air or foam sleeping pad

[TimeOnTarget]

Following closely, This is one of the last pieces of equipment i need to get. Whats the best Lightweight one? 6-10 day bivy type hunts where I pack up camp each morning and move on. Trying to count ounces. I've been looking at big agnes specifically.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Best is hard to say. I think every company has a given failure rate that they're comfortable with to meet profit margin needs. In Big Agnes I'd be looking at the Q-core slx. My next pad will likely be an x-therm or slx; I love my exped synmat ul7 but they changed the design a bit and I like trying new stuff anyway. For a 3 season+ inflatable the 14-16 ounce range is about the best you're going to do. I will say that vertical baffles (like exped and BA) feel a little less narrow than the same width horizontal baffle designs (like neoair). Not a huge deal but its a factor that won't show up in a spec sheet. Some people have said the SLX is a couple inches narrower than the 20" specified fwiw.

 

[Epfd217]

Best is very tough because there are very few apples to apples to comparisons.
For me, the two best UL pads that I narrowed my choices down to were the Thermarest Neoair and the BA Qcore SLX. They are different thicknesses, different baffle design and used different materials to accomplish the temp rating.

I chose the Neoair because of its long reputation and lighter weight. It is not as thick, but I chose the long/wide combo and it still doens't weigh more than the Qcore. My buddy bought the Qcore because he liked it better. Neither of us complained about our pads this year and that says alot.

I tried out the X-therm and actually found it too warm for regular use. While lying on it in the store I could literally feel the heat radiating back. That would be great for the right weather, but for September temps, it would be too terribly warm. I only have the money for one pad so I chose the neoair.

Exped also makes great mats, again using a different technology to obtain their insulation. Best bet is to try each one and decide. FInd an REI or comparable mountaineering store that will let you set them up. Its worth it.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

You can't pop a foam pad but it takes up a lot of room. I use an air pad in warm weather. In cold weather, I'll usually double up. Sleeping on snow or freezing ground is a safety issue, not a comfort issue. Depends on your camping style, sleeping style, and weather conditions.