New MontBell UL Pad

Miguel,

Even though I did not respond to your original post I do appreciate your effort.

From past experience with full length pads I’ve wondered why pad manufacturers didn’t offer dual chamber designs. By the time I get enough pressure to float my torso my feet may as well be on a snare drum. The dual chamber idea would allow the section under ones legs to be at a much lower pressure than the portion below the torso.

The toggles are a great idea. I’m a little surprised Montbell doesn’t take it further and offer a completely modular system with thin low pressure sections for under legs and thicker sections for torsos. One could mix and match sections to any concievable condition. This concept has the added benefit of a backup, if the torso portion failed the user could get by using the leg portion in its place.

Maybe next year.

Robert

Hi Ben… There’s really not much that can compare to MontBell for innovation and awareness of light weight. MontBell is like the Patagonia of Japan. The founder, Isamu Tatsuno is a contemporary of Yvon Chouinard… they climbed together and I’m sure they must have shared a lot of similar ideas.

Here are a number of other Japanese companies you might be interested in, though the websites are mostly in Japanese. Some of the companies, like Snow Peak and Evernew you probably heard of:

Snow Peak

Evernew

Arai Tent. Makes some of the most popular mountaineering tents in Japan. Check out their mountaineering backpacks. They were making ultralight packs before anyone else here. They are made of a proprietary cloth made out of some kind of aramid. I’ve been thinking of buying one of the packs. Many very experienced mountaineers and shower climbers seem to prefer them.

Musshu. Pretty conservative stuff, but some of the clothing complements a UL clothing system quite well.

Junko Tabei. Not her clothing brand home page (couldn’t find it), but information about the founder of “Junko Tabei” women’s outdoor clothing. Japanese women being so petite means they have a really hard time finding outdoor clothing that fits. Thought I’d add some of this information here seeing as this whole website is seriously lacking in information or even welcoming articles for women. Junko Tabei was the first woman to climb Chomorangma (I don’t like using the name Mt. Everest) and all the highest peaks of all the continents.

HCS. Check out their “Dunlop tents” section. In the mountains here in Japan Dunlop is the tent maker of choice for mountaineering clubs.

Can’t remember anything else for now. Hope that fills some of your borderless fascination, Ben!

Joe, you might want to take a look at MontBell’s affiliate company Arfeq which makes very nice folding kayaks, similar to Feathercraft’s. The company has been around about 20 years or more. They used to be a hanglider manufacturer and their designs show it.

Joe, if you really are interested in getting the sawatabis sometime, just e-mail me… we could probably work something out. I’m thinking of starting sawanobori this summer… Just let me know.

Thanks for the offer…. Im not in any big rush and I too am strapped for cash.

I might be able to paypal you some money or…. we will see.

Its really frustrating living less than an hour from the US Flagship store, and knowing that they carry less than 1/4 of the stuff actually available from MontBell.

Sawanobori seems to be a very interesting sport. I can think of a few falls around here that I wouldnt mind “sawanobori-ing” up.

Ill email you when its gets closer to sawanobori season ;)

I think MontBell is being cautious. About five years ago or so, because of bad faith on the side of some American retailers, who ordered several thousand of MontBell’s gear and then never paid for it, MontBell went bankrupt in the States. I think they are slowly getting their feet wet again, this time learning from their mistakes in learning how to deal with Americans. Hopefully, they’ll eventually get things worked out and start selling most of their gear in the States, too. I guess they just want to be sure they have a good, reliable client base in the States. Next time I go to the head store here in Tokyo, I’ll see if I can talk to someone there about this issue. We’ll see.

Hi Miguel:

Thanks for the Japanese website! I’ll check them out.

I never knew about MB America’s bankruptcy. Wonder which retailer cheated them? Anyone know? I recall that REI used to carry MB stuff, but not anymore. Wonder if the bankruptcy has anything to do with it, and whether REI will carry MB things again in the near future???

The new Montbell pad is now available here in the USA! Check it out at their website… Montbell sleeping pad system.

I am interested in their 2.9 oz. inflatable pillow, but it’s out of stock! :(

Just as a note, I noticed the Thermarest Prolites are now made in Ireland. They are still orange!

Speaking of which… I really like the flag of the Republic of Ireland. Green on the left for Catholics, orange on the right for protestants, and white in the middle — for peace.

The IRA formally renounced violence just yesterday (10/4)! Hopefully, there will be lasting peace this time around!

(Sorry for going on a tangent – now back to MontBell pads…

Ben, I used my MontBell inflatable pillow all summer. It’s the best pillow I’ve found for sleeping I’ve ever had (there are two baffles welded into the interior of the pillow so that when you inflate it a dip is created in the center of the pillow, where you lay your head). WIth the toggles that attach to the UL Pad, it also never moved… a big problem with using stuff sacks and clothing. Let me know if you want one if you can’t find any in the near future. As soon as I settle down in my new job I should be able to get one off to you.

I loved the 90cm (torso length) UL pad that I got after I bought the one pictured above (it hadn’t been available at MontBell until June). The only thing I didn’t like about the design was the weak plastic valve (as compared to Pacific Outdoors’ metal one). The “collar” area around which the pad fabric is weleded to is so small that when trying to inflate the pad it always slipped out of my fingers and the air I had just blown in would escape. I had to be very careful, as I inflated the pad, to hold the short side of the pad in the cusp of my hand to avoid this. The pad fabric is great… doesn’t slip and quite strong, though on my last trip the pad developed a tiny leak somewhere that I’ve not been able to locate (even tried submerging it in the bathtub to look for bubbles). The size is just right, as is the thickness, and it weighs about the same as the Torsolite. Great product!

Miguel:

I currently have an inflatable pillow that’s very comfortable (and cheap!) — but it weighs 6.5 oz. The fact that the MB is half the weight catches my attention. Thank you very much for sharing your positive experience with the MB pillow. Can you tell me the actual weight of yours? Is it really only 2.9 oz (or the equivalent in grams)?

Sorry Ben to take so long to get back about this… I didn’t have access to my stuff until just now.

I just measured my pillow here at home. The pillow without the included stuff sack or repair kit is 70 g, with the stuff sack, 80 g. I don’t have the repair kit with me, so I’m not sure about that.

Miguel – salamat! :)

Does anybody know of any online shops/retailers that have the pillow in stock? I can’t find it anywhere! Thanks for any leads …

I called MontBell recently — they said to call back in three weeks… :(

https://www2.montbell.com/america/asp/products/Spg_shosai.asp?cat=1106&hinban=1124290

there you go

Thanks – sounds like a great solution to the pillow problem.

..except that they are sold out, as far as I can tell, worldwide. This is the only Montbell product I have been unable to find. But in the meantime, the Montbell inflatable UL mattress has a strap at the head end, which will hold any similar pillow. On a related note, my warmer MB pad has no waffle-type holes like my colder Thermarest3, at the same weight!

Miguel, the odaiba store emailed me that the UL comfort system pillows are finally back in stock (after a 6 month wait); going to get mine tonight.
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Just ordered one of the torso length pads and the close cell foam extender. Look forward to seeing how it works in the cold.