Tikki-Tavi
06-03-2010, 15:13
Over the last few weeks I have spent eight nights sleeping in my new HH ULBP hammock, either on short overnight backpacking trips, car camping or in the backyard. Although I plan to buy an under-quilt when I have the money, I have used Therm-a-rest pads so far. I thought I would share my experiences with these two pads.
I am 5'7”, and thin so I fit pretty well on a 20” pad. However, I cut two 4”x20” pieces off the Solar pad and attached them as wings to widen the torso portion of the pad. My full setup was: Hennessey ULBP with stock tarp, Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite or Ridge Rest Solar Pad, REI 20+ Halo down sleeping bag, Mid-weight long underwear & long sleeve shirt, wool Buff as hat, and using a fleece jacket as a pillow. The last three nights I have been out have been very similar in with temperatures in the mid forties, light wind, and rain showers. (Yes it does rain a lot here). I tend to be a cold sleeper.
Therm-a-rest Z-Lite
Weight: Really light 400g (14oz)
Volume: Mid size 8.2L (5x5x20”)
Durability: Waterproof, puncture-proof, kid-proof.
Ease of use in Hammock: No problems. Others on the forum have talked about it sliding around, I couldn't slide it if I wanted. It seemed Velcroed to both hammock and sleeping bag. I could imagine this being a problem If I didn't have a zipper - top entry HH ULBP.
Comfort: Very comfortable. No wrinkles or folds.
Warmth: A little cold in morning after 46 degree night with light wind and rain. (In a tent I have been warm at 30 degrees. Listed R value of 2.2
Condensation: Never a problem. I think the hollows in the egg-crate allow the sleeping bag to loft a little under me - allowing insulation and wicking. I note less warmth and a little condensation if I lay directly on the pad and use my bag as a top quilt, but this condensation is in the valleys - away from my skin.
Summary: I love this pad. It is feather light, small enough to fit on (not in) my pack, durable and seems to allow better wicking of moisture than other pads. :D For hammock use, however, it is now quite warm enough for me if the temp gets to the mid forties or below. :(
Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Solar
Weight: Very light 540g (19oz)
Volume: Really, really big >18L (roughly 9x9x20”) - Nearly half the size of my pack!
Durability: Waterproof, puncture-proof, kid-proof.
Ease of use in Hammock: No problems. Not glued to the hammock like the Z-Light but still, once I got on it - it stayed put.
Comfort: Very comfortable. No wrinkles or folds.
Warmth (Silver Side Up): A little too warm on a 45 degree night, (winds: ~10mph) I could feel the reflected radiated heat - a little like laying on a sun-warmed pad. Listed R value of 3.5
Warmth (Silver Side Down): The next night, I flipped the pad over and low-and-behold it was cooler, just right for the mid-forties night-time temperatures. R 3.1 (value of Them-a-rest's similar pad w/o silver lining)
Condensation (Silver Side Up): My sleeping bag felt hot and humid (sultry?) all night. In the morning there were small pools of condensation in the valleys of the pad (away from my skin). Admittedly it was raining all night so the relative humidity (at 45 degrees) was 100%.
Condensation (Silver Side Down): None. My sleeping bag felt warm and dry all night, again during rain.
Summary: Really two pads in one. I did not believe that the silver lining would make a difference but it really does - making this a warm or a warmer pad depending on which side you face up.:) This pad can interfere with good wicking of moisture, but the condensation collects in the valleys - not on your skin or down bag. But this pad is ridiculously big and awkward to strap to a pack.:(
Hope this is useful to somebody.
- Tikki-Tavi
I am 5'7”, and thin so I fit pretty well on a 20” pad. However, I cut two 4”x20” pieces off the Solar pad and attached them as wings to widen the torso portion of the pad. My full setup was: Hennessey ULBP with stock tarp, Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite or Ridge Rest Solar Pad, REI 20+ Halo down sleeping bag, Mid-weight long underwear & long sleeve shirt, wool Buff as hat, and using a fleece jacket as a pillow. The last three nights I have been out have been very similar in with temperatures in the mid forties, light wind, and rain showers. (Yes it does rain a lot here). I tend to be a cold sleeper.
Therm-a-rest Z-Lite
Weight: Really light 400g (14oz)
Volume: Mid size 8.2L (5x5x20”)
Durability: Waterproof, puncture-proof, kid-proof.
Ease of use in Hammock: No problems. Others on the forum have talked about it sliding around, I couldn't slide it if I wanted. It seemed Velcroed to both hammock and sleeping bag. I could imagine this being a problem If I didn't have a zipper - top entry HH ULBP.
Comfort: Very comfortable. No wrinkles or folds.
Warmth: A little cold in morning after 46 degree night with light wind and rain. (In a tent I have been warm at 30 degrees. Listed R value of 2.2
Condensation: Never a problem. I think the hollows in the egg-crate allow the sleeping bag to loft a little under me - allowing insulation and wicking. I note less warmth and a little condensation if I lay directly on the pad and use my bag as a top quilt, but this condensation is in the valleys - away from my skin.
Summary: I love this pad. It is feather light, small enough to fit on (not in) my pack, durable and seems to allow better wicking of moisture than other pads. :D For hammock use, however, it is now quite warm enough for me if the temp gets to the mid forties or below. :(
Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Solar
Weight: Very light 540g (19oz)
Volume: Really, really big >18L (roughly 9x9x20”) - Nearly half the size of my pack!
Durability: Waterproof, puncture-proof, kid-proof.
Ease of use in Hammock: No problems. Not glued to the hammock like the Z-Light but still, once I got on it - it stayed put.
Comfort: Very comfortable. No wrinkles or folds.
Warmth (Silver Side Up): A little too warm on a 45 degree night, (winds: ~10mph) I could feel the reflected radiated heat - a little like laying on a sun-warmed pad. Listed R value of 3.5
Warmth (Silver Side Down): The next night, I flipped the pad over and low-and-behold it was cooler, just right for the mid-forties night-time temperatures. R 3.1 (value of Them-a-rest's similar pad w/o silver lining)
Condensation (Silver Side Up): My sleeping bag felt hot and humid (sultry?) all night. In the morning there were small pools of condensation in the valleys of the pad (away from my skin). Admittedly it was raining all night so the relative humidity (at 45 degrees) was 100%.
Condensation (Silver Side Down): None. My sleeping bag felt warm and dry all night, again during rain.
Summary: Really two pads in one. I did not believe that the silver lining would make a difference but it really does - making this a warm or a warmer pad depending on which side you face up.:) This pad can interfere with good wicking of moisture, but the condensation collects in the valleys - not on your skin or down bag. But this pad is ridiculously big and awkward to strap to a pack.:(
Hope this is useful to somebody.
- Tikki-Tavi