New Thermarest inflatables

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Wouldn't that be "old news" given that Big Agnes just brought out the Clearview pads??! (Similar specs)

"Wouldn't that be "old news" given that Big Agnes just brought out the Clearview pads??! (Similar specs)"

Actually it would not be old news. There's plenty of air pads already out there (POE, Big Agnes, Exped, etc).

The specs are hardly similar on this pad, since it is supposed to have an R rating close to 3, which only the air pads with insulation in them can achieve, and of course those pads are much heavier.

In one of the email posts Jerry indicated he slept on the pad OK down to 20 deg F. Most people find the non insulated air pads cold when the temps drop below 50 deg F.

Well, Big Agnes claims that the pad is rated to 35F … but I guess that if you can take the other one down to 20F, then it would indeed not be "old news", at least not in colder temps.
:-)

Hi Sven,

Yeah, I just checked out the Big Agnes website and noticed those clearview pads are rated down to 35 deg. That kind of surprised me. I noticed their air core pads are also rated to 35 deg.

I wonder if anybody that has used these pads could comment on how warm they are at these temps, say 35-50 degrees?

I am still waiting for mine to ship – the delivery has been delayed by 2-3 months but they are supposed to arrive around June 10th now. Will post a review when I know more!

Woops, I just saw that this new Thermarest pad will be introduced at this summer's OR show, but won't be available on the shelves for consumer purchase till next spring (09).

That clearview pad does look tempting. Maybe the 60 inch one coupled with a 1/8 thinlight might make a good combo.

Daniel,

Can you provide links for this info? I've looked at backpackgeartest.org and thermarest.com but didn't see anything regarding the new pad.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BackpackingLight/message/118592

I'm not sure if you can view the above messages if you are not subscribed to the group and/or a yahoo member. You may have to sign up to view.

I subscribe to the group so have been receiving emails. The pad is not available yet, and is probably still in somewhat of a prototype phase, so you won't find anything on backpackgeartest.

About all I know based on the emails is:

1. Weight from 12-14 oz
2. No insulation, it's an air mat. (speculation is that thermarest has somehow figured out how to limit air convection currents inside – perhaps some kind of baffled construction?)
3. Thermarest has been developing this pad for something like 10 year.
4. There's no free cake. The pad will be expensive, maybe in the $150 range, at least initially.
5. Will be first seen at this years OR show, and available on shelves next spring.
6. R value 2.5, though Jerry Goller thought it was closer to 3.0, said he used it in the teens and it was warm. Used it down to 0 with a closed cell foam mat underneath.

IF true this Thermarest advance would revolutionize camping mattresses.

The reason pure, non-insulating air mattresses are cold is because the heated air (from your body) is cooled by the cooled air (from the ground)in a continuous convection circulation of the air.

Thermarest must have found a way to stop the convection. But if the price is $150. I'm sure I'll wait until the price drops and all the bugs are worked out and stick with my original Thermarest UL, which is a pretty good mattress in itself.

Eric

just purchased a big agnes mummy style, 2.5 inches insulated blow up pad. i used it on a very cold minnesota night on 5/23 on the superior hiking trail. worked very well. the extra weight was worth it.(19 oz.) the price was alot better than thermarest. vicky

Vicky,

A backpacking friend of mine just bought the same BA mummy mattress as you have for its comfort over the Thermarest Prolite 3 and its light weight and "lite" price. She loves it.

Eric

Vicki,

Is your pad insulated? and do you know what temperature it got down to on your trip?

I have the P.O.E. insulated (short version) and it will take me down to 40 and I add a 1/8" foam to get below freezing. Much colder than that, I need the full 3/8" pad.

While I can't speak for Vicki I was out on the Superior Hiking Trail at the same time as she was. In the north central sections it was around 30 degrees at night. I used a pro-light 3 short self inflating pad and was just fine.