OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER MARKET 2018: Gear of Interest for Lightweight and Ultralight Backpacking— PART 1

By Will Rietveld and Janet Reichl

We have covered Outdoor Retailer for about 13 years now, and it never fails to impress. Yes, it was earlier this year (July), and will be even earlier next year (June). The Colorado Convention Center in Denver is the new location, and its huge.

Most of the interesting gear we find at OR fits in the Lightweight category, but there are some notable Ultralight gems, and some gear can go either way, depending on your gear preferences.

As always, there are a few standout items, and lots of evolutionary improvements, all making for lighter better gear. What excites us varies a lot, depending on where your interests lie, so we present gear in no particular order; just scroll and read what interests you. Also, so we can get our coverage posted faster, and to avoid an excessively long single article, we will post our coverage as a series of shorter articles containing around a dozen items each.

A few notes: (1) gear introduced at this OR will be available in spring 2019, unless noted otherwise, and (2) weights for clothing are for men’s size Medium and shoes are for men’s size 9 and women’s size 7, unless stated otherwise.

Topo Athletic Hydroventure 2 Shoe. Gen 2 for this popular waterproof trail running shoe will come out in January 2019. It will continue to feature an eVent membrane, foot-shape fit (wide toebox and snug heel cup, rock plate, and 25/22 platform with 3 mm drop. Upgrades include an Ortholite footbed, Vibram Megagrip outsole with deeper and wider spaced lugs, and more TPU overlay in wear areas. Weight is 10.2 oz/shoe for men and 8.3 oz/shoe for women; MSRP is $140. When I tested the Hydroventure shoe a couple of years ago, I found it to be nearly indestructible in spite of its very light weight. I had some issues with the thin footbed bunching up, but that should be overcome with the new Ortholite footbed.

A new model coming soon is the Topo Athletic Ultraventure. This brand new model will feature a 3-piece multi-density EVA midsole in place of a rock plate, giving it a soft ride. The Ortholite footbed, enhanced TPU overlay, and Vibram XS Trek outsole are the same as the Terraventure 2. Stack height is 30-25, giving it a 5 mm drop. Weights are 9.1 oz/shoe for women, and 11.2 oz/shoe for men; MSRP is $130. Available from REI in November 2018. I look forward to testing this one for ultralight backpacking.

Finally, from Topo Athletic, is the Terraventure 2, another significant upgrade to a popular lightweight trail shoe. The upgrades include an Ortholite footbed,Vibram XS Trek outsole with wider spaced lugs, and drainage “gills” for water release and faster drying. Stack height is 25-22, giving it a 3 mm drop. Weights are 10.8 oz/shoe for men and 8.2 oz/shoe for women. Available November 2018 for $120. In my recent review of this shoe, I loved its fit, comfort, and traction, but I managed to wear holes in the anterior toebox mesh from sidestepping in steep scree. The enhanced TPU rand and mesh overlays should overcome that issue.

Therm-a-Rest will introduce their Fast and Light collection in spring 2019. The centerpiece is their new Therm-a-Rest NeoAir UberLite Inflatable Sleeping Pad. Just the name suggests that something really good is coming here! Get ready for an 8.8-ounce, 2.5 in thick, R 2.0 full length sleeping pad. The UberLit will come in three sizes: Small, Regular, and Large. The Small measures 20x47 inches and weighs 6 ounces, Regular is 20x72 inches and 8.8 ounces, and Large is 25x77 inches and 12 ounces. When the NeoAir first came out, the size Regular pad weighed 14 ounces, and we considered that ultralight. So TAR raised the bar on their own product and maintains the lead. Fabrics are 30d nylon bottom and 15d top. The NeoAir Uberlight pads use a diamond core matrix with trapped air for insulation. Start saving your money though; prices are $140, $180, and $210 for the Short, Regular, and Large sizes.

