Thinking of ADDING sleeping pad weight...

[DLP]

I've got my solo base weight down to 13 pounds (with a bear can!). I'm really happy with this.

I've slept on a Thermorest Neo Air 47" 8oz pad for 23 days. I LOVE the weight, but not loving the sleep. (I've gotten all of the potato chip sounds out of it. Just not loving the shape, width, (side sleeper) and horizontal baffles.)

My husband just got an REI Flash (16oz), and OMG... I think I have some serious pad envy. I loved those vertical baffles.

I also have an ALPS Mountaineering 47" pad that weighs 25oz. http://www.amazon.com/ALPS-Mountaine...3C65X7BDYN3C03 I used that pad for 9 days on the TRT in 2012, and I loved the sleep, but not the weight.

I spent 90 mins doing the Princess and the Pea thing and blew up all 3 mats and they all have their pros and cons.

And then, to complicate things, there are even more pads in stores and online. I'm 5'2" (or less). A 66" woman's pad would be PERFECT for me... but the lightest one is made by Thermarest - and it is the width that is more of an issue, not length. If the Flash came in 66"... I'd be all over that! OR... my PERFECT mat would be 25" wide and 47" long. Does anybody make one?

I've seen YouTube Videos of a guy cutting a pad down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kumSl-cbLlY But, OMG... the thought of buying a $179 long/wide pad and cutting it down to 47". There is no way I could show up at REI wanting to return a pad I'd cut on! Anybody cut on a Neoair pad?

Or I'm thinking of velcro-ing or glueing some inflatable pillows to the side of the 47" neoair I have now.

I really, REALLY like a good nights sleep... and thinking of adding 8oz or even 16oz to get it. Don't want to spend $$$ for lighter pack (pack is currently 34oz and new). Only thing I can think of getting rid of is stove and pot. But we are going out for 3 weeks in September... and I'm thinking I'll want some hot food.

Any words of mental health wisdom? Obviously, if 8 oz is my biggest problem... life is good.

[Venchka]

I took advantage of the recent REI sale and finally bought a NeoAir XTherm Wide/Long. Weight: 1 pound 4 ounces, exactly as advertised. I also bought the Exped Air Pillow Large.
So far, I have spent a total of 11 nights (8 consecutive nights) on the combination in my apartment. Conclusion: Inflated, the XTtherm is 23" wide (not 25" as advertised). I am a side sleeper. Who decided that we all should sleep on 20" wide (or less) pads? I don't hear anything. I can't tell which way the tubes are aligned. I sleep very well. Waiting for winter to verify the R-5.7 rating.
In warm weather the XTherm/Exped combo is a WINNER! 8 ounces lighter than my ancient Therm-A-Rest self-inflating pad.
If the XTherm fails the winter test, I am going straight to an Exped Wide/Standard insulated air mattress.
By the way, I am 5'-8", 150 pounds. I bought the wide/long size for the width. Glad I did. Haven't fallen off yet.

Wayne

[DLP]

Conclusion: Inflated, the XTtherm is 23" wide (not 25" as advertised). I am a side sleeper.

Thanks for the review. Inflated, my 20" neoair is about 18". It is 20.5" at the widest point, deflated. According to REI/Thermarest, the Neoair is 20" and the REI Flash is 20.5". They both inflate to 2.5" thick. However, the Flash is a good 7" wider when they are both deflated. No wonder I have pad envy!

The XTherm/Exped combo is a WINNER! 8 ounces lighter than my ancient Therm-A-Rest self-inflating pad.

That is too funny. We bought the REI Flash last weekend to replace our ancient, slightly leaky Therm-A-Rest self-inflating pad. My husband actually said, "It will be ok if I have to blow it up a couple of times during the night". Hey, they were state of the art and super light at 2.5 lbs... 15 years ago!

He said that the Flash was his most comfortable night ever. He's a happy camper. I'm going to use the Flash for a 7-10 days this summer. We'll see... It might be one of those, "I will carry this to the ends of earth... I don't care what it weighs!". Or if it turns into, "I'm not carrying these extra &^%$*# 9 oz another mile... I don't care how comfy I am!", I'll go back to the 8oz 18" Thermarest.

[Venchka]

Thanks for confirming my suspicion about the 20" NeoAirs. 5" width for 5 ounces. A good deal in my book.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

[nastynate]

I cut down my xlite large to 68". It's very easy once you wrap your head around cutting up a $180 pad for the sake of a couple ounces. I'm still debating cutting it to torso length.

[lynn523]

If you're in the market for a new pad, check out the exped ul 7.
http://www.exped.com/usa/en/product-category/mats/synmat-ul-7-m

At 16 oz, it provides an incredibly comfortable 2 inches of air, 72" length and 21 inch width. I love this thing. The wider baffles on the outer edge really do help prevent you from rolling off, and it doesn't have that potato chip bag sound people complain about with other pads. I can't believe the difference in sleep the extra couple ounces gives me over my old z-rest. Mine did spring a leak on my last night in the 100 mile wilderness. (I had overinflated it). Patched it with the provided patch kit and it held up perfectly for the rest of our trip in Maine and subsequent trips.

