Foam like neoair protector anyone?

I have an original neo air small and I use a 1/8th evazote foam pad under it to protect it from punctures. It works well and the neo air has never slipped off but I sleep in a superlight bivy so that might keep them together. Overall I would say I like the setup however sometimes I use my thermarest prolight small just for variety.

I occasionally take a 1/8" foam pad for my exped ul 7 pad when I think I might need a little extra protection. Definitely worth it in my opinion. Inflatables are expensive.

I use four sections of a Thermarest Z-Lite as a back frame and all around camp sit pad. I place this small section under my torso as this is where the most pressure is put when i flop around at night. Seems to keep working for me.

I use the large XLite. When packed up, it is my "frame" or back padding may be a better term. Anyway, in the colder months, I will carry a 1/8" GG Thinlight pad to supplement the XLite. My pad weighs 1.7 oz, and measures 19.5" x 59.5". When packing them, I simply lay the Thinlight pad on top of the XLite (after deflating), then fold the XLite in half, with the Thinlight pad folded inside it. Then I fold the XLite in thirds, and then slide it into my pack.

Sometimes though if I plan to use the Thinlight as a sit pad throughout the day, I will pack the XLite the same way, but by itself, and then pack the Thinlight outside the pack.

Has worked good so far.

I used an xlite for a thru hike last year. I was worried too, so I grabbed a long piece of 1/8" evazote from the last run from Sulak46.

In my experience the foam got trashed quickly and actually worked against me by getting sharp things caught up in its foamyness, stealthily carrying them and threatening my inflatible pad at the next camp. I wound up losing the foam and running with a piece of Tyvek to protect from thorns, pinecones and rocks. (The unwashed Tyvek was surprisingly resilient to piercing.) I figured in the end the 1/8 inch of foam wasn't really much of a back-up for me (side sleeper) and I'd rather just dig a hip hole if it came down to that. The Tyvek also proved a great ground cover for short siesta naps in the afternoon.

PS: To my relief I went Border to Border and back again with no holes.

If your using the 1/8 puss directly on the ground it will get beat up, the foam is pottery soft and scratches easy too.

Yeah I wouldn't suggest using the ccf pad directly on the ground. I still use at least a small piece of polycro directly on the ground…

"In my experience the foam got trashed quickly and actually worked against me by getting sharp things caught up in its foamyness, stealthily carrying them and threatening my inflatible pad at the next camp."

Ack! I can't take it any more. When I used a heavy self-inflating pad I'd worry it was too heavy. When I switched for years to a CCF pad I worried I could be more comfortable with less bulk. Then they promised me for $150 I could have both comfort and low weight with my xlite. I was certain that enlightenment finally was near, that the peace which passes all understanding was within reach. But just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! Now you tell me that the very thing that could give me final peace and foamy security is in fact working for the other team, and stealthily plotting harm to my precious air mattress? When will it end? *sob* I've spent way more hours than I'd like to admit worried about how to deal with my xlite – including putting it inside my sleeping bag when packed.

I think I made need an intervention of some kind.

… switch to hammock ?

Joke apart, I still use evazote + a piece of ridgerest. I'm hesitant to go to inflatable because of cost and potential on the trail failure.

On the other hand foam is not as durable as sometimes stated. Even if it does not puncture, it flattens and lose insulating power.

I've found myself using a piece of reflectix under my neo-rest pad. (I also cut larger pieces for our car camping tents, acting as a ground cloth.) I fold it up and stick it inside the back of my pack, offering it some additional ridgity and support. I've observed reflectix to fold better than a thin foam pad.

Furhermore, I know it is not the most durable material, and will get trashed over time and extended use, but so will everything, geologically speaking. Some things, like tent ground cloths, are "intended" to take the abuse. (I'd wager that tent manufacturers make their greatest profit selling their custom ground cloths.)

I'd just rather pay attention to when the end of life is near of any given piece of gear, and retire it on purpose instead of by accident.