Cascade Designs representatives were really excited to show us their new Fast and Light gear collection, and we were excited to see it. They are really getting serious, as the next items will show. The next is their Therm-a-Rest Vesper 32F and 20F Quilts, featuring 900 fill-power down, side baffles for increased warmth retention,  Nikwax water-resistant down, and a SynergyLink system to integrate quilt and sleeping pad . The shell is 10d nylon ripstop with DWR. Weight and MSRP for the 32F quilt is 15 oz and $330 and 19 oz and $380 for the 20F version; long versions will also be available. With these new products from TAR, you will soon be able to purchase a 24 ounce sleeping system (pad and quilt) at your hometown outdoor store.

Prefer a sleeping bag rather than a quilt? No problem. Next up from TAR are the Therm-a-Rest Hyperion 32F and 20F Sleeping Bags. Each will be available in three sizes: Short, Regular, and Long. The bags feature 900 fill-power down, zoned insulation, box baffled construction, Nikwax water repellent down, and a ThermaCapture reflective film for better thermal efficiency. For size Regular the weight is 16 ounces and MSRPs is $370 for the 32F bag, and 20 ounces and $419 for the 20F bag, which is a good value for an ultralight bag.

Finally, from TAR is the Therm-a-Rest Ohm, a 32F semi-rectangular, roomier, hoodless, zipper all-around bag that will open to a blanket or quilt for warmer nights. The Ohm has the same down and baffling as the other bags, weighs 18 oz for size Regular, and will sell for $370.

I like to cover the technologies that make our gear lighter and better, and one good example is the new YKK Super Lightweight Zipper. Currently, the YKK #3 zipper is the lightest we normally see, but an even lighter version of that zipper is in the pipeline. The Super Lightweight version is 40% lighter than the standard #3. The tape is less than 0.1 mm thick, breathable, and see-through, which helps keep ultralight gear ultralight. The first garment to use it is the Black Diamond Deploy Wind Shell, which we will cover later.

Garmin InReach Mini Personal Locater. The original InReach has some attractive features, but it’s a bit heavy at around 6.5 ounces. The Mini gives us what we are looking for – a compact, lightweight version with the same functionality. Key features important to users are its use of the Global Iridium Network, two-way160 character messaging, interactive SOS, and pairing with other Garmin devices. The Mini can message by itself, but it’s easier when paired with a mobile phone. Nowadays, many backpackers carry a mobile phone with them on trips because it’s truly a multi-purpose device. One of my hiking buddies claims he has 17 purposes for his mobile phone on backpacking trips; now he can make that 18. Weight is 4.35 ounces including a carabiner, and MSRP is $349. Another advantage of the InReach is the different subscription options that are offered, so one can choose the best option for her frequency of use. I’m currently a SPOT user, but I am getting tired of their expensive service plan that includes features I don’t use. SPOT does have a 2-way communicator called the SPOT-X coming out, but one friend who has tested it told me that it is “very buggy”.

The Sea To Summit Nano Day Pack is indeed nanoweight at 1 ounce. It’s always handy to throw in an UL day pack for side hikes from camp, and the Nano Day Pack makes that inconsequential. Capacity is 18 liters, it’s made of STSs 15d ultra-sil, and will cost $40.

The Nemo Rocket 2P Single Wall Tent raises the bar for a 2-person lightweight fabric tent. The weight is a mere 22 ounces using the included carbon T-bar ridgepole and center support, or 19 ounces using trekking poles. A notable feature is the tent’s square ends to enhance interior usable space, made possible by Nemo’s clever Self Equalizing Corner System (right). The canopy is 7 denier nylon ripstop and the floor is 10d. Did I mention the Rocket 2P has two doors with vestibules? There is room on each side of the center support pole for a standard 20-inch wide sleeping pad. The center support may be an annoyance, but each sleeper has her own entry, which will help minimize that issue, and the center support disappears if you use trekking poles to support the tent. MSRP is $450, which is significantly less expensive than a Dyneema tent.

