Klymit vs. Therma-Rest sleeping pads

[mamachala]

Just wondering if anyone has experience using both of these pads and how they compare?  The Klymit have some nice sounding features but do they work? They seem to be plenty light and compact when packed and they are thick, so are they comfortable and durable?

Just wondering

Jack

[tex232]

I've only tried the kylmit model that has all the openings. Compacts very small, but as a side sleeper I found it very  uncomfortable. And now that I use a down quilt instead of a bag, need to use a decent full pad anyway!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[dancingcyclist]

Which version Klymit you talking about? I just pick up the new Static V2 ultra light pad to try out. Only weighs 16.3 oz. and packs down to about the size of a Nalgene 2 qt. water bottle. I saw a lot of reviews about them not holding air overnight but I blew mine up and after two weeks it was still ok. Tried out bouncing around from one side to the other as that's the way I sleep and didn't see a problem. The valve is a bit tricky to latch down which might be why the deflation problem people have had. Not much insulation though as it has a R1.3 rating.

I also picked up a Therm-a-rest Trail Scout R3.4 rating, weighs 22oz. It packs down almost as small. I think it might be a little better for comfort. Neither one will be getting used except for summer weather.

Neither one was very expensive, check out Amazon. I'll find out this summer how they hold up.

[jittery]

I am comfortable sleeping on a pillow that is wrapped in a wool pillowcase. I feel so much warmer and softer. I just often had problems with Therma-Rest sleeping pads. The upholstery often gathered in one place, and I was uncomfortable sleeping. By the way, such a thing was not only with a pillow, but also with a blanket. The upholstery in the Therma-Rest blankets also constantly accumulated in one place and because of this, it was cold to sleep at night. Then I ordered a new wool blanket at https://sommio.co.uk/. After a while, I ordered a new pillow.

[HikeBikeCook]

I use Big Agnes Air Core and Insulated Air Core. Not self inflating but the new ones use the stuff sack an an inflator. 2.5" of pure comfort. I Thru-hiked with an insulated and switched to the non-insulated for the summer. 10 to 12 years later both started to leak and Big Agnes replaced them free of charge.

[hikerjer]

OK, here's my take on sleeping pads. I'll be the first to admit that the new generation of light weight, inflatable pads are extremely comforatable and I certanly appreciate less weght. I use them for backpacking all the time. But, as well as being comfortable, they are, in my opinion and experience, extremely prone to air leaks. I've had several from different companies and each of them have sprung leaks within two or three years and it's not like I'm using them months at time - maybe a week at a time at most and I do take care to treat them carefully.  To the manufacturer's credit, they all repaired or repalaced them, no questions asked. Still, it was a hassle. That brings me to my point. If you're going to use an inflatable pad day in and day out such as on a cross country tour of a couple of months or more, I wouldn't trust the new inflatables. Sure the manufacturers will probably take care of you in the event of failure  -  but what do you do in the mean time? Sleep without insulation? Buy a new pad enroute? Repair it yourself? I've had mixed success with that and a bathtub of water is not always readily available  So when I go on a long tour I take my old 15+ years Thermarest. It's heavier, probably not as comfortable and certainly bulkier - my main complaint - but it's durable. I've never had a problem in the time I've owned it and I've been on several month long plus tours with it.  Just one man's exprerience.

[staehpj1]

OK, here's my take on sleeping pads. I'll be the first to admit that the new generation of light weight, inflatable pads are extremely comforatable and I certanly appreciate less weght. I use them for backpacking all the time. But, as well as being comfortable, they are, in my opinion and experience, extremely prone to air leaks. I've had several from different companies and each of them have sprung leaks within two or three years and it's not like I'm using them months at time - maybe a week at a time at most and I do take care to treat them carefully.  To the manufacturer's credit, they all repaired or repalaced them, no questions asked. Still, it was a hassle. That brings me to my point. If you're going to use an inflatable pad day in and day out such as on a cross country tour of a couple of months or more, I wouldn't trust the new inflatables. Sure the manufacturers will probably take care of you in the event of failure  -  but what do you do in the mean time? Sleep without insulation? Buy a new pad enroute? Repair it yourself? I've had mixed success with that and a bathtub of water is not always readily available  So when I go on a long tour I take my old 15+ years Thermarest. It's heavier, probably not as comfortable and certainly bulkier - my main complaint - but it's durable. I've never had a problem in the time I've owned it and I've been on several month long plus tours with it.  Just one man's exprerience.

I can see your concern, but here is my take on that.  I have just used care with my NeoAir pad.  It has seen a ton of use bike touring and backpacking.  I have not had any problems other than the big blister problem that some developed, probably from body oils or sunscreen.  It didn't fail to the point of being unusable and Thermarest replaced it even though it was technically out or warranty.  I then started avoiding direct skin contact with my sweaty bare back.

I figure that on a long tour, like coast to coast, if I couldn't patch a failure would be a pain, but not the end of the world.  I'd use what I could if it was unrepairable in the mean time before I could get a proper replacement.  For the short haul that might mean a cheap foam sleeping pad,  yoga mat, bubble wrap, or whatever I could find locally where I was.

