Hi, all. I don't have much experience with modern camping, but I've spent 9 nights outdoors this year and have another 7 planned - 4 on one trip and 3 on another, and I hope this trend continues. I really don't think I need a sleeping pad, but my back, shoulders and hips are disagreeing with me. I'm looking for compact, lightweight, easy to inflate/deflate and rugged. What are you using? How do you like it? Would you buy differently if you needed a new one? What's the key to a good pad? etc etc. Any and all comments are very much appreciated! Rick - Poquoson, VA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
--- Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote: > I'm looking for compact, lightweight, easy to > inflate/deflate and rugged. I have some fairly serious back problems and I love my Thermarest Camp Rest LE self-inflating. I highly recommend Thermarest pads and for real comfort would stick with one of the LE models (Luxury Series). It is worth getting one that is wide enough too. They come in a range of weights, thicknesses, lengths, and widths. It is a little confusing to read model descriptions. REI had a good selection so I was able to lay on all of the different models before choosing. One caveat. They aren't cheap. The single models range from $50 - $200. My Camp Rest LE was somewhere between $120 and $140 if memory serves correctly. It was well worth it to me though. Pete Yahoo! Health - your guide to health and wellness http://health.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
ThermaRest LE Worth every centavo. If raft, panga or car supported check out Jack's Plastic Welding's PACO PADS. They're the *Futon* for the wilderness. Steve (who gets to sleep on a Paco for 18 days in the Grand Canyon in 2 weeks!) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> -----Original Message----- Rick wrote: > What's the key to a good pad? etc etc. In my mind there are two basic reason for using a sleeping pad: insulation and/or comfort. Both involve the same principle - elevate and separate the body from the cold hard earth. There are two primary schools of thought regarding pads - the "air" pads and the closed-cell foam pads. For my money the top line (weight to utility ratio) of air-based pads has to be Thermarest - they can take my Thermarest LE when they finally slide it out from under my cold corpse. The Thermarest pads tend to be heavier and more expensive than closed cell foam pads, but they're much more comfortable. Size-wise the rolled sizes of two types are pretty much comparable when using pads of the same length and width. Closed cell foam pads (i.e. the Thermrest Ridgerest) tend to provide better insulation on a weight to insulation ratio, but can't compare to the luxury of a Thermarest. For backpacking I carry a foam pad because ounces (or grams) count, but when Kayaking I go for the Thermarest, because weight doesn't matter nearly as much and the rolled size issue is a wash... Dave Seng Juneau, Alaska *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I'm looking for compact, lightweight, easy to inflate/deflate and rugged. I'll second the Thermarest pads. Mine is the thickest & longest of the bunch. Still deflates down to a manageable roll. I've had others, air mattresses, foam pads, etc. and Thermarest beats them all. Only negative is that the older ones were too smooth -- you'd slide off. I take a roll or two of the Contact Shelf Liner cloth. Really great friction. Remember to store it semi-inflated.... I took one on a seven day raft-supported trip down the Salmon River in Idaho. Occasionally got wet, which was no big deal. Never a problem. I carry a small Primus Lantern that uses a propane cylinder. About a 100 watt light bulb equivalent, I'd say. I don't use it in a tent, though. For that I use a combination flashlight/flourescent I got at Brookstone years ago. Hangs horizontally from a string... The propanc cylinder does double duty since it also powers a single-burner stove. The same plastic base serves for both... Joe P. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I will choose from a selection of ThermaRest pads to suit conditions, needs, etc. My most common companion is the UltraLite 3/4 Length with a chair-making slipcover. It compresses well for packing into my smallish NDK hatches. I've also used the Luxury model and a closed cell z-rest pad. Combining the Z-rest with the backpacker ultralight is a nice combo when camping on rockslab. I've avoided using lanterns for many of the reasons already stated. Candle lanterns offer redundancy w/safety gear...storm candles. I use LED headlamps and a hanging LED lamp around camp and in the tent/tarp. I just broke down and bought a SnowPeak lantern that is small, well-designed, and burns fairly efficiently off of canister fuel (Snowpeak, MSR, etc)...has a glass globe and a mesh screen globe...is bright, adjustable, and did I say how small and well-engineered the thing is....maybe it's gear-itis, but I like it. -Will *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Actually, YES, it will degrade it. The soft foam core is more appropriately called 'baffles', and if you store the thermarest rolled up, over time it will tear down the baffles, causing it to not inflate properly. Further, even though we all tend to add a few extra 'breaths' to give it more air, this too can damage the baffles eventually; as well as cause them to freeze in winter/early spring/fall camping (moisture from breath). Scott Simpson Anchorage Alaska "There is always one more thing you can do to influence any situation" Lt. Gen Harold Moore, USA (Ret) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 05/07/2002 11:36:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com writes: << Can you say more about this? Why do you store them semi-inflated? >> I understood that you must not store them rolled. You just open the valve (and leave it open) and store the mattress pad flat - under the bed, for example. sandy kramer *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 09:05 AM 5/7/02 -0400, Rick.Sylvia_at_ferguson.com wrote: > >I'm looking for compact, lightweight, easy to inflate/deflate and rugged. What are you using? How do you like it? Would you buy differently if you needed a new one? What's the key to a good pad? etc etc. Thermarest. Accept no substitutes. I've used the 1" thick pad for some time and it's a little thin for me. Just got the thicker one but haven't had a chance to use it yet. -- Wes --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wes Boyd's Kayak Place http://www2.dmci.net/wesboyd/kayak.htm Kayaks for Big Guys (And Gals) | Trip Reports | Places To Go | Boats & Gear --------------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I used just about everything from ethafoam, to coiled ropes and empty packs, to leaf litter. I never used Thermarests because they're heavy and somewhat fragile. The important question is how do you want to feel when you wake up in the morning? Short of a nice bed with new sheets and room service, Thermarests (or their clones) have to be the choice. It took 1 night on a borrowed one to completely convince me. It can be a pain to pack, but the wide full length ones are worth it. Kevin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
i think i just had an oops and sent a blank one - sorry OK, Rick, my suggestion is you go with the Therm-A-Rest Standard full-length. I had a 3/4 length and I'm only 5'0" but I prefer the full length one. http://www.cascadedesigns.com/thermarest/standard_series.asp?Action=Standard the ultralite is OK if you really have a weight/bulk limitation, but it's very thin BTW - I was doing a google search for tents cos I'm looking for a 4-peaked dome tent (ie ventilation on all four sides with the ability to zip up against rain from the inside) to recommend to new campers in Florida (I've "founded" Scampers - Single Campers of South Florida) and I came across the following headline that immediately caught my eye (and my heart): <> I clicked on it to see who the kindred soul was and as Pogo said, I have seen the enemy...and it is us! Not only was it the Paddlewise thread you started on tents and assembled by Hank Berger but the quote was mine!!!!! I nearly died laughing. What I'd like to know is...did Hank choose that as the "heading?" sandy kramer *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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