We previously reported on and reviewed the Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration Bottles, which were initially available in 0.6 L and 1 L sizes. Now Katadyn is coming out with a 3-liter version called the Katadyn Gravity BeFree 3L. This one comes with a detachable hose and shut off clip, but you can use the flask and filter unit by itself to fill water containers by squeezing the flask. It doesn’t come with a bite valve to use it as a hydration system, but it would be easy to add one. Weight is 3.5 ounces and MSRP is $70.

GEAR REVIEW: Gossamer Gear One Single-Wall Tent

By Will Rietveld

I reviewed the original “One” tent from Gossamer Gear back in 2008. It was made of spinnaker fabric and weighed 18.5 ounces. It became an ultralight classic, but spinnaker fabric had its disadvantages and has gone away as a tent fabric.

Enter the new 2018 One, which is roomier, more featured, and only 3.5 ounces heavier. This One is made of woven fabric, specifically 7-denier high tenacity nylon with a blended silicone and polyurethane coating, which is about the same weight per yard as spinnaker, and approaches the weight of cuben fiber (Dyneema Composite Fabric) used in some shelters. The best news is it costs just $299, about half of what a cuben fiber shelter would cost. Considering these attributes and comparisons, how does The One perform as a lightweight backpacking shelter?

The new Gossamer Gear One has finally arrived. It weighs a little over a pound like its predecessor, its roomy, more featured, and a great value for a lightweight backpacking shelter.

Specifications and Features

Manufacturer	Gossamer Gear (www.gossamergear.com)
Product	The One single wall tent
Fabrics	Body is 7-denier high-tenacity nylon with a blended silicone and polyurethane coating, 1200 mm waterproofness. Floor is 10-denier high-tenacity nylon with a blended silicone and polyurethane coating, 1200 mm waterproofness. Factory taped seams.
Dimensions	Floor is 36 in wide at head end and 24 in at foot end x 88 inches long. Headroom is 46 in. Floor area is 19.6 sq. ft. Entry vestibule is 16.2 sq. ft.
Features	Trekking pole support, side entry with vestibule, zippered mesh wall with entry door, mesh floor level vents, protected mesh vent panel on upper back wall, large mesh storage pocket on back wall, bathtub floor, catenary ridgeline, interior clothes line and flashlight loop, 4 supplementary guylines, ultralight stuff sack. Stakes not included.
Weight	Mfr. Specification 21.95 oz (includes shelter, guylines, and stuff sack); measured weight 21.85 oz.
MSRP	$299.25.

  

Description

Like its predecessor, The One is asymmetric, as shown in the drawing below and photos. A lot of designing and testing went into the final version.

Front View. The tent has a vestibule protected side entry through a mesh wall. One side can be tied open for easy entry (left), or both sides (right) in fair weather. The bathtub floor is visible in both photos.

Side View. This photo shows some of the asymmetry. The ridgeline is extended to allow the back wall to lean out a bit to provide more interior space. The canopy has an extension to channel water away from the tent.

Back View. This view shows the angled back wall. There is a large mesh panel in the upper back wall for ventilation, which is protected by a large overhang.

There is a mesh vent just above the floor on each end.

Corner reinforcement in bathtub floor.

Included clothes line with flashlight loop.

The One is nothing like the silnylon tents purchased from small companies a decade ago, which were Spartan and required seam sealing. The One is featured and comes complete, even with a clothes line, flashlight loop, and guylines, and does not require seam sealing.

Setup is similar to most tents: 1) lay the tent out on the ground in the desired orientation, 2) stake out the corners, 3) insert trekking poles into pockets at front and rear, and 4) stake out and tension the ridgeline.

Field Testing

I tested the One on several spring backpacking trips in southern Utah and summer trips in southern Colorado.

A minimum of six stakes are required for setup, which results in a sturdy pitch. Using trekking poles for support saves a lot of weight, if you normally use trekking poles.  I really like a shelter with a two-pole tensioned ridgeline anchored to a sturdy stake at each end. It really resists and deflects the wind, as I saw with The One.

I am impressed with Gossamer Gear’s proprietary 7 and 10- denier high tenacity nylon fabric, which is stronger than ordinary nylon. Fabric this light weight and strong is an alternative to Cuben Fiber (Dyneema Composite Fabric) for construction of a lightweight shelter at a more reasonable price.

I am also impressed with the tent’s construction quality and completeness. Looking closely, I find quality sewing and reinforcement, and overall attention to detail. And everything is there, including a clothes line and headlamp loop and four extra guylines for extra wind stability when needed. However, stakes are not included.

On one spring backpacking trip in southern Utah, we had daily strong winds and blowing dust. The One stood secure with 6 stakes; rocks on top of them for security purposes (standard procedure in Utah). Utah dust does stick to the ten’ts exterior coating, but not as bad as it does to silnylon. At home, rinsing the tent in cold water in the bathtub (no soap) easily removes the dust.

Another like is the tent’s roominess for a single person tent; it’s more like a 1+ tent compared to other single-person tents I have tested. There is ample room for gear between the tent interior and vestibule, and items in the vestibule are easily reachable.

Roominess abounds inside the tent. The floor is 88 inches long (that’s 7 feet 4 inches), ample for tall hikers. And it has headroom to match. What makes the tent interior so voluminous is its extended ridgeline, which I measured to be 47 inches. The floor at the center is 38.5 inches wide, so the front and rear walls angle outward about 4.25 inches, which is a clever trick to gain interior volume.

The tent’s ventilation is excellent and I noted very little condensation on the interior walls, even on calm nights below freezing. However, as with any single wall tent, I don’t expect it to be exempt from condensation when humid air plunges below the dew point. A quick wipedown with a camp towel is a simple remedy for condensation inside a  single wall tent.

The only criticism I have is the floor level vents are easily blocked by gear inside the tent, and a special effort is required to keep them unblocked. The mesh panels are set as high as possible, but perhaps they could be full width to reduce the issue.

Likes and Dislikes

Things I like about the Gossamer Gear One:

• Very lightweight yet strong nylon canopy and floor
• Excellent alternative to Cuben Fiber in terms of lightness, strength, and cost
• Impressive design to maximize functionality, features, and inside space
• High quality sewing and reinforcement
• Very light weight (21.85 oz measured weight)
• Trekking pole support saves weight and provides good support
• Tensioned catenary ridgline provides excellent wind deflection and stability
• Side entry
• Good vestibule storage
• Interior roominess (length, width, headroom, volume)
• Good ventilation minimizes condensation
• Factory taped Seams

Dislikes:

• Floor level ventilation panels are easily blocked by gear.

Assessment

The One stands out as a functional, roomy, sturdy, and very lightweight tent without bearing the cost of Cuben Fiber. It’s well designed and well constructed, and provides plenty of room for one hiker. Some manufacturers make their tent lighter by making it smaller and eliminating features, but that’s not the case with The One.

I should note that The Two, a 2-person version of the same tent, weighs 8.65 ounces more and costs $90 more ($389). Hikers who hike solo part of the time and with a partner part of the time may opt to get The Two because the weight and cost difference is not great.

Either way, it’s a great value for a very light weight backpacking tent.

GEAR REVIEW: Osprey Levity 45 Backpack

By Will Rietveld

Lightweight Internal frame backpacks are getting lighter and better. Nowadays if you are looking for a lightweight internal frame backpack, you have several to choose from in the two pound range.

The Osprey Levity 45 and Levity 60 (and women’s Lumina 45 and 60) look to be excellent choices, based on initial impressions and their specifications. But initial impressions often lead to disappointment in the world of outdoor gear. So, how does the Levity perform in the backcountry?

The internal frame Osprey Levity 45, arriving spring 2018, is full-featured, size Large weighs just 1.927 pounds, and is capable of carrying a sizeable load. I opted to test the Levity 45 because it has sufficient room for my small gear kit, plus extra room for the food and water I need to carry on longer trips. Its brother, the Levity 60, has 60 liters of volume and weighs only a smidgeon more.  (Osprey Packs photos.)

