Self-Inflating Pads May Need Some Help

Q.I have heard that to increase insulation and comfort on your self-inflating pad, you should top off its inflation with your breath. I have also heard that this harms the foam and makes your pad die young. My question is, what to believe?

Also, what do you think of the new Therm-a-Rest Ultra Lite II? Darren Cope davecope@oxford.net

Gear Guy: The fact is, the “self” in “self-inflating” pads largely means “your-self.” As in, “inflate it yourself; just letting it sit there won’t help a bit.” I always blow my Therm-a-Rests up past what they’ll do if left to their own devices. It certainly enhances comfort and may help with insulation as well, although that’s mainly the job of the foam filler. And don’t worry about the thing exploding on you. Cascade Designs specs their pads to an internal pressure of about four pounds per square inch - well past any ordinary mortal’s lung capacity.

A few caveats: It’s best to let the pad inflate itself for several minutes, then finish the job with lung power. The reason is that you can blow moisture into the pad, which can freeze or cause the foam to deteriorate. Also, store the pad with the valve open and unrolled. That lets the foam relax and allows moisture to escape.

What do I think of the Therm-a-Rest Ultra Lite? I think it’s fine - extremely light (1 lb. 7 oz. in the full-length iteration) and comfortable enough, provided you’re not laying it out on a granite slab. For everyday backpacking, though, I don’t mind carrying the extra pound of the regular Therm-a-Rest. Its extra comfort is worth the weight. Q. Hey Gear Guy, I’ve had a pair of Scarpa Dominators for just over a year now. I love the shoes, but the soles are getting worn and it’s time to resole. I have been completely satisfied with the performance of Scarpa’s Megabyte rubber, but I would like to know if it is the stickiest of the rubbers. Thanks! Mark Hartwig hartwig@colorado.net

Gear Guy: About a year ago, Climbing magazine did just such a test. Duane Raleigh - that mag’s top-flight tech guru - stretched, poked, rubbed, and abused all of the major shoe rubber out there. His conclusion: “After examining the field-test results, it isn’t going to make one bit of difference to me what rubber I use.”

So, if you’ve liked the Megabyte, you might as well have your shoes re-soled with it. Then again, you might also ask your cobbler about Boreal Fusion. It’s a tad softer than Megabyte, but also very tough. More to the point, it costs more than Megabyte and it’s well known that paying a higher price leads people to think that something is better (a phenomenon that explains the success of three-season single-wall tents, among other things).

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN, QUESTION & ANSWER - Gear Guy