View Full Version : REI = Prolite 4 on Sale
Just a plug for REI....
Ordered a bunch of stuff yesterday, including a TR Prolite 4 Regular. Paid a bit extra for O/N shipping, got it today no problem. Looking on their site again for some other stuff, saw that, although I paid 94.95 for the pad yesterday, it was now reduced to 69.83! Anyway, one phone call, never on hold, and they instantly gave me the difference back.
Anyway, it's on sale for 69.83 for anyone in the market! Tried mine out on the garage floor, and even my fat a%# can't feel the ground through it!!!
Anyway, one phone call, never on hold, and they instantly gave me the difference back.
That was good of them.
Panzer
skinewmexico
02-25-2009, 01:09
Nice of them! But for $1 more (not on sale), you could have gotten a POE Ether Thermo 6 that is lighter, thicker, and packs smaller.
POE Ether Thermo 6 vs. TR Prolite 4 Regular:
Apples to oranges comparison. The TR is insulated and mostly self inflating. Therefore heavier, warmer, slightly more bulky and IMHO more durable. As long as your system works for you it is all good.
skinewmexico
02-25-2009, 01:46
I used my Ether Thermo in 22 degree weather last weekend (it is insulated). Ten big breaths to inflate. But as long as your system works for you.
Apparently they make the Ether series in two versions insulated and noninsulated. The "Ether Thermo" is insulated. I was remembering the "Ether compact" that is not.
bigcranky
02-25-2009, 08:27
Thanks for the tip. My hiking partner wants the Large Prolite 4, and it's $30 off right now. Appreciate it.
I've had good luck with my other TR products. I still haven't been bitten by the "ultra-light" bug as of yet, although I am starting to move in that direction! Will take a look at the other recommendations, keep them in mind for the future. The self-inflation factor is not so much a big deal as is the warmth. I tend to do most of my early spring-late fall hikes alone (too cold for the kids still), so hopefully this fits the tickets. I've notice from the forums that you could go all day debating the pros and cons of each pad, so I guess eventually you just have to make some sort of a decision and put your money down! I'll post my .02 in a couple of weeks, taking it out for the first time next weekend on a 1 or 2 night trip, along with my new Mont Bell SS down #1 bag (this I'm REALLY excited about!).
Peace!
Cast Away
02-25-2009, 10:37
You guys must be ceo's of your company. I can't pay that much money for a pad. My back will have to settle for a walmart blue foam pad. Just found this hobby and didn't realize it was going to cost me a grand.
I believe if I took up batmitton this week, and started to research the gear, I would find that they have $30 rackets and $400 titanium rackets. Special shoes and shorts to go with them. Would you want chalk or paint to draw your out of bounds line?
[quote=Cast Away;788319]You guys must be ceo's of your company. I can't pay that much money for a pad. My back will have to settle for a walmart blue foam pad. Just found this hobby and didn't realize it was going to cost me a grand.quote]
Hahaha, far from it. I've always been like this. Whenever I get a hobby that I know I'm going to stick with, I really get into it. It drives my wife CRAZY!!! Examples:
Rugby: I have over 30 jerseys, and god knows how many t-shirts and whatnot. I became my club president after 3 years of playing.
Golf: New clubs every 3 years, new shoes every year, although I play 2-3 times a week when I can.
Cigars: I currently have over 300 split between 2 humidors. Some are in the $35-$45 per cigar range.
Powerlifting: Goes with rugby, but no rea money investment other than a gym membership.
Hiking: Have a lot of good gear. None really SUPER top of the line, but it's mostly good stuff.
So anyway, these are my hobbies and, as you can see, I go a little over the top. I think a lot of it has to do with my childhood and having to be the primary cargiver to my sister from a young age, not getting to do a lot of things other kids were able to do, so now I'm making up for lost time! That being said, both me and my wife have really good jobs in "mostly" recession proof industries.
Peace!
bigcranky
02-25-2009, 11:19
You guys must be ceo's of your company. I can't pay that much money for a pad. My back will have to settle for a walmart blue foam pad. Just found this hobby and didn't realize it was going to cost me a grand.
Yeah, I use hundred dollar bills as firestarter. My bonus last year paid for my yacht, with enough left over to take my mistress to Paris for a couple of weeks. (Shhh, don't tell my wife....)
Heh. I bought the Prolite 4 as soon as it was released about 5-6 years ago. It has been on every backpacking and camping trip since then, well over 100 nights in the woods. I have never had any issues with leaks, punctures, etc., and it is significantly more comfortable than a closed cell foam pad. For less than $1 per night (so far), I'm pretty happy with what it cost.
YMMV, of course, but the Prolite 4 is worth the money in my experience.
skinewmexico
02-25-2009, 11:46
Yeah, I use hundred dollar bills as firestarter.
Those bills make pretty good toilet paper too.
But I've found that sometimes ponying up and paying more than I wanted for a certain piece of gear substanitally enhances my outdoor experience, so it's worth it. I can't spend a week sleeping in 30 minute intervals, because the thin blue pad makes my hip hurt so much it wakes me up. So sometimes I splurge, knowing it makes my time outside much, much better. And I usually just shop and watch for used gear, so it is in my price range.
bigcranky
02-25-2009, 12:59
Those bills make pretty good toilet paper too.
I use thousand dollar bills as toilet paper. Where are your priorities, man?