 Specifications and Features

Manufacturer	Osprey (www.osprey.com)
Product	Levity 45 (Levity 60, and Lumina 45 and 60 are also available)
Volume	Size Large tested, 48 liters.
Frame	Arched 3.5 mm Lightwire 6065 aluminum alloy loop
Suspension	SUL Airspeed tensioned backpanel with side ventilation, Exoform hipbelt and harness
Materials	Main fabric is 30D Cordura silnylon ripstop, abrasion areas are NanoFly 200D nylon x 200D Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWE)
Weight	Manufacturer specification 1.927 pounds (30.7 ounces), measured weight 30 ounces
Features	Fixed top lid with zippered pocket, key clip, and attachment points; bellowed front fabric pocket; dual access fabric side pockets; sternum strap with whistle; Exoform hipbelt with ErgoPull closure; hydration sleeve with center hose port, load lifter straps; 2 daisy chains on front for additional attachment, drawcord side compression straps.
MSRP	$250

Description

As you can see in the table above and photos, the Levity is full-featured. The only thing it does not have is hipbelt pockets, which I missed. Add-on pockets are available from various sources, like the one shown in the photos.

The design of the Levity and Lumina packs is similar to the Osprey Exos packs, only lighter. Although the Levity is light weight, it is constructed of durable fabrics. All of the pockets are made of 210 denier UHMWP described above.

Front and backpanel views. The Levity is characterized by a large kango pocket on the frontpanel (left) that holds a lot of stuff. The large side pockets begin at the daisy chains, and are accessible from the top and side. A traditional top pocket provides even more easy access to frequently needed items on the trail. All of the pockets are made of durable fabric instead of mesh. The trampoline backpanel (right) is another distinguishing feature. It's supported by a peripheral arched tubular aluminum frame that tensions the mesh backpanel away from the frame and pack body, providing excellent ventilation and form fit.

Side view. The tensioned backpanel and arched shape of the pack are more apparent in this view. Fabric side pockets are large, extenting from the blue daisy chain to the backpanel seam. I like to carry my hydration system in a side pocket for easier access. I counterbalance it with a tent in the opposite side pocket. Each side has a zig-zag drawcord compression system that works very well to firm the pack when its loaded, and compress the pack to a smaller volume to carry smaller loads.

Bottom view. Yes, the pack's white fabric gets dirty, especially on the bottom. It cleans up well however. The fabric covering the frame around the bottom is a high wear area, but there were no signs of wear from my testing. Durable fabrics and corner reinforcements help a lot, but it's entirely possible to wear holes in the pack's bottom edges from rough use. Note that the hipbelt pockets are my additions; the pack does not include any pockets on the hipbelt.

Field Testing

I tested the Levity 45 backpack on a February 9-day trip in the Grand Canyon following the “Butte Fault Route”, which is a rugged 80 mile mostly off-trail route crossing about 12 canyons. I also tested the Levity on several local backpacking trips in Southwest Colorado.

 Before my Grand Canyon trip I trained with the pack loaded with 30 pounds. It carried the weight well, and effectively transferred weight to my hips. However, with this amount of weight I noticed the hipbelt tends to slip down when I put it directly on my hips; it was necessary to tighten the hipbelt very tight to keep it in place. I found it carried a heavier load much better with the hipbelt on top of my hips, and adjusting the shoulder straps and load lifter straps to pull the pack’s top against my back.

On the Grand Canyon trip I started out with 27 pounds, and carried over 30 pounds at times when I needed to carry extra water. While the weight doesn’t sound that heavy, it was for me since I am normally an ultralight backpacker, plus the terrain was very challenging with many steep climbs and descents, dry wash boulder hopping, and class 3-4 scrambling. My opinion is 30 pounds is a reasonable upper limit for the Levity, and 20 to 25 pounds is the comfort range, on target for lightweight backpacking.

