Bushwalk Australia

Hi all. Sorry if this is a thread that has been done, but I can't find it so here goes:
What pad do you use? Which do you think is the best? Do you find that a 3/4 length is ok? Is 2.5cm thickness adequate or would 3.8 be better?

Planning a solo trip in Western Lakes in Feb but I don't think my blue foam roll up job is too flash and want to upgrade. I guess I'm looking for advice as to adequacy of 1" thick self-inflatable for HIghlands use potentially b/w Nov-April. Any and all comments welcome.
Thanks,
Geoff.

Some people do not like 3/4 length, finding them uncomfortable.

I use a 3/4 and I have no problems with them. However, you do need to compensate for the missing length by using other padding. Obviously, if you need to carry extra padding to do this, then you'd be better off with a full length, but if you can use clothes (or other items that you'd be carrying anyway) then it makes good sense and saves a few grams.

I use my polarfleece vest to go beneath my feet while in bed, and I use my polar fleece top & trousers as a pillow. This way, the 3/4 mat goes from my shoulders to my knees. The main thing is that it needs to cover your hips and shoulders, where the real pressure points are, and you need to have enough other items to pad out your head and feet.

Works well for me.

(I use a very old Thermarest 3/4 length, but I can't comment on which types of mats are better, because I've not used anything else since the old hard thin closed cell foam mat which was horrible to sleep lie awake all night on).

Wiki page on Sleeping Mats.

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Over the years I have used none ,blue closed cell,3/4 thermarest and now a Thermarest Pro Lite 4 Reg which is prefect for me and does not take up as much space as the Exped Down Mats.
c

I have used blue mat, a DMH prolite full length and nowdays use an Exped Downmat 7 Pump. Mine is the older model wtih the regular valves and non hydrophylic membrane....the new ones look pretty spanky but I love mine.

As a gear tragic, I have a few.
It is my opinion that many put too much emphasis on the sleeping bag forgetting that if you don't match your mat for the expected temperature , you will be cold...
So, my latest and greatest (IE very compact,light and comfy) is the Thermarest Neo Air. My previous 3 season ( above freezing ) was the PO Insulmat. Also pretty small but not as comfy and light as the Neo. When it gets a bit colder I use the Thermarest Pro Lite 4 (women's size plus a pillow ) and then when colder again , the Exped 7.
Many LW or UL hikers in the US (in particular) use a 3/4 mat, the backpack to rest the feet over and a stuff sack full of clothing as a pillow.
One way to increase bottom insulation is to shove your spare clothing (don't forget the rain gear) under the mat. That helps too.
(one way to slow your sliding on an uneven surface...)
Franco

I use a Exped Down Mat 7 3/4 and a piece of blue foam for my feet. The piece of foam is also used as a kneel pad and a seat, very handy.

Roger

I have a Thermarest Prolite 4 regular. Don't like 3/4 mats, also have a 25mm thick Adventure Designs mat - too thin for me (comfort). Never used a Downmat but they look like the luxury way to go. Might consider one next time if the Prolite wears out, just for extra comfort on hard OT Hut bunks etc. Might also consider a Neo Air if the price drops, just for the light weight. For now I am 100% happy with my Prolite 4 and it's balance between comfort & weight.

I use a Thermarest Prolite 4 Short and a blue foam mat together all year round. Never been cold yet. It is probably a bit of overkill for a lot of conditions, but I's much rather too much insulation under me than too little. Having the foam mat is also a bit of insurance in case I get an unpatchable hole in the thermarest. I wouldn't mind having a setup that took up less pack space, but I'd need to have a lot of confidence in a blow-up mat to have it as my only pad.

One of these exped synmats....



They are the same thing as downmat, synthetic insulation, similar r value and cheaper.
Normally use an 1/3rd of an exped multimat under it.

Sleep like log (full of devils..... )

Exped down mat 7 Pure Gold

alliecat wrote:I use a Thermarest Prolite 4 Short and a blue foam mat together all year round. Never been cold yet. It is probably a bit of overkill for a lot of conditions, but I's much rather too much insulation under me than too little. Having the foam mat is also a bit of insurance in case I get an unpatchable hole in the thermarest. I wouldn't mind having a setup that took up less pack space, but I'd need to have a lot of confidence in a blow-up mat to have it as my only pad.

allicat,
When I used the "blue mat" I had it opened up in my pack like a second skin and stuffed everything inside it ,still took up the volume but more user friendly.
c

I've used a 3/4 thermarest fresh from the 70s which i've never known not to have holes it in, so it never provided great sleeps! But it was my dad's and i was 14 and not going to fork out for a new one.
Recently i've tried to Insulmat brand but found them impossible to stay hole free so have given up on those.
These days i used either a Thermarest Trail Pro reg which is amazing! Durable frabic, 5cm thick and weighs about 900g which i'm happy to carry or if i'm with my partner then he uses that and i use the new Mont mat which is a light weight synthetic inflatable number which works well and is nice and thick but has a very low R value (warmth rating) so wouldn't use it in winter.

