4 ms·

My ultralight gear has been sufficiently durable for my backpacking and hiking, even off trail. I'm not hunting or repairing trails but stuff lasts a while. The

by s0rce 1y ago

My ultralight gear has been sufficiently durable for my backpacking and hiking, even off trail. I'm not hunting or repairing trails but stuff lasts a while. The only exception I've found is inflatable pads which get punctured but no more often than bicycle tire inner tubes and they can similarly be patched with some effort.

wkat4242 1y ago
What do you use those pads for I wonder?
- mrexroad 1y ago
  sleeping. my thermarest pad is a decade+ old and I won't hesitate to take it on a lengthy backpacking trip as long as I have a patch kit, same as a bike tire.
- trenchpilgrim 1y ago
  You put them under your sleeping bag and they make your sleep way warmer than if your sleeping bag is directly on the tent floor. https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/sleeping-pads https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/sleeping-pads
  - ashdksnndck 1y ago
    That the purpose of the sleeping pad is characterized as thermal performance and not comfort is proof that I am not capable of the ultralight mindset.
    - deleted 1y ago
      [deleted]
    - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
      I spent time in India as a kid sleeping on the hard floor of my grandmother's home. Maybe my sense of comfort is different IDK, but I don't consider a pad essential on a warm night
      - ics 1y ago
        I’m from the US but a “floor sleeper” and have never camped with a pad like these even in near-freezing temperatures. I’m sure it helps but these days I get the impression from people around that they just like gear, don’t like being uncomfortable, and any other benefit is just a bonus to rationalize spending money. Maybe I’ll try it some day and be a convert, until then…
        trenchpilgrim 1y ago
        For my setup my nemo pad + bag is smaller packed volume than an equivalently warm bag without pad. I mostly motocamp so packed volume is at premium. My nemo pad packs down to about the size of a soda can in my saddlebag.
        voidmain0001 1y ago
        You sleep on a hard surface? That is really difficult for me as a side sleeper. I have slept on hard surfaces out of necessity and my hips and knees are hurting by morning. Do you use a pillow or is your head on the hard surface too?
        ics 1y ago
        I started doing it as a kid in order to break my reliance on side sleeping and help general posture. These days I'm less strict but benefit from being able to find a comfortable position anywhere. I'd recommend not resting your head on a pillow but using firm cushioning under your neck; that will very slightly lift and relieve pressure from your head and keep head/neck/shoulders adequately separated. A straw cushion (common in Japan, maybe elsewhere) is nice but a tightly rolled hoodie is almost as good.
        voidmain0001 1y ago
        Sleeping on a hard surface to avoid side sleeping - noted. Sleeping on my back will lead to snoring which is not appreciated by those around me. I will try the pillow replacement suggestion, though.
    - Fricken 1y ago
      With ultralight activities you're supposed to be so exhausted by bedtime that it isn't necessary to be comfortable to fall asleep.
      - eru 1y ago
        You can be even more exhausted, if you pack heavier gear.
      - dmos62 1y ago
        Hypothermia helps with exhaustion too.
        Fricken 1y ago
        When you wake up in the middle of the night shivering that's a good incentive to get up and get moving again.
      - draven 1y ago
        If you don't have a minimum of comfort you'll have a bad night and wake up exhausted the next day.
    - dghlsakjg 1y ago
      The tagline for the sleeping pad category is "Find the best backpacking and camping sleeping pads for comfort and support. NEMO sleeping pads are lightweight, packable, and built for your next adventure." Comfort is definitely a concern. The pads do list their insulation value, but so do non-ultralight sleeping pads. The reason is that the insulation value is incredibly important to comfort. From experience, a sleeping mat that is thick, but with bad insulation will lead to a way less comfortable night than a thin one with good insulation. Sleeping bags don't provide much insulation on the bottom because they are compressed under your body (the insulation from a sleeping bag typically comes from air trapped in the fill). Any insulation between you and the cold ground has to come from the sleeping mat. That's why it is important to get one that is cushioned enough for your body as well as being insulated enough. R values aren't an ultralight camper thing, they are an informed camper thing.
    - schiffern 1y ago
      "Something to sleep under, something to sleep on, and something to sleep in. Plus cordage." Very different philosophy behind this kit (durability and flexibility), but here's a good intro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kin_bjAYk0Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kin_bjAYk0Q EDIT: I forgot he also has a more "ultralight" full backpack kit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFj_ULMjcNQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFj_ULMjcNQ
    - sva_ 1y ago
      You can get ultralight sleeping pads with a high R-value (thermal performance) that are also comfortable (for me, 10cm+) They're just marketed by R-value because better insulation will cost more. Many people don't camp in places that would require a high one.
    - elcapitan 1y ago
      I think a lot of ultralight items are jugdged by measurable properties primarily (which makes the whole subculture very nerd-compatible, I guess). Ofc that doesn't mean you don't care at all for things like comfort. A solid pad in Ultralight often also doubles in the backpack as a replacement for what would be the frame in traditional backpacks, so it's dual use (or triple, if you consider using it as a sitting mat when taking breaks. Also, sleeping bags typically compress under your body and lose isolation because of that, so with a pad you can use quilt-style sleeping bags (they wrap around the top and sides but not bottom, which makes them again lighter).

