@ Mike and Hey You: I will definitely get a pad with an R value appropriate to my planned uses. I slept many a good sleep on my old Thermarest years ago, but I’m looking for something lighter now. I like the looks of the Kookabay with synthetic fill (R 5), but don’t know if I want to spend that much on a pad, considering that I’m investing in all new gear and clothes this year. I haven’t really thought that one through yet.

@ Hey You and Eric: My thought was that I would take extra clothes on some weekend trips starting this spring until I got a better feel for how my system performed. An extra pound or two would not be a problem on that kind of trip. I do not want to get caught cold, but I have backpacked a lot years ago and never had that problem; with care, I think I will be able to avoid it again. However, maybe you’re right that at least one night in the backyard is in order. According to Will in his review, the MontBell has “plenty of room inside to wear extra clothing to extend the bag’s warmth,” and I am a small and very skinny guy (125 lbs), so I should be okay on that score if that is, in fact, the bag I end up buying.

Thanks again for the feedback.