Name: Jennifer Joy
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Height: 5'4" (1.63 m)
Weight: 150 lb (68 kg)
Email address: jjoy AT io DOT com
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: May 3, 2004

Backpacking Background

I have been camping and hiking since I was a toddler, traveling with my parents across the Western United States. Much of my recent time in the outdoors has been spent in Texas and in the mountains of New Mexico, with some time spent in New England. I often camp and hike using a sea kayak as my vehicle. I used to be not very weight conscious, but I am actively working to move towards lightweight backpacking and plan to replace much of my gear in an effort to help an extreme tendency for tendonitis. My backpacking trips tend to be over a weekend or day hikes within a multi-day kayaking trip. Multi-week hiking is a long-term goal. I could be considered a beginner backpacker but an experienced camper.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Insul Mat
Year of manufacture: 2004
Website: www.pacoutdoor.com
Listed weight: 23 oz (650 g)
Weight as tested: 24.2 oz (686 g)
Each component:
Pad: 23 oz (652 g)
Stuff sack: 0.7 oz (20 g)
Patch kit: 0.6 oz (17 g)
Item number: 170MT-650
MSRP: $55.00 US
Warranty: Lifetime for defects in materials and workmanship

Material: 70-denier nylon bottom (black), 50-denier diamond ripstop nylon top (red)

Listed dimensions of pad: 20 x 72 x 2.5 in (51 x 183 x 6.3 cm)
(Note: All of my measured dimensions do not include a 3/8 in (1 cm) border seam on all sides)
My measured dimensions (uninflated): 28 x 73 x .06 in (71 x 36 x .15 cm)
My measured dimensions (inflated): 20 x 71.5 x 3.25 in (51 x 182 x 8 cm)

Listed dimensions of compacted pad: N/A
Measure dimensions of compacted pad: 5 x 11 in (13 x 28 cm)

Product Description

The Insul Mat Max-Thermo pad is a six chambered manually inflated air pad for sleeping. Its shape is mummy-style with a tapered head that flares to wide shoulders then gradually tapers to the feet (which are approximately 14 in/36 cm wide). It features synthetic fill insulation inside of each tube. Inflation is through a brass valve with plastic cover. For more detailed information on the product please see my Initial Report.

Field Test

General Information

Unfortunately, rain cancelled one of my trips so I only had 2 trips and 2 nights use of the sleeping pad. But what nights were those! I've never slept so well while camping and I'm just amazed how easy it is to roll up and put this pad away in its tiny little bag of 5 x 11 in (13 x 28 cm). I'm looking forward to a lot more trips when this unseasonally wet weather quits haunting my weekends.

Fit/Comfort:

I was afraid at first that tubes would be uncomfortable, but was I ever wrong. They seem better than a flat pad and allow my arms and legs to nestle in snuggly and comfortably in the dips.
It's already warm here at night (48 F / 9 C) and at that temperature the pad was plenty warm.
This pad just laughs at rough ground. You don't really feel it at all.
Side sleeping is not only possible, it is comfortable. I didn't feel my hip or shoulders poking into the ground or wake up in pain or discomfort more than I usually do on my regular bed. This is a marked difference from any other pad I have tried.

Sleeping pad:

The pad has no noticeable anti-slip and it does move with gravity across my tent's sil-nylon floor. However, it actually slipped less than my husband's Therm-a-Rest pad.
My sleeping bag seems to stay on the pad very well, although I did flip the bag completely over while sleeping. I usually tend to fall off the sides a pad, but this hasn't happened yet with this one.
My camp pillow (clothes stuffed into a sack) stays in place and works well with the pad.
It takes a couple of minutes and about 22, or so, concentrated full breaths for me to inflate the pad.
I find it easy to inflate near full and then while I am lying on it, just let a little air out of the valve, which I can reach while laying down, until it is comfortable.
The length is fine for me, but only being 64 in (1.63 m) length is rarely a problem.
I like the mummy shape. The mummy shape conforms to my bag and helps save weight and my lungs.
Although it is a bit odd to be on such a tall pad, I coexisted fine with my husband's thinner pad in our tent. It does help to keep encroachment at bay being at different heights.

Stowage/Durability:

It's a little too early to discuss durability. With only three uses total the pad still is like new. The Long Term Report will have more to say about durability.
Deflation is extremely easy. I let all the air out I can while laying on the pad. Then I roll it up once from the bottom to get most of the air out. Next I fold the bag in half and then in thirds, squishing out the last bit of air. A last fold of the section holding the valve got the size just right. Finally I slip the pad back into its sack.
I've never been able to compact a pad back into its original size. This is quite exciting.
This pad packs small enough that I can put it in my pack, which is very nice.
I've been avoiding rain, but I ran the shower on it, and the water ran off completely, not soaking in at all. The durable water repellent (DWR) really works great.

Trip 1 & 2: Texas campground

Location: McKinney Falls, Austin, TX

Weather (night): High 40s F (22 C)

Duration: Two single night campouts in April

Description: Early spring weather, no rain, clear and cool

Goal: Taking it out for a spin

Comments:

It had been nearly a month of no use for my lovely red pad since I had tried it out one night in the house. I had stored it haphazardly in the closet. I have to admit I had to pull out my Initial Report to remember how to fold it up properly again. Once I remembered, I could find a faint amount of memory in the pad to help guide my folds, but the fold lines were not nearly as visible as when I first received the pad. I have to fold over the last little bit of the pad, where the valve is, as a fourth fold to really get it to fit properly. As far as inflation, I'm still tinkering to get the optimum amount of air. The manufacturer was certainly right, for me, a "trampoline like fitness" is not the way to go and somewhere around 85% full seems about right. As my nights are already into the 40s, the insulation has not been too much of an issue. I was more than warm and never felt any cold from the ground and the insulation in the tubes just seems to sit there passively and not get in the way. The valve has performed solidly and has been very easy to open and close.

When I first tried the pad it seemed a little narrow. But I've decided it feels expansive, or certainly wide enough. The supportive air tubes with their ability to gently surround pointy bits means I could even lie on my stomach and read my book without the slightest discomfort in my knees. I'm still trying to figure out why I don't fall off of this pad, when I have fallen off every other one, but I think the slots in the tube help hold everything together by giving some contours for the bag and myself to fit into.

Right now I am most favorably impressed with this bold product. It's hard to be cool when you're glowing red and resemble a pool floaty. But this pad stands fast and seems to do just about everything right. Getting old isn't so bad when your creaking joints can be craddled on a bed of air. It is wonderful to wake up and feel better than when you went to bed.

Further testing planned

More weekend trips and a 3-4 day trip are coming up. The long term focus will be on durability and any issues that crop up in the next 4 months. I'm thinking I might try packing the pad where it will get some continued water exposure to see how well the DWR really does work.

Likes:

Comfort
Small packing and lightweight
Repacks into original size easily

Concerns:

Best storage method for extending product life

A final note:

Thank you to BackpackGearTest and Insul Mat for the opportunity to test the Max-Thermo.

Read more reviews of Pacific Outdoor Equipment gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Joy

Field Report