2022-012 | THERM-A-REST RIDGEREST CLASSIC PAD REGULAR

A WEEK BEFORE I WAS ABOUT to embark on my Thruhike of the whole length of Cebu Island, Philippines, on January 17, 2017, a package arrived at my address. It was a THERM-A-REST RidgeRest Classic Pad Regular, courtesy of a benefactor, Michael Schwarz. It was heaven sent and, immediately, it became part of my gear. It has to be, notwithstanding its size.

It is kind of bulky. If laid flat on the ground, it is 72 inches (182.9 cms.) in length, 20 inches (50.8 cms.) wide and 0.63 inch (1.6 cms.) thick. When rolled and packed inside its plastic packaging, its dimension becomes 8 inches (20.3 cms.) by 20 inches (50.8 cms.). Just the same, it cannot be packed inside the backpack but it could be rigged above or below your bag. 

It is very lightweight. It only weigh a mere 0.85 pound or a paper-like 0.39 kilo. It is constructed of cross-linked polyethylene. The patented molded design is constructed with a pattern of ridges and valleys to trap dead air that could increase its insulation value. The ridges make this pad softer and more comfortable than smooth closed-cell foam pads. Besides, it is made in the USA. 

I did not have time to test this in the field but it would immediately see action in this tough Thruhike across Cebu, from south to north, along its very rugged central cordillera, weather and all, 408+ kilometers long, which I have planned would take me 26 days of walking with three days of rest. The route explorations of the Cebu Highlands Trail had been wrapped up last November 2016, and it was time to test the route.

 

The bag I carried has only 40 liters room space. It has no more space for the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest nor can it be rigged above this bag for I placed a Galileo radionavigation tracking device, which location at the top is crucial for interface with a series of satellites. Although I am travelling by memory, the device only serves to record our progress in real time for the consumption of my “audience”. 

What I did was borrow a wide shoulder strap from another backpack and wove it through the center of the packed THERM-A-REST RestRidge and lengthen the strap with a flat shoelace and slung it on one shoulder, frontiersman style. This classic sleeping pad was thus displayed prominently on my front with its complementary plastic packaging and label. 

This unusual carry somehow interfered initially, on the first day, the view of my shoes and the ground I trod. One time, I slipped and bumped a knee on a rock, tearing fabric and skin. From that moment on, I developed a technique in carrying the THERM-A-REST this way. However, on the third and fifteenth days, strong gusts of wind swept it away, leaving me off-balanced. I adjusted the location of the RestRidge on the lee side of my bag.

 

The first day, I found myself camping below a ridge an hour before dusk. I preferred a hammock and a canopy sheet for it is lighter and does not take up so much space than a tent. I squeezed inside the THERM-A-REST RestRidge through the opened bug net and settled it as flat as possible. Then came the strong winds and it pelted rain on my campsite.

After supper, I settled inside the hammock and lay above the RestRidge. It took me many seconds to master the art of sleeping with that inside the hammock. While the rain lashed hard in torrents, I did not feel the icy fingers of cold wind that usually crawled on an unprotected back. The thick polyethylene construction simply deflected wind chill and prevent heat loss. 

I was comfortable that night and it amazed me what this lightweight sleeping gear could accomplish and it provided me a sense of comfort on my Thruhike. I slept through the night, broke camp and resumed my journey until I arrived at our next destination on the second day. The camp site was situated on a peak. Although there is an unfinished structure with a roof, it was open on three sides.

That night, winds stronger than that of yesterday’s, lashed my partly covered campsite with rain. Even when I rigged a canopy sheet to shelter my hammock apart from the roof, rainwater was able to douse my hammock wet. Were it not for the THERM-A-REST RestRidge, which kept me dry, warm and half-awake; I would have suffered a mild case of hypothermia.

The third night I slept among trees. It rained the whole night until sunrise appeared. The hammock was wet from the previous night as were my clothes. For weight considerations, I did not carry spare hiking pants and shirt. What spares I could carry where two pairs of socks, three pairs of elastic undershorts and a synthetic long-sleeved sports shirt which I used as my sleeping outfit and was partly-moist from two nights’ exposure to moody weather. 

I was comfortable on that night with nothing below my crotch. The THERM-A-REST RidgeRest curled along the edges to protect my lower legs and part of my thighs from the damp air and wind chills. The polyethylene structure with its deep grooves and ridges are well designed to trap pockets of warm air which aided in my insulation from the cold. The RidgeRest is surprisingly warm all night long!

 

The next eight nights I used the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest on the comforts of a covered structure, varying from place to place, but, just the same, I slept on bare concrete floors. It helped to keep the RidgeRest surface clean by placing it over a cheap laminated nylon sheet instead of placing it directly on concrete surface. The molded polyethylene pad acts like cushion because it is soft as it is 1.6 centimeters thick. 

On the twelfth night, I camped in the woods in close proximity to a big stream where, again, it rained during the night. The dampness in the cold air was felt but the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest stayed the same, giving me the same warmth and comfort that I had so appreciated on the first few days camping in the wild. From that day on, until I reached the end of my journey, I slept in covered structures with the same luxury experienced during the middle part of my Thruhike. 

My Thruhike would have fared different if I did not have the privilege of using a THERM-A-REST RidgeRest. It was never in my plans nor was I giving priority of acquiring it. It just appeared from out of nowhere on the most vital point of my planning and preparations. Without second thoughts, I immediately accommodated this as part of my load and gear. It may stand out due to its bulk but it was compensated by its weight.

When I had the opportunity to travel to Luzon, I brought this with me and showed this to my benefactor, who was most happy to see his goodwill had been one of the factors that led to the success of the Thruhike. We both camped overnight in Itogon, Benguet and four days more in Masinloc, Zambales to celebrate that freedom of the hills with his gang. 

Upon my final analysis, the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest delivered during my epic Thruhike of Cebu, an expedition that was a first in Southern Philippines. I have benefitted from its design and make and, altogether, it made my trek tolerable and, at the same time, comfortable, especially where I needed it most. The warmth it gave me was unexpected and was the deciding factor why I finished the Cebu Highlands Trail in 26 days! 

I highly recommend the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest Classic Pad for camping and normal domestic use. It complements very well both hammocks and tents. Sleeping on the ground with it insulates you from the cold ground and rain runoffs. Sleeping over it while hanging inside a hammock protects you from wind chill and from moisture caused by rain and mist.

The THERM-A-REST RidgeRest can be acquired online in the Philippines from its local distributor, The Outdoor Armory at P1,490, excluding shipment. However, this sleeping pad can also be bought from Lazada and Shopee at the same retail price. Most likely, shipping fee would be added. Read the details before adding it to cart.