I was sent down to Patagonia with several new pieces of equipment, so I’m going to review some of them here. I’m starting with the Klymit Inertia-X-Frame sleeping pad.
It’s not very often that a simple thing such as a sleeping pad draws attention from onlookers, but when I pull out my Intertia-X-Frame from Klymit the common response is, “What is that?!”. Not only do the “high vis chartreuse green/yellow” and the skeletal design attract attention, but the light weight (9.1oz) and compact size (about the size of a soda can when rolled up) ensure the interest of my fellow adventurers. What I call skeletal design Klymit calls body mapped design. There is plenty of padding where you need it and none where you don’t. It’s a pretty simple concept that creates visually interesting and extremely effective sleeping mat.
I took the Inertia-X-Frame with me to Southern Patagonia in Chile for the Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race. I was photographing the race, so I didn’t quite put it through the testing that a racer would, but I still needed to move quickly and lightly. I definitely appreciated the compact size and the lightweight, and I loved how comfortable it was to sleep on. Even on rough ground, on top of rocks and roots, I slept contentedly. I have always used simple foam pads in the past, so sleeping on this pad is tremendous improvement.
I hope to continue to use this mat for years to come. I think it promises to be durable, and with such a great design it will continue to win the attention of everyone who sees it.
Edit: The Intertia X-Frame can be purchased for $99 from Klymit
WOW … super cool and impressive! However, one thing you failed to mention in your review was cost. And then your satisfaction compared to the cost … 🙂