Packing lite for the little but fierce

[Caren Abernathy]

I am using a Gregory 38L XS pack that actually is a 36L due to the XS sizing...it is fuller than I would like it to be and 10% of my body weight is proving to be quite challenging. I am 4' 11" and 118 pds....I have packed, walked, and repacked and reconfigured and gotten rid of quite a bit and still am at 6.85 kg (thats 14.80 in lbs) I do have a very lite weight sleeping bag that weighs 2 pds...and i really don't want to get rid of it...I am a cold sleeper. I am sure others have this issue. At some point it is just hard to drop anything else, right? I ditched,poles, gloves, sleeping wear, extra shirts and am down to two pairs of pants. I feel like I am down to the nitty gritty...does this seem like a pretty reasonable weight even if it doesn't adhere to the 10%? I look at other peoples packing lists and pictures and they honestly have so much more stuff...Thanks for any advice! Caren

 

[trecile]

I wouldn't worry about being above 10% of your body weight when you weight so little. And I certainly wouldn't ditch my poles to achieve a lighter weight, especially since you won't be carrying them in your back pack most of the time, and they make your backpack easier to carry! You could probably get a lighter weight sleeping bag. Like this one from Costco.

 

[alaskadiver]

I am using a Gregory 38L XS pack that actually is a 36L due to the XS sizing...it is fuller than I would like it to be and 10% of my body weight is proving to be quite challenging. I am 4' 11" and 118 pds....I have packed, walked, and repacked and reconfigured and gotten rid of quite a bit and still am at 6.85 kg (thats 14.80 in lbs) I do have a very lite weight sleeping bag that weighs 2 pds...and i really don't want to get rid of it...I am a cold sleeper. I am sure others have this issue. At some point it is just hard to drop anything else, right? I ditched,poles, gloves, sleeping wear, extra shirts and am down to two pairs of pants. I feel like I am down to the nitty gritty...does this seem like a pretty reasonable weight even if it doesn't adhere to the 10%? I look at other peoples packing lists and pictures and they honestly have so much more stuff...Thanks for any advice! Caren

Does your 14 lbs include water? I'm carrying 13 pounds without water and don't care that it's over the 10% made up guideline. I don't count the weight of the poles since I'm not carrying them on my back. Why don't you post your packing list and let the forum help you out?

 

[C clearly]

The suggestion of 10% doesn't usually include poles, a typical set of what you might be wearing, or water.

However, since you say you have 36 L full, you are probably carrying more than you need. My sleeping bag also weighs 2 lb, but I get all that I need for early spring or late fall caminos into a 31 L pack that weighs under 6 kg.

Post your packing list and we'll all chime in! Then you can pick the suggestions that work best for your preferences.

 

[shubertj]

I agree with Trecile ditch the 2lb sleeping bag, not needed unless hiking before April or after Oct. The silk liner is all that you will need. I do have the down blanket from Costco great buy only weighs 6 Oz. That blanket with the liner is all you need for the winter.

 

[Davey Boyd]

I disagree with this 10% malarkey. At best it is only a guide, not a rule. For instance, if I carried 10% of my bodyweight that would be 6.5Kilos. And I walk for 5 months+ at a time and sleep outside a lot, as well as walk in winter. That is impossible. I carry 16 kilos, happily by choice. Likewise a huge person adhering to this 'rule' might be tempted into carrying much more than they need or that they can. It only seems to work for average sized people.

Carry what is comfortable for you.

Davey

 

[Mark Lee]

You probably could find a lighter sleeping bag. Maybe one that weighs about 1-1/2 pounds. Or as suggested, a silk (or faux silk) type liner with a separate lightweight quilt to put in it.
Are you carrying a bunch of rain gear? All you will really need is a good, lightweight poncho.

 

[trecile]

I do have the down blanket from Costco great buy only weighs 6 Oz.

I have one of those blankets too, and it weighs 15 ounces.
It's much larger than you need on the Camino though, and if you have a sewing machine you could cut it down considerably to save weight.
I brought this really small down throw from Montbell last year that weighs 6.9 ounces, but it is less than half the size of the Costco blanket. It was perfect tucked inside my silk liner. My silk liner and blanket together weighed just 12 ounces.

