Owner Review

Design Salt Cocoon mummy liner            February 6, 2005

Reviewer Biography

Name: Adam Bowerman

Age: 22

Gender: Male

Height: 5’ 10” (178 cm)

Weight: 135 lbs  (61 kg)

Email address: adam2ant@yahoo.com

City, State, Country: Atlanta, GA, USA

Backpacking Background: I am still probably considered a newbie, but have been on numerous weekend hikes and a few weeklong hikes through all different terrain. I have hiked mostly in the Southeast, but have been all over the country during the summer months. I am hiker who tries to carry the bare minimum, while being able to stay comfortable at camp.

Product information

Manufacturer: DesignSalt Cocoon

Manufacturer URL: www.designsalt.com

Year of manufacture: 2003

Model: Cocoon silk mummy liner

Size: Natural 95 x 35 in tapering to 22 in at
the foot (241x89/56 cm)

Weight: 4.7 oz (133 g)

Weight as delivered: 4.7 oz (133 g)

Material: Silk

Stuff sack size: 6x3 in (15x8 cm)

Retail price: $49 US

The Cocoon silk mummy liner is a liner to put in a sleeping bag to add warmth. The product claims to add at least 9.5° F  (5.28° C) to the sleeping bag’s rating. I have not measured this with any real scientific device but have noticed a definite increase of warmth in my sleeping bag due to this product.

When I bought this product it came with a silk stuff sack to keep it in but I usually just throw it into the bottom of my sleeping bag and keep it there. I haven’t noticed any extra hassle putting my sleeping bag into its stuff sack because of the extra space the mummy liner takes.

If it isn’t cold enough to use the liner I let it sit in the bottom of my sleeping bag to help keep my feet warm. If it’s too hot to sleep in my sleeping bag I sleep in the liner alone, which has been very useful in my summer hikes.

Trail experiences

I have used this liner in both below 20° F (-6.66° C) and around 80° F (26.67° C) nights, and have found it useful in both situations. I first bought this bag in the summertime to use it as a sleeping bag if it were too hot to sleep in my bag. Living in the southeast, I have had many experiences where I have used the liner alone because it was too hot to sleep in my sleeping bag. During the past few winter months I have slept in freezing temperatures with my sleeping bag (rated to 30° F (–1.1° C)), but I was able to stay warm and comfortable because of the added warmth of the liner. This has really saved me a few nights. I had slept in these temperatures before without the liner and was not able to sleep or stay warm. I was either wearing all my clothes in my sleeping bag and sweating or not wearing enough clothes to stay warm within my sleeping bag.

The silk liner also has great wicking qualities. I have managed to sweat in my sleep and not notice it at all until I woke up the next morning to find a wet sleeping bag but a dry body. The liner will really start to stink after a while if sweating occurs. The bag washes well with mild soap on a gentle machine cycle.

The length of this liner seems a little excessive but in those really cold nights it is important to take advantage of the liner’s pull strings that fasten around my head. The drawstrings have to be pulled tight for it to stay around my head the whole night. It is also very easy to get all tangled up in it, but not it’s not overly annoying.

It is a very comfortable liner to sleep with because of its silk material and the room that its dimensions allow me to roll around in. My shoulder width is 17.5 in (44.45 cm), my hips are 13 in (33.02 cm), and my feet put together are 7.5 in (19.05 cm). Obviously from the liner’s dimensions, which are from 33 in (84 cm) down to 22 in (56 cm), I have much room to roll around in. 

Overall I have been very pleased with this product. It has been one of the best things I've added to my hiking ensemble.  Because it is fairly light and small I think it is always a good thing to carry.

Likes: Adds significant warmth for a little amount of weight and size.