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Reviews > Sleep Gear > Pads and Air Mattresses > Therm-a-Rest Trail Comfort > Jennifer Koles > Initial Report
Manufacturer: Cascade Designs Year of Manufacture: 2006 Manufacturer’s Website: http://www.thermarest.com Size Tested: Women's Regular (WR) Colors Available: The regular and large sizes are a dark green color called Sitka Green. The Women's Trail Comfort is an aqua color called Aura. Color Tested: Aura MSRP: $69.95 USD Warranty: Lifetime
Product Description Printed on the manufacturer's product packaging: "Maximum insulation in the foot and torso for superior warmth. Extra-thick but light and compact enough for backpacking.150D ripstop polyester offers exceptional durability." The Women's Trail Comfort is a four season self-inflating mattress with an initial design of the Trail Comfort with added comfort for women. The Trail Comfort is the manufacturer's warmest and most comfortable backpacking mattress. The key features of the Trail Comfort are the added comfort, durability, and the ease of transporting the item. The mattress is constructed of expanded foam that reduces weight and pack size. The use of the Trail Comfort is for all types of camping and backpacking. The Women's Trail Comfort is the manufacturer's warmest women's mattress, has added cushioning, and is sized especially to fit a women's body. The R-Value on the Women's Trail Comfort is rated at a 6.2 and is higher than the rating of 5 for the Trail Comfort. The surface of the mattress is constructed of 150D polyester with a polyurethane coating. The surface has textured appearance near the top (where my head was located while lying on the pad) and 3/4 of the way down the length of the pad (where my thighs were located while lying on the pad). The texture and contours on the mattress are a result of a different foam design in those areas. These textures and foam contours are located on both sides of the mattress. The surface is not slick on either side of the mattress. The top surface of the mattress is called Aura which is an aqua color. The underside of the mattress is a dark gray color. The plastic air valve of the mattress is located in the upper left corner of the mattress near the Therm-a-Rest Logo. On the instructions provided with the sleeping pad there is detailed information on how to inflate, deflate, store, repair, clean, and how to protect the mattress from damage. There is also information on the lifetime warranty on the product and how to contact the manufacturer. The manufacturer suggests to store the sleeping pad unrolled and filled with air in a dry place with the valve open. If the mattress is left damp mildew may damage the cover and the foam inside the mattress. The manufacturer recommends the Therm-a-Rest Repair Kit to make repairs to the mattress. The instructions on how to make repairs are included with the repair kit. To clean the mattress the instructions state to fully inflate the mattress, close the valve, and wash it in a tub with a soft bristle brush and a mild detergent or mild household degreasing detergent. It is suggested to use Formula 409 to remove sunscreen and bug repellent from the mattress material. The instructions advise to rinse the mattress well and to leave it unrolled to dry. The mattress protection tips that are provided by the manufacturer include: check for puncture hazards under mattress area; use a ground cloth beneath mattress; do not use as a flotation device; do not expose to flames or sparks; do not pressurize with a high pressure pump; do not leave inflated with the valve closed in a tent or car on a hot day; do not contaminate with insect repellent, sunscreen, or chlorine; do not expose to extended direct sunlight; and keep away from pets. If the mattress is stored rolled for a long period of time, the loft can be restored by adding several breaths into the valve. Initial ImpressionThe sleeping mattress is packaged in plastic that has the fabric content and product specifications printed on it. The mattress is rolled tightly inside the plastic. When I removed it from the packaging inside the rolled mattress I found the instructions, care, warranty, contact, and repair information. This information is printed in four languages. I am going to refrain from listing the languages since I would only be guessing on two of them. The valve of the mattress was opened in the packaging, so when I rolled it out onto the floor it started to inflate. The manufacturer suggests to let the pad self-inflate, then over inflate the mattress with several breaths into the valve. The instructions also indicate to close the valve after self-inflating and store the pad overnight fully inflated. I let the pad self-inflate at room temperature for 25 minutes then I added several breaths of air through the valve to fully inflate the pad. I then closed the valve and left the sleeping pad on my floor over night to prepare it for use in the field.I reviewed the product information on the manufacturer's website and the product exactly matched the description. The website listed the dimensions, weight, R-Value, thickness, price, and a brief description of the product. The description of the product states that the women's mattress has all the features of the Trail Comfort plus added warmth for women. The features of the Trail Comfort are not listed on the page with the Women's Trail Comfort description. In order to view those characteristics I had