The trip was enough to shred a backpack, especially one with mesh pockets, but the Levity came out virtually unscathed. Its white color got a bit dirty, but I could only find a couple of minor scratches on the front pocket. That says a lot about the durability of this pack.

Since my gear kit is small and compact, I was able to get all of my gear plus 9 days of food into the pack, and carry for a full day. Granted, the pack was full, but it all fit. For a larger gear kit, the Levity 60 is a good choice, and weighs just a smidgeon more.

The Levity’s side compression system is excellent. It effectively reduces pack volume for smaller loads so one pack can be used for different trip lengths and load sizes. Here I am using the Levity as a day pack on a day hike from camp.

 There is a large hydration sleeve inside the main compartment, which is wide and nearly the full height of the pack. It’s big enough for a large hydration bladder or for storing gear like a flattened shelter or sleeping pad.

One consequence of the pack’s arched trampoline backpanel is it creates an hourglass shaped main compartment, meaning it’s narrower in the center. However, that’s only a minor inconvenience that’s overcome by fully releasing the side compression cords before filling the pack.

My only other dislike is the lack of hipbelt pockets. I missed them so much I added one for my pack testing. I really rely on hipbelt pockets to hold my compact camera, trail snacks, sunscreen, lip balm, and other small items I want with easy reach.

Summary of Product Pros and Cons

Things I especially like about the Levity are:

• Its amazing light weight for an internal frame backpack
• Trampoline backpanel is well ventilated
• Fabric side pockets and front pocket, instead of mesh, are very durable
• Front kango pocket holds a lot of gear and keeps it handy
• It’s full-featured (but no hipbelt pockets)
• Its available in men’s and women’s versions, two volumes, and three sizes, even a women’s size Extra Small
• It fits very well and feels like I’m wearing it
• It comfortably carries a substantial load, well within the range of lightweight backpacking
• Large hydration sleeve will carry three liters or more, or can be used to carry a flattened shelter or sleeping pad
• Easy ErgoPull hipbelt tightening
• The side compression drawcords really work to effectively adjust pack volume, allowing one pack to suffice for different trip lengths and load sizes

Things I dislike about the Levity are:

• No hipbelt pockets (I can add them on, but would rather have the pack come with them, big ones please)
• Constriction in the center of the main compartment (but the form-fitting ventilated trampoline backpanel is worth it)

Assessment

There are a growing number of internal frame backpacks in the two-pound range nowadays, but the Osprey Levity/Lumina packs stand out for several reasons. First, they are true internal frame backpacks, meaning the frame is built-into the pack, allowing the pack to fit, transfer weight, and carry comfortably. Some of the other packs in this category have a removable frame that does not do the job as well.

Second, Osprey gets everything right – design, materials, features, and fit. The Levity’s success comes from Osprey’s mastery of pack design, a super lightweight frame and backpanel, putting the right fabrics in the right places, and incorporating essential features (except hipbelt pockets). The 210 denier UHMWE nylon fabric used in high wear areas is sometimes called “ballistic nylon” or “military grade nylon” and is super strong and abrasion resistant, which I verified.  The Levity and Lumina packs have a total of 12 combinations of gender, volume, and pack size. The Lumina even has an Extra Small size.

And third, the packs’ side drawcord compression system is simple, very lightweight, and really works. I had no trouble using the Levity 45 for a 9-day extended trip, an overnight trip, or as a day pack. The compression works that well. The Levity (and Lumina) is one of the few packs I have reviewed (and I have reviewed many) that I can say one pack does it all. In this case I actually recommend getting the 60 liter version, if you will actually need 60 liters sometimes. It weighs only a fraction more than the 45 liter size, and the compression system will adjust it to nearly every need. I chose the 45 liter size because that’s as big as I will ever need.

