Insul Mat Women’s Max Mtn Sleeping Pad Field Report

Personal Information:
Name:  Christine Korhonen
Age:  30
Gender:  female
Height:  5’4” (1.6 m)
Weight:  165 lb (75 kg)
E-mail:  chris@wormguy.com
Location:  Western Montana
Date:  March 9, 2004

Backpacking Background:
I recently moved to Montana where I’m becoming re-acquainted with winter.  Now that I’m back above the snow line, I’m attempting some winter camping and snowshoeing.  I’m a lightweight backpacker mentally, if not always in practice.  I’ve gotten my summer multi-day pack weight down to 13 lb (6 kg), but winter backpacking is still new to me, and my winter pack weight hovers around 35 lb (16 kg).

Product Information:
Manufacturer:  Insul Mat
URL:  www.pacoutdoor.com
Model:  Women’s Edition Max Mtn
Size:  Petite
Color:  Stratus/Larix (Blue/Grey)
Model year:  2003
R-Value:  3.3~5.0
MSRP:  $64 US

Field Test Information:
I used the Insul Mat in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at an elevation of 1400 ft (430 m) and in Montana at elevations from 4500 ft (1400 m) to 6300 ft (1900 m).  Temperatures went down to 14 F (-10 C) at night.  Testing was done in a tent on snow-covered or frozen ground and outside the tent when I dragged the pad out to sit on before bed.

Max Mtn Description:
The Max Mtn Women’s Edition Petite is a mummy-shaped sleeping pad 5’6” (168 cm) long by 1’8” (51 cm) at its widest point.  The mat is self-inflating or can be blown up for increased firmness.  The Max Mtn is designed for winter use, and the Women’s Edition addresses size and insulation requirements of women.

Comfort:  The Max Mtn is very comfortable.  I usually don’t enjoy sleeping in tents because I sleep on my side.  My shoulder and hip invariably go numb from being pinned to the hard ground.  In the summer I sleep in a hammock, but for the winter I moved back to tent camping.  The combination of the Max Mtn pad and packable snow have finally made sleeping in a tent enjoyable.  I had no problems with any body parts going numb.

This pad is very thick.  I normally let it self-inflate for 5 minutes then blow it up to its full expansion.  That way my shoulders and hips do not hit the ground or get chilled when I’m lying on the pad.

Use:  This coffin-shaped pad fits perfectly in my single person, coffin-shaped tent.  It’s amazing how right they look together.  In my tent, I place my pack under my head and have my shoulder at the head of the Insul Mat.  Because of this, and the fact that I like to curl up on my side, I don’t use the last foot (30 cm) of the pad.

I used the pad to sit on outside of my tent.  By folding the pad in half twice and letting most of the air out, it fits nicely in a tall kitchen garbage bag (2’ x 2’3” [61 cm x 70 cm]).  The size of the pad after folding was perfect to sit on, and the garbage bag kept snow off of the pad.

Warmth:  I haven’t had any problems with cold seeping up through the pad.  The only times I got cold at night were when I moved off of the pad.  Sleeping on my side, I had a hard time keeping both my knees and my backside on the pad at the same time.  The more I tried to move into a fetal position, the more I fell off the pad.  This is a problem with all sleeping pads, and I remedied it by placing some clothes under my knees and back.  When I straighten my legs or lay on my back, I fit on the pad just fine.

Hybrid Foam Core:  The open cell foam inside this pad has been cut differently based on location to save weight while leaving cushion and insulation in areas where it is needed.  I can’t tell just by using this pad which areas are cut in which manner.  The pad has a lot of cushion and insulation throughout its length.  I haven’t found any noticeable difference in comfort or warmth based on the interior cut of foam.

Ovalback:  The material covering the sleeping pad has a slightly raised diamond pattern to increase friction and add insulation.  This material appears to work.  I haven’t had any problems with my sleeping bag sliding around on the pad or with the pad sliding around in my tent, even when I was pitched on noticeable slants.

The material covering the pad is soft to the touch and isn’t noticeably clammy in the cold.  It can, however, absorb a small amount of water.  The top blue side is softer and absorbs more water than the bottom grey side.  In kitchen tests, water on either side of the pad beads up, but the blue side shows a wet stain after the water is mopped up.  Not much water is absorbed, and I haven’t had any problems yet with the mat getting wet in the field.

Solid Brass Valve:  The valve is made of plastic-covered brass.  It’s short and squat, extending enough beyond the pad to make it easy for me to find, but not so much that it gets in the way.  The valve is easy to open and close, and the cap is comfortable to blow into.  Although the brass is visible, the plastic covers it so that my mouth never touches the metal, and I haven’t had any problems blowing up the pad in cold weather.  The valve’s insertion point into the pad is reinforced very well and is not showing any wear so far.

Packing:  In my initial report I had problems rolling up the Insul Mat.  I believe these problems were due to the fact that the foam in this pad is so thick.  I don’t think the foam has compressed much in the past three months, but I have gotten better at rolling up the pad.  I now leave the pad flat when I roll it up to get most of the air out.  Then I unroll the pad, fold it in half lengthwise, and roll it a second time to get it nice and tightly packed.  This method makes it a lot easier for me to roll the pad and to keep the folded edges even.

I like using the Velcro strap to keep the pad tightly wound.  The strap is easy to use and can go around the Insul Mat no matter how poorly I roll it.  I now leave the stuff sack at home and just use the strap.  I’ve had trouble finding the Velcro strap in the early morning because it’s black and looks like the straps of all my other gear.  If the strap was a lighter color, it would be easier to find in the morning gloom and easier to distinguish from other gear.  The strap could also be attached to the pad to keep it from getting lost.

Wear.  The pad has held up very well so far and almost looks like new.  The valve works flawlessly, the seams are intact, and the material doesn’t show signs of wear.  There are a couple of large but faint darker spots on the underside of the pad.  These may be some sort of grease stain.  I have no idea where these came from, and will monitor them to see if they decrease the functionality of the pad in any way.

Overall:
So far I’ve been very happy with the Max Mtn pad.  It’s comfortable to lay on, and it keeps me warm if I can stay on it.  It fits nicely in my pack, and it works well as a chair.  What else could I want in a sleeping pad?

Plusses:
Max Mtn pad is nice and thick.
Inflation valve is easy to use.
The Velcro strap is easier to use than a stuff sack.

Suggestion:
The pad could come in a ¾ length.
The Velcro strap could be a lighter color or attached to the pad to make it easier to find in semi-darkness.