High Sierra Topix

Perhaps a slight change in topic here, but what do you couples out there do to keep pads together? I've been hiking solo for years, but my spouse (who hasn't backpacked in decades but is both stronger and smarter than I ) is now beginning to come with me again, and we've rediscovered the notorious hole-in-the-middle problem. I took a look at Thermarest's universal mattress coupler at REI, but the reviews were awful. What else is out there? I've looked far and wide for a double-width inflatable pad, but they don't seem to exist.

My wife and I have always had sleeping bags that zip together. Backpacking we use two Thermarest Ridgerests. Car camping two of the REI self inflating pads. We've never had the hole in the middle problem. Doing a search I noticed that our 0 degree LL Bean zip together bags are no longer on their website so I don't have a good suggestion for zip together bags.

one option is to switch direction of the pads if they are the shorter 3/4 length. Put the hole in the middle across rather than lengthwise.

LMBSGV wrote:My wife and I have always had sleeping bags that zip together. Backpacking we use two Thermarest Ridgerests. Car camping two of the REI self inflating pads. We've never had the hole in the middle problem. Doing a search I noticed that our 0 degree LL Bean zip together bags are no longer on their website so I don't have a good suggestion for zip together bags.

Yes, I guess I wasn't completely clear about what I was asking. Our bags do zip together fine (although not without problems. They're both REI sub-kilos, and I bought them specifically with left- and right-hand zippers, but a few years apart, and they didn't fit. REI said, yes, that's right, they don't fit. Grumble! So I had to send them out to get fitted with zippers that actually did fit). Anyway, I was just asking about the pads.

Thanks for the suggestion, Frediver! Don't know why I didn't think of that, but I'll see if it works next time.

OR - check this out, it has more specifics on a Kooka Bay pad that's pretty close to what you are looking for.

http://www.suluk46.com/RandD%20-%20RD27 ... 20DAM.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks, Paul. That sounds like the pad I would be looking for. Trouble is, thought, Bender is very busy right now and hasn't returned my email........

Tom/Paul

I think I will make an inquiry about a pad the same shape as the one displayed but 26" wide with the outside tubes at max width slightly larger than the others, bottom 70D and top 30D and same r6 value. My guess is that this will up the weight to close to 1.5 lbs which is the same as the warmlite so not sure what would be the best. both will be substantially lighter than my Exped Downmat 7 Delux.

Mike

Wow this is getting good! Check out this. Ditch the tyvek, buy large size 1/8 thick plastazote pad and cut down to slightly less than my Contrail, get the Kooka Bay with all 30d fabric and I should avoid puntures if I can remember not to go to bed with my hemostats in my Pocket (which I did last summer but was able to repair the hole with duct tape).

Mike

Good find, Mike. Thanks for posting. I'm seriously considering getting some.
Let us know how the Kookabay thing works out. I was thinking maybe 24" wide.

...Tom

Tom

I ordered two sheets of the 1/8" x 50 x 74. I will trim one to fit the Contrail then duct tape the trimming to the other sheet to use under our Big Agnes Seedhouse UL3. Also finally bought a digital food scale to find out actual weight of stuff I use not just publicised weight. Contrail in stuff sack with actual number of stakes I use comes out to 29 oz. Tyvek for contrail is about 5 oz. It will be interesting to see what bender comes up with in price/weight. I still think that the warmlite might be the way to go as they have been selling their downmats for 35 years and claim a 20 year lifespan.

Mike

just sent bender the following request:

I am interested in downfilled airmat similar to what you constructed for Suluk 46.

1. Same mummy shape with 3 to 4 feet of max width but 26" wide.
2. 72" long
3. Max width tubes should be slightly larger than the others.
4. 30d material
5. R-6 down fill

Please provide me with cost and weight estimate and time from order to shipping.

Thanks

Mike

Oh heck just ordered the 64 model downmat from Warmlite/Stephenson

Mike