Sleep like a rock on top of the rocks while not carrying a rock.
Written: Mar 29 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Lightweight, comfortable, inexpensive, can be used as a chair, insures a good night of sleep
Cons: None yet.
The Bottom Line: The ultralight revolution is here. The Prolite weighs slightly more than a closed-cell pad but sleeps more comfortably. How can you not have one?
|
|
|
| wvabackpacker's Full Review: Therm A Rest Prolite 4 Women's |
Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest Prolite 4 Regular
~Introduction-
Comfort is king in camp. A good night in camp equals a good day in the outdoors. I used to try and save weight by using a closed-cell foam pad and I always had a hard time falling and staying asleep. That was before I discovered the Therm-a-Rest line of self-inflating mattresses. Now I can sleep on a pile of gravel and think I'm in a full size bed at home while catching those backcountry Z's. The Prolite 4, part of the Fast and Light series, takes Therm-a-Rest mattresses a step in a new direction—ultra light and ultra comfortable.
~Price-
You can find the Prolite 4 Regular at your favorite outdoor store or you favorite online retailer for about $89. I bought mine at REI, the store that pays you to shop. Get 10% back on all of your purchases each year.
~Awards-
The entire series of Therm-a-Rest self-inflating mattresses won an Editors' Choice Gold Award for 2003 from Backpacker Magazine (http://www.backpacker.com/goldawards2003/0,5343,,00.html). The Gold award is the highest award any outdoor product can receive. To earn a Gold award the product must be a top performer tested over many years.
~Weight and Dimensions-
The Prolite 4 comes in three models, Large, Regular, and Short.
-Large 2lbs 1oz 77"x25"x1.5" ($99)
-Regular 1lb 8oz 72"x20"x1.5" ($89)
-Short 1lb 1oz 47"x20"x1.5" ($79)
Most of you will probably be interested in the regular and short models. But fear not if you're a big guy, the large model will accommodate a 6'7" tall person or someone who is wider than average or likes to roll around by adding an extra 5" of width. For you ounce counters who want a comfortable pad; if you're willing to give up leg support the short 47" model will pack small and weigh only an ounce or two more than a closed-cell foam pad. So why not go for the extra comfort? My review will focus on the regular model as that is what I purchased.
-Concerning the size.
New with the Prolite 4 has a tapered shape. The top and bottom of the pad are also rounded. This new rounded shape helps the Prolite fit tents with awkward floor shapes like the Sierra Designs Ultra Light Year CD Solo Tent. According to my measurements, the Prolite is 72" long up the middle, and about 71" at the sides. It is also 20" wide at the widest point at the head and 16" wide at the widest point at the foot. This new shape greatly reduces weight by removing unnecessary portions of the pad. This design is based on the fact that most people are wider at the shoulder than at the feet.
The new shape and new materials result in a smaller rolled (packed size). When I first received the package containing my Prolite 4 from REI, I thought they forgot to include the Therm-a-Rest in the package. When I opened the box I was surprised to find that my new sleeping pad would pack down extremely small, about the size of a football. The manufacturer specification says that it packs down to 5"x11" and I would have to agree that it is correct.
~Materials-
The core of the Prolite is a new ultralite open-cell foam that offers a 25% weight savings compared to older Therm-a-Rests.
What's noticeably different is the thickness of the materials used. Polyester ripstop gives the top of the pad a square matrix design familiar to anyone who has used ripstop nylon products before. The pad is also made with nylon taffeta. When comparing the new pad to its older cousin the LE I find that the top of the pad isn't as soft and the wall materials are significantly thinner, and the pad feels much more fragile. This new thin design obviously contributes to the low weight and the small pack size, but how will it manage over a year of wear and tear and backcountry use? I'm not sure, but check back for a long term update at the end of 2004 and I will let you know.
The Prolite pads also feature a new sticky-dot non-slip bottom and it definitely works. There is no sliding on this pad in your tent while you are sleeping. The bottom really grips and stays in place. With my LE if I wanted to slide up or down in my tent I simply threw my body weight in the direction I wanted to move and the pad moved. To get the Prolite to move I had to get off of it and move it.
The r-value of the Prolite 4 Regular is 3.2. While this rating is perfect for 3 season use, I would use it with a closed-cell foam pad in winter or switch to a pad with a higher r-value like the LE.
~Contents-
1 Therm-a-Rest Prolite 4 Regular
No stuff sack, no accessories.
~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.
Easy Chair 20 - $45. For the added weight of 1lb 2oz. you can use your mattress as a camp chair. Before I had ever used one of these I swore that I wouldn't carry one because they didn't include legs. However, after using a friends I have changed my mind. On trips that I'm not trying to cover a ton of miles per day, I carry the Easy Chair 20 which greatly adds to relaxing in camp. No more leaning against trees or sitting on cold, wet, uncomfortable ground. This thing is worth its weight in gold.
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-
At first I was concerned whether or not this pad was a worthy replacement for the LE for three season use. The pad while it inflates to 1.5", feels thinner than older Therm-a-Rests I have used that were the same thickness. I was very pleased to find out that even though the new materials were thinner, the pad sleeps like a true Therm-a-Rest. One of my main conditions for a mattress is keeping my hip from touching the ground when sleeping on my side, and to keep rocks, sticks, and other small nuisances hiding under the pad and tent floor from being felt. At 1.5" thick the new Prolite does just this. I couldn't feel the ground or any small objects under the tent while sleeping. I even deflated the pad slightly to make it more comfortable and it still kept my body off the ground, and the ground off my body. In the future I'd like to test the 1" thick Prolite 3 to see how it compares.
Inflating and deflating the pad can be interesting. The new foam has a small 1" diamond shape that appears in a pattern about 1cm apart. When adding some extra air to the mattress after self-inflation, these diamonds "pop" as they expand and move up. Deflating the pad makes them pop away. While the little shapes are very visible, you can't feel them when laying on the pad. I'm sure they have something to do with the weight savings you get with fast and light series.
~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 new Prolite pads is easier than ever. Deflating the LE took a lot of work and you had to use your knees. Not anymore. You can deflate the Prolite using nothing more than your hands and the ground. It deflates with ease and once deflated you can unroll it and fold it up.
~Storage-
Never store your sleeping pad rolled up or in a 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-
Get one. At 1lb for the short version a Therm-a-Rest is way more comfortable than any closed cell foam pad wished it could be. You'll sleep better on one of these pads and hardly notice the weight. Go for a little extra comfort and carry 8oz more to have a full length pad. At 1lbs 8oz with the promise of a great night of sleep how could you not carry one?
© 2004 WVaBackpacker (Jeremy W. Hays)
Written for http://jeremy.qn.net/ 29 March 2004
~Outdoor Reviews by WVaBackpacker-
--Backpacks-
Gregory Shasta Backpack | Dana Design Glacier | Osprey Aether 60 – NEW
--Tents-
REI Half Dome Plus 2 | Mountain Hardware Trinity | Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD | Sierra Designs Ultra Light Year CD Solo Tent
--Sleeping Gear-
The North Face Thunderhead 3D | The North Face Kilo Down 32F | Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest Luxury LE Self-inflating Mattress | Down Sleeping Bag Buying Guide
--Hydration-
MSR Dromedary Bag | Platypus Big Zip | SweetWater Walkabout Microfilter | SweetWater Walkabout Replacement Filter | SweetWater SiltStopper
--Misc Gear-
Black Diamond LED Hybrid Headlamp
--Destinations-
Heart Lake, Yellowstone National Park | Keyhole State Park, Wyoming
--Books-
The Backpackers Handbook
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
wvabackpacker
|
 - Top 1000 |
|
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...
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.