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Mountain Hardwear Backcountry 60 Pad
By David Loveland
Mountain
Hardwear's latest addition to the sleeping pad world is perhaps just
what you're looking for. They have 3 new lines of pads, designed for
three separate jobs- the car camper, the back packer, and the mountaineer.
All three lines also have different sizes, for a total of nine options.
We at GearReview.com tested the backpacking model- called the Backcountry.
It is 60 inches long, hence the name Backcountry 60.
This pad is designed from the ground up. Don't be put off that it is
designed to be part of Mountain Hardwear's sleep system, it works great
even if it is the only piece of Mountain Hardwear gear you own. Keep in
mind that this is not a self-inflating pad. That's right, it doesn't rely
on an air chamber to keep you insulated from the ground. Before you gasp,
let me remind you of the number of self-inflating mattresses that you have
seen with patches on them.
Instead it has two different types of padding, bonded together to give
you a comfortable nights sleep. The closed cell foam is designed to keep
you warm, and the open cell will give you the comfort you need- even if
you forget your teddy bear. There is an ingenious zippered cover over the
whole thing- the bottom is water-resistant, and the top is tear resistant.
Unzip the cover, and pull out the pad if you need to air it out. You will
also find a mesh pocket inside, the perfect place to slip your jacket into
to create a pillow that you won't have to search for in the night.
The pad does roll up a little thicker than you're used to if you have
been using inflating mattresses. Over the testing period, the smallest
diameter I could get the pad to roll into was about 6 inches. The pad's
light weight makes up for any extra bulk, and I didn't find the bulk to
be a problem. We took it mostly on glaciers and above tree line hiking,
but perhaps the bulk would cause a problem if you were to crawl through
some thick underbrush, but then any pad would have the same problem.
The shape of the pad is ergonomically designed, with it being about 20
inches wide at the shoulders, and tapers down to 12 inches at the foot
of the pad. The pad itself is about 50 inches long, with another 10
inches of material at the bottom of the pad this is used to roll the
pad in.
I tested this pad in a variety of settings, everything from car
camping to sleeping on Mount Rainier's Emmon's glacier, and it passed
with flying colors. While on the glacier, I worried a little about the
22 inches of me that wouldn't be over the pad if I were stretched out.
I put a couple of fleece items down there, and never noticed the difference.
For 99% of the time, you and I both probably sleep in the fetal position
and 50 inches of pad is plenty. This pad is light weight, durable,
comfortable and will give you an 'edge' you might be missing. Take this
pad with you, and you can leave your teddy bear home!
Summary: The Mountain Hardwear Backcountry 60 pad makes a trouble
free lightweight addition to any body's backpack. The potential bulk
doesn't seem to be a trouble spot, and well worth the price.
Model: Backcountry 60
Wt. 2 lbs
Cost. $55
Dave Loveland is a contributing editor to GearReview.com. specializing in mountaineering and family camping.
For more information, contact:
Mountain Hardwear
4911 Central Avenue
Richmond, CA 94804
1-800-953-8375
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