Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite Sleeping Pad - 2007 BCS

Not an extremely light sleeping bad but it does the job for backpacking. The self-inflating seems a little bunk but it blows up quickly and is always super comfortable. Insulates well. Just keep it away from the fire! I had to patch mine when a coal fell onto it.

Not an extremely light sleeping bad but it does the job for backpacking. The self-inflating seems a little bunk but it blows up quickly and is always super comfortable. Insulates well. Just keep it away from the fire! I had to patch mine when a coal fell onto it.

Not an extremely light sleeping bad but it does the job for backpacking. The self-inflating seems a little bunk but it blows up quickly and is always super comfortable. Insulates well. Just keep it away from the fire! I had to patch mine when a coal fell onto it.

I'm 5' 11" and weigh about 240. I picked this pad mainly because I know that i didnt need to carry something longer because I've that only my upper body needs to be off the ground for me to be comfortable. I've used this pad for every season. I have even used this pad on top of snow and slept comfortably. I've tried many closed cell foam pads but once I tried this I was hooked. I have had this now for three years. It hasnt failed me yet. Like others have said just take the time to keep sharp things away from it. I mean really is that so hard? I f it can poke a hole in this pad then it could ruin your tent too. Anyway one thing to consider storage. I never store mine rolled up. I leave it out and "self inflated". Same with sleeping bags you never want to store them in stuff sacks. I also blow this up with plenty of air. It will never be perfect if you only allow it self inflated. But again this is a great pad.

Have had this for years with zero problems. I got the 3/4 version as I can save a bit of weight and I found that sleeping with my feet on the ground doesn't really bother me. It takes a coupe minutes to self inflate, but I always add about 5-6 breaths to make it super firm. Very comfortable, light weight, good price and not one puncture in over 4 years. Not a bad deal at all...

I'm 6'2", 150lbs (very thin and bony), and I had the regular size. It was a good size, fit under me fine. The bigger size would have been overkill.

When this pad held air, it was pretty comfortable. I like to sleep on my side and sometimes my bony hips would get sore, but I'd wake up and roll over and be ok. I used this snow camping several times and it was warm enough on the cold ground. Basically, I liked this pad. It was adequate for the jobs I used it for. While it's not as nice as my girlfriend's prolite 4 season pad, which is warmer and lighter, it also costs a lot less. For the price it's nice.

The problem was, I spent more time patching or replacing it than using it. Most of the places I camp here in SoCal are littered with pine needles. I try to clear them out the best I can, but all it takes is one missed to put a hole in this and make it completely worthless. In the span of two years I had four different holes in two different pads (replaced it one warranty once). And once it gets a hole in it and doesn't hold air, it is worthless. Thankfully this didn't happen in the snow because then it would have been a warmth issue (it's less likely to happen in the snow anyway because, well, snow is not sharp).

Bottom line is, if you only use it in the snow or in places with no sharp plants, this is a great pad for the price that you won't mind carrying. If you do use it in the summer around sharp things, it will become dead weight very, very fast. I ended up ditching this for a foam pad, which while not as comfortable or warm is much more reliable.

(If you're really worried about sharp things, you could use a foam pad underneath this pad, which would make it more comfortable and protect it, but that's a lot more than I really want to carry for most trips)

Don't make my mistake people! This is an air pad. You put air in it. Thats how it was designed. I, did not realize this important feature until 10am the next morning, when I told my roommate that my night would have been better had my pad not sucked. Upon which he told me that I was an idiot for not blowing it up. It take less than 10 seconds and it makes a World of difference! So, I can't really tell you how Good it is, but I Can tell you that you should use it properly.

I love the Trail Lite Sleeping Pad. But as a first time Therma-rest user, I must say that this claim to be "self-inflating" is sheer nonsense.

It does pack up small and it is lightweight. And compared to my old foam pad (which packed up to the same size and approximate weight) it is a million times more comfortable. But even after following the instructions to the letter it still required a significant number of "puffs of air" to get up to a usable inflation.

All in all a great thing, but it should really be termed Partially Self Inflating .

I bought 2 of these and have had no problem with either of them. With the self-inflating, it is very important to store them not trolled up and the valve open. Great price and not worth spending $40 more to save a couple onzs. Great product

This is really a great pad, comfortable beyond belief, but for those very reasons that it isn't so great beyond car camping or those who don't mind being weighed down by its high ounce count. This is a great product, but at the same time there are far better options when it comes to sleeping pads, and it is a little silly how the stuff sack cost additional which is why I gave it a 4 out of 5.

