[pct-l] Nunatak USA Bag Report

[Steel-Eye]

Good morning, Georgi,

I believe you may be remembering something called Ensolite, which was one of 
the first closed-cell foam products regularly used by hikers.  I well 
remember how pleased I was to get my first piece back in the late '60s or 
early '70s.  Prior to that I carried an air mattress or usually nothing. 
Enosolite was very good insulation, but it doesn't measure up to some of the 
current foam products.  It has a wonderfully smooth surface which seems to 
scratch and abrade easily, plus over time it became thinner in the important 
pressure areas and it did not rebound.  That 3/8" pad could easily end up 
1/8" thick at the hip and shoulder areas.  I think the Ensolite product is 
still available, but it has been surpassed by what I consider to be better 
foams.

By the way, I recently looked at foam pads at REI and I don't think I would 
use one unless I were desperate.  They seem to have been sliced off a big 
block of foam rather than having been manufactured at the necessary 
thickness.  The result is, even though it is closed-cell foam, the cutting 
process leaves the entire surface somewhat fuzzy which can retain water that 
would be very difficult to wipe off.

Steel-Eye


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Georgi Heitman" <bobbnweav at citlink.net>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 9:00 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Nunatak USA Bag Report


> FYI... most backpackers over the age of 40 will remember that those blue, 
> closed cell foam pads were called Thinsolite?, or Thinsolate? pads.  I 
> recall that while REI carried them, so did most Army surplus stores, a lot 
> cheaper.  But memories get faulty after 65, so,??? ...could be wrong.
> I also recall that you could get a pretty nice ride down a snow chute on 
> one...and the closed cell factor kept them dry.  I've still got, I think, 
> four of them, for hikers to use while they stay with us.
> Georgi, T.A.,
> Old Station