thenhoc

hey anyone have a sleeping pad they've used in the winter that has been compact and warm?

I've got a Ridgerest Deluxe that I've had for years and use all the time. The standard Ridgerests, which the club has, are only 3/8" thick whereas the Deluxe is 5/8" thick (sadly, I know this off the top of my head). So basically, having the Deluxe is almost like having two of the standard Ridgerests glued together. It only weighs a little more than a pound, which is hardly more than the 14 oz that the standard Ridgerests weigh. It's a little on the bulky side, but I just strap it to the outside of my pack and it works out fine. My Deluxe is green and purple, which is kind of exciting considering that the standard Ridgerests used to only come in shades of black and gray. Now, though, they all come in light green and gray. I also believe that the thicknesses of both the standard Ridgerest and the Deluxe have increased, which is a good thing.

Incidentally, it is Thermarest that makes Ridgerests, and it is Cascade Designs that owns Thermarest (along with some other companies, including MSR, SealLine, and Platypus). The Ridgerest Deluxe can be found at: http://www.thermarest.com/product_detai ... D=55&cID=3

There's also the Z-Lite, which is the newest version of the Z-Rest (also made by Thermarest). They fold up like an accordion, which is kind of neat, and definitely makes for quick and easy packing. However, because they have so many creases, I would think that folding and unfolding along those creases in the cold would cause the foam to weaken and break down faster in those spots. While the Z-Lite is the same thickness as the Deluxe, there won't be as much foam, and therefore not as much insulation, in each crease.

I've spent countless nights on my Deluxe every month of the year, in all kinds of weather. The most extreme was during January of 2004, on a week-long winter backpacking class in the Whites that I was taking through the Outdoor Ed program here. It was about 30 degrees BELOW zero at night (it usually got up to about 20 below during the day). Over the course of the week we slept in tents, in a lean-to, and in a snow cave, and in each instance that pad was an excellent source of insulation from the cold.

In any case, be sure to get a pad that is closed-cell foam for the winter. Thermarests (despite being advertised as "self-inflating") do require additional inflation, and since this air comes from the body, it is warm and it will freeze inside the pad. (Many jokes about being full of hot air are occuring to me right now, but I'm resisting the urge to make any of them).

I actually do own a Thermarest in addition to my Ridgerest Deluxe, but it mostly just sits in my gear closet at home. It's sort of a pain to inflate it each time, and it takes longer to pack up in the morning because I have to roll it several times to get all the air out. There's something I love about the simplicity of just unrolling my Deluxe at night and then quickly rolling it back up and strapping it back onto my pack in the morning. And the comfort level isn't really all that different.

From a wilderness medical perspective, close-cell foam pads are much more useful than a self-inflating pad. They can be used for improvising many types of splints in ways that a Thermarest could not function.

While it's easy to get away with a 3/4 length pad in the summer, it's essential to have one that's full length in the winter. It is important to have your entire body insulated from the ground, as contact with the cold ground (even with a sleeping bag in between) can quickly cause one to lose their body heat. A few winters ago I spent a couple of nights in Kinsman Pond shelter with two friends. It got pretty chilly at night, and one of my friends only had a 3/4 length pad. He was definitely colder than my other friend and I.

Incidentally, you can also buy a genric blue closed-cell foam pad from Wal-Mart for really cheap. (Last I checked, I believe they were $5.88. Again, I shouldn't know that off the top of my head, but I do). While these do not carry the Ridgerest name, they serve the same purpose, though of course they are not as thick as the Deluxe. However, it's not a bad idea to get one because they can be cut up and used for all sorts of wonderful things (like cutting out foam soles to put into down booties to increase the insulation in the feet, a small pad to rest your cooking stove on so that it isn't directly on the snow, and so on).

Okay, I think I've rambled on about sleeping pads for long enough. I hope this helps you out, Colum, and let me know if you have any questions!

Aaron