to open the link to the Trail Comfort sleeping pad. I did find different product specifications on the website than on the packaging regarding the thickness and weight of the mattress. The next day I deflated the mattress following the instructions provided by the manufacturer. The directions indicate that the pad is deflated by opening the valve and folding the mattress two to four times and sitting on it to remove the air. The next step is to close the valve by twisting it and roll the mattress toward the valve. Open the valve again by twisting and continue rolling then close the valve to prepare the mattress for packing. Initially I thought that the deflation directions were a bit odd to just roll the pad two to four times and then close the valve and continue to roll the mattress. This process of deflating the pad worked quite well. I did not have to roll the mattress several times to get all the air out. I was able to remove all the air and place the mattress in the original packaging on the first try. I decided to inflate the mattress to evaluate the fit, comfort level, and preparation for storage. I followed the directions to open the valve and allow the mattress to self-inflate. The self-inflation process at room temperature took about 5 minutes. I then added two breaths of air into the valve to fully inflate the mattress. After closing the valve I laid on the mattress on my back first to evaluate the comfort level. The mattress was very comfortable. I had no sensation of bottoming out by feeling the floor. I then lay on my side and I did not feel the floor or any pressure areas. The mattress fit well, my feet were not dangling off the end and my body fit perfectly on the mattress with no areas hanging off. I was not able to slide easily on the surface when evaluating the comfort and the fit. I then stored the mattress behind my climbing wall with the valve opened as indicated on the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Testing Locations This item will be primarily tested during the summer and early fall months in the mountainous region of northern Utah. Most elevation ranges in the Utah Wasatch and Uinta Mountain Ranges are between 9,000 and 10,000 ft (2700 and 3000 m). The average daytime temperature in these mountain ranges at 9,000 ft (2700 m) during the summer months is 75 F (24 C). The yearly average amount of snowfall is 500 in (13 m) in the Wasatch Mountain Range. I frequently spend 6 or more nights during the month, backpacking in this area of Utah. During the month of August I am planning a climbing /backpacking trip to the Grand Teton in Wyoming. The elevation at the summit is 13,770 feet (4198 m). The temperatures vary significantly due to the elevation gain. The average temperatures in August are 40 F (4 C) to 76 F (24C) depending on the elevation level. In the fall months (September-November) I frequently overnight camp in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park and the Moab, Utah area. The climate in this area is dry during the fall months and the temperatures average 60 F (16 C) during the day. The elevation in this area is generally 5000 ft (1500 m) with ranges of a few hundred feet. Test Plans I plan to test this sleeping pad in all the above locations and I am certain many more during the testing period. I will test the sleeping pad while car camping and while backpacking. There is a climbing area I frequently camp at and I would like to test this mattress sleeping on a very large rock. I will also test it with the Therm-a-Rest convertible chair sleeve. The below stated factors will be tested and any other factors that may arise. Fit: Is the women's regular size sleeping pad the correct length for my body? Does it fit into my pack when rolled up? Is it wide enough that when I roll at night I still have the mattress beneath me? Comfort: Is the 2 in (5 cm) thickness of the mattress comfortable? How comfortable is it as a camp chair? Is it easy to place in the chair sleeve? Does it slide when used as a chair? Does it slide when used as a mattress? Is it comfortable when used as a chair or a mattress on various surfaces (rocks, gravel, sand, grass, dirt)? Am I comfortable just sleeping on the mattress with no shelter? Do I slide while sleeping on the mattress? Is the insulation adequate in various temperatures? If I have the opportunity to test this sleeping pad in a hammock I will evaluate if the pad provides me with adequate insulation, if the pad slides, and if I can prepare it for packing while inside the hammock. Wear: Does the covering wear easily? Does the mattress become punctured by rocks, sticks, cactus needles, thorns, and goat heads? Care: How easy is it to care for and clean? Miscellaneous: Does it absorb moisture? Does the surface feel wet at night? Does condensation get on the sleeping pad? Does the valve slowly leak? How quickly does it self inflate in various temperatures? Does it compress to the original size? Does it stay rolled up? Does it maintain fold lines? Does it deflate quickly? Is it easy to deflate? What I Like
What I do not Like
RemarksThank you Cascade Designs and Backpack Gear Test for providing me with the opportunity to test the Therm-a-Rest Trail Comfort. Read more reviews of Therm-A-Rest gear Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Estrella Reviews > Sleep Gear > Pads and Air Mattresses > Therm-a-Rest Trail Comfort > Jennifer Koles > Initial Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
