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[pct-l] Vapor Barrier Liners

I have used Vapor Barrier Liners (or VBLs) durring some winter camping and I
find them rather unpleasant. The main concept of a VBL is to keep your
insulation (clothes, socks, sleeping bag) from getting wet from sweat, and
loosing its insulating properites. Also if you use a VBL your outer
waterproof  layer can be cheap urethane coated nylon instead of Gortex,
since no sweat should get through the VBL.

In my experience skiing, a sleeping bag gets heavier each day, as your
body's moisture freezes in the down. Eventually the bag quits doing it's job
of keeping you warm, and your pack gets a couple of pounds heavier. If you
use a VBL inside the bag, and a nylon cover over it, your bag will stay warm
and dry. 

For this purpose, a VBL has some merit, though I find using one about as
pleasant as sleeping in a plastic bag. For climates above freezing, which is
almost all of the PCT, IMHO a VBL has no place. FWIW a tyvek jacket works
well as a VBL shirt, weighs almost nothing, is tough as nails, and packs
down into an incredibly small volume.
--
Brick Robbins
San Diego, CA          
brick@ix.netcom.com              

http://www.netcom.com/~brick 

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