UL comfort

Do you think the moisture from your breath when inflating these pads contributes significantly to weight and/or reduces the insulative effectiveness of the pad? Last year, I tried out the BA Pumphouse pump (prototype version, before it hit the market) and wasn't terribly satisfied. It look probably just as long (if not longer) to use the pump than it did my own lungs. Will its 1.5 oz of weight be offset by the moisture accumulation in the pad?

thanks
David

…

I have the MontBell pillow. There are any number of ways to secure the pillow to the pad. The best, of course, is using MontBell's clever grommet/toggle system. But that only works on MB pads.

What I did was stick two rows of velcro patches — secured further by waterproof packaging tape. This allows for easy attachment and removal — and everything has held up well for two years and counting.

> Just ordered the Big Agnes Clearview pad (66" x 20") and the Montbell inflatable pillow from Prolite Gear.
Now if I can find a way to rig the pillow so it stays put…

David,

Get a Gossamer Gear 1/8" foam pad to go on top of your BA Clearview. Secure the GG pad to the BA pad with straps and toggle the pillow to the foam pad. This will only cost you 2 ounces but will add significantly to the temperature rating.

Speaking of which, what temperature would this system be good down to?

Ben,

How much weight did the velcro cost you? What type of pad did you attach the velcro to?

Casey,

I also thought about ordering the 1/8" Thinlight pad. (Too bad it doesn't come longer than 60"). Did you punch holes in it to toggle your pillow to the pad?

I was going to put the pad UNDER the Clearview mattress to prevent punctures. I wonder if the Clearview is as puncture-proof as the Insulated Air Core.

I'm also curious what the temp rating would be with this system.

I have 2 three-inch strips of velcro on my MontBell pillow. It weighs 2.3oz on my digital scale — or exactly the same as MontBell's website spec. The velcros come with its own sticky back — and they stick just fine on the pillow by themselves. 2 years of inflating/deflating and packing/unpacking have not dislodged the velocros one bit — not even at the corners.

My pad is REI Lite Core. Two strips of sticky there as well — but I taped the edges with a length of transparent packaging tape. Added weight is not enough to be detectable.

EDIT: David, writing the above got me wondering whether I needed to use the packaging tape at all. I noticed that the patches on the pad are still solidly affixed — just like the ones on the pillow. I therefore removed all the packaging tape from the pad. I am pretty confident all the patches will stay affixed just fine.

OK, my Montbell pillow arrived along with my BA Clearview pad. As much as I wanted it to work, I just could not find the inflatable pillow comfortable. My head tended to roll from side to side. I am thinking I won't be satisfied unless I have a real pillow. Yeah, I know, you can put clothes in a stuff sack, but that assumes that you are not maximizing your thermal layering efficiency. A true ultralighter is wearing all their clothes to bed, right?

I'm currently eyeing this down pillow from Western Mountaineering:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/WES0005/Western-Mountaineering-Cloudrest-Down-Pillow.html

Regarding the Clearview pad, I noticed that the material is significantly thinner than that on my BA insulated air core. Has anyone tested the Clearview pad extensively and found it durable? Adding a GG Thinlite pad underneath doesn't sound like a bad idea–too bad the Thinlite is only 60" long.

thanks,
David

David,
I'm in the same scenario with the pillow. I didn't care much for the inflatable I have. I bought the Cloudrest, but found it too small/light. It measures 12×16, but there isn't enough down to support my big melon. My head sinks too far into it. It's nice if I put it on top of something else, but at that point, it just annoys me. Maybe I'm just picky, but I get better sleep when I roll up a jacket or put my pack under my head.
If you're looking to buy the Cloudrest, I'll be putting mine up for sale soon ($30 shipped to a CONUS address). I need to clear out some other bits too. Better to sell the unused gear than let them collect dust.
Chris

Down pillows feel good pressed against the cheek in the store, but compress too much under the weight of the head. (Think about the arguments in favor of quilts.)

Laying in (even a firm) bed at home w/out any pillow elevates the head more than laying on the ground with a down pillow. Unless one sleeps outside more often than inside, and has grown into this very flat alignment, it is unlikely that a down pillow will suffice.

I personally use a decade-old small Cascade Designs pillow with both synthetic fill and a sleeve on the back for stuffing extra whatever. This allows for customization and cushions the extra whatever in case that whatever isn't as soft as an angora bunny.