 

[rgutena]

The 10% rule is almost impossible to follow in my case as well, given that I only weigh 45kg myself. The important thing is knowing your own limits and what you are comfortable with. It is for that reason that I will still try to keep my pack to around 5kg, if at all possible. I have once been forced to hike with a 15kg pack (incl food and water) in Siberia for 8 days through very rough terrains and I HATED the whole experience! I have been very wary of how much I carry since then. I am particularly minded to not overload myself when I need to self-navigate, in case I may get lost and need to walk longer distances than necessary.

To the OP - 6.85kg doesn't seem too disproportionate to your weight, but I would say try walking for a day with the full pack on to see how comfortable you feel.

 

[Oravasaari]

Reducing pack weight: Ditch headlamp, stay in bed longer, use travel or trial sized soap, use combined concentrated laundry and travel wash. Take half empty deo/roll on, tooth paste. One set of clothes worn...one drying, sleep in next day's gear, buy superlight shorts and quick drying superlight shirts and tops with integrated hanging loops so you don't need pegs. Take a silk liner only and use alburgue blankets. Use a shemagh or wrap as a towel, scarf, headwear sunshade, picnic blanket etc. Buy screwtop wine and presliced sausage/cheese so you don't need a Swiss Army knife. Use on online or pdf guidebook or other reading materials on phone. Ditch ipad, ipod, camera (use phone). Slim your first aid kit right down to absolute basics only. Avoid buying too much food/provisions and ending up carrying it all to next alburgue. Don't carry too much water. 500ml is enough to get from water source to water source (camino Frances). Maybe 1l in mid summer or sections over 15km that are marked as lacking access to water. Avoid carrying too many coins/loose change.

I follow these rules and get down below 6kg easily. Your pack base weight also has a big effect. Some of the 30plus litre packs can still be around 700g though (Osprey Talon 33 is about 700-800g).

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

I am using a Gregory 38L XS pack that actually is a 36L due to the XS sizing...it is fuller than I would like it to be and 10% of my body weight is proving to be quite challenging. I am 4' 11" and 118 pds....I have packed, walked, and repacked and reconfigured and gotten rid of quite a bit and still am at 6.85 kg (thats 14.80 in lbs) I do have a very lite weight sleeping bag that weighs 2 pds...and i really don't want to get rid of it...I am a cold sleeper. I am sure others have this issue. At some point it is just hard to drop anything else, right? I ditched,poles, gloves, sleeping wear, extra shirts and am down to two pairs of pants. I feel like I am down to the nitty gritty...does this seem like a pretty reasonable weight even if it doesn't adhere to the 10%? I look at other peoples packing lists and pictures and they honestly have so much more stuff...Thanks for any advice! Caren

The irony of the 10% rule is that the shorter and smaller you are the harder it is to meet. My 10% should have been 11 lbs, and I was pleased to get down to 12 lbs. Things that you need to bring weigh what they weigh whether you weigh 100 lbs or 200 lbs! I think you have done reasonably well. So do the best you can. Make sure you pack so the weight is dispersed for balance and comfort. Buen camino.

 

[trecile]

Reducing pack weight: Ditch headlamp, stay in bed longer, use travel or trial sized soap, use combined concentrated laundry and travel wash. Take half empty deo/roll on, tooth paste. One set of clothes worn...one drying, sleep in next day's gear, buy superlight shorts and quick drying superlight shirts and tops with integrated hanging loops so you don't need pegs. Take a silk liner only and use alburgue blankets. Use a shemagh or wrap as a towel, scarf, headwear sunshade, picnic blanket etc. Buy screwtop wine and presliced sausage/cheese so you don't need a Swiss Army knife. Use on online or pdf guidebook or other reading materials on phone. Ditch ipad, ipod, camera (use phone). Slim your first aid kit right down to absolute basics only. Avoid buying too much food/provisions and ending up carrying it all to next alburgue. Don't carry too much water. 500ml is enough to get from water source to water source (camino Frances). Maybe 1l in mid summer or sections over 15km that are marked as lacking access to water. Avoid carrying too many coins/loose change.

I follow these rules and get down below 6kg easily. Your pack base weight also has a big effect. Some of the 30plus litre packs can still be around 700g though (Osprey Talon 33 is about 700-800g).

Don't forget to cut out all your tags and drill holes in your toothbrush handle.

