High Sierra Topix

the most interesting part of breaking camp is when you're laying there and you deflate your pad while laying on it (Neo-air in my case).

Ground is rather hard and cold when she's deflated. I carry a lot of duct tape just in case. She's been good for 3 seasons so far. I too only use the tent floor as protection.

I use some really light 1/8" thick closed cell foam between the tent floor and my downmat to reduce odds of puncture from below. To date puncture from below have not been an issue. My last night in the Eaglecap I noted a small loss in pressure over night. When I got home I found that my duct tape patch [over the leak I caused by dropping my open pocket knife on the pad] had developed a small leak (one tiny air bubble every couple of seconds). I removed the tape, cleaned off the residue, and applied two coats of Shoe Goo to the hole.

Mike

tested my Exped UL7 on cold Isle Royale last week (last hikers on the island this season). Worked very well, warm, comfy, and easy to inflate with that "schnozzle bag." The only issue worth some criticism is the size of the stuff bag - it forces you to roll the pad multiple times to get the last bit of air out of it, or it will simply not fit back into the stuff bag it ships with. Not a huge deal, but if you're in a hurry on a cold morning, one may want to get a slightly larger stuff bag for it.

I spent most nights with my 25F bag unzipped on the pad, no additional unsulation below, and it was usually around 28-34F at night, very humid and gusty/windy. Always warm below me. At about 2.5" thick, this is the most comfortable pad I've ever used. I always used a Tyvek sheet below the pad to protect it, given the material is rather thin. I've used foam pads for years after inflatables always let me down, so I am still not sold on the reliability of it, but the comfort is just off the scale compared to foam.

Broke in my new Exped 7UL a couple of weeks ago and like it much better than
the big orange Warmlite.
It is much more comfortable, and the "schnozzle bag" works like a charm.
Now have too find a backpack again, and get rid of my Osprey, which was
never a comfortable pack.

fishmonger

I chucked the stuff sack and just roll it up in the snozzle!

Mike

maverick wrote:Broke in my new Exped 7UL a couple of weeks ago and like it much better than
the big orange Warmlite.
It is much more comfortable, and the "schnozzle bag" works like a charm.
Now have too find a backpack again, and get rid of my Osprey, which was
never a comfortable pack.

My last pack purchase was agonizing. When I get a pack again, I decided to just cut to the chase, spend the $ and have one custom built.

oldranger wrote:I use some really light 1/8" thick closed cell foam between the tent floor and my downmat to reduce odds of puncture from below. To date puncture from below have not been an issue. My last night in the Eaglecap I noted a small loss in pressure over night. When I got home I found that my duct tape patch [over the leak I caused by dropping my open pocket knife on the pad] had developed a small leak (one tiny air bubble every couple of seconds). I removed the tape, cleaned off the residue, and applied two coats of Shoe Goo to the hole.

Mike

It's not even a real pocket knife. i'ts 1.3" at best. You scare me when you use it in the "kitchen." The better question is why is it in your tent? It's not likely a bear deterrent.

At the same time, i love duct tape.. I carry lots.

Russ

It was a long, cold, snowy day and I decided to trim my fingernails. So it really wasn't the knife point but the scissors that did the damage.

Mike

Thinking of picking up a BA Q-Core SL. 3.5" thick, R Value of 5, 18 oz, 72x20, non tapered. http://www.rei.com/product/846673/big-a ... eeping-pad" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ProLite pad is slightly lacking and I'm not fond of the taper.

T....h....

If you get it from REI and it is not satisfactory you can return it. However, given the 31/2" of thickness, I suspect you will find the 20" width unstable when you roll over.

Mike