Therm-a-Rest - ProLite 3 Sleeping Pad

If you want more comfort than ccf but more durability than an inflatable, a self inflating is the way to go. Something like the thermarest prolight or similar. They aren’t the lightest, but if you avoid the super huge car camping style ones they aren’t too bad. They can still technically be popped but the outer material is much beefier than an inflatable. Often they’ll feel more like vinyl. I still have my original thermarest trail. It’s not as cushy as modern ones but it’s a tank and still hasn’t gotten a leak after 17 or 18 years. Got it sometime as a teenager. I think it was my first mat I had when I upgraded from a crappy blue Walmart ccf.

This is subjective. For me, yes, an inflatable pad is worth it for better sleep quality. Foam pads just don't work for me. In your case, you report that you already sleep fine on a foam pad so why not just stick with it? Regarding durability of an inflatable, yes it's likely lower but you may be able to patch it and still worth it for sleep quality. I did get a leak in my NeoAir but I set up camp in a reasonable spot and was able to put my pack under it and it was ok. Patched it when I got home. The hot ticket item for me is actually the short Prolite. Very similar weight to my old NeoAir, bit more durable, adequate ground insulation, and still has a bit of foam. Takes up more space but still fits in my packs with usual loadouts.

Very old versions of Thermarest seem in every garage sale. The two I purchased new around 1990 are still fine, but now I can supplement with others collected by wife from the many grandpas for a few dollars. One I mainly use is earliest "ultralight" version, weighs about 1pd and inflates to 1". Specs don't seem wildly different than "today," although mine are both non-full-length. My heavier old pad is "standard" for 1990ish thermarest & is slightly thicker than my ancient UL, and maybe 1/3rd more bulk. Seems similar (thicker?) to referenced mil vers. Neither is adequate without help on snow or in "severe" cold. Not so oriented to "perfect comfort" for mats. "Good enough," my motto!

I had a neoair and never had a good night sleep. I loved the packed size and weight, but I always felt like I was perched on it and would be thrown off if I wriggled. I also had one of the older, noisier ones so it sounded like a crisp packet. I now use a short prolite which is a combination of foam and air. I’m much closer to the floor and it all feels a lot more stable. This results in me managing to sleep for 8 hours on the trail which is priceless. It’s heavier and no pad under my feet so I put my bag under my feet on cold nights. But having a good night sleep after a long day on your feet is worth the extra weight.

But it’s logical and functional. I can’t recall exactly if I had a foam pad on the pct, but I’ve done the cdt, azt, and at all with a thermarest prolite(far more durable) and six panels of an accordion pad.

I find the xlite to be extremely uncomfortable. I love the thermarest prolite and have done multiple thru hikes with it.

I’ve had a ton of success with the thermarest prolite. I used the regular length for the pct, short version for the cdt, azt, and at. No issues on the pct or cdt, did get a hole on the azt. But I set up in the dark right on a pokey plant so my bad on that one. On the at a baffle popped but it didn’t make the pad unusable, just a little annoying. Slept with it like that for the last few weeks of trail.

I too hate the xlite and had the same experience of just deflating it completely. I love the thermarest prolite. I used the regular length version for the pct but switched to the shorter version for the cdt, azt, and at. I pair it with 6 panels of a foam pad as well.

Not everything has to work for everyone. I too hate the Neo air and find it ridiculously uncomfortable. I’ve used a thermarest pro lite for multiple thru hikes and love it.

The prolite is an awesome pad imo. I’ve used the short version for years, on multiple thru hikes. The short version is obviously smaller, so less bulky. As long as the width isn’t a deal breaker that’s not a big issue imo.

I’ve used a thermarest prolite short for multiple thru hikes. It only goes to a little past my knees. I’m a 6’2” guy and it’s great, I have no desire for a full length pad.

My neoair xlites are going strong after 5years plus; my old thermorest prolite 3 shorty (older and heavier) is out of the regular rotation but is 20+yrs old and still works great no patches. Closed cell foam doesn't pop!

I use a torso length prolite and a nemo zor (which is basically the same as the nordisk linked) I fold it up and put it inside the bag against the back. I can do that and still fit a bear can inside my bags I pair it with a cut down thinlight that I keep outside the bag to use as a sit pad and a little extra cushion under the hips and through the legs inflatables are not my cup of tea. I used to use a torso length piece of 1/2" evazote, it was comfy, but BULKY

This year for my summer hiking, I went back to my Thermarest Prolite 3 ¾ self inflating pad. It's mostly bearable. Certainly more comfortable than CCF. It weighs significantly less than my full length air mat (TAR Neoair Xlite Max reg) I used one for 10+ years prior to 2016 when I switched to airmats (Klymit then Neoair Xlite). And paired it with a CCF mat in winter. It's perfectly adequate, fast to deploy and pack down. Just not quite as comfortable as an airmat. But I'm going to endure it for as long as I can when solo. I'll still use an air mat when with my partner. The original reason I changed to an airmat was that my partner had been using a Neoair for a year or so and I was feeling a bit odd sleeping so much lower down beside her and I was getting mattress envy. If you want a really light self-inflating mat, the lightest I have found is this at 280g (10oz ) https://nordisk.co.uk/products/ven-25-mat-onesize-mustard-yellow

I used to do the 3/4 length prolite before the fancy pads go popular. I was warm enough but I wasn’t comfortable. I used to put my feet on my backpack.

Depends how you sleep. I sleep on my side, with my knees curled up. I use a 3/4 length thermarest and I'm totally comfortable. I spend my nights battling with my pillow, though.

I’ve been rocking a 3/4 length thermarest from’93, another couple since the early 2000’s and a exped 9 down mat from 2009 and they are all going well. The ones I leave inflated in my cabin has lost some air but I think that’s from the valves freezing in the Arctic winter temperatures though.

When I hiked the Appalachian Trail back in '99 I started with a 3/4 length typical Therm-A-Rest inflatable mat, and I didn't sleep particularly well on it as a side and belly sleeper. They didn't have a ton of options for inflatable pads back then. As I got used to sleeping on it I eventually swapped it out for a roll-up ridgy foam mat, which weighed a lot less but was even less comfortable, but by that point I was pretty used to it. These days I carry a [Therm-A-Rest NeoAir SV](https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/sleeping-pad/therm-a-rest-neoair-all-season-sv) which they don't make any more, but it has extended my sleeping outdoors career by several decades. It's not super light, but the weight is so worth it to me for the amazing comfort. It's all about what you can tolerate in comfort vs weight vs cost.

Not foam but the Thermarest prolite + self inflating is tougher than the blow up kind and warm enough for our winters.

That's also my experience with the thermarest prolite- I've had mine for a decade and fixed one hole. I take the weight penalty to not hate the inflation process but to my mind that makes it a luxury item.

100%. Personally, I'm looking into using a trimmed Pro-lite this season. I just bought a used one off of ULGearTrade for $25. Planning to trim it down to torso size which I think I can get ~10oz. My hope is that the OCF in there will give me enough comfort, but also more stability than a 3" inflatable, which although less plush I think could translate to a more comfortable sleep.

Yeah I'm stoked about it! It's supposed to arrive from r/ULGearTrade today, so planning (unless I fuck it up) to document and post on r/myog in the next few weeks and review here in the spring once I get a few nights on it.

The comfiest pad I’ve used is the old school thermarest prolite. Thicker isn’t always better. It’s heavy though. Great for short hikes or boat/car based stuff

I’ve been using my prolite for over 20 years and love it. It’s holding up super well and barely looks used. I pair it with a thermarest foam pad in early spring and mid- to late fall (and bring a thermarest chair kit to use the foam as a chair during shoulder seasons). This system keeps me very comfortable, even in temps going below 0C at night here in Canada. The prolite is perfectly fine on its own during summer/early fall.

More comfortable than ccf, more durable than inflatables, I’ve beaten the crap out of a couple prolites and they don’t mind at all. I have one that’s like 15 years old and stained to all hell that I still use often. And really the modern prolites aren’t a huge sacrifice on weight, with solid 3 season r values. Stick a ccf under it for winter. The small size was adequate for me for the PCT and all up and down the east coast, and it also functions to give structure and padding to the back of my pack. In my opinion, the prolite plus women’s is the best self inflating mattress ever for long distance hiking in North America if you can find them in stock anywhere.

