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Testing Location
Overview: The hiking environment of the south-west of Western Australia
allows for hiking and backpacking from coastal plains to forest.
Elevation ranges from 0 to 585 metres (0 to 1,920 feet). Within this region, I hike in varying
conditions from forestry roads, to sandy tracks to single-purpose walking
trails, to rock hopping, to beach walking to completely off-track walking
through open and dense country.
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Weather Conditions: During the summer period, daytime
temperatures average 30° C (86° F), whereas from March through to December the daytime average temperatures range from 15° C to 26° C (59° F to 79° F). During the
autumn, winter, and spring periods the normal weather pattern is fairly
wet with frequent heavy rainstorms evident. It does not normally snow in
Western Australia.
According to The Times Atlas of the World (Concise Edition - Revised 1997)
our weather is described as being "Mediterranean - rainy climates with mild
winters, coolest month above 0° C (32° F), but below 18° C (64° F); warmest
month above 10° C (50° F)." The atlas depicts the coastal area north of
Los Angeles as having the same climate.
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Field
experience:
Over the past two months I have undertaken three backpacks
with a total of four nights sleeping on the mattress. I have used the
mattress during one night on a hard wooden surface at the Helena campsite
on the Bibbulmun Track, one night on hard ground in my MSR Missing Link
tent at Monadnocks campsite on the Bibbulmun Track and two nights, again
in the MSR Missing Link tent, but this time on firm sand at Crystal Springs
and at the Long Point campsite on the Bibbulmun Track.
As the field testing period has been during late summer
and early autumn, the nights have been relatively warm. I only have the
expected minimum temperature for my February walk into Helena campsite,
which was 18 C (64 F). The other three nights where also similarly mild.
I noted in my Initial Report that I wished to test five
aspects of mattress; namely compactability, comfort, durability, ability
to refrain from slipping and warmth. My comments on these five attributes, based
on my experience to date follow:
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Compactability: Therm-a-Rest,
on their website, describe the ProLite 4 as being of a "tapered ergonomic design
[which] rolls up
super-small." What they mean by super-small, I don't
know. I do know I can't get it back into the packing sleeve it came in
but then I didn't really expect to. I do know it packs down pretty small in
my judgement. Smaller than my Therm-a-Rest full length standard that
is for sure. If it helps, the approximate measurements for the rolled
up bundle are 27 cm x 17 cm (10.5" x 6.75") [length by
diameter]. I am pretty happy with the ease with which it deflates
and packs down. I have had no problems storing in or on the outside of
my Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone pack on weekend bushwalks.
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Comfort: I have found the mattress very
comfortable, both sleeping on the ground (sandy and compacted dirt
surfaces) and on wooden platforms (bunks). My preference is for
a firm mattress, therefore I let the mattress self-inflate and then
blow 2 to 3 breaths into the mattress to firm it further; pretty much
to its maximum level. I have found this to work quite fine and
have not found the mattress to impact on my ability to get a good
sleep.
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Durability: I am not the kindest bushwalker on
my gear, so I seem to do well putting the durability of a product to
the test! My experience so far with the ProLite 4 has been
positive. The mattress is not showing any signs of wear or
damage. All positive on the western front so to speak. That
said, I do have one concern which with further use may well be
unfounded. My concern is in respect to the valve and its
connection to the mattress body. The thinness of the covering material
does suggest to me, a possible wear point where the valve is
"glued" into the mattress. I will keep a close eye on
this area.
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Ability to refrain from slipping: Therm-a-Rest,
on their website describe the ProLite 4 as having a "super-grip
bottom [which] keeps [the] mattress from slipping."
My experience has been mixed in respect to this feature. On two
of the three trips where I have used the ProLite 4 I have not
experience any slipping. This was where I slept on a wooden
platform at Helena campsite and sleeping in the MSR Missing Link on
hard ground at Monadnocks campsite. However, at Crystal Springs and
Long Point where I was sleeping on a sandy surface, albeit in the MSR
Missing Link, I did experience a lot of movement. In fact I woke
during both nights to find the mattress heading in one direction and
myself sleeping pretty much in the position I started the night out
in. I suspect I was very restless on both of those nights and
this contributed to the movement of the mattress, however, the
mattress did move quite a lot, suggesting a bottom which is not as
sticky as implied by the manufacturer.
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Warmth: In fairness to the product and
manufacturer, I don't believe that I have as yet tested the mattress
in conditions where warmth or otherwise has been a factor. As previously
mentioned, my testing during the first two months of this test program
have been during late summer and early autumn, a period not known for
its cold weather in Western Australia. That said, I have not noted any
temperature differences (e.g., increased warmth) from using the
mattress in these conditions.
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Concluding comments:
Overall I am very happy and impressed with the ProLite
4. The mattress is light; it compacts easily; it inflates quickly
and to a good comfort level; once fully inflated, I find it very
comfortable; and to date I have not experienced any issues using the
mattress. Bottom line ... one very happy user.
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