It might even mean a night without a pad.  Worst case there might be leaves or pine needles to spread under the tent or bivy floor or clothes to lay on top of.  The guy I rode the ST with didn't use a sleeping pad at all.  His comment was that it didn't occur to him that he needed one.  That baffled me, but it was a Mid February thru mid March trip W-E and he survived and wasn't uncomfortable enough to buy a pad along the way

[HikeBikeCook]

Big Agnes Insulated Air Cores are great and they have an incredible warranty. I back packed the AT with them. I had to replace my insulated pad after about 3 months of continuous use was had no trouble finding a replacement and shipped the other one home. After sitting in my closet for several years I came across the leaking one and called Big Agnes and they replaced it at no charge. The replacement I had bought on the trail gave out after 10 years as well and was also replaced at no charge.

I have numerous Thermarest pads that we let the younger kids uses. The thick camp rest is the only one that is comfortable enough to sleep on. I find all of the Thermarest self-inflating pads too bulky for bike or back packing. The Big Agnes pads give you 2" of pure joy. I am a side sleeper with arthritis in hips and shoulders and they are the only pads that I will use.

[staehpj1]

I find all of the Thermarest self-inflating pads too bulky for bike or back packing.

I used to use then for backpacking, canoe camping, bike touring and everything else.  I wouldn't use them anywhere that weight and bulk mattered these day.

[HikeBikeCook]

I used to use then for backpacking, canoe camping, bike touring and everything else.  I wouldn't use them anywhere that weight and bulk mattered these day.

Which is why I used to carry a 50 lb. pack when I as younger  ; Now I top out at under 40 with 5 days of food and water for the day. Dry pack is usually around 25 depending on the weather and trip length.

[hikerjer]

"I figure that on a long tour, like coast to coast, if I couldn't patch a failure would be a pain, but not the end of the world." 

Truth to that. If my cross country tour pans out this sumer, I'm considering taking my Thermarest NeoAir. However, I will carefully package up my old Thermarest which is bulkier and heavier but more durable, so that in the event my NeoAir goes flat, my wife can immediately mail old reliable to me.  Might mean a few days of uncomfortable nights on the ground but I reckon I'd survive.

[staehpj1]

Just realized this was another zombie thread from 2017.  Sorry I responded.

[froze]

I had lower back fusion done some years back and due to that I need a thicker than normal lightweight bikepacking pad, so I went with a now discontinued Thermarest Basecamp air mat, a bit heavy but it does provide very good comfort.  However there is a flaw, and this flaw would apply to ALL air mattresses, it doesn't take much to puncture one, on my very first outing it punctured, I did repair it, but that first night wasn't good; what sucked is this happened like I said on the first night, it was a slow leak, so it took 4 hours of lying on it for it deflate, when I tested it at home I only laid on it for 15 minutes, so did the leak come from the factory? if it did I wouldn't been able to prove it.

While I suggest an air mattress for their comfort I now believe that I wouldn't spend a lot of money on one, in fact cheap air mattresses are being made better every year.  One in particular has a 4 1/2 star rating on Amazon with over 22,700 user reviews, that's an outstanding review, weighs 14.5 ounces, it's 2 inches thick for some real comfort, with 20 denier thickness for some degree of puncture resistance and is as thick as a full blow up job will get, and the weird thing is that is cost only $40!!  At that price you could afford to buy 2, 1 for backup!  It's the Sleepingo Sleeping pad: 
https://www.amazon.com/Sleepingo-Camping-Sleeping-Pad-Backpacking/dp/B07FP4Z3RZ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Best+Backpacking+Sleeping+Pad&qid=1618104133&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNjBBWjZOMDVIOEEzJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDQzOTc0MlI2RUlWU1BCUkhPOSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzkyNzQ4MzRRN05NQzFUVlExRCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Here is a one year update on the Sleepingo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74DcA7SXgM



Of course the most puncture resistant sleeping pad is the Thermalite Z Pak, this thing is simply a foldable foam pad, but people do like it, and it only cost around $40, but it is rather bulky but lightweight, and you can fold it in such a way to set on it, however you feel ground imperfections when lying down on it.

Another option is the Klymit Static V2, less than $70 and has a high durability rating while weighing just a 1/2 an ounce over a pound.

This next and last pad is 4 inches thick! with TWO separate air bladders so even if you spring a leak you're still not laying on the ground, but it uses 40 D thick nylon, and it's only 22 ounces, it also has very high reviews and is under $35.   https://www.amazon.com/Trazon-Camping-Sleeping-Pad-Backpacking/dp/B08CCSB6B3/ref=pd_di_sccai_5?pd_rd_w=QYdOy&pf_rd_p=c9443270-b914-4430-a90b-72e3e7e784e0&pf_rd_r=TB87GE4GP1Q38DBP0MVG&pd_rd_r=b1e2d724-78dd-4daf-b553-c99f76b9e0b4&pd_rd_wg=k6zDI&pd_rd_i=B08CCSB6B3&psc=1

I have some cheaper camping gear I got off of Amazon, and so far I haven't been disappointed, and if I ever do buy something and it turns out to be a dud then I'll send it back and try something different.  But in terms of pads I really think the cheaper ones can do the job just as well, and all the reviews seem to indicate that is true.