 

[jo webber]

Being 5ft tall and 108 myself - I found the ultra light gear to be a blessing. Yes it costs more, but I will be carrying it for months. At 64 yr old, I go slow.
My full pack weighs 11.5 lbs with water and a bit of snack food. It took me a long time to get the weight down.

Take as little as possible - there are stores in Spain.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Reducing pack weight: Ditch headlamp, stay in bed longer, use travel or trial sized soap, use combined concentrated laundry and travel wash. Take half empty deo/roll on, tooth paste. One set of clothes worn...one drying, sleep in next day's gear, buy superlight shorts and quick drying superlight shirts and tops with integrated hanging loops so you don't need pegs. Take a silk liner only and use alburgue blankets. Use a shemagh or wrap as a towel, scarf, headwear sunshade, picnic blanket etc. Buy screwtop wine and presliced sausage/cheese so you don't need a Swiss Army knife. Use on online or pdf guidebook or other reading materials on phone. Ditch ipad, ipod, camera (use phone). Slim your first aid kit right down to absolute basics only. Avoid buying too much food/provisions and ending up carrying it all to next alburgue. Don't carry too much water. 500ml is enough to get from water source to water source (camino Frances). Maybe 1l in mid summer or sections over 15km that are marked as lacking access to water. Avoid carrying too many coins/loose change.

I follow these rules and get down below 6kg easily. Your pack base weight also has a big effect. Some of the 30plus litre packs can still be around 700g though (Osprey Talon 33 is about 700-800g).

I think your list is great and I adhere to most of the same logic in packing as you. The one item I struggle with that you (and others on the forum) seem to advocate is the multipurpose uses of a sarong/wrap. I don't really think of myself as a clean freak, but I could never envision using one as both a towel for drying my clean body after showering daily, and then also use it on the ground for picnics! Do people really do this?

 

[Davey Boyd]

I think your list is great and I adhere to most of the same logic in packing as you. The one item I struggle with that you (and others on the forum) seem to advocate is the multipurpose uses of a sarong/wrap. I don't really think of myself as a clean freak, but I could never envision using one as both a towel for drying my clean body after showering daily, and then also use it on the ground for picnics! Do people really do this?

Yes!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Yes!

Hi Davey,
I'm not surprised you answered "yes", cuz you have to save every ounce you can to make up for the tent and other camping gear you carry on your 5 month adventures!

 

[C clearly]

The one item I struggle with that you (and others on the forum) seem to advocate is the multipurpose uses of a sarong/wrap.

I'm with you on this. I'm not a sarong person!

 

[camino-david]

I also do not agree with the 10% idea as so much depends on the weight of the walker, fitness, age, experience etc. It's better to think that 10% is the maximum, and the overriding maxim is to carry as little as reasonable. I typically carry 6.2kgs, but could reduce that to 5kgs if I wanted by taking only one change of clothes and leaving my sleeping bag (very lightweight) behind. but I'm happy with 6.2kgs. I weigh 70kgs when walking the Camino.

 

[Oravasaari]

Camino Chris and C Clearly - The beauty of a shemagh is it can be washed and dried in and hour (light cotton). I've used it as a picnic blanket, swum in a river and then used it as a towel! Yuk eh? Maybe it is just me? ;-)

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Don't forget to cut out all your tags and drill holes in your toothbrush handle.

My son did that on the AT when carrying 40+ pounds, including a full week of food.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

I brought this really small down throw from Montbell last year that weighs 6.9 ounces, but it is less than half the size of the Costco blanket.

Um, how tall are you? The long dimension on that throw is just under 5 feet.

 

[trecile]

Um, how tall are you? The long dimension on that throw is just under 5 feet.

I'm 5'8". It doesn't have to cover my head.

 

[MrsBath]

I have one of those blankets too, and it weighs 15 ounces.
It's much larger than you need on the Camino though, and if you have a sewing machine you could cut it down considerably to save weight.
I brought this really small down throw from Montbell last year that weighs 6.9 ounces, but it is less than half the size of the Costco blanket. It was perfect tucked inside my silk liner. My silk liner and blanket together weighed just 12 ounces.

I love the idea of cutting down the Costco down throw to fit inside my silk liner - thanks for suggesting it! I was thinking of putting snaps or velcro on it to attach it to the outside, but fitting it inside seems so much simpler. I did some math and a 36-inch by 70-inch blanket (the existing throw is 60x70) should weigh 40% less.

