"Owner Review - Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner"


Personal Information :

Name : Ralph Ditton

Age : 53

Gender : Male

Height : 1.76 m (5' 9”)

Weight : 79 kg (12 st 6 lb) (174 lb)

Email : rdassetts@optusnet.com.au

City : Perth, Western Australia

Date : 25th March, 2005.



Backpacking Background :



Apart from my Air Force Cadet days, age from 13 to 17, where we camped out
in the bush, I only took up backpacking seriously some four years ago.

I have been walking the Bibbulmun Track in sections, some sections more than
once, and usually in the opposite direction, and my goal is to complete the
964 km (603 mi) and become an End to End walker. So far I have completed
approximately  2/3 of the Track from North to South, and 1/4  South to
North.



I have evolved from a very heavyweight (averaging 28 kg [61.5 lb])
backpacker to a midweight backpacker, averaging on the first day out, 18 kg
(38 lb) and I am aiming to go lower, funds permitting to purchase more
lightweight gear. Food and water are included in the weights.
My trips are usually between 3 to 5 days duration.



Product Information



Thermolite Reactor Sleeping Bag Liner

Manufacturer : Sea to Summit

Year of Manufacture : 2003

Year of Purchase : 2003

Made in : China

Website : www.seatosummit.com.au <http://www.seatosummit.com.au/>

Listed Weight : 230 gm (8.1 oz)

Total Weight : 250 gm (8.8 oz) including stuff sack

Packed Length : 15.5 cm (6 ¼”)

Circumference : 31 cm (12 ¼”)

Rolled Out Length : 210 cm (6' 10 11/16")

Width at Shoulders : 90 cm (2' 11 7/16)

Width at Feet : 23 cm (9”)

Fabric : Thermolite(R) by Dupont

Colour : Black

MSRP : AUS$79



Product Description


The Sleeping Bag Liner is of a mummy design with a box foot construction and
hood.

Thermolite is a soft, stretchy fabric, which is supposedly odour resistant.
The fibers are hollow-core to trap insulating air, thereby maximizing body
heat and wicking moisture to the outside of the fabric.


Construction of the Liner is by way of an overlocking stitch down both long
sides and around the box foot.

The Liner is unable to be opened down any side.


A drawstring is enclosed in a sleeve that goes around the circumference of
the hood and across the chest/shoulder level.

Locking the drawstring into place is a spring-loaded toggle. I am able to
operate the drawstring whilst inside the Liner.


I estimate warmth is increased by up to 8 C (15 F) depending on individual
metabolism,and when the individual last ate before going to sleep


The manufacturer also makes a similar claim on its packaging (Increases
warmth by up to 8 C (15 F), without any qualification.

The material is fast drying and machine washable.

The appearance of the Liner is one of an oversized pantihose, not silk nor
nylon, but of that other material that elderly ladies wear on their legs.




Field Information:
Locations for testing

Pool to Northcliffe on the Bibbulmun Track in the South West of Western Dog
Australia.  April 2004



4 nights and 5 days



Night time lows 8 C to 10 C (46 F to 50 F)  Day time high 32 C (90 F)

I used the Liner every night in conjunction with my Supermini Sleeping Bag
made by The Great Outdoors in New Zealand, which has 150 gm (5 oz) of White
Goosedown 90/10 fill which is rated +2 C to + 7 C (35 F to 45 F). The weight
of the Sleeping Bag is .71 Kg (1.56 lb) with a packed volume of 1.9 L (116
Cu in) and a packed size of 29 x 19 cm (9.06 x 4.72 in). I found that I was
very comfortable in the combination with no cold spots apparent.

I slept in thermal top and pants.



I have used the Sleeping Bag without the Liner at these temperatures and
have still been comfortable , however, I primarily use the Liner as
protection for my Sleeping Bag as I do not want to wash a Down Bag and risk
damage to the feathers.



Swamp Oak to Murray on the Bibbulmun Track in the South West of Western
Australia. July 2004

1 night 2 days

Night time low 2 C (36 F) Day time high 26 C (79 F) Wet most of the time.


Although the night time temperature was lower, I still wore the same type of
thermal, slept in the same Supermini Sleeping Bag and added a Beanie for my
head to stop loss of heat from my head.
I was comfortable and enjoyed a good night’s sleep.






