The One Little Thing: Silk Sleep Sack

This is a post in a new feature on Her Packing List called “The One Little Thing“. Each week, I’ll be interviewing a traveling lady to find out the one little thing she just can’t travel without. This one is brought to you by Globetrooper Lauren:

I’m Globetrooper Lauren, co-founder of social adventure travel website, Globetrooper.com.

I’m from Australia but haven’t been back since June 2010, and I plan to travel indefinitely. In the last year I’ve ‘flashpacked’ with my boyfriend and co-founder, Todd, through Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Canada, USA and now, India.

Next month is Mongolia, solo.

What one little thing can you not travel without?

I’ve only had it for a little while, but this little guy makes all the difference. A Silksak. It’s a silk sleeping bag liner. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to lug around a sleeping bag at all, quite the opposite. Most hostels provide linen, blankets and pillows, but the cleanliness of it all is sometimes questionable. A liner is such a relief to have in these occasions.

>> You can purchase a silk sleep sheet on Amazon and be prepared for your upcoming travels.

Why has this one item been so important to you?

I travelled around India on trains covering a distance of 12,000kms (i.e. a LOT of train time) and the Silksak was my saviour from dirty berths, prying eyes and the air-con. It’s like you’re in your own little cocoon, such a comfort.

How packable is it? Does it take up much room? Is it heavy?

It’s about the size of an A5 piece of paper (half a regular A4 page) and a few centimetres thick. But it can be rolled and squished into much less. Not heavy at all.

Why would you recommend this to your travel friends?

Hell yes. It’s silky soft but with no static. I’m 6 ft tall and it’s still nice and roomy for me, so perfect for all heights. It’s also a handy if you need to get changed. It’s light, easy to carry, has a small stuff sack attached to it.

Can you name one situation where you wished you had this item with you?

Oh I wish I had it in Peru when we got lost in the jungle. It was hot and sticky and we only had sleeping bags. But we were sleeping on tables in a school for a few nights as well as on the floor of a medical centre. There were creepy crawlies everywhere – especially mosquitoes – so I ended up using my sleeping bag as a mat and fully COVERED myself with insect repellent, only to wake up the next day with a rash all over me from the chemicals. If only I had my Silksak then, I would’ve looked like an odd gringo instead of a complete alien.

How did you hear about this item?

I heard about silk sleeping liners from our friends over at ThePlanetD.com. They had done Indian trains before and recommended that this was their go-to item over anything else.

What sort of traveler is this item perfect for?

It’s perfect for the budget backpacker to the mid-range traveller. People who could end up staying somewhere a tad dodgy out of convenience, as well as travellers who are constantly on the move. If you’re winging it and don’t know where you’re going to be sleeping at all times, then this is a necessity.

Thanks, Lauren, for sharing your love of the Silksak, a silk sleep sheet perfect for protecting you from questionable beds when traveling! Be sure to check out the Globetrooper Blog, Facebook and Twitter account to learn more about this worldly traveler.

*Cover image from Sea to Summit’s site.