[Wise Old Owl]

The lighter you go the comfort goes down... that is the rub with UL! Are you willing to sleep in a three hour downpour on the ground? The pad is there to add a little comfort, I cannot wrap my mind around a 1 pound pad. 8-12 ounces should be enough for a self inflating.... just a couple ounces for a thermarest closed cell.. There are lots of choices. The pad you have already chosen is the best choice. Try to use it more and it will grow on you.

Oh and that part about pad envy.... very cool!

[Tipi Walter]

The lighter you go the comfort goes down... that is the rub with UL! Are you willing to sleep in a three hour downpour on the ground? The pad is there to add a little comfort, I cannot wrap my mind around a 1 pound pad. 8-12 ounces should be enough for a self inflating.... just a couple ounces for a thermarest closed cell.. There are lots of choices. The pad you have already chosen is the best choice. Try to use it more and it will grow on you.

Oh and that part about pad envy.... very cool!

Like Owl says, the lighter you go the less comfort you have. So, what's more important, sleep or weight?

[DLP]

If you're in the market for a new pad, check out the exped ul 7... The wider baffles on the outer edge really do help prevent you from rolling off

THAT sounds heavenly! I spend half the night with half of me on the ground and not even on the neoair. My hips are killing me because I sleep for two hours hanging off the pad and lying in the dirt. Climb back up on the mat for 30 mins and then roll off and spend 90 mins with hip on the ground. Rinse and repeat all night.

I've forgotten that it is possible to actually spend a night ON the pad. That sounds soooo good! AND the whole Exped mat is 20" across? How I've missed that! Could very well be on my next REi 20% off coupon list. lol

So, what's more important, sleep or weight?

Sleep... I want sleep. Night, night!

[OwenM]

I've forgotten that it is possible to actually spend a night ON the pad. That sounds soooo good! AND the whole Exped mat is 20" across? How I've missed that! Could very well be on my next REi 20% off coupon list. lol

There is also now a wide version of the regular length Exped, the Synmat UL 7 MW that's only 3oz heavier than the regular version.

[Snicklefritz]

There is also now a wide version of the regular length Exped, the Synmat UL 7 MW that's only 3oz heavier than the regular version.

This just came in the mail to me 2 days ago. I measured it fully inflated and it was a solid 25" wide!!

DLP - I have the exact same issues sleeping as you do. Have tried pretty much the same experiments also (including building the "fort" around my pad at night with anything I could find in my pack.

I love my Thermorest pro lite plus womens, but I can't stay on it and it's just not wide enough. Looking forward to trying the new Exped next week while out. I am also willing to add a few ounces to my pack for a good night's sleep.

Just be aware the Synmat UL 7 only has an R value of like 3.1.

[DLP]

I got a 25" x 77" Neoair on eBay for a good price. 1 pound. I slept on it in the backyard and OMG, it was heavenly! I think maybe it is wider than my allocated "half" of the bed. (Husband's "half" is in the middle. I should be able to sleep on 17.5" of pad just fine, I have years of practice.)

Taking Giant Pad to Giant Sequoia trees and will decide if I have the courage to cut it and iron it. I seriously do not need 77" of pad.

Maybe I'll practice and cut on the 47" one first. Think I can sell it after I cut on it and iron it?

[RodentWhisperer]

...what's more important, sleep or weight?

My thoughts exactly. There are so many ways to cut base pack weight-- witness the "SUL" (sub-ultra-light) folks with their <5 lb base weights. If you're willing and able to sacrifice your comfort, you can get away with a dramatic weight loss. You just have to balance it all out. Dare I say that all ULers have made some "adjustments," increasing base weight by adding creature comforts?

Personally speaking, I find it impossible to not take a book (yes, a book, not an iPad, not a Kindle, not ripped-out chapters, but a whole-on, printed, bona-fide library-checked-out BOOK), and a travel pillow. Together, they add about 1-1/2 lbs to my pack, but they make things so much more comfortable.

[shakey_snake]

The lighter you go the comfort goes down... that is the rub with UL!

Trail comfort goes up (lighter pack), camp comforts go down.

I guess it's just a matter of whether you're long distance hiking or long distance camping.

Sleeping pad is the last place you see weight skimped on in experienced people's gear lists, though! Seems that you can hike longer and farther with a good nights sleep--whodathunk?

Heck, the number of inexperienced heavy haulers carrying foam zlite pads that post gear lists every March is pretty amazing. Hike like crap and sleep like crap and they're either dropping mad cash at Neels or calling for a shuttle to take them back to ATL at Hiawassee!

[DLP]

Heck, the number of inexperienced heavy haulers carrying foam zlite pads that post gear lists every March is pretty amazing.

That is true out here. Will see people with enormous packs that have to weigh 35 to 60 lbs... and a foam pad strapped on the outside because the pack is so crammed full with... who knows. Never thought of the irony of that before.

Thanks for the Klymit inertia Xwave heads up. Very interesting!

[Just Bill]

Thanks for the Klymit inertia Xwave heads up. Very interesting!

