| |
Gear Reviews
Documents
Tools
|
Insul Mat Max-Thermo Sleeping Pad
Long Term Report
| Reviewed By: | Andrew Mytys |
| Email: | amytys@gmail.com |
| Date Published: | September 28, 2004 |
| Update History: | None |
Product Information:
| Manufacturer: | Insul Mat |
| Item: | Max-Thermo Sleeping Pad (http://www.pacoutdoor.com) |
| Item Number: | 170MT-650 |
| Year of Manufacture: | 2004 |
| MSRP: | $55.00 |
| Listed Weight: | 23 oz (650 g) |
| Weight as Delivered: | 23.9 oz (678 g), including:
. Insul Mat Max-Thermo Sleeping Pad, 22.6 oz (641 g)
. Stuff Sack, 0.7 oz (20 g)
. Patch Kit, 0.6 oz (17 g) |
| Size: | 20 x 72 x 2.5 inches (51 x 183 x 6.3 cm) [w] x [l] x [d] |
| Measured Size: | 21.7 x 71.7 x 3.5 inches (55 x 182 x 9 cm) [w] x [l] x [d], with a 0.3 inch (7.6 mm) seam around the mat's border |
| Measured Size, Packed: | 11 x 5.5 inch (28 x 14 cm) cylinder, with a 16.5 inch (42 cm) circumference |
| R-Value: | N/A |
| Color: | Red/Black |
| Warranty: | Lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship |
| Manufactured In: | China |
|
The information in this Long Term Report of the Insul Mat "Max-Thermo" Sleeping Pad is to be taken in addition to my
Initial
and
Field
Reports.
Product Description:
A full length, 3-season inflatable sleeping pad that uses synthetic fill insulation within its construction in order to reduce the effect of convective heat loss.
A Summary of My Experiences:
- Inflating the pad - On average, I find that after a long day of hiking I can inflate the Insul Mat Max-Thermal Sleeping Pad in about 20 breaths. It takes me about 90-seconds to inflate the mattress, allowing for about three seconds of time for each puff of breath sent into the pad. The manufacturer recommends, "It is most comfortable... when the mat is not filled to trampoline like firmness." I'm not sure what this means, but I like a firm sleeping surface underneath me. I inflate the pad up until a point where I feel resistance when blowing air into the mattress, and then close the valve. With this amount of air inside the pad, I can place my thumb and index finger against the top and bottom of the pad and pinch them together. At the same time, lying on the pad results in a feeling of total support, with no sag whatsoever. I can also turn onto my side and not feel that I am touching the ground.
One curiosity that I have noticed is that, when inflated to a maximum level, the pad doesn't retain its firmness for long. Although it is imperceptible, the valve that's used to inflate the pad slowly lets out a few puffs of air until the level of air pressure held within the pad is decreased. The pad does not continue to lose air over time until it goes flat though - once the air pressure is at a level that the valve can keep at bay, no further pressure is lost. I made sure that the valve was screwed on as tight as was possible without the use of tools, and a small amount of air still escaped. I feel that the end result falls in line with the level of firmness that Insul Mat recommends.
- Cushioning provided by the pad - What I really found amazing about the Max-Thermo sleeping pad was the level of cushion it provided - I could have the pad positioned on top of roots or over rough-surfaced rocks and not feel any intrusions while lying on top of it. Even when I lay on my side, with my hip pressed down on the pad, I felt no disturbances.
- Insulation provided by the pad - In conditions above freezing, I have not experienced any cold spots while sleeping on the Max-Thermo pad. It should be noted that the lower range of temperatures I experienced were present only for short periods of time while I slept, and that the ground underneath my pad was most likely a few degrees warmer than the local air temperature due to a combination of factors, including high daytime temperatures and any insulation that my tent, sleeping pad, and body provided.
- Maneuvering the pad - Fully inflated to my liking, the Insul Mat is stiff and about as maneuverable as a surfboard. If I suddenly decide that I want the head of the mattress facing in the opposite direction, turning the mattress around may not be an easy task - depending on the size of the shelter, there may be too much air in the mattress to allow it to be folded in half. On one occasion, where I was sharing the space of a small tent with my wife, we decided it would be best to rotate our sleeping positions, and hence my mattress, to face the opposite side of the tent. I had to open the valve in order to allow enough air to escape so that I could fold the mattress in half. Only then could I move the pad into its new position, and then finish by blowing in the air that was lost during the process back into the pad. In terms of moving the pad while I'm lying on it, it is a simple enough task. Because the Insul Mat tapers at its foot and head, it feels very natural to place my feet and elbows onto the floor of the shelter, to either side of the pad. Once my feet and elbows are in position, I just lift my body off of the pad, grab the sides of the pad with my fingers, and adjust its position under my body.
- Lying on the pad - I find that it is very easy to remain on the pad during the course of the night. With a makeshift pillow of some sort under my head, such as spare clothing in a stuff-sack, I do not feel the six air chambers that run down the pad's length under my head. The chambers are not felt by any other part of my body either, even when I'm sleeping with my body pressed directly against the pad. Also, I have yet to feel any rocks or roots through the pad. In contrast, hard elements were felt through one-inch thick (25 mm) self-inflating pads tested over the same area - The Insul Mat clearly provides more comfort than other pads of similar weight.
