Short sleeping pads

[blw2]

Please teach me about short sleeping pads.

Gearing up for a whole family trip. Not really "backpacking", heading to Cumberland Island Ga, late November or December timeframe, about a mile "hike" in....
I need another pad to round out for the family of 5, and I'm thinking about getting a "short" as a lightweight option I can use later for me, backpacking since I don't like my air mattress.

Since Trailpro is no longer available, maybe a Prolite or a Prolite Plus? Or a bigger and less likely maybe...and Evolite?

But my bigger question is length
XS or S????

I'm thinking knee length might be the better compromise for comfort vs weight, but I'm not sure....
my use with be 2 part (1. for one of my young daughters, 2. for backpacking summer AT? & winter in florida)


Currently in my collection, I have
1) An old thermarest, don't know the name.... maybe a classic? 1 inch thick I believe x approx 20 inch wide rectangular pad - My 12 year old son uses this now

2) Thermarest Trailpro, and old style. I think 1-1/2 or 2 inch thick. I have used this one a lot (a lot for me is not a through hike). Mostly camping at scout camps and cub scout things. Have even slept on the concrete floor under the space shuttle Atlantis on this thing, fairly comfortably. This one is my favorite by far. It's just kinda bulky and heavy.

3) Nemo Tensor insulated Long. I actually meant to buy the non-insulated but got the insulation by mistake. Prob a good thing... I bought this one because in the store it seemed to be much quieter than the thermarest inflatable, and I was looking for a smaller and lighter pad for future packing Haven't used it much but I'm not a fan. I didn't sleep well on it, noisey, looses pressure with temperature fall, I guess I just don't care for the air mattress bouncy feel.... I really should use REI's return thing and upgrade this one....

4) Thermarest Ridgerest Solar that I bought for my daughter to use. Seems fine for the little kids....but I can't imagine this 51 year old side sleeping body on that thing. Maybe if I could pile up a nice mound of leaves under...... otherwise, not for me.

5) a yoga pad I bought for my youngest to use the last time we tented as a family. This is the one I'm thinking to upgrade

....or now that I'm writing this, I'm thinking about trying out the REI return thing for my Nemo (never done that before, and have a couple months left on the year, it's a 1 year return, right?) + upgrading the yoga pad.... and get two mattresses that are better fit....

[cmoulder]

I'm 5'9" and like a 47" length pad, which for me is about knee-length.

IMO the most comfort with an air mat is achieved when it is minimally inflated to let hips sink in when lying on it, almost to the ground. I also like wider air mats (~ 25 inches) so that my elbows don't dangle off the sides.

Unfortunately the 47x25 format is hard to find. I cut and reseal 77x25 air mats but I know this is not for everybody because it voids the warranty and requires a new skill... and there is the potential to destroy an expensive air mat.

Those yoga mats are super heavy.

[saltysack]

My son and dog split a zlite. Ive used my sons section on paddle trips, not bad for a CCF pad but then again it’s usually on a beach camp site so it’s soft. I’m 5’11 about 215, as cmoulder said with a taller pad can’t stand my arms dangling off so the wide xlite and xtherm are my first choice.....I don’t have the balls to take a razor to them but would like to shorten the xlite. I want a full length pad during the winter......


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[HooKooDooKu]

The last time I purchased a sleeping pad for MY use, I splurged on the NeoAir XLite Large. When I first bought it, I was a stomach sleeper and hated my arms lying on the ground of a standard with matress, especially a 2" thick one. Given how much I hated my arms hanging off a thick matress, I can't imagine how much I would hate my legs dangling off the end of a thick matress. My only regret in buying the large is that I've become a side sleeper and don't need the extra width.

[cmoulder]

.....I don’t have the balls to take a razor to them but would like to shorten the xlite. I want a full length pad during the winter......


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Gotta admit, even though I had successfully shortened 2-3 other air mats, I winced a bit when slicing into that $229 Xtherm. https://ssl.gstatic.com/mail/emoji/v7/png48/emoji_u1f62c.png

BTW, I've done this only with TR products with horizontal baffles. I have no idea how you'd do this (or if it's even possible) with Exped or zig-zaggy Klymits and the like.