 

[trecile]

I love the idea of cutting down the Costco down throw to fit inside my silk liner - thanks for suggesting it! I was thinking of putting snaps or velcro on it to attach it to the outside, but fitting it inside seems so much simpler. I did some math and a 36-inch by 70-inch blanket (the existing throw is 60x70) should weigh 40% less.

I wouldn't use velcro, because you might end up snagging the silk. If you do decide to use snaps, make sure that they are strong enough. I sewed some small snaps to my blanket and liner last year, but they were not strong enough to survive my moving around during the night. I kept finding my blanket on the floor or somewhere else. That's when I decided to just put it inside the liner.

I'm going to cut down a Costco blanket for my friend this year, and in order to contain the down, I think that I'll sew two lines of stitching, then cut between them, and either serge the raw edges, or add some bias tape or blanket binding.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

I'm 5'8". It doesn't have to cover my head.

Thanks, that helps. My wife is 5'11"

 

[Caren Abernathy]

Don't forget to cut out all your tags and drill holes in your toothbrush handle.

Already did ... haha

 

[Caren Abernathy]

I have one of those blankets too, and it weighs 15 ounces.
It's much larger than you need on the Camino though, and if you have a sewing machine you could cut it down considerably to save weight.
I brought this really small down throw from Montbell last year that weighs 6.9 ounces, but it is less than half the size of the Costco blanket. It was perfect tucked inside my silk liner. My silk liner and blanket together weighed just 12 ounces.

oohhhh! I like those blankets....they come in small and medium. AND THEY ARE SUPER LIGHT!

 

[Caren Abernathy]

Being 5ft tall and 108 myself - I found the ultra light gear to be a blessing. Yes it costs more, but I will be carrying it for months. At 64 yr old, I go slow.
My full pack weighs 11.5 lbs with water and a bit of snack food. It took me a long time to get the weight down.

Take as little as possible - there are stores in Spain.

Thank you! You are inspiring me to lighten up a little more. It may be worth the expense to be warm sleeping and walk lighter

 

[Caren Abernathy]

You probably could find a lighter sleeping bag. Maybe one that weighs about 1-1/2 pounds. Or as suggested, a silk (or faux silk) type liner with a separate lightweight quilt to put in it.
Are you carrying a bunch of rain gear? All you will really need is a good, lightweight poncho.

Just a Marmot precip jacket. I am looking into the liner and quilt (I like that idea and found some good options) or even a ultra lite sleeping bag (found one for 13 ozs. just $$$ but maybe worth it if I use it alot) I got rid of the head lamp and lots of extra toiletries...down to two pairs of pants. Like I said I am getting down to the nitty gritty... I am determined to get it down to at least 12 pounds. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Mark Lee]

Just a Marmot precip jacket. I am looking into the liner and quilt (I like that idea and found some good options) or even a ultra lite sleeping bag (found one for 13 ozs. just $$$ but maybe worth it if I use it alot) I got rid of the head lamp and lots of extra toiletries...down to two pairs of pants. Like I said I am getting down to the nitty gritty... I am determined to get it down to at least 12 pounds. Thanks for the suggestions!

If you want to save a few bucks, Marmot makes the NanoWave sleeping bag for warm weather. It weighs about a pound and a half (24 oz), though. About as light as you can get and spending around 50 bucks.
It's similar to my discontinued The North Face Aleutian sleeping bag, which was about the same size, weight and price.
I haven't tried it yet, but I wonder how warm two silk (or faux silk) type bag liners would be together (double layer). The one I have is so light and small. Rolls up to the size of a soda can. Carry two of them and slide on the extra layer when needed.
ultreia

 

[HedaP]

Just a cost saving suggestion but if you can do even basic sewing it would be very easy to make an ultralite blanket/sleeping sheet combo using one layer of Climashield https://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/climashield-apex-5-oz-sq-yd. I think the piece I got cost me $30.
And a length of silk. I picked up a sari length of silk at the local op shop for $5. Or use a blend of 50% silk 50 % cotton. It wont pack as small as down but it compresses quite well.

Edit: meant to add that my blanket/sleeping sheet combo weighs approx 250 gm or 9 oz.

