uintahiker
Adventure Guru
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2012
- Messages
- 719
Upfront disclosure: I paid a reduced amount for this pad with the understanding that I would write a gear review about it after testing it.
Gear Review: I have spent 5 nights on the Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad. Two nights, the temperatures have been cold enough to have frost on the tent, 2 nights have resulted in dew on the tent in the morning, and 1 night was extremely warm all night long, so I've slept on the pad in a range of conditions. My experience so far has been generally positive.
The two nights with the frost on the tent I slept cold, but I am unsure of how much to attribute it to the pad, or to the fact that my wife threw the kids in the tent prior to me having the sleeping arrangements in order and I ended up crammed against the wall all night long. Not a desirable place to be even during warmer weather.
The nights with the dew on the tent were mixed levels of warmth. One night everyone ended up in the tent early and again I was scrunched against the wall. I slept cold that night. I thought "This has got to end" so I explained the situation and made sure I had wall clearance for the other times I've used the pad. The second night, this one buffered from the wall by about a foot, I slept warm and comfortable.
The latest night was the really warm one. I slept great that night too. I was away from the wall of the tent again.
Conclusions from the testing: Don't sleep next to the wall of your tent! I think it's a great pad for 3 season camping. The pad does not have enough insulation for the winter, extreme early spring, and late fall .
Pro's of the Klymit Static V:
Thick pad- 2.5 inches of support underneath rocks! It keeps you well off the ground and away from the smaller bumps and knobs that I've felt through other pads.
Easy to inflate- It's not self inflating, but the 10 breaths to inflate as advertised is very close to reality. I can inflate it with 10 lungfulls or 12 or so smaller breaths. It inflates quickly and doesn't leave you breathless.
Light weight- The pad comes in at under a pound for a full size pad. Not bad at all!
Packs small- rolled up (and it rolls up easily, unlike some insulated pads) the pad is about the size of a can of pop.
Design- Laying on the pad pushes air to the sides instead of to the ends. I think it adds support without the banana/folding in half feel that I've felt on other inflatable pads. The welded seams are thick which should add to the durability. The 1/4 turn mouthpiece is very convenient and sure beats turning a valve 4-6 times to keep the air in.
Cost- I think it's advertised at $60, which is extremely reasonable when compared with the prices of competitor's pads.
Con's of the Klymit Static V:
It's not insulated- I've slept cold on it a few nights. (not sure how much to attribute to the pad or my wife, but I thought I'd mention it).
Limited places it's available at- I looked for it at REI and Sportsmans Warehouse, but it wasn't in either store. It's still a relatively young company, so this is somewhat to be expected, but it would be great if some of the larger retailers picked it up. Online at Klymit.com, or stopping by their place in Ogden, Utah, or Recreation Outlet are a few places it's available.
Overall opinion and rating: This pad is a great value and is built well. It's a great 2.5 season pad, which well contains the months that most people camp during. It's small and light for backpacking, and has the thicker support which is great for sleepers of all types. Buy it. You won't regret it.
Gear Review: I have spent 5 nights on the Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad. Two nights, the temperatures have been cold enough to have frost on the tent, 2 nights have resulted in dew on the tent in the morning, and 1 night was extremely warm all night long, so I've slept on the pad in a range of conditions. My experience so far has been generally positive.
The two nights with the frost on the tent I slept cold, but I am unsure of how much to attribute it to the pad, or to the fact that my wife threw the kids in the tent prior to me having the sleeping arrangements in order and I ended up crammed against the wall all night long. Not a desirable place to be even during warmer weather.
The nights with the dew on the tent were mixed levels of warmth. One night everyone ended up in the tent early and again I was scrunched against the wall. I slept cold that night. I thought "This has got to end" so I explained the situation and made sure I had wall clearance for the other times I've used the pad. The second night, this one buffered from the wall by about a foot, I slept warm and comfortable.
The latest night was the really warm one. I slept great that night too. I was away from the wall of the tent again.
Conclusions from the testing: Don't sleep next to the wall of your tent! I think it's a great pad for 3 season camping. The pad does not have enough insulation for the winter, extreme early spring, and late fall .
Pro's of the Klymit Static V:
Thick pad- 2.5 inches of support underneath rocks! It keeps you well off the ground and away from the smaller bumps and knobs that I've felt through other pads.
Easy to inflate- It's not self inflating, but the 10 breaths to inflate as advertised is very close to reality. I can inflate it with 10 lungfulls or 12 or so smaller breaths. It inflates quickly and doesn't leave you breathless.
Light weight- The pad comes in at under a pound for a full size pad. Not bad at all!
Packs small- rolled up (and it rolls up easily, unlike some insulated pads) the pad is about the size of a can of pop.
Design- Laying on the pad pushes air to the sides instead of to the ends. I think it adds support without the banana/folding in half feel that I've felt on other inflatable pads. The welded seams are thick which should add to the durability. The 1/4 turn mouthpiece is very convenient and sure beats turning a valve 4-6 times to keep the air in.
Cost- I think it's advertised at $60, which is extremely reasonable when compared with the prices of competitor's pads.
Con's of the Klymit Static V:
It's not insulated- I've slept cold on it a few nights. (not sure how much to attribute to the pad or my wife, but I thought I'd mention it).
Limited places it's available at- I looked for it at REI and Sportsmans Warehouse, but it wasn't in either store. It's still a relatively young company, so this is somewhat to be expected, but it would be great if some of the larger retailers picked it up. Online at Klymit.com, or stopping by their place in Ogden, Utah, or Recreation Outlet are a few places it's available.
Overall opinion and rating: This pad is a great value and is built well. It's a great 2.5 season pad, which well contains the months that most people camp during. It's small and light for backpacking, and has the thicker support which is great for sleepers of all types. Buy it. You won't regret it.