It takes about twenty full breaths to inflate. It will deflate about as fast as you can roll it.
It takes about twenty full breaths to inflate. It will deflate about as fast as you can roll it.
Looks like the coupon code isn't valid on Thermarest products:
"Not valid on these brands: Arc'Teryx, Asics, Birkenstock, Canada Goose, EcoZoom, GoPro, Hilleberg, Hydro Flask, Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Kelly Kettle, Marmot, MSR, Ocean Signal, Osprey, Patagonia, Seal Line, Sorel, Therm-A-Rest, Western Mountaineering, Yeti Coolers."
But I'm probably going to wait for REI's 20% coupon since it would be much easier to return to REI if I don't like it. It's really hard to tell whether a sleeping pad will work without sleeping on it.
I'm also trying to decide between the Xlite and Xtherm products. It would be nice to have a higher R value pad for colder temperatures and there is only a three ounce penalty involves, plus the XTherm is still an ounce lighter than my existing pad. The question is whether the XTherm is good year round or too warm in summer with body heat radiating back upwards when you don't want it to.
How much winter camping do you do?
Not much, although I am planning to spend some time testing out new gear along the AT in SNP this winter ahead of my PCT thru hike. Also, I'll be taking a snow skills course near Tahoe in April before my thru hike and I'm guessing it could be pretty cold. I might try out the XLite in cold conditions and if it is insufficient switch to the XTherm or possibly just supplement the XLite with a cheap blue foam pad.
I have not done too much winter backpacking. But I have been on the AT in late fall early spring using a zlite. I would think the xlite would be sufficient, and if its not you could supplement with added clothing, another cheap foam mat, reflective foil(maybe? )
It takes me about 25 breaths to inflate it, so roughly 4 mins (taking my time so I don't get light headed lol). To deflate it just takes as long as it does to squish it down and roll it up!
Look into combining it with the REI Credit card (if you don't already have one). When I got mine last year, I used the 20% off, plus the $100 gift card from opening the credit account, and got my X-Therm for about $50.00. Plus, with the credit card, I get percentages of every purchase (everywhere) added to my dividend and an additional 5% dividend for purchases from REI (on top of the normal 10%) added to my REI refund every year. Quite a good deal if you ask me, and I LOVE the X-Therm. Probably wouldn't have invested in it without this deal.
I did have to make one purchase. any amount, within a certain length of time to get the $100 gift card.
Regarding the X-Therm, I'm very happy. Used it on the JMT last summer/early fall and was never too hot. Additional advantage, the X-Therm is made with somewhat tougher materials. It does not give you the impression that it will pop with the slightest provocation. Also, the stuff sack is designed as a pump for inflating - works reasonably well with a little practice. Keeps all moisture out of the X-Therm interior and was easier to inflate at high altitude.
Takes about 15 good stuff sacks full of air for a good inflation.
Last edited by Lyle; 02-25-2015 at 15:14.
I got tired of blowing my Neo Air up at the end of a hiking day, so I bought one of these NEOAIR Mini Pumps, weighs less than 3 oz. Runs on 2 AAA batteries. Connect it to the mattress and it's inflated in a couple minutes.
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-...i-pump/product
I got my NeoAir on Amazon and it did not come with a patch kit. So, if it doesn't say it has one, it probably doesn't and you need to add that to the cost.
I do love it. Also, I generally don't think of myself as having great lung power, having lots of issues with allergic asthma, but I really have not found the blowing up to be burdensome. Its like a mini meditation time.
R value is a bit low on these @ 1.3R (not much past a summer pad)
Price and extra width is a plus though- just keep in mind you only have bout 40-60 days a year in MI you can use it, lol.
I've been eyeballing the Exped's lately as they come stock in a wider regular length but still hit R3.3 which will get you closer to 35*. The Hyperlight beats the NeoAir in weight and matches it in Rvalue.
http://www.rei.com/product/881905/ex...e-sleeping-pad
I've heard of some durability issues, but thinking much like the neo-air they are likely unfounded rumors...
