These were basically the branches of different evergreens laid on the floor of the cave that acted as a kind of mosquito repellent, among other things. We've certainly come a long way since the 77,000 year old sleeping mats they found in South Africa a few years ago. Pads for sleeping in the open elements have evolved swiftly in the past half century or so, as advancements in materials have increased tensile strength and decreased both size and weight of available mats. It's a biting commentary about class and sensitivity, and it ought to insult over-sensitive campers to be associated with it. Remember The Princess and the Pea? It's that old story about a young princess who's found outside the city during a rainstorm, and is tricked into supporting her claim to royalty by having to sleep on a stack of mattresses with a pea underneath them. And the Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus is often hailed as the best around it's not uncommon to see it on pack lists for frequent PCT through-hikers. If you've got a little bit more to spend, the NeoAir UberLite is just about the lightest one on the market, and it's quite comfortable, to boot. The OutdoorsmanLab Ultralight is also a good choice there, and we highly recommend almost anything from Colorado's Big Agnes. On the other end of the spectrum, the newest Klymit Static V2 is almost certainly the best affordable warm-weather option, and is great for ultralight enthusiasts on a moderate budget. It's hard to top the Lightspeed Outdoors XL FlexForm, though, with its R value of 9.6, which promises a warm night - provided you have a good sleeping bag. Klymit's insulated Static V is a good choice for cold weather camping, and the Sea to Summit Comfort Plus can handle reasonably cold temperatures as well. It is, however, much more durable, because of course it cannot develop an air leak. If you're not going to be carrying it far and your budget is extremely tight, the Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest Classic is a good choice, though it's not nearly as comfortable as inflatable options. It's important to have a good sleeping pad, whether you're deep in the backcountry or just at a campground with friends and family. Hiking should be a pleasant experience, and nothing can get in the way of that like a poor night's sleep. This may not sound like much, but it keeps your moist breath out of the pad and stops you from blowing and blowing into a valve when you're tired and just want to rest. Not only is it light and tapered to fit in both your hiking backpack and one-person tent, but it comes with a stuff sack that doubles as a pump. The valves found on the latter are not the most durable, however, so plan to treat this one carefully when you inflate and deflate it.Īnd speaking of inflation, we've opted to add the Exped SynMat HL. The Klymit model comes in an extra-wide version, a big plus for those who toss and turn a lot, while the FlexForm is exceptionally warm, with a pillow built right in. If shaving off every last ounce isn't as much of a concern, the Klymit Static V Luxe and the Lightspeed Outdoors XL FlexForm are still good options. For this reason, the OutdoorsmanLab Ultralight or the Big Agnes Air Core Ultra might make better choices for all but the most hardcore ultralight enthusiasts, even though these pads are a few ounces heavier than the UberLite. True, it is one of the lightest pads around, but this also means it can't take as much abuse as some, since "featherlight" materials generally lose some durability along with the weight. But we've opted to remove the UberLite, also from Therm-a-Rest. It remains tough to beat the Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus, which packs down small but is still big on comfort, no matter which size you choose. The remainder of our selections are unchanged, and we still like the Therm-a-Rest ProLite Plus as the most cost-effective for 3-season camping. The Sea to Summit Comfort Light is another new, high-end addition to the list, and it's a great alternative to the no-longer-available Comfort Plus. The Big Agnes Q Core SLX is one of those, and the newly recommended model is especially light and features wide outer sections to keep you from rolling off in the night. This is actually a good thing, as it means manufacturers are taking steps to increase durability and effectiveness. This round of updates saw just a few minor updates that involved searching out new, upgraded models to replace their discontinued counterparts.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |