rayestrella1
2009-07-07 18:53:06 UTC
LTR Merrell UL Comfort System Ray Estrella
Hello Christopher,
Here is the copy for my MontBell report, the HTML may be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/knm2jb
Ray
LONG-TERM REPORT
Field Conditions
First they went on an over-nighter in the San Gorgonio Wilderness by way of the Momyer Creek Trail. Forecast was rain turning to snow. I set up camp at Saxton at 8400 ft (2560 m) elevation. Temps ranged from 39 F to 55 F (4 to 13 C).
Next I used them on a two day trip to Maplewood State Park to pre-scout sites for this summer's hiking with the kids. The trails were free of snow but quite wet and muddy in spots. I walked 12 mi (19 km) carrying a 21 lb (9.5 kg) pack. The temps ranged from 34 to 45 F (1 to 7 C).
I used them on a four-day trip to the Hetch Hetchy region of Yosemite National Park. The coldest it got was 35 F (2 C) and the elevations ranged from 3800 to 8400 ft (1160 to 2560 m). I also used the pad in the backpacker's campground the night before the hike.
I went back to San Gorgonio Wilderness to do some bushwhacking to find an old unmaintained trail. I spent the night at Limber Pine Bench. It was much warmer this time. The temps were between 42 F and 67 F (6 to 19 C). I went about 18 mi (29 km) over every kind of terrain from rock to deep pine and oak duff.
Next I used them on an over-night backpacking trip with my children, Emma and Ray. We went to Maplewood State Park in Minnesota where we camped at Cow Lake. The trails were still very muddy in places. The temps ran from 80 F down to 48 F (27 to 9 C) and it only sprinkled a little in the evening. We went about 7 mi (11 km).
Next was a two and a half day backpacking trip in Sequoia National Forest in the Sierra Nevada range just south of Mount Langley. The temps ranged from lows of 30 F to highs of 80 F (-1 to 27 C). The high point was 11200 ft (3400 m). This trip saw 59 miles (95 km) with 7340 ft (2240 m) of gain go into the hiking log.
Observations
Nothing much has changed from my last report. All pieces are in very good shape even though they have been out a lot, stuffed a lot, and handled a lot, including many airport security checks. (Hector Airport in Fargo ND still opens every piece of my checked luggage because of a stove incident in 2003.) I have had no leakage at all from the two pieces that inflate and no excess wear on anything. As before I shall go through the list.
The Pillow
I still am very impressed with this little pillow. It packs so small that it is easy to lose. I could not find it after a solo trip in MN and thought I had lost it. My daughter found it for me under our love-seat, where it had rolled when emptying my pack. This may be the light-weight, space-saving find of the year for me as it works well too. On my annual UL Challenge hike that Dave makes me do I had a smaller pillow that him thanks to MontBell. (See it on this trip in the Tarptent Rainbow lower in the report.)
My kids love it too. They had to take turns using all these pieces, camping out in the front room. Them saying the pillow works well for them is a boon to me as I can replace their heavy pillows (that I carry because of the space they take in their packs) with the MontBells.
As warmer weather has led to me to use the pillow directly under my head without my sleeping bag's hood in between, I have noticed a bit of discomfort from sweating and sticking to the shell. It was very easily taken care of by placing the pillow inside my T-shirt. I plan do this right away from now on.
We found that we can pretend that we are at the beach or a stadium by inflating the pillow very full and hitting it to each other. (Please note that the manufacturer does not recommend, or even know of this practice.) It works well in a good sized tent. But care must be taken not to spike it, as my son likes to do when he gets wound up. That inflation valve can put an eye out, young man
I plan to be using the MontBell pillow for a long time to come, and will be buying two more for the kids.
The Pad
I have needed to continue to bolster the pad by using something else with it to accommodate my side-sleeping style and weight. (My kids borrowed it for a night each at home and think it is the best! Of course they are less than half my weight.) Having to carry my full size Z-Rest adds 14 oz (395 g) to my total pad weight, using one of the kid's short Z-Rests adds only 11 oz (310 g). But I found a better alternative in a 0.25 in (0.6 cm) ThinLight pad from Gossamer Gear that only adds 5.2 oz (147 g) yet is just enough extra support to allow me to use the Comfort Pad. These extra pads allowed me to keep using it for the rest of the test. I cannot use it by itself though.
I would like to suggest that MontBell look into using a thicker pad to add comfort and support, but employ a die-cut technique to offset any weight hit, as I realize that they are trying for weight and space savings with this pad. (Which I applaud.)
While I have not experienced any true problems with the pad, one thing that I expected to change with use has not. When brand-new the pad did not self-inflate upon opening the valve and unrolling it. On the last trip I took the pad on (Maplewood SP #2) I unrolled it on a picnic table that the park officials haul out to every backpacking site to inflate while I set up the tent. When I went to put all our pads inside the Comfort UL was still flat and compressed. It is not a big deal as it only takes me four to five big breaths to inflate it but I thought that the company and our dear readers may want to know about the phenomena. The strange case of the open-cell foam that refuses to open.
The Extension Pad 30
I still really like this little piece of folding foam. I take it on almost every trip I go on, even some day hikes that were not listed above. This is because it works so well as a sit pad and is easy to carry than my blue foam sit pad. I have been using a new air pad lately and have used the Extension Pad underneath it at my shoulder and chest area to add some insulation in cold locales. When in big enough tents I still use it for what it was designed, adding length to my pad for when I want to stretch out. And I have used it folded in half in front of my pad to give the pillow some extra height and insulation when I could not keep the pillow on the pad due to tent space constrictions.
This is another keeper for me. Even though I have been sitting on it on rock, sand and dirt, and old logs like seen above (look to the right of my tent) it has not shown much wear to date. I do have to remember to place a rock on it when I get up as I have had to chase it down a few times since it is light enough to blow away quite easily. At least the orange color makes it easy to follow
I would like to thank MontBell and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to participate in this test. While the pad did not work as well for me as it may for others, the other two items are going to be along for further adventures.
------------------------------------
Hello Christopher,
Here is the copy for my MontBell report, the HTML may be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/knm2jb
Ray
LONG-TERM REPORT
Field Conditions
First they went on an over-nighter in the San Gorgonio Wilderness by way of the Momyer Creek Trail. Forecast was rain turning to snow. I set up camp at Saxton at 8400 ft (2560 m) elevation. Temps ranged from 39 F to 55 F (4 to 13 C).
Next I used them on a two day trip to Maplewood State Park to pre-scout sites for this summer's hiking with the kids. The trails were free of snow but quite wet and muddy in spots. I walked 12 mi (19 km) carrying a 21 lb (9.5 kg) pack. The temps ranged from 34 to 45 F (1 to 7 C).
I used them on a four-day trip to the Hetch Hetchy region of Yosemite National Park. The coldest it got was 35 F (2 C) and the elevations ranged from 3800 to 8400 ft (1160 to 2560 m). I also used the pad in the backpacker's campground the night before the hike.
I went back to San Gorgonio Wilderness to do some bushwhacking to find an old unmaintained trail. I spent the night at Limber Pine Bench. It was much warmer this time. The temps were between 42 F and 67 F (6 to 19 C). I went about 18 mi (29 km) over every kind of terrain from rock to deep pine and oak duff.
Next I used them on an over-night backpacking trip with my children, Emma and Ray. We went to Maplewood State Park in Minnesota where we camped at Cow Lake. The trails were still very muddy in places. The temps ran from 80 F down to 48 F (27 to 9 C) and it only sprinkled a little in the evening. We went about 7 mi (11 km).
Next was a two and a half day backpacking trip in Sequoia National Forest in the Sierra Nevada range just south of Mount Langley. The temps ranged from lows of 30 F to highs of 80 F (-1 to 27 C). The high point was 11200 ft (3400 m). This trip saw 59 miles (95 km) with 7340 ft (2240 m) of gain go into the hiking log.