Obviously the wide Xtherm is totally different. Lying in the middle of the Xtherm and rolling left and right makes no noise. The part that makes some crinkle sounds are the extreme edges. The only time I hear that sound is for a second or two when I roll on or off the pad. My experience is based on 2 consecutive months of use.
Wayne
Wayne
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I have an XLite in the Long size, and I just received an Exped Synmat Hyperlite in the Medium Wide size to test out. I hope that this will answer a few questions about the similarities and differences.
Regarding the Exped, I was surprised to find out that, even with my height being barely 5'9", due to the tapered cut of the head area of the Exped in the MW, my feet hung off of the bottom of the pad when sleeping on my stomach. This was due to the fact that the head taper required me to slide down, in order to keep my elbows and arms from hanging off of the edge while using the pillow. On my back there was no problem, but this is not how I sleep for the entire night, so I sent the MW back to REI, and they are sending me the Long Wide, which I will test out next. I expect arrival within about five days.
Thermarest does not make a Medium Wide, so I could not make a fully direct check of one unit against the other. This being said, even though the Exped did not fit my body in the Medium Wide, I have a feeling that the less severe taper of the head of the Thermarest (which is just my perception--I will fully check this out upon the arrival of the new Exped) in a similar length (72 versus 77 inches) would work out to allow me to be able to sleep on my stomach without having to move away from the head of the pad, and this would allow me to get away with a shorter version, which would cut a few ounces and give a little more room in my tent. I have previously raised the issue of the size limitations of the Thermarest, and this resulted in suggested links to DIY trimming solutions that I have not yet ruled out, but that I am not yet willing to try, at least not while the valve still remains an issue (see below), and without another mat that I would be willing to use, should my DIY solution work out not-so-well.
I don't like the Thermarest inflate/deflate valve. I have their pump sack that I use for inflation. When I inflate the pad, as it starts to get full, there is a backpressure created by air that is trying to escape the pad. I have to carefully hold the pump sack, cut off flow that is trying to escape from the pad, and also get the pump sack to get another gulp of new air for the next inflation pump. Once I get the pad fully inflated, if I don't hold the bag perfectly to prevent the backpressure of air trying to escape the pad while also turning the valve shut, air escapes the pad, and it is then less than full. It can sometimes take a few times to get the combination just right.
On the other hand, the Exped pad has a superior valve that allows air to enter the pad but not escape during the fill process. The Schnozzel pump bag also connects to the valve more securely than with the Thermarest, which has sometimes separated or leaked during the fill process. I can fill the Schnozzel, squeeze the air into the mattress, and then I can take my time refilling the sack, or even stop and just let it go, without having air escape from the pad. I get a complete fill on the first try, without failures of any sort.
Between the two brands, I definitely find the XLite to be more comfortable than the Exped, though I have only slept on the Exped for a few hours, so far. On the other hand, the difference is not so much that the Exped gets ruled out, which is why I am going to test out the Long Wide before making my decision.
Oh, and one last thing to add is that the overall weight of the Thermarest in the Long, and the Exped in the Long Wide, each with its respective pump sack, is slightly less with the Exped.
In a perfect (but realistic) world, my solution would be to make some sort of ultralight check valve to add to the Thermarest valve or pump sack, shorten the pad a bit, and then go with that, and I may still consider that solution, once I determine that shortening the XLite would still fit. However, now that I am trying out, and starting to get used to the Exped UL Inflatable Pillow (which is much lighter than my Thermarest Compressible Pillow), which uses the same inflation/deflation valve as the pad, if I can make the pad work, I am likely just to stick with the Exped over the Thermarest, and I can then use the Schnozzel Pump Sack for both the pillow and the pad.
Last edited by Vegan Packer; 10-17-2015 at 18:57.
Vegan,
Do you have the Schnozzel pump sack? Will it attach to the NeoAir? I think it might be better than the NeoAir pump sack. Curious if this is possible.
Thanks for your help.
By the way. I close the valve on my Xtherm at the end of each bag of air. I only open it about half a turn each way. It works for me.
Wayne
Sent from somewhere around here.
Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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