Hello, Looking for advice. I’ve browsed multiple Reddit outdoor hiking/camping/backpacking forums, most of the manufacturers websites and am having a hard time finding an answer. I am a heavy, broad, guy and I’ve tried a few different pads in the past. I have a Thermarest Prolite, Big Agnes Ultra Core, a Sea to Summit Camp Plus Si, and recently the Klymit Static V luxe. I thought I found the perfect pad with the Sea to Summit, but just like the rest it is not wide enough. Although it was 25 inches wide, I end up rolling off or I spread out and my legs and arms fall off of it. I like the Big Agnes because it kind of keeps you centered by the baffling chambers. I really like the Sea to Summit and Thermarest materials, but those pads are easy to roll off of, and they are bulky since both are self inflating. I just bought and tried the Klymit Static V Luxe, and the width is perfect, but damn if every time I roll over or move, I can feel the ground. I wish it was a little thicker. I don’t have that problem with the Big Agnes (and I’ve read this happens with the Klymit due to the v channels). I may try to get a foam pad and put it under. Does anyone have any suggestions on a 30” wide air inflatable pad that is about 2-3” thick? Thanks so much!

I just switched from expensive Thermarests over to these crazy cheap Night Cat hand pump pads and I am never going back to thermarest/self inflation. My arm goes dead without fail sleeping on the Thermarests and they take up nearly twice the room in my gear. The only benefit of the Thermarests I can see is that they are really tough, which could be great for some hardy adventures maybe. But nothing a couple patches can't fix IMO... So Choo choo I'm on the air pad train. These newer cheap designs are legitimately very good, they roll out crazy long and then shrink up. I probably can't share amazon links but "Night Cat Inflatable Sleeping Pads". There's a bunch of brands making this style now too, I'm not trying to spruik any particular brand, this was just the one that was affordable where I live.

The Xtherm is reasonably durable, but not enough so that I've ever trusted my life to it in remote extreme conditions. Like most people, I pair it with a foam pad. The foam pad is great to have anyway. You can put it right on the ground or snow to sit or stand on at camp, and you can cut off a piece if you are building a splint. It also serves as an emergency backup if the Xtherm develops a leak that can't be patched. The classic self-inflating Thermarest pads that they have been making for 30+ years are less warm and less comfortable than the Xtherm, but far more durable. Those have some foam in them, so they don't roll up as small, but they will still provide a little warmth if they spring a leak (though they also have bomber construction and almost never fail). They are issued out to troops by the US Army (I take it from your photo that you are one of those types of people to whom that endorsement matters). However, for the temperatures you are talking about, you will still want to pair that pad with a foam pad. The best combination is a modern lightweight inflatable foamless pad with a high R value like the Xtherm, combined with a foam pad like a Z-rest or a RidgeRest. If you're very concerned about bulk, you can of course trim the foam pad down to a 3/4 length. I prefer the folding Z-rest style over any pad that needs to be rolled, but that's your preference.

My usual car camping setup is an alps mountaineering cot, and an old Thermarest self inflating sleeping pad. The cot is decent I guess, I think it’s probably just not supportive enough. For what it’s worth, I find the cot setup to be pretty easy, just takes about 5 minutes. I wake up sore whether I use the cot or just use the sleeping pad on the floor of the tent. And I’m only 25, so I can’t imagine you’d fare any better. Gotta have the sleeping pad to stay warm though, even summer camping in BC we get some pretty cold nights unless we’re near the ocean.

Never tried the new inflatables - just thermarest self-inflating guys. I like the foam pad as I can put it on the ground and against a log and be comfy sitting in camp. I seem to sleep about the same on either so I’ve just not bothered to try to upgrade.

I have at least 10 pads, and have returned for warranty probably half that amount. The most durable, comfortable, and beat insulted are thermarest self inflating. The smallest and lightest with descent insulation seem to be the big Agnes inflatable ones ( UT these are a PITA to fill up every night and will leak sooner than later. My recommendation is the thermarst self inflating pads. Find one with the rvalue you need and go with it.should last you many nights