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When it comes to sleeping on the trail, I’ve realized that it’s not worth compromising sleep quality. I’ve had a closed cell foam pad for some time, but when I turned 30 on a hike this past June I knew that it was worth investing a bit of money on something nicer. I had searched for a long time for a lightweight sleeping pad that didn’t take up a lot of space, and I decided to throw money at one of Klymit’s many pads, the X-Lite.
Just the Facts
- Length: 42″
- Width: 18″
- Height: 1.5″
- Weight: 6.1 oz
- Comes with:
- Stuff sack
- repair kit
- Dry-inflate pump
- Packed size: 1.5″ x 6″
The Details
The X-Lite is a 3/4 length version of the X-Frame, a sleeping pad designed using Bodymapping to minimize the amount of weight and pad needed, while making sure your body stays comfortable. It provides lots of support for the head, shoulders and waist, but minimizes fabric and padding around the parts of your body that don’t need it. This allows the X-Frame to drop down to a lightweight 9.1 ounces and the X-Lite to weigh only 6.1 oz. It’s an ingenious concept that I see as one of the few revolutions in sleeping pads that we’ve seen in the last 10 years.
The bodymapping has another benefit. The whole sleeping pad packs down to about the size of an energy drink can. My biggest complaint about the closed cell foam pad is the amount of space it uses. This can’t be beat for size, weight or comfort.
When you first look at the sleeping pad you’ll probably think something along the lines of, “This is good for back sleepers, but useless for side sleepers”, at least that’s what I thought. As a guy who divides his time about 50/50 between side and back sleeping and having using this pad for over 60 nights now I can happily say that it works for both. The padding in the key zones makes it comfortable to sleep in both positions.
Another benefit of these body mapped pads are their loft pockets. If you do using a normal sleeping pad, you’ve probably heard that compressed insulation (read the underside of your sleeping bag) doesn’t do much insulating. With the empty spaces in the pad, your bag can loft and your sleeping bag can do its job.
If you worry about falling off the pad or are a wriggly sleeper try putting the x-lite inside your sleeping pad. You get all the benefits without slipping off it in the night.
The other concern I had was not having a full length pad. I recommend taking your current sleeping pad and using it only for your head and torso. Try using your empty pack to elevate your feet. You’ll find that your legs probably don’t even touch the ground at all. This is essentially how to use a 3/4 length pad and you’ll probably find it serves you just fine. If not, try the x-frame for an extra 3 oz.
The one thing that I had to get used to was the width. At 18″ wide I find that my arms hang down off the edges a bit.I had to get used to sleeping with my arms crossed or hands folded. I’m used to it now, but if I was to improve it I’d add another 2 inches to the width to make it a bit more luxurious.
Inflation
The pad can be inflated with either the mouth valve or the pump connect. If moisture isn’t an issue, it is recommended that you blow it up with your lungs (about 3 breathes for me) and then top up to the pressure you like with the inflation pump. If you are in a really cold environment and you don’t want moisture in the pad, you can work away with only the pump. It will take a while, but it works.
The mouth inflation valve has three settings: Open, closed and locked. Open is for inflation and letting the air out. In the closed setting, the valve is shut, but it acts as a pressure relief valve. It is recommended for when you top up the pressure with your hand pump. If you over inflate, the valve will open and the pad won’t burst. The Locked setting is for when you’re using it. It makes sure the air doesn’t escape when you’re sleeping on it.
The Pump itself works with a universal connect and even has a pressure relief button to lower the inflation if you need to so you don’t have to open the mouth valve and start all over again.
Conclusion
Klymit has created some really excellent pads for backpacking. The X-Lite is perfect for me. I’m incredibly impressed with its comfort, packability and weight. The only improvement for me would be to make it a bit wider.
If you’re looking for a new pad, check them out. They don’t just do minimalist pads. I’m probably going to pick up the Static V for my wife, who wants something a bit more luxurious for our backpacking adventures.