I use CCF 3/16" thickness zote pad from Gossamer Gear.
It is not full length, but it serves to add a bit of insulation in the right place, and also provide some safety margin if the inflatable fails.
If you need full length, you might be able to order your desired length from Lawson on special order, maybe. At least you could ask.
I only carry mine in winter.

Anyway, I agree with the others that the thin CCF pad is not durable enough to dispense with the groundsheet. It needs a groundsheet anyway. If you use a tent with a floor, or a net tent with a floor, that's about the only way you can get away without a groundsheet, because the tent floor serves the purpose.

The Reflectix is very good and fairly durable and light, and gives some good insulation quality. It tends to flatten out after a while when the bubbles lose their air, but it takes a few trips before that happens, usually. A potential issue with the Reflectix is that it is fairly narrow, like 16" wide for the normal width stuff. You can get 24" wide too, but that's pretty wide. It depends on what you like/need.
If you get a roll of it, then you can treat it as a "disposable", and just pull off another 6 feet from the roll each time it starts to look like it needs renewed.

Loren B

i like your line of thinking. it was exactly what i was thinking before my last hike and almost exactly what i did. i cut up my zlite to use w/ my exped ul7. it worked perfectly for the reasons/purposes you listed. the extra few oz was a welcome trade off,to the benefits i felt i gained.

Thanks for your responses everyone.

It seems like it is a popular option to combine an inflatable pad with a 1/8" evazote pad which is very ressuring. Happy to hear that your GG thinlight only weighs 1.7oz Chad as that is 0.8oz less than I was expecting. I guess it might be luck of the draw how light/heavy your GG pad turns out to be.

Christopher: I wondered if that might be a problem. Using the foam pad as a sit pad would inevitably mean picking up some bits and pieces from the ground. Tyvek sounds like it might be a promising alternative which would be lighter. I wonder if there is anywhere which sells foil backed tyvek? Might add a bit more insulate value that way.

Mark: lol

Matt: I did think about reflectix since it does seem like a good alternative. I estimated that a full length piece would weigh more like 4 ounces though which is the only reason I'd be more likely to go with evazote at closer to 2 oz. Certainly an option though. A quick search seems to suggest that Reflectx has an R value of 1.1 which is nice. Does anyone have an actual weight on a full length piece of reflectix?

Josh: Out of interest, did you use a full length zlite, or just the torso part?

I'm thinking I might try out a few different combinations to see what works best. I think that tyvek/polycro/tentfloor groundsheet + foam pad will work well as long as I'm careful in checking the foam pad hasn't picked up any sharp objects during the day. I might try just some ordinary bubble wrap too since a full length piece weighs just 1oz.

i use 7 sections of the zlite. it goes to just past my hips.

i'm a warehouse manager and have also thought about trying to use bubble wrap. sealed air makes some very tough bubble wrap,fwiw. my biggest concern w/ bubble wrap would be home much space it would take up…

I use a neoair without a foam pad and have not worried about it even on long trips. I have typically used a bivy though so it is never directly on the ground. Even when I cowboy camp the pad is in the bivy and I just sleep on top of the whole thing.

I have gone on several trips of over a month with a neoair and it has been fine. Then again, given that my longer trips have been bicycle tours, I have always been somewhere that I would have had fairly frequent opportunities to get another pad if needed.

"Joke apart, I still use evazote + a piece of ridgerest. I'm hesitant to go to inflatable because of cost and potential on the trail failure."

Yeah, I have been using cut down my ridgerest for years, but recently I tried to switch to a smaller pack and suddenly the ridge rest doesn't roll up so nice on the inside any more, and the bulk finally got to me. I'm now kind of on the border where volume and weight fight each other.

Have to admit, though, when I first reclined on the xlite I realized I had been missing something, and I'm starting to get old enough not to care about the macho part anymore. LOL

Still I did have 4-5 years where I was at peace with my ridgerest fragment – that is pretty good for a gear item I guess – right?