Foam Pads/ Supplement Prolite 3

I have tried exactly that, the the GG Nightlight torso on top of the Prolite 3 short, and was very happy with the results. To me it is a lot more comfortable than either one alone, and it still isn't too heavy. Plus the nightlight makes a good frame for my pack.

Just wondering out loud… if you find that you need extra padding — meaning you are less-than-happy with the ProLite 3 alone — then why not get the ProLite 4 — with 50% increase in thickness for just 4 oz. more?

The ProLite 4 weighs the same as the ProLite 3/GG NightLight Torso combo — but it's more compact and easier to pack away.

Anyway, food for thought.

The Prolite 3 has been my favorite for 3 years now. The only thing I don't like is that I'm on my third one. for some reason mine have all (including my current) developed leaks in the underside. I have patched them but another leak starts within 6 months or so. In the thirty years I've been carrying Thermarests (Standard and Lightweight) I have only experienced two or three leaks. There's something about me an Prolite 3's. I'm very careful about how I treat them and only use them in a tent or bivy sack, with groundcloth. Since I buy them at REI I return them when I get tired of patching them. The thickness is not an issue with me. I always blow them up hard before putting them down. When it's time for bed I top them off, to allow for them cooling off and softening. I then lie on my side and let air out until there's just a little air under my hip bone. I find that quite comfortable. I use the women's size to save a little weight.

Denis, I'm curious how the women's size saves weight. According to Thermarest's website, both the men's and women's regular size Prolite 3 weigh 1 lb 4 oz. Where's the weight savings?

Ben, good point, the main reason that I tried that combo is because I already owned both pads. So I gave it a try and was pretty happy with the results.

Also, I'm actually not unhappy with the Prolite 3, it's just even more comfortable with the nightlight on top of it, albiet with a 3.5 oz penalty.

Hi Nathan:

Sorry… my 'thinking aloud' above was more in response to Gerry's post.

If a user is happy with the 3 (like you), then I think it makes a lot of sense to buy seperate pads so one can use the 3 alone (and save some weight) — or together with a GG pad for added warmth or comfort when needed.

But if the user is unhappy with the 3 (and won't use it alone), then I think it would make more sense to buy a 4, rather than always carrying two pads.

Well said, Ben, I agree with you 100%.

Mike,
I don't know why they post the same weight for the men's and women's Prolite 3. The women's is the same width and thickness, but is 6 inches shorter than the men's. I've never weighed them on an accurate scale. Even if they are the same weight the women's packs a little smaller. I'm 5'-9" and 66" is a satisfactory length for me. My "pillow" is off the top end of the pad anyway.

Gerry, I've been using a dual pad approach for greater warmth in the snow. Now that I have a light enough system, I'll continue to use it throughout the year.

The big advantage of closed cell pads is that they can't be punctured. They can be used to sit on for cooking, breaks, or just lounging around camp. I wouldn't try this with any self-inflater with the possible exception of the 26 oz. Thermarest toughskin.

Also, they offer puncture resistance to your self-inflator when placed beneath it. And if you do end up puncturing your self-inflator you can still rely on the closed cell pad for warmth.

Greater R-value is another benefit. Your Prolite 3 plus a 3/8" Thinlite will give you a R-value of 3.7.

In addition, if you need to make an emergency splint, you can just cut up your closed cell pad.

My current system weighs 16.1 oz. It's a combination of a 3/8" Thinlite cut down to 48" (4.7 oz.) plus Montbell 90 pad (9.0 oz. after modification) plus Montbell pillow (2.4 oz). Comfort is a relative thing, of course, but as a side sleeper I find this combination to be very comfortable. For the first time in years, I can drift off to sleep easily and wake up with the sun.

The only disadvantage I can see to using a dual pad approach as opposed to a thicker self-inflator is that closed cell pads are more bulky. This is the main reason that I no longer use my Mt. Washington pad. But my 48"x 3/8" Thinlite rolls to a reasonable diameter of less than 5" and attaches easily to the back of my pack.