by s0rce 1y ago

wkat4242 1y ago

What do you use those pads for I wonder?

mrexroad 1y ago
sleeping. my thermarest pad is a decade+ old and I won't hesitate to take it on a lengthy backpacking trip as long as I have a patch kit, same as a bike tire.
trenchpilgrim 1y ago
You put them under your sleeping bag and they make your sleep way warmer than if your sleeping bag is directly on the tent floor. https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/sleeping-pads https://www.nemoequipment.com/collections/sleeping-pads
- ashdksnndck 1y ago
  That the purpose of the sleeping pad is characterized as thermal performance and not comfort is proof that I am not capable of the ultralight mindset.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
    I spent time in India as a kid sleeping on the hard floor of my grandmother's home. Maybe my sense of comfort is different IDK, but I don't consider a pad essential on a warm night
    - ics 1y ago
      I’m from the US but a “floor sleeper” and have never camped with a pad like these even in near-freezing temperatures. I’m sure it helps but these days I get the impression from people around that they just like gear, don’t like being uncomfortable, and any other benefit is just a bonus to rationalize spending money. Maybe I’ll try it some day and be a convert, until then…
      - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
        For my setup my nemo pad + bag is smaller packed volume than an equivalently warm bag without pad. I mostly motocamp so packed volume is at premium. My nemo pad packs down to about the size of a soda can in my saddlebag.
      - voidmain0001 1y ago
        You sleep on a hard surface? That is really difficult for me as a side sleeper. I have slept on hard surfaces out of necessity and my hips and knees are hurting by morning. Do you use a pillow or is your head on the hard surface too?
        ics 1y ago
        I started doing it as a kid in order to break my reliance on side sleeping and help general posture. These days I'm less strict but benefit from being able to find a comfortable position anywhere. I'd recommend not resting your head on a pillow but using firm cushioning under your neck; that will very slightly lift and relieve pressure from your head and keep head/neck/shoulders adequately separated. A straw cushion (common in Japan, maybe elsewhere) is nice but a tightly rolled hoodie is almost as good.
        voidmain0001 1y ago
        Sleeping on a hard surface to avoid side sleeping - noted. Sleeping on my back will lead to snoring which is not appreciated by those around me. I will try the pillow replacement suggestion, though.
  - Fricken 1y ago
    With ultralight activities you're supposed to be so exhausted by bedtime that it isn't necessary to be comfortable to fall asleep.
    - eru 1y ago
      You can be even more exhausted, if you pack heavier gear.
    - dmos62 1y ago
      Hypothermia helps with exhaustion too.
      - Fricken 1y ago
        When you wake up in the middle of the night shivering that's a good incentive to get up and get moving again.
    - draven 1y ago
      If you don't have a minimum of comfort you'll have a bad night and wake up exhausted the next day.
  - dghlsakjg 1y ago
    The tagline for the sleeping pad category is "Find the best backpacking and camping sleeping pads for comfort and support. NEMO sleeping pads are lightweight, packable, and built for your next adventure." Comfort is definitely a concern. The pads do list their insulation value, but so do non-ultralight sleeping pads. The reason is that the insulation value is incredibly important to comfort. From experience, a sleeping mat that is thick, but with bad insulation will lead to a way less comfortable night than a thin one with good insulation. Sleeping bags don't provide much insulation on the bottom because they are compressed under your body (the insulation from a sleeping bag typically comes from air trapped in the fill). Any insulation between you and the cold ground has to come from the sleeping mat. That's why it is important to get one that is cushioned enough for your body as well as being insulated enough. R values aren't an ultralight camper thing, they are an informed camper thing.
  - schiffern 1y ago
    "Something to sleep under, something to sleep on, and something to sleep in. Plus cordage." Very different philosophy behind this kit (durability and flexibility), but here's a good intro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kin_bjAYk0Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kin_bjAYk0Q EDIT: I forgot he also has a more "ultralight" full backpack kit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFj_ULMjcNQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFj_ULMjcNQ
  - sva_ 1y ago
    You can get ultralight sleeping pads with a high R-value (thermal performance) that are also comfortable (for me, 10cm+) They're just marketed by R-value because better insulation will cost more. Many people don't camp in places that would require a high one.
  - elcapitan 1y ago
    I think a lot of ultralight items are jugdged by measurable properties primarily (which makes the whole subculture very nerd-compatible, I guess). Ofc that doesn't mean you don't care at all for things like comfort. A solid pad in Ultralight often also doubles in the backpack as a replacement for what would be the frame in traditional backpacks, so it's dual use (or triple, if you consider using it as a sitting mat when taking breaks. Also, sleeping bags typically compress under your body and lose isolation because of that, so with a pad you can use quilt-style sleeping bags (they wrap around the top and sides but not bottom, which makes them again lighter).