Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I recently picked up a large Trail Lite pad as I re-outfitted myself before a camping trip.I had a Therm-a-Rest pad when I was younger, but I went a few years with no time for camping so I had divested myself of most of my gear.I consider myself a bit of a tightwad, so I had a hard time making my purchase (especially since I could get one of those cheap blue-foam pads for less than $10), but I decided to go for it anyway, based largely on my memory of my previous Therm-a-Rest.
On the other side of my recent trip, I'm glad I opted for the Therm-A-Rest.My sons packed in those blue foam rolls, and I caught a nap on one of them.They don't compare to the amount of padding you get with the air-foam combination of the Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite (though the insulation factor is probably just as good).
STORAGE and INFLATION TIP
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To keep inflation times to a minimum (and to reduce or eliminate the need to inflate it yourself), be sure to store the pad unrolled an open, as described on the fact sheet.They recommend under a bed or behind a couch, but for me the back wall of the closet works best.If rolled and stored, the foam tends to remember being in its compressed state, and it takes longer to fill (or you'll end up blowing it up).If you keep it unrolled until right before your trip, it will expand and self-inflate faster.
TO BEAT THE SLIPPING PROBLEM
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When I was younger, that was the thing I hated most about my Therm-a-Rest pad--the way a nylon-shelled sleeping bag would slide off on nearly any incline.To fix that, I purchased a roll of that rubber-matting material (it's bumpy and forms an open mesh pattern)--the stuff that's often sold in the housewares section to keep things from slipping or sliding in drawers, or can be placed under smaller kitchen rugs or mats--and I roll a lenght of it into my Therm-a-Rest before I head out.With that down between my sleeping bag and the pad, I don't have as many problems with slippage.It even makes it easier to turn over in the bag, without the bag itself flipping over.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
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I strongly encourage you to consider purchasing a stuff sack for your Therm-a-Rest pad.Having the sack that fits your pad makes packing the pad a snap (no web straps or bungee cords to deal with), and it helps keep dust and grime from the trail from getting on your pad.Even if you set down your pack (or if it falls over), you'll soil the shell and not the pad itself.
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Therm-a-Rest Trail LiteProduct Description: Therm-a-Rest's Trek & Travel mattresses keep you comfortable while giving you the versatility to go anywhere and do anything. Light enough for the trail yet comfortable enough for base camp, the mattresses are perfect for everyone from backpackers and globetrotters to paddlers and car campers. Hailing from the Trek & Travel series, the Trail Lite is designed for campers who want a comfortable, lightweight mattress but don't want to spend too much. The Trail Lite's time-tested design includes all the hallmark qualities of a Therm-a-Rest, including a durable 150-denier polyester construction and a urethane foam fill, helping you get the rest you deserve. Plus, at just 1.5 inches thick, the Trail Lite rolls up small for easy carrying. The Trail Lite is an ideal choice for light backpackers, car campers, and travelers.
The green Trail Lite is only 1.5 inches thick, helping it roll up small for easy carrying. Regular Specifications:
Color: Green halo
R-value: 3.8
Volume: 2,160 cubic inches
Foam type: Expanded
Weight: 2 pounds
Length: 72 inches
Thickness: 1.5 inches
Packaged dimensions: 21 by 4.3 inches
Large Specifications:
Color: Green halo
R-value: 3.8
Volume: 2,887.5 cubic inches
Foam type: Expanded
Weight: 2 pounds 11 ounces
Length: 77 inches
Thickness: 1.5 inches
Packaged dimensions: 26 by 4.6 inches
About Therm-a-Rest In 1971, Seattle aerospace giant Boeing announced the largest layoff in company history, resulting in 50,000 people losing their jobs. Among the jobless were Jim Lea and Neil Anderson, both engineers who were eager to get back to work. Turning to friend John Burroughs--an avid mountain climber--for ideas, Burroughs suggested a better sleeping mattress, specifically one that was lightweight, warm, and comfortable. Taking their inspiration from gardening cushions that expelled air as the gardener shifted his or her weight, the duo took a piece of open-cell foam and sandwiched it between two pieces of airtight fabric. Using an old sandwich maker, they melted the fabric onto the foam, creating a bond that was perfectly airtight. After adding a valve, their prototype was ready to test. Within two years, Lea and Anderson had partnered with Burroughs to begin production of Therm-a-Rest pads, the world's first self-inflating mattress. Under the name Cascade Designs, the private, family-owned company has grown into one of the most respected outdoor manufacturers in the world. Still based in Seattle, Cascade Designs sticks to the same fundamental principles it was founded upon: providing relevant and innovative products, exceptional quality, and service that exceeds your expectations.
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