View Full Version : Warmth to weight Sleeping Pad
headonkey
11-01-2009, 21:40
In two weeks I'll be backpacking in the Smokies. The expected low temps will be in the 30s. I'm trying to decide between sleeping on a full-length Pacific Outdoor Max Thermo inflatable or a BMW Torsolite on top of a full-length Therm-a-rest Z-lite. The weight difference will only be about 1 ounce so that's not a huge concern. Any thoughts?
POE Hyper High Mountain Pad w/ aerogel: 19.5 oz gives ~R-8 + ~R-20 at aerogel and much less bulky than 2 pads.
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Pads%20and%20Air%20Mattresses/POE%20Hyper%20High%20Mountain%20Sleeping%20Pad/Test%20Report%20by%20Edward%20Ripley-Duggan/ (http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Pads%20and%20Air%20Mattresses/POE%20Hyper%20High%20Mountain%20Sleeping%20Pad/Test%20Report%20by%20Gail%20Staisil/)
bigcranky
11-02-2009, 08:44
If it were me I would bring the Z-rest and the torso pad. The Z-rest is useful for all sorts of things, as a place to sit/lounge at lunch and breaks (and around camp), and a dry place to lay out all your gear for packing, etc. I think it'll be warmer for sleeping in the shelters, too.
I always double up pads when it's real cold ,usually a fill length Prolite and a Ridgerest. I use two loops of 1/8" cord to keep them together.
skinewmexico
11-03-2009, 05:11
My Max Thermo worked fine for me at 23 degrees, but the ground was not frozen. If I had know it would be that cold, I would have thrown in a Gossamer Gear thinlight pad to go on top of it. Great pad though.
Tipi Walter
11-03-2009, 08:07
This is all pretty subjective, and a winter sleeping pad for one person is either too heavy or won't work for another person. All I've ever used have been Cascade Design pads(except for a not-good experience with a Exped downmat), and I never wanted to carry two pads in the winter due to bulk and the little sandwich system moving around as I sleep.
Thermarest used to make some outstanding stand alone winter pads, like the Standard and the Expedition, but now they only have two low Rvalue ones: Prolite Plus and Trail Pro, 3.8 R. Too low for real on-snow camping. Their Toughskin is 5.1 R but good lord it's stiff at 1.5 inches thick, bulky to roll and way too firm for me. What's left? Not much.
The old Prolite 4 is a near perfect 3 season pad, but in the winter I'm using a discontinued 4.4 R Expedition, a fine die-cut large pad. For my December/January/February trips I carry the car camping intended pad called the Base Camp(used to be called the Camp Rest)and it's a heavy bastardo at 3.10lbs but comes in at 2 inches thick and 6.2 R, just right for long term winter camping and backpacking.
Yes there is a bit of a gap in their range now, from a 24oz 3.8 R ProLite Plus to a 44 oz 6.2R Base Camp. Maybe those guys that use two mats should take the blame.
I wouldn't mind slightly wider mats (22-23") , I am pretty small but who came up with that 20" width standard ?
Franco
This is the lightest & warmest set up in the thread
POE Hyper High Mountain Pad w/ aerogel: 19.5 oz gives ~R-8 + ~R-20 at aerogel and much less bulky than 2 pads.
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Pads%20and%20Air%20Mattresses/POE%20Hyper%20High%20Mountain%20Sleeping%20Pad/Test%20Report%20by%20Edward%20Ripley-Duggan/ (http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Sleep%20Gear/Pads%20and%20Air%20Mattresses/POE%20Hyper%20High%20Mountain%20Sleeping%20Pad/Test%20Report%20by%20Gail%20Staisil/)
Tipi Walter
11-04-2009, 09:34
Yes there is a bit of a gap in their range now, from a 24oz 3.8 R ProLite Plus to a 44 oz 6.2R Base Camp. Maybe those guys that use two mats should take the blame.
I wouldn't mind slightly wider mats (22-23") , I am pretty small but who came up with that 20" width standard ?
Franco
I don't know why they discontinued the Expedition pad. All I ever used for years were the 20 inch wide pads, but now all I want to use are the 25 inch pads, usually the "large" in their size category. I went decades with my knees and elbows flopping off the 20 inch pads onto the cold ground, now I've got a little more protection. Last night I went down to my 12x12 Cabelas basecamp tent and slept the night on a Toughskin large pad and dangit but it wasn't bad! Maybe I'll go ahead and take it out on my next trip(of course, always with a backup Thermy either cached or left in the car).
Tipi Walter
11-04-2009, 09:47
This is the lightest & warmest set up in the thread
I love it when a company lists their gel pad at around 20 Rvalue and then a tester like Gail Staisil takes it out and finds herself sleeping cold. And if you look at the pad, who sleeps exactly in the hourglass gel shape? And what about the legs?
The Solemates
11-04-2009, 11:02
ive never doubled up on pads. if i were you, i would be taking the z-rest and thats it. 30 deg aint cold enough for an inflatable even.
Tipi Walter
11-04-2009, 12:09
ive never doubled up on pads. if i were you, i would be taking the z-rest and thats it. 30 deg aint cold enough for an inflatable even.
See, everybody's different. My bony butt won't make it with a Ridgerest or a Z-rest, although in the days before Thermarest I used a nice old floppy ensolite pad and was glad for it.
skinewmexico
11-04-2009, 12:19
Yep, pad thickness is directly proportional to age, in my book.
egads. if that pad could be fitted w/ SPE wings it would be a sweet setup for a hammock :D