Gear Review
Therm-a-Rest Prolite Sleeping Pad
pretty neat and comfy
By daniel roy
Ranked #134 - Lightweight Sleep Pads
March 26, 2009
can't give it 5 stars simply because it doesn't exactly work the way all the hype about it says it does. or maybe I got one that aint workin like it should...id hope that isnt the case...however...
I have never used a sleeping pad in any way, shape or form before this purchase. I guess I'm just old school and hard core but I always felt if you needed a sleeping pad then you might as well buy a camper or stay in hotels and out of the woods. However, I am gearing up for the AT in 2010 and figured this couldn't be a bad idea since I will spend the majority of 5-6 months sleeping on the ground. I have skimmed over many reviews of various brands and forms of sleeping pads and these thermarest seem to be the favorites. I think I remember using a cell foam pad once way back when I was a child at a church camping trip but it didn't seem to make much difference, hence never trying any others until now. I took my new thermarest (new series short version) out for a trip last week and it was great to say the least. I can comfortably sleep on the ground as is, but do have to admit it was nice to blow this puppy up and have a lil cush under my tush. I got the short version to save space and weight, but I'm all of 5'6" so its truly all I need. I can use a pack should I need more insulation under my legs in shoulder seasons. Having never used one of these I'm truly not sure how this whole 'self inflate' thing is supposed to work but I released the valve, let it set for a while and it really didn't inflate much of anything. However, a few puffs from the plenty of hot air I have in me, heh, and this thing is good to go. After an entire night of sleepinng on it I didn't notice a bit of air loss and temps were well close to freezing...so I would have to say that this is a very truly great product that I would recommend, especially since the prices aren't quite as steep as the Pro3 and 4s were. If I could roll it out and it truly inflate itself all the way without any effort from me (which truly isnt much at all to begin with so no complaint) then I'd give it 5 stars. But to me four stars IS perfect while 5 stars are for the 'extraordinary'.
hope this helps for anyone curious about the new models.
View Details: Therm-a-Rest Prolite Sleeping Pad
Helpful Votes: 2 Yes
Tech Specs:
- Material:
- polyester soft grip (50D)
- Dimensions:
- [XS] 36 x 20 x 1 in; [S] 47 x 20 x 1 in; [Reg] 72 x 20 x 1 in; [L] 77 x 25 x 1 in
- Rolled Size:
- [XS] 11 x 3 in; [S] 11 x 3.4 in; [Reg] 11 x 4.1 in; [L] 13 x 4.5 in
- R-Value:
- 2.2
- Shape:
- mummy
- Pump:
- no
- Self-Inflating:
- yes
- Stuff Sack:
- yes
- Weight:
- [XS] 8 oz; [S] 11 oz; [Reg] 16 oz; [L] 1 lb 6 oz
- Recommended Use:
- 3-season backpacking
- Manufacturer Warranty:
- lifetime
Change me.
1 Comments Last Reply: April 23, 2010 By: Jason Livingston
The reason why it doesn't inflate completely is due to physics. The foam used in the Prolite is not as dense as the foam used in Thermarest's heavier pads. Because of this, it isn't as capable in sucking in air or, in other words, the foam isn't as resilient in expanding as the denser foams. The trade-off is a much lighter weight and packable foam. In fact, it is the least dense, yet most resilient for it's weight, foam ever made! It's very expensive and is proprietary to Thermarest. To really see the best performance in terms of self-inflation in a Prolite pad really depends on how it's stored. If it is stored underneath a bed or in a closet with the valve open, you will see a significant increase in it's ability to self-inflate. However, if it's stored in it's stuff sack, you may not see any self-inflation. As you said, a few puffs of air fills it up so this isn't really a huge issue.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes