Subject: Re: Bedpad Options - Therma Rest or cheap air mattress - msg#00084

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Bedpad Options - Therma Rest or cheap air mattress

Hey gang I'm thinking about purchasing a new bedpad. I've ruled out closed cell foam, so I'm down to a new Therma Rest (Guide Lite 3/4) or a cheap inflatable air mattress that we have on the shelf in the garage. I haven't weighed this one yet, but it seems fairly light. I'm curious if any of you carry an air mattress when you pack. Obvious advantages are: cheap, easily replaceable, fairly light. Obvious disadvantages: ease of puncture, no way to repair, could be cumbersome to pack up and get all the air out, no insulation from cold ground temperature. Let me know what you think about these as bedpads. Thanks Chris --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Re: Bedpad Options - Therma Rest or cheap air mattress

In a message dated 8/31/2002 3:58:40 PM Eastern Standard Time, colnagodriver-/E1597aS9LQAvxtiuMwx3w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: > I'm thinking about purchasing a new bedpad. I've ruled out closed cell > foam, so I'm down to a new Therma Rest (Guide Lite 3/4) or a cheap > inflatable air mattress that we have on the shelf in the garage. I haven't > weighed this one yet, but it seems fairly light. > I'm curious if any of you carry an air mattress when you pack. Obvious > advantages are: cheap, easily replaceable, fairly light. Obvious > disadvantages: ease of puncture, no way to repair, could be cumbersome to > pack up and get all the air out, no insulation from cold ground > temperature. > Let me know what you think about these as bedpads. > Chris, I have used both closed cell foam and Thermarest pads for a number of years. I have become a big fan of the Thermarest 3/4 Ultralight and it has gone with me on every backpack for the last 3 years. The closed cell foam has been relegated to extra layer duty for deep winter overnites. The ultralight's ability to pack small outweighs the extra weight for me. I have yet to see a failure of any of my Thermrest pads for any reason (knocking wood). OK - one night my ultralight full deflated, but I hadn't closed the valve fully. More importantly, it still provided enough support to sleep. Thermarest makes a repair kit, but I don't have one, nor have I had to use one. The pad is very east to deflate and fold. (one trick I recommend is closing the valve once deflated, or the pad will expand inside the stuff bag and be a real b$&*$# to get out.). It also provides reasonable insulation from cold ground. I only need reinforcements (my old closed cell pad) when sleeping on snow or ice at which time I use both, closed cell on bottom, Thermarest on top. You will get mixed opinions, but I recommend the 3/4 Ultralight. I have to report that every AT thruhiker I met this season eyed the pad jealously at bedtime. ; ) Jim S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Bedpad Options - Therma Rest or cheap air mattress

Hey gang I'm thinking about purchasing a new bedpad. I've ruled out closed cell foam, so I'm down to a new Therma Rest (Guide Lite 3/4) or a cheap inflatable air mattress that we have on the shelf in the garage. I haven't weighed this one yet, but it seems fairly light. I'm curious if any of you carry an air mattress when you pack. Obvious advantages are: cheap, easily replaceable, fairly light. Obvious disadvantages: ease of puncture, no way to repair, could be cumbersome to pack up and get all the air out, no insulation from cold ground temperature. Let me know what you think about these as bedpads. Thanks Chris --------------------------------- Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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Re: Bedpad Options - Therma Rest or cheap air mattress

In a message dated 8/31/2002 3:58:40 PM Eastern Standard Time, colnagodriver-/E1597aS9LQAvxtiuMwx3w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes: > I'm thinking about purchasing a new bedpad. I've ruled out closed cell > foam, so I'm down to a new Therma Rest (Guide Lite 3/4) or a cheap > inflatable air mattress that we have on the shelf in the garage. I haven't > weighed this one yet, but it seems fairly light. > I'm curious if any of you carry an air mattress when you pack. Obvious > advantages are: cheap, easily replaceable, fairly light. Obvious > disadvantages: ease of puncture, no way to repair, could be cumbersome to > pack up and get all the air out, no insulation from cold ground > temperature. > Let me know what you think about these as bedpads. > Chris, I have used both closed cell foam and Thermarest pads for a number of years. I have become a big fan of the Thermarest 3/4 Ultralight and it has gone with me on every backpack for the last 3 years. The closed cell foam has been relegated to extra layer duty for deep winter overnites. The ultralight's ability to pack small outweighs the extra weight for me. I have yet to see a failure of any of my Thermrest pads for any reason (knocking wood). OK - one night my ultralight full deflated, but I hadn't closed the valve fully. More importantly, it still provided enough support to sleep. Thermarest makes a repair kit, but I don't have one, nor have I had to use one. The pad is very east to deflate and fold. (one trick I recommend is closing the valve once deflated, or the pad will expand inside the stuff bag and be a real b$&*$# to get out.). It also provides reasonable insulation from cold ground. I only need reinforcements (my old closed cell pad) when sleeping on snow or ice at which time I use both, closed cell on bottom, Thermarest on top. You will get mixed opinions, but I recommend the 3/4 Ultralight. I have to report that every AT thruhiker I met this season eyed the pad jealously at bedtime. ; ) Jim S. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]