Luxury camping UL style…

Did you find any support from the 1/8" Thinlight pad? Thus if you removed the pad, is there any difference in support/comfort with just the TorsoLite? Of course your legs would be on the hard ground.

I actually folded the pad in half and put it under the NightLight so it was more of a 1/4" torso pad. It didn't make a whole lot of difference comfort-wise but it was definitely warmer than just the NightLight. I've only used the NightLight on its own a handful of times and this was just the first time I've used the Thinlight, so I don't really have much data or experience to base any claims on.
I have seen this combination on a number of gear lists so I'm sure there are others who can chime in on the reasons they chose it.

Adam

Doesn't sound like lux to me!

> Doesn't sound like lux to me!
Dunno about that … Seems there are two issues here maybe.

1) One is sheer thickness of padding – very nice, but maybe one can live without too much.

2) The other is warmth. I find a cold padded bed uncomfortable for sleeping (think Lilo on snow), while a warm layer under me goes a long way towards a good night. So while I do carry a 3/4 length Therm-a-Rest, I also take some 5 mm foam for the lower end of my bed, and that does make a huge difference for my legs – especially on snow!

I use this combo nearly exclusively when I carry my frameless pack. My experience with the 1/8 thinlite is it has very good insulative properties, and am always surprised at how well it keeps the cold from the ground away from me (I have slept with only the thinlite before-not luxury). The nightlite torso is nice padding for the torso (maybe a bit short for the tall).
That being said, I would consider this system somewhat of my minimum setup. I personally would not want to go any lighter. After a week using this system, I start to dread sleeping on it…but I do.
Recently, I have aquired a Montbell SI 90 for longer trips, and at 9 oz, it is about a 3 oz weight penalty from the GG setup but is a dream to sleep on.

The 1/8" Thinlight is great insulation, but almost no comfort. I use a 2.5" inflatable air mattress from Montbell for 3 season, and their foam UL mat in winter with that Thinlight. The torso light is too uncomfortable to sleep on; I just sit on it around my apartment..

I suppose I should have said SUL style in the original post. I plan on using this set up with my Whisper, 6 oz tarp, Foster's can pot, tealight, etc. Its for those long days on the trail when even laying down in a pile of leaves would be comfortable enough to sleep on :). I have a 3/4 length Thermarest that I would be happy to bring if I went with other people that didn't push for high mileage, but those kind of trips are few and far between for me.
I actually did bring my Thermarest along this past weekend but my friend forgot her pad so I loaned it to her.

Adam

I'm still waiting for TempurPedic to come out with a backpacking pad …..

Until then, my 3/4 inflatable will just have to do (it's worth the 15 oz!)

Hah! I am waiting for a UL version of the Sleep Number Bed to come out (Have a feeling that won't ever happen!). We bought one in summer '06 and it has wrecked my back for backpacking.

…….of course it doesn't help that we also have the version that has a built in body massager and where you can raise and lower the head and feet……

Sarah:
If you are willing to count your pad as a lux item, then you might still get the benefits of the Sleep numbered bed by buying either the Big Agnes Air Core insulated (or uninsulated. Or, if you are feeling flush, you might pop for either the Stephenson DAM or the Exped pads which are insulated with down. Any of these choices will weigh in at between 20oz and 25oz, but oh the heavenly sleep you will get. These are without a doubt the most comfortable pads on the planet. I own the BG insulated AC and the Exped D7 shortie and I look forward to a good night's sleep every time I am out. My Lightweight kit has several serious compromises with the Lightweight philosophy of BPL: My pad, my pillow, and my pint of single malt. But, to me, its worth it!

If you're leaning towards a Big Agnes insulated air core pad, you might email them to see if they have any more of their 48" ones left. Only 12 ounces without the sack! I bought one a few weeks ago after emailing them asking if they would ever consider making them shorter than the 60" ones they sell. They said they had a few 48" prototypes, but don't tell anyone, and I could buy one, which I did. Don't quote me on this, though, because I'll deny having said it.

I had a BA Aircore (insulated version) and while very comfy, I just couldn't take the blowing it up. Ok, laugh you all, but I would be so light headed by the time I got done, I just couldn't take it. I do sleep on a Prolite 3 pad (I am not tall, so the ladies pad works just fine). On the other hand, that stupid bed has wrecked me in another way-we sleep with the head lifted, so on trail NO pillow or anything cuts it for me. I find often I have to pile my camera case, shoes, pack and everything else under my head so I can get elevated enough.

So yeah, comfy bed at home means you be hating sleeping on the ground ;-) My husband sleeps in his Hennesy hammock due to the same reason….

Love my P.O.E. Max Thermo insulated pad, 3/4 length at 15 oz. I probably wouldn't be backpacking if it weren't for this or similar pad!

Steep & Cheap had the Exped Down 7 in 3/4 length for $40 just yesterday. They only had 3 of them. I typed in my credit card as fast as I could but didn't make it in time. I need to take a speed typing course!

I have tried the GG NighLight Torso foam pad, but find it hard to sleep on. It's too hard and I'm too old. I found the BPL TorsoLite inflatable a significant improvement in comfort, but still not perfect. Since I use the NightLight as my "pack frame", I would slip it under my feet and legs while using the TorsoLite for my ah… torso. Then my son gave me another GG NightLight pad for my birthday.

So now I use the foam NightLights butted together as a full length pad and put the TorsoLite on top. It gives me about 1.75 inches of cushion, R value of about 5, and a full length pad all at just under 16 oz. My extra NightLight is strapped on the outside of my pack and becomes my seat around camp and at rest spots. Not SUL or even very UL, but it keeps me on the trail.

-Mark

I tried sleeping with just a 3/4 GG nightlite recently, and had 2 lousy night's.

I seem to sleep best with my Insul-Mat Max thermo pad, at 2.5"x20"x72" not ultra-lite at 21.5oz but worth it for the better sleep that I get with it.

I thought about getting a Torso-Lite, and combining it with the Night-lite, but this combo would still weight in at 18 oz+ which would be a 3.5oz savings, but it still wouldn't be as comfy as my 2.5 thick Insul-Mat pad.

I'm glad to hear there are others out there who decide to splurge on their sleeping pad. I too have tried to be hard-core and sleep on the GG NightLight. I even tried combining it with one of those blue pads at REI ($16).

So I decided to cut down on everything I possibly could so I could bring an 18oz REI Lite-Core pad instead. I can still keep my base weight around 7-8 lbs, and I sleep like a King! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who justifies this.

Although I do have to say, the GG pad is wonderful if you are trying to do high mileage, all day hiking. Because all I can think about while laying there is how bad I want to get off the ground and hit the trail!

For winter I use a foam/Thinlight combo, but for 3-season the Montbell 120cm inflatable air mattress has 6 independent chambers (one flat chamber wont flatten your mattress) and weighs 12oz (340g)
I recently shipped one to a BPL member.

Brett,

Is that insulated at all or just an air mat? Is it sturdyish? I'm still scouting around for a lightweight but more comfortable pad for my wife. Guess she won't sleep on just an 1/8" thinlight like me. haha.

So I'm about as Nazi as they get when it comes to chiseling packweight to almost zero. I often use a Nightlight plus Tylenol PM when pushing it. But when I'm not covering big distances, the pad is the first thing to change.

Nothing beats an Exped Downmat. Sure, 20oz isn't light but it's so warm and pure sleeping luxury.

Ahh, Exped.

It has made the difference between tolerating cold weather camping and enjoying cold weather camping.