Shaving weight

[frediver]

Why not try a uninsulated air pad with a z-rest over or under (depending on ground puncture probability) ? This combination is lighter than most other popular options and offers the ultimate backup protection.

[oldranger]

frediver

Great suggestion and I thought about doing that last year. But that means 2 things instead of 1 for an old man to keep track of and I really love the comfort of the downmat. The reliability of the downmat has not been an issue with me. I have gotten punctures but they have deflated so slowly and they were so easy to fix that I'm not too worried.

Mike

[BSquared]

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.

[LMBSGV]

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.

[frediver]

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.

[BSquared]

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.

[paul]

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;

[The Other Tom]

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........

[oldranger]

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

[oldranger]

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