[nsherry61]

FWIW: If you read the post-trail interview gear preference stats from PCT and AT thru-hikers (I think they are here somewhere? (https://thetrek.co/)), one of the most common choices that thru-hikers would change for their next hike, or were glad that they changed for the current hike was changing from closed cell foam to inflatable or changing from short to full-length sleeping pads because sleep was so important and the weight penalty was small relative to the long-term benefit of a more effective night's sleep.

I use both. I probably use my NeoAir X-Lite short pad the most. The drop-off at the knees is a drag unless you stack some padding under your lower legs and/or deflate the mattress enough that your legs aren't being bent sideways and/or backwards where they drop off the mattress. I've got a new Sea-to-Summit full length pad (that weighs almost twice as much) that may become my default go-to pad in the future, we'll see.

[SWODaddy]

I own a Nemo Tensor pad (large size) and like it so much I thought I would get the short version for ultralight trips.

Laying on the pad the first time was a remedial physics lesson - specifically, PSI. Even deflating it as much as possible, there is a lot of pressure.

It's still a good pad, but you will lose comfort and I'd imagine it will get holes easier as well.

[Cheyou]

Xtherm short user and side sleeper . You could look at massdrop for a Klymit insulated pad $60. For a short

[Slo-go'en]

I tried a short Prolight for awhile. Didn't like having my legs dangle over the edge. You got to put something under your feet to lift them up or it's very uncomfortable. The only thing I have to put under my feet is my pack and then my feet get tangled in the straps. And if the pack is wet from hiking in the rain all day - not good. If you don't put anything under your feet, they can get real cold resting right on the ground.

My knees end up right at the bottom edge of the matt and I either have to curl up to keep them on the matt or let them hang over the edge. Don't like either situation. I went back to a full length matt pretty quickly.

[blw2]

Well I guess that pretty much sums it up
short pads are none too popular it seems....

I knew a short pad wouldn't be great in very cold times.....
but laying scooched down on my long pads with my legs hanging off, here at home on the floor, doesn't seem so bad but I can see how all night in the cold it woudl be different.

Still, guess I'm a bit surprised there aren't more here using short pads....

[cmoulder]

Sleep mat preference is a highly individual thing and I would say don't give up until you've personally tried one, experimenting with inflation levels to see if you can find your sweet spot.

I did not like the Neoair Xlite shortie at all but just love the Trekker in the short/wide/rectangle. It weighs 13 oz, but I was able to find some original-style long/wide Neoairs and cut them down to match the Trekker dimensions. They weigh 10.4 oz and are a bit more compact.

[chknfngrs]

I’ve used them all, but now highly prefer the lofi closed cell foam pad. Never punctures. Never fails. Just unfurl and lay down. I use a z rest cut to fit between my shoulders and hips. Prop my legs on my pack.

[Alligator]

Pad weight has decreased quite a bit over the years. There's less and less weight difference between a short and regular length pad.

As far as kids go, until they are about teen size, a 48 inch pad works just fine. Kids sleep pretty good on anything. They don't even stay on the pad that well. I don't know how many times I've woken up at night and had to "fix" mine, almost never on the pad anyway. I only fix 'em now if they are sticking outside the 'mid wall.

Klymit Static pads come up on Amazon for around $60, is 72", and weighs 16 oz. We got one last year, its got some use no complaints so far. If your not in a hurry, it shows up on lightening and other deals for about $48 occasionally. That's how I ended up with it. I also got a Neo Air full length for about half price too last year it was like $60. The mouse just kind of clickety-clicked on that one. The Neo Air was before Christmas, the other a little after I believe.

[some random name]

I use a ridge-rest short which goes to my knees and i just place my backpack under my feet. Saves some weight/cost and i love not having to deal with punctures. For me its pretty comfortable, but most people would not think so. Also its very quick to set up just unroll. I am going to switch to a Thermarest z-lite for next season. In winter season i use 2 ccf foam pads 1short+ backpack on top of a full length pad.