In short, I like it.
I just started hammock camping, so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on bottom insulation. A CCF pad seemed like the clear choice. I went to REI to get their standard blue CCF pad for $17.00, but accidentally got the long version for $24.50. It is 75" long, 24" wide, and .38" thick. After using it on two trips, I can say that I find it to be very comfortable and warm. It is, of course, extremely bulky, as are all CCF pads.
Based on what I had read on this forum and elsewhere, I was expecting the pad to slide around and cause uncomfortable pressure points. While it did fold, the folds were all along the edges of the pad, and none were actually under my body. When I examined the pad after my second hang, I noticed that it seemed a bit deformed from my body weight -- perhaps it is slightly elastic, enabling it to conform to the body better than other pads. By the time I was ready to break camp and roll up the pad, it had returned to its original shape.
This pad is extremely grippy, so it is impossible to move it once you are in the hammock laying on it. I see this as a good thing because the pad doesn't slide out from under me. Of course, this also means that you have to strategically place it in the hammock before you get in, and you have to get out if you want to change its position. Once you figure out where to place it, though, it stays there all night. It can be hard to unroll and lay flat, especially the end of the pad that is on the inside of the roll. This pad is so long, though, that I use the tightly-rolled end as a pillow. Also, it will of course flatten when you are laying on it. This long version of the pad is a bit too big for my ENO DoubleNest -- when laying on a diagonal, the corners poke over the side of the hammock. This doesn't affect my comfort at all, but perhaps I will trim the ends to save on bulk.
Speaking of bulk, this pad is ENORMOUS. I have a smallish 35-liter pack, and I can't even fit it inside. I have to strap it to the outside. It's light enough that I don't have to worry about it unbalancing my load, and I don't really notice it on the trail. I did some bushwhacking with it, though, and boy was it a pain. I eventually figured out that it's better to strap it to the center of the back of the pack so that it doesn't get caught on every dang leaf and branch. Its grippy nature also makes it prone to damage from branches, twigs, and thorns. I eventually wrapped it in my tarp, since the tarp cost $6.50 and the pad cost $24.50. Carrying any CCF pad is a pain, though, so I don't think that this one is any worse aside from the fact that it is long. The standard version should be exactly the same with slightly less bulk. For the future, I am going to try to put it in a stuff sack to protect it and make it easier to pull through the underbrush. It can also get permanently "scarred" from a tightly cinched strap, i.e. the the pad will have a strap-shaped indentation in it. REI sells these wrapped in rubber bands, and it has a permanent groove in it from where the rubber band wrapped it. I don't think such a small indentation will affect warmth at all, however. This also may only be done at my local REI.
All in all, I found this pad to be convenient, warm, comfortable, and cheap. I haven't tried any other CCF pads, so I don't know how exactly it compares. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has tried this pad, or compared it to other pads.
You can see pictures of this pad in my hammock in this thread: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=21760
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