However, they have a wider range of ccf pads than any other company and are using many different type of foam and foam technologies in their pads. The UK-based company Multimat is another company that not many people talk about or use their pads, partly because few of their pads are even available in the US. You can also get some generic foam pads and Z-lite knock-offs from REI, ALPS Mountaineering, Coleman, and various other random companies – I included any I found that had sufficient data for comparison. Oware is another cottage company that, while less well known than Gossamer Gear, offers a 3/8” pad and a 1/2″ pad in several sizes that are often recommended on ultralight forums.Įxped, Therm-a-Rest’s main competitor in the mainstream US sleeping pad market (although Big Agnes, NEMO, and Sea-to-Summit have big presences as well), makes a few ccf pads that I rarely hear any talk about. These pads are both descendants of the popular but long-gone Mt. Nunatak, a leader in high-end sleeping bags, once made an egg-crate Lunapad, similar to the NightLight, but they have since discontinued its production. They also sell a 1/8” ThinLight pad, that is commonly used paired with an inflatable pad or by itself by the most extreme super-ultralight hikers, and a 1/4” ThinLight pad marketed to hammock-users but perfectly fine for ground-sleeping as well. It is also egg-crate shaped, but it is smooth and flat on the other side the bumps are not hollow underneath like in the Z-Lite. Many ultralight backpackers are fans of Gossamer Gear’s NightLight pad, which serves double-duty as a back pad to give structure to their very popular frameless packs. It is very common to see someone on the trail with the rectangular folded Z-Lite pad (or one of its cheaper knock-offs) strapped to the outside of their pack. A well-rested backpacker is a happy and efficient backpacker.The most popular ccf pads in the US seem to be Therm-a-Rest’s pads, which include their classic RidgeRest with the ribbed imprints, their foldable Z-Lite with egg-crate countering, and their newer aluminized “SOL” versions of both. While it’s important to minimize weight for long treks, you should not do so at the expense of a good night’s sleep. The weight of your backpacking pad should be considered alongside other factors such as its R-value (a measure of insulation), thickness, packability, and of course, your personal comfort preferences. On the heavier end of the spectrum, you have the Exped DownMat Winterlite (1 lb 0.8 oz), Klymit Static V2 (1 lb 0.3 oz), and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite SV (1 lb)1. Lightweight options include the Klymit Inertia X Frame (9.1 oz), Gossamer Gear Airbeam (10.1 oz), and the Exped AirMat Hyperlite (10.8 oz). The weight of your backpacking pad can vary, but it’s generally desirable to find a balance between comfort, insulation, and weight.īased on a range of popular models, full-length sleeping pads can weigh anywhere from around 9 ounces to just over a pound. A backpacking pad, also known as a sleeping pad, is a crucial piece of gear that offers comfort and insulation during your overnight stays in the wilderness.
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