Field Report

Bozeman Mountain Works TorsoLite Sleeping Pad

Date: October 15th, 2004

Reviewer Information

Name: Jim Sabiston
Age: 50
Height: 6' 3" (1.9 m)
Weight: 207 lb (94 kg)
Width at shoulders: 21” (53 cm)
Email address: JimSabis(at)aol(dot)com
State: New York
Country: USA

Backpacking Background:

I've been camping since my teens. My outdoor activities include backpacking, canoeing, sea kayaking, snowshoeing, mountaineering and cross country skiing. I have expanded my backpacking to include winter mountaineering, back country skiing and ski backpacking. I have received winter mountaineering training with Chauvin International Climbing Guides. I actively study ways to backpack lighter and more efficiently. During the summer months, my style tends toward very light, but not quite ultralight. I use a hammock or tarp for warm weather, and a small four season tent for winter trips. Most of my other gear is very changeable, as I am constantly experimenting with gear and techniques.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Bozeman Mountain Works
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: www.bozemanmountainworks.com

Manufacturers Specifications:

Pad Dimensions:
            - Length: 32 in ( 81 cm)
            - Width:  (top) 17 in (43 cm), tapering to 12 in (30.5 cm) at the bottom.
            - Thickness: 1 in (2.5 cm)
            - Weight: 9.9 oz ( 281 g)
Pack Size: 8 in (20 cm) X 4 in (10 cm)
Color: Red top and larix (think a kind of brown/grey) bottom
MSRP : $69.99 US

Pad Dimensions as measured:
            - Length: 31.6 in (80 cm) Note: measured down the center of the pad. The outside dimension of the pad From the top corner to bottom corner, following the taper, is 32 in (81 cm).
            - Width: (top) 17 in (43 cm), tapering to 12 in (30.5 cm) at the bottom.
Thickness: 1 in (2.5 cm)
Weight as measured: 10.4 oz (295 g)
Packed Size: 8.5 in (21.5 cm) X 4 in (10 cm)

Bozeman Mountain Works TorsoLite Sleeping Pad:

The Bozeman Mountain Works TorsoLite Sleeping Pad is intended for ultralight backpackers. It takes the self inflating sleeping pad concept to its barest minimum size in an effort to minimize bulk and weight while maintaining the comfort advantages that make self inflating pads so popular. It is similar to other pads on the market with the very notable exception of its size. The concept behind the pad, in keeping with an important aspect of the ultralight philosophy, is for it to be used as part of a sleeping system. This means that the TorsoLite pad is intended for the user’s upper body (shoulders to buttocks), while the head and legs are cushioned by other items, such as a pack and/or clothing.

Deflating and folding the pad is a breeze and takes a fraction of the time required to stow a full size pad. The separate strap seems handy for keeping the pad tightly wrapped while handling it and really simplifies sliding it into the stuff sack. 

Materials and construction appear to be of excellent quality.

General Field Observations:

In function, the TorsoLite is no different from any other self-inflating pad I've used. Just pull it out of its stuff sack, open the valve and toss it on the tent floor. Like all self-inflating pads I've used, the TorsoLite does not quite fully inflate on its own. One of the advantages of the pad's small size is ease of inflation, however. Once the internal foam has done its work, a single puff easily finishes the job. The small size provides similar advantages when packing the TorsoLite. Rather than the ‘kneel, roll, kneel, roll’ technique used with my other sleeping pads, I can fold and roll the TorsoLite from a sitting or standing position quite easily just using my hands. The supplied hook and loop compression strap is easy to use and effective, but unnecessarily long. I think a strap about half the length would be ideal, as the one supplied with the pad wraps around it about three times. The extra wraps do seem to keep the rolled up pad in a slightly tighter roll, but it still seems a bit of overkill.

When packed into the provided nylon stuff sack, the TorsoLite takes up approximately half the pack space of my next smallest sleeping pad, a 3/4 length model. This allows me to consider using a smaller pack or allows me more pack space for other items, if desired.

Comfort:

I have to confess to having been a bit concerned about the small size of the TorsoLite when it comes to sleeping, especially for a large guy such as myself. Fortunately, it has proven to be surprisingly easy to adjust to. Even though I tend to move about in my sleep, I find that I seem to have no problem staying on the pad. I tend to sleep on my side, which minimizes the potential effect of the pad's narrow width. Sleeping on my back is no problem. In fact, once in position, the tiny TorsoLite is indistinguishable from a full size pad.

I experimented with using the pad directly on the tent floor, in the traditional manner. I also tried placing the pad inside my sleeping bag. I find I tend to prefer the latter arrangement, as it tends to keep the pad 'located' more effectively. When the sleeping bag is set on top, it is possible to roll off when changing positions, although I must admit this happened far less often than expected. I suspect the greater 'tactile' presence of the pad when inside the sleeping bag has a lot to do with this as it is easier feel where the pad is. The one caveat of this method is that I must rotate inside the bag/pad setup when changing positions. Simply rolling over will often cause the pad to end up in the wrong place, with me lying directly on the ground.

The thickness of the TorsoLite, at 1 in (2.5 cm), makes it similar to several of my larger pads. The smaller area of the TorsoLite seems to make it a bit more sensitive to the effect of air pressure on the resulting cushion provided by the pad. I find I tend to inflate it a bit more firmly than my larger pads. Even when sleeping on my side, my hips and shoulders are comfortably cushioned. Keeping the 1 in (2.5 cm) thickness was a good choice for the TorsoLite.

