Therm-a-Rest - ProLite 3 Sleeping 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!

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’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.

Thermarest pro lite short with six panels of a foam pad. Perfect balance between inflatable and durability. I’ve used this set up for the cdt, azt, and at. Used the full length version of the prolite for the pct. Only leak I ever had was on the azt when I accidentally set up on a prickly plant so no pad would survive that.

shoots, I have an OG prolite short and my LP lists it at 13.2. I might need to re-weigh to verify and possibly make myself a new one if you got yours down to 10.5. the self-inflating torso pads have been one of the few things I can catch some Z's on.

yes. mine is 1". it's wild that your's is thicker and lighter. I also use 6 panels of z-lite under mine as well. it's a heavy setup, but it's the only thing I've found that gives me relatively comfortable sleep. I can't do inflatables.

After trying pretty much everything, I tried the thermarest prolite XS for fun. For some very strange reasons I sleep very well on such a minimalist pad. And that’s the thinner discontinued version not the prolite plus. I only sleep on my side. Other pad that I really like is an exped 3r size S. The rectangular one. 

We use Thermarests or their equivalent from like REI. ¾ sized ones to save some bulk.

When I was younger I got a 3/4 length therma rest sleeping pad for a backpacking trip to save on weight. It worked it was fine for the trip, I'm really short anyway and didn't notice. 12 years later I used it again and let my bf use the full body one because he had never gone real camping before. Oh man, I can sleep through a lot and pretty easily. That was the most uncomfortable I've been in years sleeping on the ground. Get one. You'll regret it.

I'll hype my Thermarest self inflating pad. I think it's 3/4". It was expensive when I got it, but I've used it many times over 30 years and it's still working well. It could be more comfortable. But I carry it on a pack. It's worlds better than not having it.

I personally prefer a more durable sleeping pad for the weight penalty. Self inflating pads make the perfect frame for frameless packs. I’ve had great success with the old prolite that wasn’t as warm or thick.

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.

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.