BACKPACK GEAR TEST REPORT

ITEM:  Mt. Washington Sleeping Pad

Manufacturer: High Country Outdoor Products

Web Address: www.highcop.com

Telephone: 1.800.304.4442

 

  Tester:  Larry Duke- Male, 165 lbs,  5'6" tall.  Moderate experience hiking in Wilderness areas of Texas, Idaho, Rwanda-Africa, Nigeria-Africa, California, and Colorado.  My experience includes hiking, camping and backpacking in mountains, heavily forested areas, tropical jungle areas where rainfall is a matter of fact.  My Colorado experience includes elevation hiking with and without snow.  The Southeast Texas area where I currently reside is heavily wooded with heavy rainfall at times in the spring, summer, and fall.  Insects in the Spring and Summer, and a moderate winter without snow.  So much summer humidity you can open your mouth and drink!

I usually get out at least two times a month in the Spring and Summer and once or twice every month or two in the winter. My activities include, hiking, camping, and backpacking, with an attempt at canoeing in the near future.

 

Date:   5/23/01                                      Report Number:  Second

Location:  South East Texas                            Conditions: N/A  

 

Second Report:  I decided to do an “at home” field test in my backyard. The conditions were: Temperature at low 60’s, flat terrain, with clear skies. No rain.

The test began with my sleeping with the convoluted side up and my Mountain Hardware down bag. After a few hours I changed to the flat side. My impression was that the flat side was more comfortable. Maybe it was personal preferences. With it set up in my Kelty Clark tube style tent it didn’t slide as much as I thought it would.

As far as being comfortable, I felt that overall I could sleep on the pad ,if necessary in the interest of saving weight, but would use the Thermarest whenever I could.  I do have my comfort level. I think at this stage I would be more willing to use it instead of my other closed-cell pad because of weight and ease of use. I still think I would shorten it to take away some ounces. I don’t require any padding below my knees.

Compared to my closed-cell pad purchased at Wall-Mart, the pad was easier to use as it seemed more pliable. I was able to roll it up easier than the other pad which for me was great. For it’s thickness, even though at first I had my doubts, it seemed just as comfortable as the one-half inch pad I own.

It attaches with no problem to my Kelty Red Cloud. I know heavy, heavy, heavy. I’m a pocket freak.

 

Future:  I plan to take the pad to the Davey Crockett National Forrest which is Northeast of Huntsville, Texas on Highway 287 for a planned outing in three weeks and give it a field trial with a loaded pack. This will help me to decide on it’s good and not-so-good points.

Thank you for this opportunity to have been part of this test and I hope it is objective.

Larry Duke

Traveler0101@hotmail.com