Ridgerunner sleeping surface with a pad

[Tonopah]

I sleep cold and I am used to tent camping. The hammock that works best for me is a double layer RR with the Spindrift two door. I leave the Spindrift on year round. In warm weather, I can leave the doors open and use the bug net (there are gross grain loops on the underside of the Spindrift from which to hang the net -- Brandon added them for me).
I prefer a pad but getting the pad in with the Spindrift on is pretty impossible. So I had a horizontal zipper installed (thanks Brandon) at each end of the Spindrift so sliding the pad in is easy.

This is obviously not a backpacking set up but it is good for me off the motorcycle or out of my jeep. The pad does flatten the lay and adds shoulder room.

[Brien]

Nothing like dredging up an old thread.

So I got my dual-layer RR and I'm now in the market for the sleeping pad. The last time I bought one was about 15 years ago and a lot has changed. Here's what I'm looking for and hopefully I can get some input on narrowing it down.

Since the sleeping pad will replace my UQ I want something insulated, the problem is I don't know how much insulation is necessary. As mentioned in my OP I'm a fair weather camper and wouldn't be camping in anything below 30 degrees. I have a 17 degree bag that is awesome.

I want something that is going to be more ridged when inflated to help keep the hammock flatter. I see a lot of inflatables with air channels running along the pad, would that type of pad be more likely to fold in?

Weight... I do 10 times more car camping then backpacking. So finding that balance between the two is tough. From what I've seen there are a lot of insulated pads under 2 lbs., so I'd like to stay in that range. Would go heavier if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Also, I've seen some with heat-reflective polyurethane coating, do you think that helps or is a gimmick?

[Passinthru]

I have been considering a pad to add to my inventory. Without any actual experience with a pad in a hammock it seems to me (and I think I also read it here) that a pad with crosswise channels, rather than lengthwise, will stay a little flatter, maybe reducing shoulder squeeze more. I considered mummy shaped pads for the weight savings but have decided to go with a rectangular pad, thinking it will give me better coverage. I'm down to the Thermarest Neo Trekker or the All Season in the long and wide size. I don't mind the 1 - 1 1/2 lbs and they pack down pretty small.

[Mumbles]

Exped downmat 9 keeps me flat and warm when very cold. Maybe a downmat or synmat 5 or 7?

[ChacMool]

Just thinking about various pads by themselves, it makes sense that direction of air channels (etc.) could make a difference in how well they will widen out your hammock. But I think when you lie on a pad, compressing its air with your weight, most any inflated pad will stiffen and make the RR feel much wider than it would without one. There may not be one best answer. Over time, you may end up with a few pads -- for longer hikes vs. car camping trips, or different conditions.

[Brien]

Does anyone know how think of a pad (25") the RR can accommodate?

[BillyBob58]

Those Expeds are great from what I hear. Also, have you considered one of these:
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-...season/product

The 25" wide model weighs a hair over 1.5 lbs @ 25 oz. (typical 20F full length UQ ~ 23 oz) With a 4.9R value, they should be good into the 20s or close to it. You could always add a torso sized 20" wide CCF pad under(or over) it if you had to sleep out colder than that. When I put it into my BMBH, my shoulders no longer touched the sides. Or, if you wanted to go colder and also save a little more weight, you could go with this mummy style R value 5.7, only 20 oz for the wide:
http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-...xtherm/product

I suspect this would be warmer than most 20-25F UQs, actually go well below 20F with slightly lower weight, and wind and waterproof. I don't think the mummy shape would be a problem in a bridge hammock, but I don't have experience with it. However, I'm not sure if either of these(or any other pad) would do one thing I love in my JRB BMBHs: insulate the high sides. I like to lean back into the sides of my BMBHs, and my UQs insulate those areas. I would have plenty of shoulder room on my back, but I might miss that leaning back into the side deal. I suppose some cure could be found with a piece of CCF if it turned out to be a problem.

[Demeter]

I had many of the same questions when researching a pad for my new RR this summer. This is a chart of my "research":

http://demeters-dish.blogspot.com/20...son-chart.html

I have used the NeoAir Xtherm and Xlite. I am a very cold sleeper, XTherm is great for cold weather. The Xlite is plenty for 3 season use, especially if you are a hot sleeper. I am going on the DC Backpacker's annual New Year's Trip to WV in January, and plann on stacking the Xtherm with an Underquilt, plus using the Spindrift. Last year it was -5°F at night!

[1csleptonkayak]

+1 Thermarest NeoAir All Season. Baffles run "width-wise". 4.9R ~ 20*F

[novascotia-hanger]

I would be interested in any other input, I just bought a RR and find it not as wide as I would like (using an UQ). If the inflatable pad adds some width then that would be great!! Also if current users believe a pad is better than a UQ then I would love to hear that as well.