corvus wrote:

alliecat wrote:I use a Thermarest Prolite 4 Short and a blue foam mat together all year round. Never been cold yet. It is probably a bit of overkill for a lot of conditions, but I's much rather too much insulation under me than too little. Having the foam mat is also a bit of insurance in case I get an unpatchable hole in the thermarest. I wouldn't mind having a setup that took up less pack space, but I'd need to have a lot of confidence in a blow-up mat to have it as my only pad.

allicat,
When I used the "blue mat" I had it opened up in my pack like a second skin and stuffed everything inside it ,still took up the volume but more user friendly.
c

Thanks for the tip Corvus. That's one method I (surprisingly) haven't tried. I'll give it a go.

I've got a 3/4-length Thermarest Pro-lite 4 (3.8cm thick). I used to have the thinner one (2.5cm), but it died and when I replaced it under warranty I upgraded to the 3.8cm version. Was a good choice, too! I sleep notably better with the extra thickness. Life-time warranty is a good reason to go with a good brand!

Only problem has been that I put it away damp once and forgot about it. Mould! So a bit discoloured now, but works just the same.

I prefer to sleep on a 3/4-length mattress. I don't like the way my feet feel like they are being pushed up into the air on a full-length mattress. Unless it's cold, I generally don't put much underneath my legs - maybe my rain coat.

Thanks everyone. Great responses and tips.

ALliecat, when packing your "bluey" mat, just roll it up backwards, stick it in your pack, let go and boing, it'll spring out leaving an easy pack shaped cavity for you. Also great for separating bladders/bottles of grog/juice etc from other gear.

I used the old foam mat in the early days (when I was a uni student and too poor for anything else ), since then have mostly used a Thermarest Ultralite 3/4 (with a foam mat on the snow - really need something thicker/more insulated in really cold conditions i.e., rock ledge, - 15 - 20C, 5800m!!). Use rain gear, clothes under my legs and clothes in a stuff sack for a pillow. Have, however, just bought a Thermarest Neo Air - according to all reviews lightweight, compact, comfortable & full length! Sounds like luxury!

The Alliecat way...
You may want to consider Evazote if you like something thinner, just in case.
Gossamer Gear has different sizes and relatively cheap ( but postage...)
http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gos ... /thinlight
or here :

http://www.algeos.com.au/acatalog/Evazo ... Sheet.html
you could cut the width in half
Franco

norts wrote:I use a Exped Down Mat 7 3/4 and a piece of blue foam for my feet. The piece of foam is also used as a kneel pad and a seat, very handy.

Roger

I've been thinking about borrowing the GLW's 3/4 length mat and doing this for solo walks... do you find the foam mat rugged enough to cope with use outside of the tent? I'm a little wary of having to spend 15 minutes collecting bits of blue foam after each sit-down break

up untill about 3 years ago, i never used a mat of any sort at all. then i decided i was getting old (at aged 19 ) and decided to get a mat. started with a 3/4 jackaroo mat from kmart, it lasted about 6 months b4 the fabric pulled from the foam and i ended up sleeping on a balloon (well next to it really, coz ya kist kept rolling off it). now i have a full length pacific outdoor mat and its great! i am contumplating getting a lightweight mummy mat that takes up less space in my pack tho

If you are careful it shouldnt leave a mess, I see more on the track where ppl carrying the mat on the outside of the pack snags on branches, one of my pet hates.

Roger

norts wrote:If you are careful it shouldnt leave a mess, I see more on the track where ppl carrying the mat on the outside of the pack snags on branches, one of my pet hates.

I'll second that pet hate. Seeing foam scattered along the track and on the scrub drives me mad. If you're going to carry it on the outside, at least put it in a tough nylon bag.

I'm a huge fan of the blue foam mat with a 3.8 cm self inflating mat. Both full length.

The blue mat between tent floor and SI mat tends to stop or slow the sliding around. I don't think this is as warm as blue mat on top.

My reasoning is that the SI mat has a fairly open air space inside it that my body inevitably has to warm up through the sleeping bag (compressed as I'm lying on it), the blue mat is closed cell and is a more effective insulator-no large air space for me to warm up.

I like the backup factor in case of a disastrous blowout. And the blue mats are awesome for use outside the tent and as a kneeling pad/food prep surface etc.

I mentioned in another thread how I was SOOOO impressed with the two trails we did in Washington State for the lack of any rubbish . The only bits we found were three or four tiny corners from bar wrappers and bits of toilet paper (very little).
But as for those foam mats on the outside of the pack, it is now legal (....) to carry them vertically, like my tent here. (grey bag ,under the poles)
Franco