The Xwave looks to be a good option for you- as a fellow side sleeper I found myself in the holes of the Xlite pad and had to pass, but this one looks much more solid- REI it just in case.

[colorado_rob]

The lighter you go the comfort goes down... that is the rub with UL!

Only sometimes true, and not generally so. Why, for example, would 500 fill down be more comfortable than 900 fill of the same loft? Sil-nylon vs. Cuben? A heavy liquid-fuel stove vs. a light canister or alcohol one? A 5 pound pack vs. a 2 pound one with the same suspension? My favorite: a 6.5 ounce Nalgene bottle vs. a 1.6 ounce Gatorade bottle? The mind boggles...

But, I admit, this is generally true with super-UL sleeping pads, though I sleep like a baby on my Neo Air, I know lots of folks don't. I think 16 ounces is well justified for a nice comfy sleeping pad, even 20.

[flemdawg1]

You have to make your priorities. Mine are:
1. Safety. (I carry the 10 essentials every trip. Even day hikes I carry rain gear, water purification, a tarp, a knife, map and compass, a headlamp, a lighter, and 1st aid)
2. Comfort while hiking (I could save 8oz at least if I replaced the padded shoulder straps with paracord, but I won't and neither will anyone else. A low pack is still important a large factor for this though.)
3. a Good night's sleep. (Because nothing exacerbates a bad day like a bad night prior.) I replaced my Big Agne Air Core with a TR Prolite Plus small after fighting leaks on too many occasions.
4. Good coffee. (Starbuck's Via is pretty good, but good grounds brewed in a French Press is heaven. I'll give up my shoes before I give up my 6oz french press.)
5. Good food. (The terrain will make you suffer enough, why add more to it by eating crap.)
6. THe Good Book. (A big part of why I hike is to commune with my Creator. Bringing His Word (now in a smart phone app), helps in that.

[DLP]

The lighter you go the comfort goes down... that is the rub with UL!

I hear ya! I think that I was at perfection and the at the right balance of weight vs comfort for me and shaved off 4-8oz too much.

Are you willing to sleep in a three hour downpour on the ground?

Nearly been there. Spent a night in a HUGE puddle in the fetal position (probably should have been in the "if you are about to be struck by lightening" position...) on that little 46"x18" Neoair Life Raft. (This is the Sierras. Thunderstorms happen in the afternoon! Not 11pm.) No tent. Practically no tarp. But one of the most spectacular, scary and memorable nights of my life.

The pad you have already chosen is the best choice. Try to use it more and it will grow on you.

I don't know Owl. I got it March 2013 and have taken it on 8 trips for 22 nights. I think I have given it my best shot. I had high hopes for the NeoAir, but it isn't working for me. I actually loved it after two days... and it is the opposite of growing on me. I'm beginning to dread "sleeping" on it. Sleeping in quotes... since I don't do a lot of that while on it. It will be going up for sale... now that I've done a fantastic sales pitch for it.

@FlemDawg, the Nalgene Ninja: Love your list. I'd put BOTH Comfort while hiking and Good Nights Sleep as number two. LOL at "good grounds brewed in a French Press is heaven. I'll give up my shoes before I give up my 6oz french press." I can wait for good coffee when I get home. Telling myself, "You can wait 8 days for a good nights sleep at home"... not so much.

[Tipi Walter]

Personally speaking, I find it impossible to not take a book (yes, a book, not an iPad, not a Kindle, not ripped-out chapters, but a whole-on, printed, bona-fide library-checked-out BOOK), and a travel pillow. Together, they add about 1-1/2 lbs to my pack, but they make things so much more comfortable.

One reason my pack weights are so high is that I start out with many books, or internet "book rolls" which are 70 pages of typing paper printed on both sides of interesting crap I find on the web. Stuff like trail journals and gear reviews, etc. Pick up a "ream" of typing paper at 500 pages and it's heavy. I often carry around 850 total pages HEAVY. Thing is, ALL OF IT IS BURNED. Even books. I would never return from a trip with reading material---books or book rolls. Read and Burn, my mantra.

You have to make your priorities. Mine are:
1. Safety. (I carry the 10 essentials every trip. Even day hikes I carry rain gear, water purification, a tarp, a knife, map and compass, a headlamp, a lighter, and 1st aid)
2. Comfort while hiking (I could save 8oz at least if I replaced the padded shoulder straps with paracord, but I won't and neither will anyone else. A low pack is still important a large factor for this though.)

To me, comfort is safety. Staying warm when wet or dry, getting a good night's sleep, not worrying about lake effect or ground water in an all-night storm, pegging out the guylines and sleeping thru a tremendous storm or blizzard, hiking in ice with microspikes, hiking slow enough to avoid falling---all these things are part of safe backpacking. If I carry more weight to handle tough conditions then I am happy, comfortable and safe. Maybe not lightning strikes, falling trees or marauding pigs---but everything else I can anticipate.

(Oh, except for a broken tooth or a lost crown or the midnight Bung Squirts with the Giardia Rush Abouts. Or the occasional food poisoning.)