Sleeping pads

[KathyW]

Tina: I used two cheap foam pads up at Ingram Flats on Rainer a few years ago and I was fine. I had my 10 degree bag. The wind makes it cold outside this time of year up there, but it can be pretty comfortable inside the tent.

You'll be lucky if you sleep at all anyway - most people just get a few hours rest prior to getting up at midnight or 1 am and heading for the summit. Sleep isn't that important that night anyway - you'll be fine as long as your body rests.

The sharp stuff (axe/crampons) stay outside the tent most of the time.

It looks like the NeoAir has a higher R-Value than the Pro-lite - that should work then. I just assumed the NeoAir had a lower R-Value, but it doesn't. Here's a chart with some pads and their R-Values:

http://sectionhiker.com/sleeping-pad-r-values/

I'll stick with my Exped DownMat 7 in the snow because I don't have to carry that second pad.

I wonder if you can add the R-Values of the two pads together to come up with the total R-Value when you carry two pads????

[Hikin_Jim]

I think the general rule is that R values are cumulative. In other words, the R value of a series of stacked mats is equal to the sum of the R values of each individual mat.

I suppose that if the fit between the mats wasn't reasonably tight and air could flow between the two mats that the overall R value would be reduced to some degree.


That's interesting that the NeoAir has a higher R value than the Prolite. Note however that there is a Prolite and a Prolite Plus. The Prolite Plus is almost twice the R value of just a Prolite. For whatever reason, the link that Kathy provided us with does not mention the Prolite Plus. For comparative purposes, I've included Prolite Plus.
"R" Product
2.2 Z Lite - 14 oz
2.2 Prolite (Prolite 3) - 1 lbs
2.5 NeoAir - 14 oz
2.6 Ridgerest - 14 oz
3.8 Prolite Plus (Prolite 4) - 1 lbs, 8 oz
3.8 Trail Lite - 2 lbs

I've typically snow camped with a Prolite Plus on top of a Ridgerest for a total R value of 6.4. Snow? What snow?

HJ

[leaftye]

If it's not too late, take a look at kookabay.com. Actually, contact Bender, the guy behind Kookabay. His site doesn't tell you that he's all about custom work. You can get thinner or thicker fabrics, change the dimensions of your pad, pick how much down you want in it, design your pad for a specific R-value or weight, etc.

[Pitownpi]

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[Pitownpi]

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[NormaR]

great links Pi man. that is so fascinating. the Gear Ho in two members of this board that i can think of would love to have one of those vests. i would too if i had the money.

[KathyW]

I shipped both my Exped DownMat's to Exped yesterday. They're both leaking. One is leaking near the valve and a patch doesn't work on it. The other has a slow leak and I can't find the bubbles when I submerge it in water. Anyway, Exped offered to fix them for free; so off they went in a box to Washington.

This past week, I had both my NeoAir and my DownMat with me in Colorado. I must say, the DownMat is much warmer and is more comfortable to sleep on than the NeoAir. Still, the Neoair is lightweight; so it has it's place when ounces really count in the warm weather.

When my NeoAir was leaking and I couldn't find the leak, Cascade Designs charged me $30 to fix it.

I'd say Exped has better customer service than Cascade Designs.

[Hikin_Jim]

Yeah, that's the problem with anything inflatable: They get punctured. Sigh. Exped, though, clearly has the better customer service.

Kathy, if you don't mind my asking, what do you put under your mats to protect them?

I usually put down a ground sheet (Tyvek), put my bivvy sack (OR Aurora) on top of that, and then place my pad (Neo Air or Thermarest, depending) inside the bivvy. So far so good; no punctures.

On at least three occasions where I've slept out with only a ground sheet, pad, and sleeping bag, I've punctured my Prolite 3.

My old full length Thermarest that I bought in 1987? Never even one puncture in all the years I've used it. It is a little on the heavy side, though.

HJ