3-Season Sleeping Pad

[ca-hunter]

What sleeping pads are people running for backcountry hunting in 3-season conditions (doesn't stop before freezing)?

I'm between the Nemo Tensor All Season and the BA Rapide SL, both recently reassigned, but wanted to hear what people actually run for their sleep systems

 

[shax2lex]

That Nemo All season is looking pretty good to me. I picked one up.

 

[alexnelon]

I love my Rapide so far.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I have a few hundred nights on a ThermaRest NeoAir XTherm NXT Max. No signs of slowing down yet. Noisy pad but the thing flat out lasts and performs as expected.

 

[txjustin]

I’m going to order both from REI and send back the one I like least.

Any update what you got?


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[SmellinElkyFresh]

I really like the sea to summit comfort plus insulated pad. Its insulated but I wouldnt use it on a late season hunt. It has two chambers so you can dial in your firmness (I usually fully inflate the bottom chamber and partially inflate the top that Im sleeping on and its perfect). Ive never bottomed out on it as a side sleeper and for reference Im 200lb, 6'1" athletic build. A plus is it fills up really fast, roughly two breaths in the inflation sac that comes with it and its full.

 

[ca-hunter]

I’m going to order both from REI and send back the one I like least.

Any update what you got?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I tried a bunch at REI and watched some reviews on YouTube. I haven't bought it yet but I'll be going with the Exped Ultra 5R over the Big Agnes Rapide SL. I heard about the warmth issues with the BA due to the reflective film layer falling down but boy is it comfortable!

The Exped Ultra 5R is basically the same vertical baffle design minus some of the comfort of the dimples in the middle section without the warmth issues. I tried the Nemo Tensor All Season and love how small, light, and packable it is but in terms of comfort it is a far cry from the nice cradle with the vertical baffles.

Will provide another update once I use it in the field this hunting season!

 

[Alex P. Coltrane]

What sleeping pads are people running for backcountry hunting in 3-season conditions (doesn't stop before freezing)?

I'm between the Nemo Tensor All Season and the BA Rapide SL, both recently reassigned, but wanted to hear what people actually run for their sleep systems

Depends. Are you sleeping in a tent, hammock, or potentially out in the open? We are potentially dealing with hypothermia, so it’s worth asking and understanding.
The short answer is: get a bag that is rated at least for the coldest temps you’ll encounter, AND make sure you have rain gear (head to toe, including hands) and shelter (tent, tarp, whatever—keep the bag dry, or you are screwed to the shadow realm). You’re going to die of hypothermia due to rain many times over before you die because your bag wasn’t rated appropriately.
On a tent or on the ground, use a pad if you want—it’s really for comfort at that point. If your bag is rated for that temp, you don’t need a pad. There is a phenomenal amount of bad information regarding pads. If you are on the ground, with an appropriately rated bag, you don’t need a pad. Period.
Ask yourself “what are the coldest temps I’ll encounter?”. Get a bag that will cover you for that. If you find yourself using that bag in 80+ degree temps, you just need a second bag. Don’t sweat in your bag. Seriously.
If you want a pad, get one that isn’t inflatable. Trust me. Get one that is foldable. It will weigh next to nothing. They are bulky, but light. Use it and abuse it. When it breaks, buy another. I wouldn’t give it any more thought than the above two sentences.
If you’re in a hammock, and you’re asking this question, then I would say this: do not use a hammock in nighttime temps below 70F until you know what you’re doing. I’m not joking. You can become hypothermic at 70F in a hammock. Too much air circulation. If our body temp is 95F or less, we are in dire straights in the backcountry. 70F is a far off way from 95F.
Once you’ve used a hammock in warmer temps, you’ll know what is needed for colder temps. The basic hammock setup is: thermal pad (foldable 1-inch thick pad, or similar), combined with an appropriately rated bag. If you have those, you’ll probably be fine. Or not. You have to be prepared to jog in a circle all night long if things go south and you become hypothermic. Probably won’t happen. I find the pads do well in hammocks until you get to a night time temp of 50F or below—at these temps, you need an under-quilt for the hammock. The pad/under-quilt removes air circulation beneath you (it makes it equivalent to sleeping on the ground from a thermodynamic standpoint). You always need an appropriately rated bag.
Lastly, I hunt in the backcountry. A lot. I’m nasty by the first night. That sleeping bag is nastier. Hunters usually go through sleeping bags like a cowboy goes through women in a …—you get the point. If you’re using it for hunting, you may not want to buy “top of the line” because you may need to replace it after a year. Sleeping bags do not wash well—you can wash them, but sleeping bags are not made to get wet. Period. If it’s that bad, replace it. If you don’t want to replace it, don’t be a nasty dude.
You can always take layers off or unzip your bag. While not ideal, it’s better than hypothermia. But whatever you do, do not sweat excessively in that bag. You will destroy the thermal regulation quickly (as in days) and risk hypothermia when you need the rating on that bag. So, buy multiple bags.
Good luck.

 

[100%DIYazCOUES]

Having slept both on the ground and on a pad with the appropriately rated bag… a pad makes a MASSIVE difference in both comfort AND warmth. Not sure what that last guy was talking about on that one…

 

[180ls1]

For an extra 3oz the Extreme is worth a hard look.

 

[Grassymike]

I remember as a kid in Alaska sleeping on 6 mil plastic with no pad in old army mummy bags... and freezing nearly every night. When we got the first blue closed cell "foamies" we could not believe how much warmer and more comfortable we were. Pads absolutely make a massive difference in warmth.

 

[ca-hunter]

Thanks for the advice all! Ended up going to REI to try a bunch. Loved the REI Helix for comfort - A+ in that department but pretty pricey. I will be going with the Exped Ultra 5R in wide. Really liked the vertical baffle design especially in the wider pads because it cradles especially for side sleeping. Did not like the feel of the Nemo Tensor but it was very light and compact