, and on a recent fall canoe camping trip in Maine it made my sleeping bag–which was rated for very near the overnight lows–plenty warm and comfortable. Plus, it only weighs about 13 oz, so it’s useful for camping or backpacking.
So far, this has been one of our favorite bag liners for extra warmth. Find the Nemo Liner here.
Ignik Flipside Heated Bed Cover
OK, so it’s less of a liner and more of a heated pad, but the principle is the same: plug it into a portable power bank, slide it between your sleeping pad and bag, and get cozy pronto. This pad has heating elements down its length so that when you plug it into a power source, electric heat warms you up without being hot to the touch.
It’s best for car camping as opposed to backpacking since it weighs more than 2 lbs, but as long as you have a way to power it, (might we recommend the Bluetti Elite 100), you can stay cozy all night long. Order the Ignik Flipside Heated Bed Cover from REI here.
Sleeping Bag Liner Alternatives
Of course, there are other sleeping bag liners out there. And you can always layer two warm-weather bags for a super cozy setup or layer your bag with an ultralight quilt or blanket. Or check out all these tips for staying warm when winter camping.
Bottom Line
You don’t always have to go out and buy a new sleeping bag for winter camping; sometimes all it takes is a liner to extend the range of the sleeping bag you already have. Just don’t expect any miracles: They aren’t going to boost temp ratings as much as a whole new bag. But a liner also makes an excellent lightweight warm-weather bag for those hot summer nights. And multi-taskers are always a win! Now get out there, sleep warm, and wander on!
Check out These Articles Next:
The comfiest double sleeping pads and bags
The 5 best winter barefoot boots
Guide to layering for adventure