 

[trecile]

oohhhh! I like those blankets....they come in small and medium. AND THEY ARE SUPER LIGHT!

Mine is the medium sized one, and it's pretty small. I don't know how the small one would be.

 

[JP]

6.85 Kilos is just great! I have not been able to get below 10 kilos myself. Just to make you feel better the modern soldier carries about 40 Kilos into battle no matter what his weight is.

 

[J Willhaus]

Cathy,
I am also a cold sleeper, but I used my old military poncho liner and some safety pins to make a 16 oz sleeping bag for myself. I am not as short or as slim as you and this kept me plenty warm. The large safety pins can double to hang up your laundry. My poncho liner fit in a small stuff sack. If you buy one from Army surplus be sure to get the "wet weather" variety. Weights of poncho liners vary online between 16 oz and 32 oz which is probably because of different manufacturers. I also have an older Montbell Spiral Hugger down bag (bought on sale for $140) which weighs 16 ounces, but did not take it because I thought it would be too hot in July. The newer ones weigh slightly more. My pack weighed right at 12 pounds. When I got home there was only three things I did not use on the journey: a plastic cup, a rain jacket, and rain pants. I would not leave the rain gear at home, but would ditch the plastic cup next time.
Janet

 

[DougWilliams55]

This is a very helpful discussion as I prepare my pack for late April departure. Thank you! My question, do I need to carry a sleeping bag at all, or just a silk liner (for use with albergue blankets)? Do albergues on the Camino Frances all have blankets?

 

[trecile]

This is a very helpful discussion as I prepare my pack for late April departure. Thank you! My question, do I need to carry a sleeping bag at all, or just a silk liner (for use with albergue blankets)? Do albergues on the Camino Frances all have blankets?

I'm not sure if they all have blankets, and some of the blankets that I did see I wouldn't want to use. That's why I brought my 7 ounce down blanket.

 

[brian560]

Reducing pack weight: Ditch headlamp, stay in bed longer, use travel or trial sized soap, use combined concentrated laundry and travel wash. Take half empty deo/roll on, tooth paste. One set of clothes worn...one drying, sleep in next day's gear, buy superlight shorts and quick drying superlight shirts and tops with integrated hanging loops so you don't need pegs. Take a silk liner only and use alburgue blankets. Use a shemagh or wrap as a towel, scarf, headwear sunshade, picnic blanket etc. Buy screwtop wine and presliced sausage/cheese so you don't need a Swiss Army knife. Use on online or pdf guidebook or other reading materials on phone. Ditch ipad, ipod, camera (use phone). Slim your first aid kit right down to absolute basics only. Avoid buying too much food/provisions and ending up carrying it all to next alburgue. Don't carry too much water. 500ml is enough to get from water source to water source (camino Frances). Maybe 1l in mid summer or sections over 15km that are marked as lacking access to water. Avoid carrying too many coins/loose change.

I follow these rules and get down below 6kg easily. Your pack base weight also has a big effect. Some of the 30plus litre packs can still be around 700g though (Osprey Talon 33 is about 700-800g).

Fully agree but good luck finding screwcap wine. Take a light corkscrew. The local ones are heavy.

 

[J Willhaus]

Fully agree but good luck finding screwcap wine. Take a light corkscrew. The local ones are heavy.

Brian360,
I think it would be confiscated in a carry on. We invested in an Opinal with blade and corkscrew in SJPDP. Used the knife for making our own bocadillos almost every day. Left the Opinal at Bella Muxia in the kitchen when we left the country.

 

[JP]

In April/May 2014 it was damp and cold and many of the albergues were barily heated, I was very glad I had my sleeping bag!

 

[J Willhaus]

This is a very helpful discussion as I prepare my pack for late April departure. Thank you! My question, do I need to carry a sleeping bag at all, or just a silk liner (for use with albergue blankets)? Do albergues on the Camino Frances all have blankets?

My husband had a bag liner (Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Extreme) and was OK most nights. Not all albergue had blankets. We walked in May, June, July.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Just a cost saving suggestion but if you can do even basic sewing it would be very easy to make an ultralite blanket/sleeping sheet combo using one layer of Climashield https://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/climashield-apex-5-oz-sq-yd. I think the piece I got cost me $30.
And a length of silk. I picked up a sari length of silk at the local op shop for $5. Or use a blend of 50% silk 50 % cotton. It wont pack as small as down but it compresses quite well.

