Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad

[RadarSol]

Look! It's a beard that talks!

[icychap]

Would you recommend this over the Exped Synmat 7? Why or why not?

[BackcountryEdge]

@icychap Both are great 3-season options, but the SynMat 7 and the Trail Pro pads utilize very different designs. The SynMat is not self inflating, but inflation is made easier with a built-in hand pump. This also keeps moisture out of the interior of the pad which can have long-term negative effects. This is a unique feature for an inflatable pad, but because of it and the synthetic insulation that gives the pad its warmth, the SynMat is heavier and bulkier than most inflatable pads.

[BackcountryEdge]

@icychap The Trail Pro has a foam core that draws air into itself when the valve is opened. This attends to most of inflation and you only need to add a couple puffs of air to get to the max 2” thickness. In the end, based on the comparable weight, warmth (R-value of 4.8 for the Trial Pro vs. 4.9 on the SynMat) and packed size of the two pads, the choice may come down to the user’s preference of sleeping on the flat foam base of the Trail Pro or the inflated air tubes of the SynMat

[BobisKool]

What tent are you using, looks nice, and what I am looking for

[BackcountryEdge]

@BobisKool The tent we used in this video is an MSR Holler. Thanks for watching!