Observations
Nothing much has changed from my last report. All pieces are in very good shape even though they have been out a lot, stuffed a lot, and handled a lot, including many airport security checks. (Hector Airport in Fargo ND still opens every piece of my checked luggage because of a stove incident in 2003.) I have had no leakage at all from the two pieces that inflate and no excess wear on anything. As before I shall go through the list.
The Pillow
I still am very impressed with this little pillow. It packs so small that it is easy to lose. I could not find it after a solo trip in MN and thought I had lost it. My daughter found it for me under our love-seat, where it had rolled when emptying my pack. This may be the light-weight, space-saving find of the year for me as it works well too. On my annual UL Challenge hike that Dave makes me do I had a smaller pillow that him thanks to MontBell. (See it on this trip in the Tarptent Rainbow lower in the report.)
My kids love it too. They had to take turns using all these pieces, camping out in the front room. Them saying the pillow works well for them is a boon to me as I can replace their heavy pillows (that I carry because of the space they take in their packs) with the MontBells.
As warmer weather has led to me to use the pillow directly under my head without my sleeping bag's hood in between, I have noticed a bit of discomfort from sweating and sticking to the shell. It was very easily taken care of by placing the pillow inside my T-shirt. I plan do this right away from now on.
We found that we can pretend that we are at the beach or a stadium by inflating the pillow very full and hitting it to each other. (Please note that the manufacturer does not recommend, or even know of this practice.) It works well in a good sized tent. But care must be taken not to spike it, as my son likes to do when he gets wound up. That inflation valve can put an eye out, young man
I plan to be using the MontBell pillow for a long time to come, and will be buying two more for the kids.
The Pad
I have needed to continue to bolster the pad by using something else with it to accommodate my side-sleeping style and weight. (My kids borrowed it for a night each at home and think it is the best! Of course they are less than half my weight.) Having to carry my full size Z-Rest adds 14 oz (395 g) to my total pad weight, using one of the kid's short Z-Rests adds only 11 oz (310 g). But I found a better alternative in a 0.25 in (0.6 cm) ThinLight pad from Gossamer Gear that only adds 5.2 oz (147 g) yet is just enough extra support to allow me to use the Comfort Pad. These extra pads allowed me to keep using it for the rest of the test. I cannot use it by itself though.
I would like to suggest that MontBell look into using a thicker pad to add comfort and support, but employ a die-cut technique to offset any weight hit, as I realize that they are trying for weight and space savings with this pad. (Which I applaud.)
While I have not experienced any true problems with the pad, one thing that I expected to change with use has not. When brand-new the pad did not self-inflate upon opening the valve and unrolling it. On the last trip I took the pad on (Maplewood SP #2) I unrolled it on a picnic table that the park officials haul out to every backpacking site to inflate while I set up the tent. When I went to put all our pads inside the Comfort UL was still flat and compressed. It is not a big deal as it only takes me four to five big breaths to inflate it but I thought that the company and our dear readers may want to know about the phenomena. The strange case of the open-cell foam that refuses to open.
The Extension Pad 30
I still really like this little piece of folding foam. I take it on almost every trip I go on, even some day hikes that were not listed above. This is because it works so well as a sit pad and is easy to carry than my blue foam sit pad. I have been using a new air pad lately and have used the Extension Pad underneath it at my shoulder and chest area to add some insulation in cold locales. When in big enough tents I still use it for what it was designed, adding length to my pad for when I want to stretch out. And I have used it folded in half in front of my pad to give the pillow some extra height and insulation when I could not keep the pillow on the pad due to tent space constrictions.
This is another keeper for me. Even though I have been sitting on it on rock, sand and dirt, and old logs like seen above (look to the right of my tent) it has not shown much wear to date. I do have to remember to place a rock on it when I get up as I have had to chase it down a few times since it is light enough to blow away quite easily. At least the orange color makes it easy to follow
I would like to thank MontBell and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to participate in this test. While the pad did not work as well for me as it may for others, the other two items are going to be along for further adventures.
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