Why not have some luxury in the woods?
Written: Mar 28 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 2" of cushion, Backpacker Gold Award, time tested design
Cons: Price and weight.
The Bottom Line: Tired of feeling the ground with your current mattress--this pad will provide all the cushion you need to sleep like a baby.
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| wvabackpacker's Full Review: Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest Luxury LE |
Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest Luxury LE
~Price-
Actually I didn't pay for this—it was a gift for Christmas. However, my mother paid $100 for it plus $9 shipping at http://www.rei.com. If you are an REI member (which costs $15 for life) then you can get 10% off if you buy before March 31, 2003. In addition to the 10% discount REI members earn a dividend on all of their purchases. The dividend for last year was 8%. By being a member you could save 18%.
$100 is a lot of money for a sleeping pad. The price of the pad is in the middle of the Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattress price range. Their most expensive is $230 while their cheapest is $50. So overall the price is fair for what you get. 9/10
~Awards-
The entire series of Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattresses won an Editors' Choice Gold Award for 2003 from http://www.backpacker.com/goldawards2003/0,5343,,00.html. The Gold award is the highest award any product can receive. To earn a Gold award the product must be a top performer tested over a long time. 10/10
~Weight-
2lbs 5oz according to the manufacturer. 2lbs 8oz according to my scales. This mattress is definitely on the heavy side of sleeping pads, especially for backpacking. However, this mattress is a luxury sleeping pad and with anything luxury comes a little added weight. The heaviest pad Cascade Designs makes is 7lbs 5oz and the lightest pad is 1lb 13oz. So overall the weight is high but not bad. All statistics are for full length pads. 7/10
~Dimensions-
72" long, 20" wide and 2" thick when inflated. The 2" of thickness is total luxury. Packed the pad is 5x21 inches. You can get it down to this size by putting your entire weight on the pad to deflate it. If you attempt to just roll it up and push the air out of pad it will not deflate as small. I can fit the pad inside my Gregory Shasta Backpack by slightly bending the rolled up pad. I prefer to carry it inside my pack instead of on the outside due to the fact that punctures could occur more easily on the outside. However, I know of several backpackers who carry their Therm-a-Rest's on the outside of their pack with no problems.
Included with the pad is a stuff sack. I suggest using the stuff sack as it will help you compress the bag and it will add protection to it. The packed size of this pad is smaller than a full length foam pad but larger than some ¾ pads. I give it an 8/10.
~Materials-
-Transversely-bored air channel open-cell foam
-Top – Low-slip 4-way stretch SoftKnit polyester designed to keep your sleeping bag in place
-Bottom – durable nylon oxford designed to resist dampness and dirt
10/10
~Contents-
1 Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest Luxury LE Self-inflating mattress
1 repair kit (three patches, three glue packets, three wooden sticks, one instruction book)
1 stuff sack
10/10
~Extras-
Therm-a-wrap 20 - $13. I got one of these and love it. It fits over the end of the mattress and has a built in fleece square that can be stuffed with clothing to make a pillow. It also serves as a stuff sack with compression straps. Well worth the $13, also available at REI.com
Easy Chair 20 - $45. For the added weight of 1lb 2oz. you can use your mattress as a camp chair. Personally I wouldn't buy once since there are no legs.
Couple kit $7 – Joins two mattresses into one for sleeping with a partner or being a bed hog ;-)
Game Sleeve $25 – Play games on your mattress with silk screened boards and pieces for checkers, chess, backgammon and mancala. For 5oz of weight you can have fun when you're trapped in your tent due to weather or just feel like a game!
~Field Test-
I've spent several nights on this mattress and I absolutely love it. Compared to my old closed-cell foam mattress sleeping on this pad is absolutely wonderful. No longer do I feel pine cones, rocks, roots, and holes through my sleeping pad. A good nights sleep is essential to a good day of hiking. If you can feel the ground with your current mattress and you want one to suspend your body on a cushion of air away from the ground—I definitely recommend one of these mattresses. I used to be a restless sleeper in camp, but after getting this mattress I've had no problems falling and staying asleep in the backcountry.
The extra thickness of this mattress directly results in extra comfort and warmth. The R-value of 4.1 is quite generous. I've used the mattress in temperatures down to about 40F and I never once felt the cold ground. My former closed-cell foam mattress had an R-value of 2.7—so this mattress should definitely be warmer in temperatures around freezing. Using the mattress in 70F+ weather is equally nice as the mattress will keep you warm but not hot.
I find that if it's hot and I sleep on the mattress without a shirt my body will stick to it. This can be uncomfortable so if you sleep with just a blanket, bring a small sheet to place over the pad. The surface was designed to keep your sleeping bag from sliding off so it is understandable that my body would stick to it. I do not find this feature a problem. 10/10
~Inflating and Deflating-
As the name suggests, "self-inflating mattress," this pad lives up to it. Simply unroll the mattress, open the high-flow inflation valve and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. At this point you can close the valve and sleep on the mattress or add a few breaths of air to it for some extra firmness. The valve on the mattress is free-spinning which allows you to use it even while wearing mittens. Great for people with big hands.
Deflating the pad takes some time and skill. You have to start at the bottom and force the air out while rolling the pad. Every few rolls sit your knees on top of the pad to push out extra air. Once all the air has been pushed out close the valve. Deflating takes some patience, be careful not to push down to hard on the pad and rupture it. 6/10
~Storage-
Never store your sleeping pad in its stuff sack. Always store it up vertically or horizontally with the valve open. This will allow the mattress to remain self-inflating (by keeping the foam expanded) and will allow the foam inside to dry (from the moisture in your breath used to firm up the mattress).
~Conclusion-
I recommend this sleeping pad for anyone who has a hard time falling asleep in the backcountry or while camping, especially if feeling the ground is an issue. The price and weight are a little high but with any luxury item you must sacrifice one luxury for another. In the case of this item the mattress is heavier but in return you get 2" inches of cushion to sleep on. In my opinion, well worth the extra pound I can lose somewhere else in my pack. I'm a Therm-a-Rest fan for life and for the rest of my life I will sleep well on the trail. 9/10
© 2003 WVaBackpacker
Written for http://www.epinions.com 26 Mar 2003
~Other Backpacking/Camping Reviews by WVaBackpacker-
--Backpacks-
Gregory Shasta Backpack
Dana Design Glacier
--Tents-
REI Half Dome Plus 2
Mountain Hardware Trinity
Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD
--Sleeping Bags-
The North Face Thunderhead 3D
The North Face Kilo Down 32F
--Hydration-
MSR Dromedary Bag
Platypus Big Zip
--Destinations-
Heart Lake, Yellowstone National Park
Keyhole State Park, Wyoming
--Books-
The Backpackers Handbook
Recommended:
Yes
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wvabackpacker
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Member: Jeremy Hays
Location: Columbus, OH, USA
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 46 members
About Me:
Maybe I'll write another review someday...lots of new gear...
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