Curiosity got me. Ran across a good deal on this and picked one up on an impulse, even though I'm perfectly happy with my Exped UL 7. http://www.klymit.com/index.php/product ... frame.html
Arrived unexpectedly about an hour before we left for a 2 night beach camping trip. So I threw it in (wow, that was easy ).
Folks seem to either love these or hate them. I'm in between. After 1 night, my bottom line is that the Exped is at least 6-7 oz more comfortable to me, so I'm keeping that and not the Klymit (promised my wife I'd only keep 1 ). But it wasn't bad. I'm a side sleeper and I had to make sure I was positioned just right every time I turned over, and then it was OK. For the seriously UL motivated I think it would be great. Personally I've been lightening up and I'd keep it and sacrifice some comfort over say a 2 lb pad, but not the 1 lb pad I have. Can't speak to the warmth, since it only got down to 53. It is remarkably small.
Very interesting concept for a pad but I cannot see how it could provide any insulation or vapor barrier qualities. I also wonder about functionality for people that are proportioned differently or if one slips out of the pressure points that could more easily happen if on a slope.
Ed, the claim is the gaps allow your bag to loft under you and provide insulation. In the low 50s, I can say it certainly wasn't any cooler at all in a light 35 deg bag, since I used the other pad the next night in virtually identical conditions. I felt it was actually a tad warmer, but not going to make any claims that this was a good test of it's insulating qualities .
I never would have thought that was the reason for the design but it makes sense. I'd wonder how comfortable it would be when you go between the open areas.
Ingo wrote:Ed, the claim is the gaps allow your bag to loft under you and provide insulation.
I can see the lofting capability so the bag fibers are not compressed but I would also want to use a water proof vapor barrier ground cloth. With as much tossing and turning as I do, I know my hips would find their way off the mid support points.
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). But it wasn't bad. I'm a side sleeper and I had to make sure I was positioned just right every time I turned over, and then it was OK. For the seriously UL motivated I think it would be great. Personally I've been lightening up and I'd keep it and sacrifice some comfort over say a 2 lb pad, but not the 1 lb pad I have. Can't speak to the warmth, since it only got down to 53. It is remarkably small.