Brookton to Mundaring on the Bibbulmun Track south of Perth in Western
Australia. August 2004

4 nights 5 days

Night Time low -5 C (23 F) Day time high 23 C (73 F)

Average Night time low -2 C (28 F)



This trip was very cold at night with heavy mist on one night which the
torch beam could only penetrate an estimated 10 m (11 yd).

Using the Liner and same Sleeping Bag I also dressed in thermal top, thermal
pants, track suit, socks and beanie. Overall I was comfortable, but if I
wriggled around some of the body heat appeared to vanish and my system had
to generate heat to make up for the loss. Motto: do not wriggle in bed. In
the early hours just before sunrise, cold spots were apparent on my knees
and back at waist level as these two spots were in contact with the inside
edges of the sleeping bag and the fill was scarce at those locations, a zip
down one side and a seam down the other. But I was not driven out of the bag
and liner like my mate , who only had a light-weight  Sleeping Bag, and had
to sit by the fire to keep warm.

The Liner is smaller than the Sleeping Bag, so it does allow me to wriggle
around inside the Sleeping Bag. It is like wearing a loose fitting stocking
inside the Sleeping Bag.






Other Aspects :


Whilst in camp of an afternoon when the air was cool, I would hop into the
Liner only and have a read and then a rest, and be perfectly comfortable
temperature wise.

The estimated afternoon average temperature would have been around 16 C (61
F).

At home, I will often bring out the self inflating mattress and the
Thermolite Liner and have an afternoon sleep on the lounge room floor. The
Liner keeps the air-conditioning breeze off me so I don’t get a chill whilst
asleep, or wake up cold.

In the Summer months it is possible to use the Thermolite Liner only at
night and do away with the Sleeping Bag. I have done it once recently on an
overnight trip, when the night temperature was around 17 C (63 F).

As there are no side openings on the Liner, I find it easier to
thread myself into the Liner feet first, and when I want to get out at night
for a nature call, I find it easier to get out of the Sleeping Bag but
still inside the Liner, then peel the Liner off me, leaving it on top of the
Sleeping Bag.

Upon my return, find the entrance, slip my feet into it and pull it up into
place, then insert myself into the Sleeping Bag.

I tried getting into and out of the Liner whilst it was inside the Sleeping
Bag and all I achieved was a tangle. In addition, I lost a lot of residue
heat from
the Sleeping Bag trying to wriggle into the Liner and untangle it, so it
took a lot longer to get warm again.


Odour Resistance :


The Liner packaging states that it is supposed to be Odour Resistant,
however, I found that campfire smoke seems to cling to it, not strongly, but
it is there.


Washing the Liner :


It is machine washable and it has stood up to my tender washing machine
operations on it. The colour did not run.

I hang it under the verandah out of direct sunlight, and in air temperatures
of around 28 C (82.5 F). It takes around an hour and a half to dry
completely.


Packing the Liner :


The fabric is very soft and rolls up easily. The provided stuff sack accepts
the Liner with ease. I do not have to force it into the sack or fold it in a
one and only specific way to make it fit. On occasions, I have just stuffed
it directly into the stuff sack.

No wear is visible, but I do have to be careful and make sure that my
toenails have no jagged edges to catch on the material and create a ladder.
I find wearing socks gets around that potential problem.



Features I like about the Thermolite Liner :



Small and compact. Ideal for inclusion in backpack.

Lightweight

Increases the overall temperature of my Sleeping Bag. The manufacturer
states it is up to 8 C (15 F). I would agree that is it about right.

Can take the place of a Sleeping Bag in Summer.






Features I dislike about the Thermolite Liner:



The way it easily tangles when getting out of it, and then trying to get
back in, in the dark.

Campfire smoke does cling to the fabric.

Could be a little larger at the Box Foot.



Summary :



The combination of my Supermini Sleeping Bag and Thermolite Reactor Sleeping
Bag Liner allows me the luxury of having good nights sleeps without carrying
larger filled Sleeping Bags and taking up more space in my Backpack.

For colder climates, I would use a higher rating Sleeping Bag, but at
present , I am only backpacking the Bibbulmun and what I have is sufficient.

In addition, it is an excellent warm weather sleeping bag on its own,
thereby eliminating the need to carry a Sleeping Bag on warm night trips.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with the Liner and have recommended it to my
walking friends.