Eco Thermo Pad - Sleeping With a Clearer Conscience
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 05.17.07
The ECO Thermo 6 Sleeping Pad from Pacific Outdoor Equipment has scored the two of the most prestigious American outdoor equipment awards. First is claimed the Backpacker Editors' Choice Green Award, then went on to also pick up one from Outside Magazine’s Gear of the Year Awards, again in the green category. What caused it to so excite the reviewers (see video here)? Well the mat started out as a sort of experiment to see how green a product could be made, and sort just went on from prototype to commercial reality. The outer fabric of undyed bamboo fibre contains a carbonised bamboo fibre fill. Air enters or exits via a recycled aluminium valve. (We wonder what proofing agent they selected to make the fabric air tight?). The cord on the included stuff sack is made from hemp. Additionally Pacific Outdoor Equipment claim it to be “the outdoor industry’s first carbon-neutral sleeping pad” because they purchase renewable wind and solar power to offset the CO2 produced from manufacturing and shipping the pads. All this seems to have been achieved without any big trade-off in performance, 21.5 oz (610 gm) is a reasonable weight for a full length, thick sleep mat. The Montana based company also plants 1 tree for every 27 mats they make, and are (if I read correctly) in the process of installing one solar panel for every employee. They have a motto: good gear = less waste. ::Pacific Outdoor Equipment ECO Thermo.
Why do you need this? Sleep on the ground.My typical pack includes 1 compass/map - 1 9mm pistol two fully loaded - knife and tarp. Misc bungee cords and poles.
Why do you need this? Sleep on the ground.My typical pack includes 1 compass/map - 1 9mm pistol two fully loaded - knife and tarp. Misc bungee cords and poles.
re: why?
When camping most heat is lost through the ground... even during summer when in the mountains the temperature late at night can drop well below comfortable levels, and in spring/fall/winter it is unsafe to sleep without an insulated pad...
Sleepingbags insulation is dependant on air being trapped, and the insulation or feathers below your body are flattened, reducing thier insulating properties to nothing...
underneath you could go with layers of newspaper, a bed of dried leaves, a few wool blankets... but for the sake of lightweight backpacking, I'll stick with a small self inflating sleep pad.
hope your gun keeps you warm...
My gun does make me fell safe.I am not a sheep.I know first hand what that is like.I prefer to be a citizen. I know from 21 years of military service how to use it.As far as keeping me warm not quite.With a good coat / clothes you don't need a whole lot of junk.Have you ever heard of better safe than sorry?Using a lightweight pack i can take anything i need.Whens the last time you saw a bear 6 feet away from you?I have but i bet you have not.I usually camp for about a month in nationally forests in very remote areas.With only what i can carry.By the way grubs and worms are not that bad with various things you find in the forest.
Anonymous, I wish you freedom from fear, so that you can travel lighter and more peacefully through the world.
On a more on-topic note, I'd be reluctant to rely on an inflatable to keep me from freezing to death. I think I'd prefer something that at least had the option of being stuffed with something less escape prone than air. Maybe it could have an extra sleeve for stuffing it with leaves, towels, dirty laundry, etc.