- Tossing and turning throughout the night - I've yet to slide off to the side of the Insul Mat pad, even though I find myself frequently changing sleeping positions from back, to side, to stomach.
- Sleeping on an angle - When sleeping at an angle where my head was higher than my feet, I found myself sliding toward the low-end of the mattress. The pad itself did not move, even when the floor underneath was constructed of a slippery surface such as SilNylon. The result was that I awoke with my feet off the mattress, my sliding stopped either by the rear wall of my tent or due to my feet pressing against the floor of the shelter. Moving myself back into my preferred position on the pad was a simple task that required no real effort or strain.
- A comfortable night's rest? - The times where I found myself waking up at night while sleeping on the Insul Mat pad were all due to either drops in temperatures, requiring me to either crawl into my sleeping bag or to put a hat on my head, or to sudden urges to relieve mounting pressures within my bladder. Unlike my experiences with other pads, there were no instances where, for example, I shifted onto my side and awoke due to a root digging into my hip, or where I slept with my arms supporting my head and awoke with a "pricking" feeling in my fingers caused by a lack of blood circulating to them.
- Get up you lazy bum - The valve used to inflate the pad is easy to open, but tends to require two hands, with one hand holding its base and the other turning its cap. Unlike other, self-inflating mattresses that I've used, my wife can't simply reach over and twist my valve open when I'm being lazy and trying to sleep in a little.
- Packing it all away - I really like how easy the Insul Mat is to pack. First, I open the valve and lie on the pad, allowing my body weight to force out the majority of the air trapped within. Then, I fold the pad lengthwise into three sections, using the gaps between the six air chambers as guides. The result is a sandwich, where each layer is comprised of two air chambers. I then fold the pad over again three times, in the direction of the pad's valve. This second round of folding pushes more air out of the mattress. Next, I roll up the folded pad, which forces the remaining air out of the pad. Finally, I close the valve and drop the pad into its stuff-sack. There's no real force or compression involved in this system, and the stuff-sack is ample enough in size such that the pad can be effortlessly placed inside.
After I completed two months of field-testing, I stopped using the pad's stuff sack altogether. Today, I simply fold the pad into a small rectangular shape and shove it down against the inner wall of my pack's main chamber. The pad always finds the needed space to squeeze into what seems to be a fully packed backpack.
- Storage - The pad's insulation comes from synthetic fibers inside its chambers. I tend to shun compressing my insulation for long periods of time, out of fear that it will be crushed and, in the process, lose its loft and insulating properties. I always stored my pad between trips under my bed in a partially inflated state.
- Durability - After six months of use, the pad still looks new. I didn't perform any maintenance on the pad outside of brushing and blowing dirt off of it.
- The most annoying characteristic about this pad is... Comfort! There were plenty of mornings where my alarm woke me up, yet I refused to get up. I found the comfort of the Insul Mat had me sleeping in time and time again, which in turn caused me to get onto the trail much later than I had planned. As a result, I felt much more rested and relaxed with little if any physical stress surviving from one day to the next. As I frittered away my mornings in idle comfort, my thoughts fell in the direction of the AT Thru-Hiker - Those who plan to be on the trail at the crack of dawn may find their level of discipline challenged by this pad. The one solution I found to this dilemma was to return to sleeping on a closed-cell mattress. Immediately, I tossed and turned throughout the night, woke up frequently, and couldn't wait to pack up my gear and hit the trail.
Areas That Could Be Improved:
The Insul Mat Max-Thermo pad is just about perfect. I trust that the manufacturer will always be looking for opportunities to cut a few ounces off the pad's weight, while retaining its level of performance and durability. The one change I would like to see lays in the design of the pad's air chambers - I'd like to see the area at the head of the pad be comprised of a single, smooth chamber that would act as a pillow. Today, the head tends to be supported in the valleys formed between the chambers that run down the pad's length. To get around any comfort issues found in the current design, I place a stuff sack filled with clothing under my head.
I would also be interested in seeing a true 3/4 version of this pad. Full-length pads are 72 inches (183 cm) in length, and every 3/4-length pad I've seen is 48 inches long (122 cm). Based on the size of a full-length pad, a true 3/4-length pad would be 54 inches (137 cm) long. This would extend from my head to just under my knees, the key areas I'm interested in insulating and cushioning. Such a pad would allow for a substantial weight savings while providing taller hikers with a level of coverage not offered by any other manufacturer in today's market.
Addendum:
In the coming months, I will be using the Insul Mat Max-Thermo Sleeping Pad in sub-freezing conditions. I will be sure to amend this long-term report after I've had a chance to use this pad over a few nights in winter conditions. Stay tuned...
Personal Biographical Information:
Backpacking Background:
I live in Michigan and have been hiking seriously for 15 years, although I've camped
since I was 6 years old. I consider myself a lightweight hiker. I carry the lightest
gear I can get my hands on which will provide a comfortable wilderness experience and
adequately support the goals of my trip. Unless my goals are time/distance oriented,
my pace is always slow. I rarely exceed 1.5 miles (2.4 km)/hour. I rest frequently,
hike long days, and enjoy whatever nature throws my way.
Read more reviews of Pacific Outdoor Equipment gear
Read more gear reviews by Andrew Mytys
|
