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I heard it was a good idea to buy silk liners for using in hostels but then the description of silk says it's a poor conductor of heat so keeps you warm. The next paragraph then says you also need it for hot climates.
This doesn't seem to make sense?????

Silk has the ability to equalize temperatures; so yes, it is good for both hot and cold climates - and is a NATURAL fabric.

An alternate would be microfiber; only because it's machine-washable.

So, sleeping with a layer of silk over you is cooler than sleeping with no layer over you at all.

Silk makes you feel cooler than cotton sometimes, and when cool temperatures hit, its much better than cotton.

Its also very dense, and repels nasty biting things that may lie on your matress.

fleas are stopped by them, pretty much. Bedbugs, well, they always find a way. Its ligher that a cotton sheet, cleans well, by hand, and If you sleep naked, its far better to be in one of those than risk the maybe bug filled top sheets the hostels provice. Many require a liner because it keeps their mattresses cleaner.

I wasn't a believer, then I bought one out of curiousity, and they work.

I still prefer a dry, clean cotton topsheet or even better, a very light summer indian cloth, but they can be bulky and fill up a small pack fast. liners are a lot smaller.

Dumb question: where can I buy a silk liner?

Hi,

You normally have to buy these at specialist travel shops (such as in the UK, we have Blacks, Millets etc). I guess they'd cost $20-$40 each in the US (though maybe cheaper).

They come in pencil-case size bags, so they're really easy to pack.

From my experience, mosquitos find a way to bite through them, so you'll need further mosquito prevention (e.g. sprays etc).

Hope that helps.

Mike

quote:

Dumb question: where can I buy a silk liner?

Walkabout Travel Gear is the place to get that stuff.

I had one when I went to Australia, but I didn't end up using it much. However, when I did, it was ridiculously comfortable! I got mine at MEC, but any travel gear type store should carry them.

Any drawbacks of a cotton one?

Cotton will be (slightly) heavier, take up (slightly) more space and will take longer to dry when you wash it. Since the reason you pull out your liner often is likely to be that you want to put a layer between you and some dubious sheets, you'll probably want to wash and dry it fairly frequently.

Cotton is much heavier and bulkier than silk or microfiber, and takes a lot longer to dry if you have the need to launder the liner. If not silk, do consider MICROFIBER. I have one, and I love it because it can be machine washed and dried, and is as light as silk.

seeing as this thread is going strong, can any of you tell me whether or not I should bring a liner for Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, or Bali? To be honest it's not something I've read about much in guide books, but maybe I just missed the sections where they discuss bed liners! I brought a liner with me to Europe but honestly didn't worry about it too often. I can see it being good to have to guard against bugs though...

Thanks!

Sometimes you might find yourself in a skanky guesthouse. The liner doesn't take up much room or weigh much. Personally, I never carry one.

In that case, I'm with you static! Dirty/grossness does not bother me! Anyway I've spent enough money on stuff that I probably don't really need to carry with me anyway (like those nylon shirts you are all telling me are a stupid idea )

I travel light, but my silk liner goes with me to any third world country. If you say that less than perfectly clean sheets doesn't bother you, there's a real chance you haven't yet encountered some of the horrors I've witnessed. Also, on a couple of occasions, my silk liner has saved me from freezing to death on various overnight buses with the air-conditioning set to "Arctic+". It may be a thin layer of silk, but it does make a difference.

Happy clean trails,

Bjørn
http://bjornfree.com/

Okay, so any place I can buy a silk liner in Singapore or Bangkok? I'm studying abroad here in Singapore before my travels and I'm still clueless as to where I can get a silk liner. I'm sorry for repeating this question..I'm a first-time traveler, so go easy on me, haha.

quote:

I can buy a silk liner in Singapore or Bangkok?

But of course. In Singapore you shouldn't have to look around for long in Arab Street. In Bangkok you'll soon find one in Khao Sarn Road. Backpackers buy silk liners, so just follow the smell of backpackers (it's a very distinct scent), and you'll also find silk liners.

Happy trails,

Bjørn
http://bjornfree.com/