The feeling I have after testing the Levity is “why would anyone want to carry a heavier pack with the same volume”? Heavier packs carry a heavy load more comfortably, but why carry a heavy load at all? The Levity is a good way to save 2-3 pounds and not miss anything. And it’s a good incentive to reduce the weight of everything else in your pack, which is easy to do with judicious choices from today’s wide array of lightweight gear.

GEAR REVIEW: Big Agnes Insulated AXL Air Sleeping Pad and Pumphouse Ultra Sleeping Pad Inflation Pump

By Will Rietveld

Definitely for lightweight backpackers, and even for ultralighters, a comfy sleeping pad is a comfort item to spend a few ounces on in order to get a good night’s sleep.

The specs for the new Big Agnes AXL pad, coming out spring 2018, sound really good – weight as little as 9.6 ounces for a full-length, mummy-shape, 3.25-inch thick (that’s correct) inflatable sleeping pad. That’s down right plush!

The lightest of their AXL family of pads is the uninsulated mummy version, measuring 20x72 inches and weighing 9.6 ounces. That’s the one I tried to get for testing, but it wasn’t available, so I settled for the insulated rectangular version (shown) weighing 11.9 ounces.

What is remarkable about this pad, compared to the competition, is its thickness and lightweight. It’s lighter than the full-length Therm-a-Rest Neo-Air XLite pad and much thicker.

So, given all these good numbers, how does the AXL pad perform for lightweight backpacking?

Specifications and Features – Sleeping Pad

Manufacturer	Big Agnes (www.bigagnes.com)
Product	Insulated AXL Air Sleeping Pad (rectangular insulated version tested)
Materials	“lightweight double-ripstop nylon with aviation grade TPU lamination”, Primaloft Silver insulation with reflective film
Dimensions	20x72x3.25 inches; outer tubes are 3.75 inches
Weight	Mfr specification 11.9 ounces, measured weight 12.4 ounces (pad only)
Features	Single 2-way valve, interior antimicrobial treatment, quick deflation valve, micro-release button for inflation adjustment, larger outer chambers to cradle sleeper
Sizes Available	Regular, wide, and mummy; insulated and uninsulated
Included	Pad, stuff sack, repair kit
MSRP	$180

Specifications and Features – Inflation Pump

Product	Pumphouse Ultra Sleeping Pad Inflation Pump
Materials	Ripstop nylon
Dimensions	19.5x13.5x8 inches
Weight	Mfr specification 2.9 oz, measured weight 2.55 ounces
MSRP	$35

Description

The AXL inflatable sleeping pad is available in Regular (20x72 inches), wide (25x72 inches), and Mummy (20x72 rounded and tapered ends). Shorter lengths are not available, and would not work well because of the pad’s thickness.

Insulation is Primaloft Silver synthetic, plus a reflective film. Big Agnes prefers to provide a temperature rating (15F), rather than play the R-rating game. Remember that number. The uninsulated pads are grey and the insulated pads are red.

The Pumphouse Ultra Inflation Pump is a pump bag with a fitting that pops into the inflation valve on the sleeping pad. It’s claimed to fit other Big Agnes pads as well as traditional valves. It works as follows: attach the outlet to the pad’s valve, open the sack so it fills with air, fold the top over, and roll the bag toward the pad.

Field Testing

I tested the AXL pad on spring backpacking trips in southern Utah and summer backpacking trips in the southern Colorado Mountains. Nighttime temperatures were as low as 27F.

 

Inflating the pad by mouth requires about 30 deep breaths, which is quite a bit of effort. Using the Pumphouse inflation bag is much faster and easier, and it doesn’t introduce moisture into the pad. I found the pump bag easy to use, and it gets easier as you learn the technique. I tested the Pumphouse bag on a conventional inflation valve and did not find it to work as Big Agnes claims. The pump bag effectively doubles as a stuff sack, but I don’t see how it can be used for a portable shower as claimed.

I like its large, one-way inflation valve because air does not leak out between blows. The micro-release button is inside the cap of the valve; after the pad is inflated, simply press on the flap and release a little air to get the desired firmness.