Ultralight Considerations:

Getting into a discussion of ultralight backpacking principles is well beyond the scope of this report. Come to think of it, just defining ultralight backpacking is beyond the scope of this report. I will, however, touch on a couple of relevant concepts where they relate to the TorsoLite.

Of course, the most basic idea is to make the equipment as light as possible. If done correctly, the resulting equipment is still sufficiently effective in application and durability is not overly compromised. Accordingly, the designers of the TorsoLite appear to have focused on simply trimming the size of the pad to the smallest practical dimensions. As noted above, I think they succeeded admirably. If the pad were smaller in any dimension, I would not fit on it. Any larger, and I would be carrying material I do not use or need.

Another good choice lies in the rugged shell materials used in the TorsoLite's construction. Some small weight savings could, no doubt, be obtained by using thinner, less durable fabrics. By using the tougher, heavier, rip-stop nylon fabrics, the pad appears to be capable of withstanding considerable rough treatment. My experience has certainly confirmed this observation.

This brings us to another basic tenet of ultralight backpacking: multiple use items. Simply stated, the more useful an item is, the more worthwhile it is to carry. An item that does more than one job is simply more effective. The TorsoLite has proven to be an exceptionally useful item in this regard, in part because the rugged shell fabrics permit me to use the pad in applications where wear and tear are potential considerations. For example:

During a recent multi-day canoe/backpacking trip to Lake Lila, in New York’s Adirondacks, the TorsoLite was in nearly constant use. First, I removed the foam backing in the suspension of my Osprey Ceres 38 backpack. With the TorsoLite very slightly inflated, I folded it in half side-to-side, and in half again top to bottom. I then slid it into the space in the backpack reserved for the foam padding, keeping the air valve at the top of the panel where it would not contact my back. This saved the weight of the foam pad and freed up even more space in my backpack, not to mention that my pack was now luxuriously padded. So, the pad is already earning its keep while I'm hiking.

Once the carry to the put-in was completed, I removed the TorsoLite from the backpack, allowed it to inflate, and set it on the seat of my canoe. Note: this canoe, a Lost Pond Boat by Hornbeck Boats, requires the paddler to sit on the bottom of the hull. I had replaced the original foam seat with a Crazy Creek chair as an experiment, as the Crazy Creek chair could be used in camp whereas the original seat was not suitable for this. However, the new seat did not offer the cushioning of the original. Enter the TorsoLite. By laying the inflated pad over the Crazy Creek chair, I now had a well cushioned canoe seat. The TorsoLite was still hard at work.

Upon reaching camp, the TorsoLite was given its semi-permanent home inside the tent as, of all things, a sitting and sleeping pad! It was pulled out for canoeing or lounging on rocks as needed. On this particular trip, I used the sleeping pad in tandem with the opened Crazy Creek chair. The softer TorsoLite was used for my upper body, as intended, and the opened chair was used under my legs. The combination proved quite comfortable. This leads to another consideration when using the TorsoLite: leg padding and pillows.

Leg Padding: There are essentially two solutions available. The first, putting some other cushioning material under my legs (a pack, extra clothing or the aforementioned Crazy Creek chair). The second, and equipment doesn't come any lighter than this, is to use nothing! The latter requires some consideration as to where I'm sleeping. Softer surfaces are much more accommodating in this regard. So far, I've used the pad alone when on sand, soft forest mulch, grass and even a designated campsite in the Adirondacks (Pharaoh Lake, which does not see heavy use). If I'm lying on a rock surface, in a Catskills lean-to or set up in a heavily used designated campsite, I would want something to cushion my legs, either the empty backpack or extra clothes work well.

Pillows: I have probably struggled with this item more than any other in my backpacking kit. I have tried all the usual 'solutions': spare clothes, inflated water bags, backpacks, etc., etc., all with mixed results. Coincident with the arrival of the TorsoLite, my wife discovered a cheap inflatable plastic pillow at a local discount store! It is the best pillow I've used to date and makes a perfect companion to the TorsoLite. It cost five bucks, weighs just a few ounces, packs really small and smells like a shower curtain. I think it is made out of the same plastic. Of course, we haven't seen them in the store since buying the only two we found. The hardcore lightpackers will scoff, but I'm sticking with this pillow while it lasts!

Testing to Destruction:

Another title for this section could be "When Did Bozeman Decide To Play Dirty Tricks On Gear Testers?". I am supposed to test this pad to failure. The pad is NOT cooperating. I have tried to come up with creative uses for the pad, some of which are borderline abusive. I site the canoe/kayak seat and backpack pad as examples. As a seat in my canoe or kayak, the TorsoLite is compressed under my not-so-light derriere for long hours at a time in a very dynamic environment. The pad is subject to constant movement, as well as water and abrasive dirt and sand. As a pad for my backpack, the TorsoLite is forcibly folded and crammed into a tight sleeve for hours, subject to all the rigors experienced by my pack.

At this point, aside from some minor scuffing, the pad looks like it will continue to take all this punishment in stride. In order to test the effectiveness of the repair kit, I may have to cut the pad intentionally. I've come to like this pad quite a bit and will not enjoy doing this. I will try to come up with some other creative uses and try to beat this thing into submission naturally before I resort to cutting it.

Summary:

The TorsoLite is small, light, comfortable and rugged. What’s not to like? The small size has proven very easy to adjust to with a bit of thought and planning, and allows for uses that larger pads cannot be applied to.

My continued testing will focus on more creative uses and durability, which has already been impressive.