Moonlight Hikes

I’m off tonight under the full moon. Well, it's as close to a full moon as the mother of a preteen can get. Can't wait for a midnight swim under a waterfall and a naked dip into a moonlit pool or two.

What’s not to leave behind?

My towel.

And thanks to microfiber, I can now afford the weight and bulk of something that will feel cozy and really dry me off for a cool, comfortable descent.

The truly luxurious choice is still the big, honkin’ Tek Towel from Sea to Summit. The photo shows the thick nap that’s got a spa-quality feel. But be warned. These towels soak up a lot of water, and even wrung out they’re slower to dry than the worthy competitor, PackTowel. At night, no way. These towels want full sun to dry in an hour or two.

But tonight I think all I’ll need is my bandana-size, go-to travel and climbing towel, CamPack from N-Rit. It’s the silkiest pack towel made, light and absorbent, and it dries in the breeze. Better yet for midnight hikes, it clips to its pouch. Nothing more irritating than losing the handy pouch for a travel towel.

When’s the last time you went skinnydipping? Maybe I’ll see you out there.

P.S. On midnight hikes, don’t forget your flask, your med kit, an ultralight bivy sack, some insulation in case you need to sit it out till dawn, maybe some pepper spray, and your SPOT tracker. Tell your friends or family where you’re headed. Make sure your car keys are clipped in. Don’t forget to turn off the cabin lights in your car. Know how the land lies. Know your way. And see if you can keep your headlamp in your pocket!

Best Air Mattress

I’m getting a great night’s sleep now that I’ve switched to the DownMat UL by Exped.

The definition of a good night's sleep.

At 580 grams, it’s half a pound heavier than my Thermarest NeoAir. They pack down to about the same size. Compare the gain in insulation and decide for yourself if it’s worth it. The NeoAir has an R value of 2.5. The DownMat: 5.9. That’s twice as warm. 

And, as one Himalayan guide had promised me, the DownMat is by far the most comfortable sleeping pad I’ve ever tested. 

 The stuff sack doubles as the pump.

Never take the DownMat on a trip without a good repair kit. Like all air mattresses, it’s useless uninflated. But unlike most air mattresses, you can’t fill this up with the humid air from your lungs. You'll wet out the down.

So you need the roll-top yellow pump, which is quite cleverly designed, but if that gets a puncture, you’re s**t outta luck. If you've been doing the math, your odds of a puncture that will leave you sleeping on the bare ground have just doubled. Bring the repair kit! I'm thinking about buying a second pump bag as backup. It’s as light as any other stuff sack on the market. And the UL air pillow that inflates with the same pump takes up less space than my face towel. 

Who needs an air pillow? Who needs a down insulated sleeping pad? Isn't this all just over the top?

That’s what I was mumbling before I spent a month’s worth of freezing nights in Idyllwild during a cold snap. I was “luxuriously” bunked on a twin-bed size, 9-inch Kelty base camp mattress that leaked every night. It was cold as f***. I’d brought along my NeoAir for the peaks, and I froze my ass on that, too.

So fibers and feathers do make a difference. They block cold spots. They’re warmer and more comfortable than foam (whether closed cell or open cell). If you can stomach the ticket price, splurge on an Exped and don’t look back. The DownMat is filled with IDFL certified down that's humanely sourced.

Here's a great shot of Exped in use by the UK blogger Robin. I like his helpful gear reviews. And I'm often jealous of his camp sites in the Fells, Wales and Scotland.


Down or synthetic? 

I compared the DownMat UL to its synthetic counterpart on Cumberland Island, Georgia, not known for its dry climate. They were equally warm and equally comfortable on nights that dipped down to about 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

The SynMat, filled with fairly eco fibers, inflates a bit stiffer, and the fabric feels a bit warmer to the touch. Paddlers might not want to test what happens if too much damp air is repeatedly pumped into the DownMat. But for trekkers and climbers, the hefty weight and the burly size make the SynMat a purely base camp mattress. I’d never carry it on a multi-day trip.

Exped MegaMat: base camp heaven

Some day, though, I’ll want that twin bed back. Think I’ll try the MegaMat. By then, maybe they'll make a double. That's down filled. Ahhh. Zzzzzzz.