I've just received a thermasrest prolite 3 thought the post. I expected it to weigh 370 grams, and indeed it even says that on the outside. But it weights 440 grams. That's with the polythene cover that can't weigh more than a few grams.

I am a gram-counter and want to send it back. Will I just get sent another the same weight though????

How awful.

Yes, I reckon you'll get another 'overweight' one. I liked the sound of 370g over the 420g of my existing Thermarest Lite 3/4 when they first brought out the Prolite series a few years back. But I took my kitchen scales to the shop (sad I know!), weighed 3, and they all came out at 430g or 440g, so i didn't spend the money.


It doesn't seem to be just Thermarest either. Last summer I bought an Insulmat Max Thermo 3/4 from the USA and it weighed about 20% more than claimed. I couldn't easily return it so I fired an email to Pacific Outdoor Equipment (the manufacturer) to express my dissatisfaction, not expecting to hear anything. However, to their credit they responded, and promised to send me a new, lighter mat once this year's new models were in stock. A bit of chasing later and just before Christmas I received one of their new mats (like a cross between a Thermarest and an Insulmat), so again fair play to them. However I then put it on my scales and guess what - 20% heavier than claimed on the packaging! I really don't know how they all do it!!

PS. The Insulmat is a cracking mat though, despite the weight not quite living up to claims....

Tried puffing it up with helium?

If you went on a carefully controlled diet, you could probably easily lose 70g, and then you would be carrying the same weight.

Who Doc, me or Jason? ;)

Tee hee!
I'm still trying to work out the dehydrated water you were on about!

According to my "back of a fag packet" calculation, if you trim approximately 190mm off the bottom end, the mat weight will be correct.

Hope that helps.

:-)

True BG, and it would render uneneccesary a previous suggestion of mine - that making lots of little holes in it with your Leatherman or Swiss Army Knife makes it a lot easier to get back in the stuffsac after you've slept on it! ;)

You may get one at the stated weight - mine weighs 370g exactly without it's stuffsac.

TAR could bring out a new mat, a ProLite Number 2 perhaps, that is 20% lighter than the stated weight, and then exchange it for dissatisfied customers who send in their old Prolite 3's trimmed down to the exact weight they should be, but not a gram more or less.

[With apologies to W Shakespeare for the idea behind this one.]

Your idea is much better than mine, Matt.

Do you reckon it would it work with my AlpineDream 700?

OK - though I felt foolish doing it - just weighed mine and it came in at 362g. (naked - no sack)

naked - no sack

Ooooer! No wonder you felt foolish :-)

You'll be surprised just how much stuff sacs actually weigh! Try it without the sack, rolled up using a laccy band.

Send it back and buy an Alpkit Wee Airic. Even if you don't save much weight you'll save plenty of money...

You could try manning-up and just carrying the extra weight! tis good for the soul!

Or cutting the handle off your tooth brush and ejecting a packet of mints should bring the weight back down to an acceptable level!

A new Insul-Mat Max Thermo Long has just been delivered here (ordered on the 22nd from Sierra Trading Post in the US - top marks to UPS for the quick delivery).

Being a saddo, I've already weighed it...

Claimed weight 709g
Actual weight without stuffsac 709g
Stuffsac 22g
Repair kit 10g

Its nice to see your finally getting rid of that sarcasm trait Ben! ;-)

BG, you are a saddo, weighing the repair kit, thats bad!

I know, tis a terrible habbit ;0)