If you need one pad that does everything pretty well, this a great purchase. It's a very pragmatic blend of durability, comfort, weight and warmth. The only thing I dislike is the bulk; when backpacking I prefer carrying an inflatable pad to save some weight and keep things off the outside of my pack. I think the 1.5 inches in this pad is just as comfortable as my 2.5 inch thick Pacific Outdoor Ether Compact 6, and only slightly less comfortable than the Therm-a-rest Basecamp. Great as a first pad because you probably won't find yourself "needing" an upgrade for a long time.

It is totally weak to not include a stuffsack and repair kit. Therm-a-rest is the only company I can think of that doesn't include it standard and it definitely deprives this pad of some value. PO and Big Agnes definitely beat it on this point.

Regardless, an all-around great pad.

so i took a roll of area carpet tape and put on both sides of my pad it stayed on with rolling and unrolling the pad did not slide nor did the bag, $9 at stores

I took a 45 day road trip from Michigan over to Washington, and all the way down the West Coast. I slept in my hammock every night and the only way I was able to do that comfortably was with a Therm-a-Rest under my back. The Trail Lite does a great job keeping you warm whether it be in a hammock or inside your tent on cold ground, and its nice to have a little padding under you for comfort as well. The pad packs up nice and is very light. I highly recommend getting a Trail Lite Stuff Sack to go with it since it has loops to attach it to your pack and keeps your pad nice and clean.

Not an extremely light sleeping bad but it does the job for backpacking. The self-inflating seems a little bunk but it blows up quickly and is always super comfortable. Insulates well. I am 6'1 and chose the regular because I wanted something slightly smaller and lighter and I just fit onto it. Just keep it away from the fire! I had to patch mine when a coal fell onto it.

Not entirely self-inflating, you need to unroll it with the valve open and let it be for a bit before laying down to get start, but you'll always need a couple blows to top er off. While it's not nearly as light or compact as a Big Agnes style inflatible pad, I just like the feel more than sleeping on a true air mattress, not to mention it seems to be quite a bit warmer in cold temps.

i have the short version of this and it's perfect for summer. ya you have to blow in it, but only a few times. I always store mine rolled up, blow in a few times and it's ready to rock.

I love my therma rest. I have used it numerous times backpacking and camping and it has never failed me. Althought it doesnt self inflate. I usually just blow it up manually right when I unroll it to get it out of the way. I would still buy this because blowing it up yourself is no big deal.

I purchased a Thermarest Trail Lite Pad almost 2 years ago, and I have been nothing but pleased with it. The self inflation system really saves you the trouble when you've been packing all day, and just want to go to sleep. Just takes a few minutes and a couple of blows to top it off. Keeps you off the cold ground all night with comfort I haven't found from any other brand. The material of the Trail Lite and Pro Lite are slightly more durable than the other lines of Thermarest pads that I've owned. The large might become a little bulky, but unless you're really hurting on space, this should be fine.

I am 100% satisfied with this product. I have the regular size and its everything I needed. Kept me warm when it got down to 15F and completely wet/snowy ground. I keep it stored under my couch inflated and so far after several trips it almost seems as if it self-inflates better each time. I recommend this pad to anyone who is on a budget but wants top quality.

This pad met all of my expectations. I found it tho be very comfortable and easy to store and pack.

Dropped some cash for this at the last minute while buying my sleeping bag and definitely worth it. Tentmate came with a foam pad and didn't sleep well at all. With this, I slept warm and comfortably. Insulated well against the ~30 degree rainy weather and offers a good night's sleep.

Note the exterior material does tend to absorb any moisture but putting it on its edge to dry tends to fix it right up. Fairly light weight and packs to a 'decent' size. Recommend getting the stuff sack too or pull ties to keep it bundled tight while on the go though.

It does self-inflate... mostly. Leave it for about 15 minutes, give it 3 puffs of air for fairly firm, and you're good. Remember to give a pre-inflate/deflate cycle before you take it to the field. Do not expect this thing to inflate like an air mattress you pull out for extra house guests that uses a fan or something. Give diffusion a chance.

I couldn't be happier for the cost. It is kind of rediculous to sell the stuff sack separately, but it's worth it to buy, though, because it ain't fitting inside your pack and it'll be exposed on the outside. A very comfortable night's rest

the Cadillac of sleeping pads. This pad is very luxurious. It is not as compact as I would like it to be, but the comfort out rules it.