The AXL pad is quite durable, so this is not an ultralight pad that will require frequent patching. And Big Agnes provides a patching kit just in case.

The plus side of the AXL pad is its amazing comfort. I never expected to put the words “3.25 inches thick”, “comfortable, and “lightweight” in the same sentence but Big Agnes pulls it off. This pad is like floating on a cloud; made in heaven for lightweight backpacking, and some ultralighters may adopt it too.

The minus side was a big surprise to me – even though the pad I tested is insulated, I found the pad to be cold at temperatures below 40F. Specifically, my bottomside got chilly, enough to inhibit sleep. My observed threshold of around 40F is a big difference from the claimed 15F comfort rating.

 I verified that the chill problem was indeed the pad by placing a blanket over the pad and sleeping on that combination on a similar sub 40F night; I had no problem staying warm in the same bag, clothing, and shelter.

 

Note that that my observed 40F comfort threshold is for me; other sleepers may experience discomfort at cooler or higher temperatures, and hotblooded sleepers may not experience any discomfort at all.

To investigate the issue, I peered into the inflation valve opening to see what’s inside, and couldn’t see any insulation. Next I held the pad in front of a strong desk light and found that the pad is insulated with a thin sheet of synthetic insulation bonded to the upper pad fabric, and the insulation sheet has large oval holes (2x3 inches) in it so it doesn’t interfere with top/bottom fabric welds that determine the pad’s thickness and texture. Note in the photo below that the insulation has some rather large thermal leaks in it.

This photo of the pad with backlighting shows a thin insulation sheet inside bonded to its upper surface. The insulation has large oval cutouts to allow room for top/bottom fabric welds to create the pad’s thickness and texture. The inflation valve is at the upper left.

 

My conclusion is the AXL pad’s insulation is insufficient to meet its claimed comfort rating, for me at least. It’s thin with large holes in it, and is not very effective.

Assessment

By my testing, I found the AXL pad to be a mixed bag. On the one hand it’s very comfortable. However, it’s overweight by a half ounce, and its warmth (for me) is nowhere near the claimed 15F. The problem was consistent; whenever the nighttime temperature dropped below 40F I got chilly on my bottomside. Note that the insulation in a sleeping pad works in much the same way as an insulated jacket; rather than feeling a cold line where the jacket is stitched or the pad insulation has a cutout, you feel an overall warmth or coolth. More thermal leakage means less warmth. In the case of the AXL pad, the uninsulated area due to incomplete coverage of the pad's topside plus numerous large cutouts allows a lot of thermal leakage, so more coolth. 

Because of this shortcoming, I consider the AXL Air pad, in spite of its insulation, to be a summer only pad when used by itself.

One solution to make the AXL pad warmer is to carry a thin foam pad to place over it to provide extra insulation when it’s needed. The one-eighth inch thick Gossamer Gear ThinLight pad (2.4 ounces/$18) is a good choice. It’s full-length, stays in place over an inflatable pad, and has numerous other uses. I have tested the ThinLight to extend the warmth of other sleeping pads, and found it adds a remarkable amount of extra warmth for its minimal weight.

However, when you add up the actual weight of the AXL pad, the Pumphouse inflation bag, and a supplementary ThinLight pad you arrive at 17.4 ounces, which substantially reduces the lightweight appeal of the AXL pad.

One consideration for campers who use a shelter with limited headroom is the thick AXL pad will reduce headroom even more. In other words, the AXL pad works best in a tent with plenty of headroom.

In my opinion, the AXL pad is too heavy for ultralight backpacking, so I will reserve it for lightweight backpacking, base camping, and car camping. Lightweight backpackers will love it for its exceptional comfort and reasonable weight. And there should be no problem with late night chills on warm summer nights.

I would appreciate reader comments on their experiences with this pad. Does your bottomside get chilly late at night when the temperature hits its low? And about what temperature does that occur? Or perhaps you don’t find any issues at all. Share your experience below.