Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Sleeping pad question for the older guys

Yeah- who knew?! They are tucked into that grungy industrial area; it's actually really close to Coyote Steel, where I buy a lot of materials. A guy I met up at Steens has a kid who works there and supposedly set me up for a discount... if I can just remember her NAME...

I totally see the appeal of two pads. And also, of NOT needing two pads.

Neoair. If more insulation is needed, a 1/4" Evazote pad on top, or Z-Rest.

For better insulation, put the ensolite on top. For better protection for the air mattress, put it on the bottom. I've done it both ways as needed.

I'm kinda liking the NeoAir Xtherm Max (5" wider).... just due to the vagaries of my body I do sprawl a bit when circumstances allow and the extra width would alleviate any issues of feeling like I was falling off the thing that lower inflation did not. I'll have to google the Evazote pad.

Jeff, I use the older size "Large" for hunting. I use the 5oz lighter size "Regular" for summer backpacking (I don't carry either the evazote or z-rest summer backpacking).

Jeff,

Did you happen to try the REI Air Rail when you were there?

I have tried all the pads, but I have used two models from Klymit, as well as the Xtherm.

The REI pad is my favorite, although it doesn't go on every trip because they are fairly heavy.

But for the best sleep, its my favorite.

Is that the one with the two, I dunno, tubular rails on the outside edges? I saw that but didn't try it. Guess I should've.

It's maybe a little silly to desire such aids, but at my advancing age it's easy for getting woken up a few extra times to just turn into a bad night's sleep. I seem to be sleeping less in general, and more lightly, and if I wake up "enough" the various concerns of my life kick in and it's game over. I'm sure you guys know the drill, my dad warned me about this <g>.

I'll try that one. Thanks for the heads-up bdeep.

Melatonin

Melatonin? Is that a single malt?

Yeah thats the one.

I thought it was skin cancer..........



Casey

Nah, I'm pretty sure it's a Speyside single malt.

Battue knows his stuff, it always works for me.

Only JeffO can make a sleeping pad thread last for 6 pages........who would've thunk it........

This is what I thought I knew about sleeping pads:

--the backpacking world invented air mattresses because they were light weight, and the yuppies all figured they couldn't sleep outside unless they were on a pad that was as thick as their Beauty Rest back in the suburbs. But air mattresses were cold.

--So the backpacking world began installing Primaloft, down, crinkly potato chip bags to reflect the heat, and safety rails so a guy wouldn't roll off the pad and sprain his shoulder in the middle of the night (just think, if a bear wanders by and hears the crinkling he'll think "oh goody, a hotdog wrapped in potato chips).

This is what I have learned:

--Take TWO pads, thereby negating any weight savings, not to mention the extra bulk..............


Casey

Well let me say this about that. A Z-rest and a Neoair together probably weigh about the same as an exped, and are just as comfortable (IMO, that's subjective).

And I don't worry about the bulk of my z-rest because it's carried under the compression straps on the outside of my pack taking up zero pack space. And if I'm just walking on trails I put it on the bottom of the pack which is a good thing because it protects the bottom of the pack when I sit down and lean back to take a break.

Let me see what a z-rest weighs......

Smoke,

An X-Therm and the Ridgerest combined weigh 30-35 ozs. And regardless where you're carrying it, it's still bulk on the pack.

When I backpack hunt I already have my daypack and my bow/rifle that sticks out and makes things awkward,, I don't want more "swing weight" adding to the inertia!

Sounding like a veritable curmudgeon here, but with tents, sleeping bags, packs, and stoves, over the past 25-30 years so much of this stuff is as much a sideways move with the tradeoffs involved.


Casey

You carry a backpack and a daypack? At least my z-rest serves a purpose.

I ain't about to go hunting carrying my Astraplane!


Casey

Casey, totally get what you're saying. But a decent night's sleep is a pretty big deal to me, and it's been an issue lately. I started in the 70's with a thin foam pad; I paid my dues <g>. I'll find ways to offset the weight/bulk, or just eat it and know that "I'm sleeping ok tonight". Or that's the hope here.

I don't blame you but there are alternatives that would allow you to leave the daypack (and all that extra weight and bulk you seem to be concerned about) at home.

It's interesting to see all the differences in individual preferences as far as what someone is either willing or unwilling to carry. For me, a z-rest for better sleep and a few extra "real food" items usually make the cut. Sometimes even a sling-light camp chair.

An extra pack doesn't. To each his own.