Dondo
Thanks for the helpful reply. Do you find that the 3/8" pad adds any comfort or cushioning to the Prolite 3 or is it more of an insulation supplement for cold weather camping (aside from the other, ancillary uses you mentioned).
thanks again,
Gerry

Gerry, the 3/8" Thinlite definitely adds a good measure of cushioning, more so than that of the 3/8" blue foam pad I tried. I also tried the 1/8" Thinlite, the Mt. Washington pad, and a 1/2" closed cell pad. The 1/8" didn't provide enough cush. My hips couldn't detect a difference between the Mt. Washington or the 1/2" pad or 3/8" pad in combination with the Montbell, so I went with the lightest and most compact of the bunch.

It's possible that the 3/8" Thinlite is overkill; the 1/4" may be sufficient. I may try the 1/4" Thinlite next to try to shave a little weight and bulk.

I have a Prolite-4 short and a 1/8" foam mat (5' long). I have this combo as the Prolite-4 works for just about everything except snow, and it has the right comfort/weight sweet spot for me on most hikes.
I know that 1/8" foam doesn't sound like much but it makes that little difference to keep you warm. It rolls up real small so it packs well. I haven't weighed it but logically it would be about 1/3 of the weight of a 3/8" mat.
Try using it ON TOP of the Thermarest for more warmth.

I keep meaning to put velco patches on both mats so they stay in place better but haven't done so yet.

I like the two mat system for flexible weight/comfort/warmth depending on the hike and how hardcore you are feeling.

A slightly different question–at about what temperature would folks say you no longer need to worry about some insulation under your legs and feet (section not covered by the shorter pad)? I tried sleeping with the Prolite 3, which I already had, two nights ago outside in temperatures in the 50-55 degree range with a Montbell thermal sheet, which is rated down to 50 degrees. Somewhere during the night, I began to feel noticeably cooler, I think mostly in the lower part of my body. I wasn't sure if this was an insulation issue, or the air had cooled enough to push the bag right to its limit. I figured 50 degrees was warm enough, so I didn't bother to use a pack, clothing or anything other than the silnylon tent floor under my feet.
Gerry

Can't say whether it was the pad or bag that caused your cool feeling. There are simply too many variables.

But as far as the need for leg/foot insulation, it depends on ground temperature. The sheet (quilt, bag, etc.) will insulate you from air, but the pad or other item will be what insultates you from the ground. While the ground temp stays much more constant than the air temp, the ground could easily be cool enough to warrant something under your legs.

If your bag is warmer than needed, and you lose some heat to cold ground, you might be alright. But if your bag is at it's limit, and you lose additional heat to cold ground, when then you're probably going to start being a little uncomfortable.

>>Try using it ON TOP of the Thermarest for more warmth.

Andrew, I've also discovered that closed cell on top of self-inflator is warmer, especially if the self-inflator is heavily cored like the Prolites. This is the system I use in the snow where there's not much risk of puncture. It also feels more comfortable to me this way. In normal three-season conditions, I'll put the closed cell pad on the bottom to better protect the self-inflator.

Gerry, it's pretty rare that I see night time temperatures as warm as 50F so I can't say at what point the ground would start sucking warmth from my legs. But I've found that my Vapor Trail provides adequate insulation in most cases. If my legs start getting cold, I'll stuff raingear inside the pack.

Why not use an air mattress?

Speaking for myself, I had been using a Big Agnes mummy style air core insulated mattress and was pretty happy with it's overall comfort. However, I weighed it recently and discovered that it weighs more than I thought–about 24 ozs. So the Prolite 3, even with a light weight foam addition of about 3-4 ozs. would still save me about 7 ozs. I thought about a 3/4 length air mattress, but then I'm still dealing with the foot warmth issue and have a much higher "shelf" that my feet would fall off of. I'd probably still use the air mattress for paddling trips where I'm not doing too much carrying.
Gerry