RagingHampster
02-14-2003, 11:54
Ok, I love my 3.5lb Self Inflater, but I can't see myself hauling it on a mulkti-week trip when it comes to my Long Trail Thru-Hike this summer/fall. It's also 1/4 of my dry pack weight. I've decided to do some serious looking into pad use/philosophy. If in the end Its the only comfortable pad for a good nights rest, I will be taking it. But I'd like a lighter weight option if possible. It's still my main pad for my routine weekend excursions tough.
I sleep on my back and stomach. Never my sides, so I tried sleeping on various pads in my collection and seeing where stress points were, and ways to eliminate these. Two of these pads I got for free with purchases.
Here are the pads I've tested...
Therm-A-Rest Ridge Rest 25 Closed Cell Foam Pad
Therm-A-Rest Z-Rest Full Length Closed Cell Foam Pad
Therm-A-Rest UltraLite Self Inflating Mattress
Therm-A-Rest Discovery Exporer 3/4 Length Self Inflating Mattress
Therm-A-Rest LE Camp Rest Self Inflating Mattress
Walmart "Generic Blue" Closed Cell Foam Pad
I noticed with the Ultralite self inflator, and the closed cell foam pads, that I developed stress points at my sternum when sleeping on my stomach, and at my tailbone when sleeping on my back. In addition the back of my head got sore. Due to the height (1.5") of the 3/4 length explorer, I found that when I slept on my back with my legs straight out, I developed some mild soreness in my knees. Similar to when you sit on the couch with your heels on the coffee table for too long. It goes away after an hour or so of walking, but a thorn nonetheless. I have broad shoulders, so my arms rest on the ground with all these pads. The 25" wide pads (Camp Rest and RR25) supported my arms only when rigid against my body. When relaxed my elbows rest on the ground. However I've discovered that when I wrap my temporary blanket (unzipped TNF Blue Kazoo) under my elbows, this is not a problem, and that a 20" wide pad will work just as well as a 25" pad because of this. This saves me weight off the bat. I am 6'1, and most pads are 6' long. I was duped into a 6'6" long pad because of this. Otherwise my heels or end of my head played paper rock scissors.
Ever since I purchased the Z-Rest, I was hooked on it's design, and easy packability. It required no repairs, and felt nice next to the skin. However, I'm 225lbs, and I crush the pad flat generating pressure points at the above mentioned areas. Recently a friend borrowed it, and I saw him folding it in half and using it as a chair. Duh! I was so excited that night I slept on it as a 1/2 length version. No tailbone pressure points anymore, and the sternum pressure point was radically reduced when on my stomach. It was also thin enough to negate any stress developing in my knees. Only problem is with my head, because it sticks all the way off the pad in order to support my tailbone.
Which brings me to my next experiment. I'm going to get another Z-Rest, and shorten both of them by 5 sections. When stacked, they will give me the support I need beneath my head and tailbone, and give me the benefits of the Z-Rest construction. I'm also going to take along my 6oz Therm-A-Rest pillow.
Here are my weight estimates.
Standard 14 section Z-rest weighs 15oz.
Two 9 Section Z-Rests will weigh ~19oz.
+ My therm A Rest Pillow 6oz.
Not too bad. I've just dropped 2lb from my baseweight, and gained a much more efficient pad system. Although not as comfy as my Camp Rest, it is sufficiently comfortable for me to sleep well, which is an extremely high priority on my list.
I sleep on my back and stomach. Never my sides, so I tried sleeping on various pads in my collection and seeing where stress points were, and ways to eliminate these. Two of these pads I got for free with purchases.
Here are the pads I've tested...
Therm-A-Rest Ridge Rest 25 Closed Cell Foam Pad
Therm-A-Rest Z-Rest Full Length Closed Cell Foam Pad
Therm-A-Rest UltraLite Self Inflating Mattress
Therm-A-Rest Discovery Exporer 3/4 Length Self Inflating Mattress
Therm-A-Rest LE Camp Rest Self Inflating Mattress
Walmart "Generic Blue" Closed Cell Foam Pad
I noticed with the Ultralite self inflator, and the closed cell foam pads, that I developed stress points at my sternum when sleeping on my stomach, and at my tailbone when sleeping on my back. In addition the back of my head got sore. Due to the height (1.5") of the 3/4 length explorer, I found that when I slept on my back with my legs straight out, I developed some mild soreness in my knees. Similar to when you sit on the couch with your heels on the coffee table for too long. It goes away after an hour or so of walking, but a thorn nonetheless. I have broad shoulders, so my arms rest on the ground with all these pads. The 25" wide pads (Camp Rest and RR25) supported my arms only when rigid against my body. When relaxed my elbows rest on the ground. However I've discovered that when I wrap my temporary blanket (unzipped TNF Blue Kazoo) under my elbows, this is not a problem, and that a 20" wide pad will work just as well as a 25" pad because of this. This saves me weight off the bat. I am 6'1, and most pads are 6' long. I was duped into a 6'6" long pad because of this. Otherwise my heels or end of my head played paper rock scissors.
Ever since I purchased the Z-Rest, I was hooked on it's design, and easy packability. It required no repairs, and felt nice next to the skin. However, I'm 225lbs, and I crush the pad flat generating pressure points at the above mentioned areas. Recently a friend borrowed it, and I saw him folding it in half and using it as a chair. Duh! I was so excited that night I slept on it as a 1/2 length version. No tailbone pressure points anymore, and the sternum pressure point was radically reduced when on my stomach. It was also thin enough to negate any stress developing in my knees. Only problem is with my head, because it sticks all the way off the pad in order to support my tailbone.
Which brings me to my next experiment. I'm going to get another Z-Rest, and shorten both of them by 5 sections. When stacked, they will give me the support I need beneath my head and tailbone, and give me the benefits of the Z-Rest construction. I'm also going to take along my 6oz Therm-A-Rest pillow.
Here are my weight estimates.
Standard 14 section Z-rest weighs 15oz.
Two 9 Section Z-Rests will weigh ~19oz.
+ My therm A Rest Pillow 6oz.
Not too bad. I've just dropped 2lb from my baseweight, and gained a much more efficient pad system. Although not as comfy as my Camp Rest, it is sufficiently comfortable for me to sleep well, which is an extremely high priority on my list.