Edit: meant to add that my blanket/sleeping sheet combo weighs approx 250 gm or 9 oz.

Just out of curiosity, why do so many people on this forum love "silk". I realize it is lightweight and maybe ok for summer, but I see it as being slippery and not a cozy feeling of warmth. I also envision it bunching up on me as I flip flop back and forth like a hooked fish in my bunk. Am I missing something here? And do they REALLY deter bedbugs like I've read?

 

[Mark Lee]

Cathy,
I am also a cold sleeper, but I used my old military poncho liner and some safety pins to make a 16 oz sleeping bag for myself. I am not as short or as slim as you and this kept me plenty warm. The large safety pins can double to hang up your laundry. My poncho liner fit in a small stuff sack. If you buy one from Army surplus be sure to get the "wet weather" variety. Weights of poncho liners vary online between 16 oz and 32 oz which is probably because of different manufacturers. I also have an older Montbell Spiral Hugger down bag (bought on sale for $140) which weighs 16 ounces, but did not take it because I thought it would be too hot in July. The newer ones weigh slightly more. My pack weighed right at 12 pounds. When I got home there was only three things I did not use on the journey: a plastic cup, a rain jacket, and rain pants. I would not leave the rain gear at home, but would ditch the plastic cup next time.
Janet

I have a couple of those poncho liners from the military, and they are very warm for their weight and versatile. If you get a stuff sack you can put it into one about the size of a 2-liter water bottle. It will weigh about a pound. I have been thinking about getting velcro sewn onto one of them, extending about 3/4 of the way around. That way I can use it like a bag without my feet poking out the end if I just use the string ties.

 

[J Willhaus]

I have a couple of those poncho liners from the military, and they are very warm for their weight and versatile. If you get a stuff sack you can put it into one about the size of a 2-liter water bottle. It will weigh about a pound. I have been thinking about getting velcro sewn onto one of them, extending about 3/4 of the way around. That way I can use it like a bag without my feet poking out the end if I just use the string ties.

Mark,
I was going to put snaps on mine, but the safety pins worked just fine. (You can buy a kit to put on snaps at a sewing store.) The velcro sticks to everything, makes a lot of noise, and makes it harder to stuff in the stuff sack. You can also buy them now with a zipper, but I think that adds a little weight.
Janet

 

[HedaP]

Just out of curiosity, why do so many people on this forum love "silk". I realize it is lightweight and maybe ok for summer, but I see it as being slippery and not a cozy feeling of warmth. I also envision it bunching up on me as I flip flop back and forth like a hooked fish in my bunk. Am I missing something here? And do they REALLY deter bedbugs like I've read?

It's my understanding any tightly woven material, not just silk, deters bedbugs and also that light, bright colours are less attractive to bedbugs than darker colours.
As for why silk; it breathes, it's lightweight, it wicks, it's strong ie. does not rip, it's fast drying, it's cool in summer and warm in winter, it feels great and if you sweat in silk it doesn't stink like synthetics do. Unless you're vegan, you could always try it and find out whether you like it or not.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It's my understanding any tightly woven material, not just silk, deters bedbugs and also that light, bright colours are less attractive to bedbugs than darker colours.
As for why silk; it breathes, it's lightweight, it wicks, it's strong ie. does not rip, it's fast drying, it's cool in summer and warm in winter, it feels great and if you sweat in silk it doesn't stink like synthetics do. Unless you're vegan, you could always try it and find out whether you like it or not.

Thanks, HedaP for such a descriptive and positive reply!

 

[Joziane]

My husband had a bag liner (Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Extreme) and was OK most nights. Not all albergue had blankets. We walked in May, June, July.

Thank you so much for sharing this bit of info..... extremely helpful!!

 

[trecile]

It's my understanding any tightly woven material, not just silk, deters bedbugs and also that light, bright colours are less attractive to bedbugs than darker colours.
As for why silk; it breathes, it's lightweight, it wicks, it's strong ie. does not rip, it's fast drying, it's cool in summer and warm in winter, it feels great and if you sweat in silk it doesn't stink like synthetics do. Unless you're vegan, you could always try it and find out whether you like it or not.

And not all silk is "slippery". The silk that liners is made from isn't.