Rab Silk Ascent Hooded Sleeping Bag Liner

I never thought such a small addition could have such a big impact. I added a Rab Silk Ascent Hooded Sleeping Bag Liner to my down quilt and foam pad and found it greatly increased my sleeping system comfort and versatility. I use it alone on cool nights, with a down quilt to add warmth on really cold nights, and as an emergency bag/cover when sleeping in sketchy places.

I never used a silk liner backpacking until my 2018 Appalachian Trail thru-hike.  I love the feel and flexibility that a liner adds to my sleeping system.

I started hiking in Georgia in early March and it was below freezing every night for the first month. I found that the liner added a noticeable amount of warmth to my 20-degree down quilt.

One problem that I ran into with the liner I started with (not Rab) was that it was literally falling apart at the seams before I hit 1,000 miles. I couldn't use it as a bag and it could only serve as a cover at this point. So I purchased a Rab.

The Rab Ascent hooded liner has held up much better and the hood is better.  I'm a pretty warm sleeper, so it's perfect for me to crawl into by itself with temperatures down to about 50 degrees. And on a warm night, I find it's perfect to use as a cover and not crawl inside. It breathes well and I don't sweat under it.

Another feature that I particularly like about my liner is when I use it with my quilt that I strap around a sleeping pad. When I climb inside my Rab liner inside my quilt, and the silk is much more comfortable than the feel of the sleeping pad.

For many years I have used a high R-value, inflatable sleeping pad. I recently started using a foam pad with a much lower R-value and was a bit concerned with staying warm enough. I would recommend the Rab liner for anyone who uses a foam pad and wants a little more warmth added to their sleep system. Using a liner is much cheaper than buying a warmer sleeping bag and adds versatility to your sleeping system.

The hood on the Rab has a drawstring unlike some other liners. I didn't initially find the drawstring to be particularly useful and found the cord and cord lock to be irritating as I rolled around. But the cord is effective if you want to put it around your head or hold a pillow.

To save space, I find that I can squish the liner with my quilt when packing and it takes up very little space and weight is negligible.  

The Rab liners only come in one size. I'm 5'8", 175 lbs and fit in the bag with plenty of room to spare both width and lengthwise. 

I was bragging about the liner to a fellow backpacker and she didn't think she would like it because she doesn't like sleeping on silk. I showed her that the Rab Ascent liner doesn't feel the same as silk sheets and she agreed it was very comfortable.

In addition to comfort and versatility, using a silk liner helps keep your stinky body away from your sleeping bag. I didn't wash my down bag during my AT thru-hike but it was very easy to wash my liner repeatedly.

Another use that I've found is that when I'm sleeping in a place that I only need a light cover or don't want to use the linens provided, I love having my Rab silk liner to sleep in. 

Silk bags don't last forever and they require a little TLC to prevent damage as they get a few miles on them. Small holes in the silk will form and the seams will loosen. Both of these are potential spots for failure if not handled carefully. I have not tried any sewing or patching repairs. I'm taking my 1,500-miles-used Rab liner on my Pacific Crest Trail hike in 2022.  

In terms of comfort, I didn't notice much difference between my original popular name-brand liner and my Rab, but in terms of overall performance and longevity, I found the Rab Ascent liner to hold up much better. 

Background

I have been using silk bag liners for four years and Rab is the second one that I've purchased. I hiked >1000 miles on the AT with my Rab liner and on many backpacking trips for the past three years. I have used it in four-season conditions.