silverorange stuff

What I was looking for:
Length: I am tall. I also prefer to have both my feet and my head on my sleeping pad, thus eliminating short sleeping pads as options.

Padding: While I do not expect my sleeping pad to feel the same as my queen size bed at home I do expect it to make the ground comfortable enough to get a good sleep on. Small rocks, pebbles, and the occasional small stick should not be felt through the pad.

View Larger Image A detail shot of the screw valve on the Prolite 3.

Warmth: Many do not realize that one of the main purposes of a sleeping pad is to provide insulation between your sleeping body and the cold ground (your sleeping bag insulation compresses under your body). As I’m mainly a three season hiker a pad that keeps me warm in all but winter is a requirement.

Packability: My ideal sleeping pad is able to be stored easily inside my pack and not strapped onto the outside of my pack.

Durability: While a sleeping pad usually lives the majority of its life in a tent or in a pack it occasionally ventures out as a chair, sleeps under under a tarp, or lays out for sun bathing. A good pad needs to be durable enough to withstand this type of use.

Able to Repair in the Field: Like all gear a sleeping pad should be able to be repaired in the field. A self inflating pad with a hole in it is useless weight.

How the ProLite3 Measured Up:
Length: While lying down my head and feet were both mostly on the pad. I usually carry a small hiking pillow so my head being off a few inches is never really an issue.

Padding: The Prolite3 is significantly thinner than my Apogee Long. I was worried when I first rolled it out. It didn’t look like it would provide me with enough padding. I was wrong. Although it is thin, when lying down it does the trick. This past season I slept 25+ nights on it and not once did I find it too thin. A lot of those nights were in the rocky backcountry of Newfoundland. Despite poor camping spots due to heavy rains, sharp and jagged rocks the ProLite3 kept me comfortable.

Warmth: The ProLite3 has an R value of 2.3. My Apogee Long had an R value of 3.8. Despite the reduction in “R” (ability to insulate) I did not notice a significant decrease in warmth. Disclaimer: Most of my use of the product was during summer & early fall months. I did not have the opportunity to test it in colder conditions.

Packability (Size & Weight): The ProLite3 packs up to roughly the size of a football. It does this by folding in half along its longest dimension and then rolling up on itself. Once it is rolled up (Tip: Roll once with valve open, close valve, re-roll) it slides into a storage bag. Unfortunately a storage bag does not come included with the pad. Therm-a-Rest sells compatible storage sacks as do a number of other companies (I have a cactus creek storage sack).

Durability: My first impression of the ProLite 3 was that it was somewhat fragile. The layer of fabric on the top side (the side you lie on) seemed particularly thin. After a season of use and abuse there has been no visible wear and no leaks. This has mostly alleviated my concerns. As with any product, durability can only be truly tested after many seasons of use.

Able to repair in the field: The ProLite3, like all self-inflating sleeping pads, can be repaired in the field. There are a few ways of doing so: pre-packaged repair kits or just using urethane glue.

Overall I’ve been very pleased with the the ProLite3. It has lived up to all of my expectations. It has reduced my pack weight and size considerably and has provided me with adequate padding for warmth and comfort. My only substantial complaint is that it doesn’t come with a stuff sack. While the Prolite3 is more expensive than other brands, Therm-a-Rest’s reputation and quality is hard to beat.