I will agree with the others, it is not self inflating at all, but none of the thermarests that I have used ever have been.

I used my Trail Lite for the first time this weekend and found it to be perfect for my backpacking trip. I prefer this over a closed cell pad because it is much more comfortable. I have owned many Therm-a-Rest sleeping pads over the years, and all of them except this one did self-inflate somewhat. I opened the valve, and 5 minutes later it looked the same. It takes a considerable number of puffs to get it to a comfortable size. That's its only drawback. the smaller inflation size makes it easier to fit in your pack, and when fully inflated, it is comfortable for a pad this size. I have had good success with all the Therm-a-rest sleeping pads I have owned, and have one that I bought 15 years ago still in use by another family member.

I have the 2 pounder and have only used it for warm weather sleeping, without a sleeping bag. I found the pad to be somewhat hard to get comfortable on: for my side there just wasn't enough padding, and on my back my arms hung off the sides thrusting my chest forward awkwardly. I am fairly small in frame, so someone with broader shoulders might not suffer such an extreme angle.

That being said, I fell asleep without too much trouble and awoke without any noticeable stiffness. I would really like to rate this 3.5 stars, but I am going to bump it to 4 due to most folks using a sleeping bag (which I imagine would increase comfort considerably).

I've had a terrible time with therm-a-rest pads. I can't seem to keep them inflated after a couple camp outs. I haven't tried the repair kit. I'll give it a shot, but I think the leak may be at the valve? I've held it underwater and haven't seen air coming from a hole. I hope others are having better luck with this than I am.

I've been using a self-inflating ThermaRest pad for ~15+ years, and it's the best, most comfortable sleeping pad I've found. That said, over time my pads (2) have developed pinhole slow leaks that I've tried to patch with ThermaRest's patch kit--not very successful, probably because it's difficult to locate the pinhole leaks. I did successfully replace the valve I crushed using their kit. But, I'd still buy another Thermarest, if I can't get the leaks patched in my old one. Well worth the money and extra weight over a closed cell foam pad.

Pros: light big comfortable
Cons: slow to blow up, have to manually inflate, valve has to be partially closed in order not to leak when inflating.

I did NOT buy it from backcountry but the store that i got it the sales preson told my to get a small and its very uncomfortable. light wieght so i give it a B+

Thermarests are an essential part of camping gear, they give you a good sleep and also an excellent insulation from cold ground. Up to date, I have no complains with my Thermarest.

Plenty light for backpacking and very comfortable for its weight. Should include the stuff sac - why sell separately? Still a good price. As other reviewers have said - self inflates just fine if you store it properly (inflated). Even so, to inflate it yourself takes all of 30 sec.

I decided to go with the Trail Lite over the Pro Lite after extensive consideration - haven't regretted the decision. Therm-a-Rest rates this as a 4 season pad, so it'll do the job even in winter conditions. The pad *does* self-inflate, but it's crucial to follow the instructions (novel, I know). I've never slept better in the outdoors than when on this pad; if you're on a budget, this is by far the best pad your money can buy.

I have tried many other brands and Thermarest just lasts longer. I like the lighter weight vs. my camprest and it is still almost as comfortable. I use this for hiking and the camprest when I'm not. Definatelly keeps me warmer on those snowy nights in the Colorado mountains.

Very nice sleeping pad. Kept me well insulated into the teens with snow covered ground. Doesn't pack small enough for me though, so I traded in for a Therm-a-rest prolite 3. So if packing isn't a huge deal for you, this is the pad to get.

Pros: Rolls down to a low profile, quick to inflate.

Cons: Not much back support considering it's size and price. If you like to rough it however, it's a fairly ideal pad.

This thermarest is really easy to carry and is very long in length. Note that it is not very wide- so don't plan on sharing :)
Easy to blow up and deflate and it folds up pretty small as well. Not the thickest thermarest out there but it certainly does its job. I would definitely recommend it.

I agree with the last poster...as long as you store it inflated then it does self-inflate pretty well. Really comfortable AND light!

More comfortable than CCF, not as comfortable as a true inflatable. If they deflate and it is below freezing you will be cold. I have 2, but only use them as loaners now. If I want thin, light and less comfort I take my Z-lite. For comfort I take my POE Ether Thermo which is still lighter than this.