Klymit Inertia X-Frame camping pad review
The Klymit Inertia X Frame is an anatomically patterned, super light weight (9.1 oz) camping pad that packs down to the size of a soda can. Looking at its unusual shape makes one wonder if such a thing is possible to sleep on. Klymit has made some revolutionary changes to the standard inflatable pad, and the result has many people scratching their heads. But I slept on the X Frame during a winter camping trip, and found that this pad is worth far more than its tremendously low weight.
Before I took the Klymit Inertia X Frame into the mountains, I spent a night on it at home to get an idea of what to expect. Like everybody who sees it for the first time, I was unsure if I could get a good night’s sleep on something so minimalist. So I rolled it out on the floor and amazingly, inflated it with only three breaths. A small hand pump is included with the X Frame, and I used it to top off the air and make it even more firm (about 4 psi.) I then put my sleeping bag on top, crawled in, and gave the Inertia X Frame a chance to wow me.
Of course, I’ll never sleep well unless I’m in my own bed, but I was very happy with how well the Inertia X Frame kept me off the ground and supported my body. The filled-in sections of the pad are located where needed – at the head, shoulders, hips and feet. Any other body part didn’t touch the ground when lying down, and those empty spaces gave the impression that I was floating above the floor. Also, the pad prevented the insulation at the back of the sleeping bag from compressing because of what Klymit calls “loft pockets.” These spaces also lessen conductive heat loss and capture body heat in the dead-air space.
Convinced after my test night on the floor, I put the Inertia X Frame in my backpacking gear and set out for Lake Blanche in the Wasatch Mountains for some ski touring and winter camping. After setting up the tent and digging out a snow kitchen in the pine forest below Sundial Peak, I brought out the X Frame.
Although sleeping on the pad at home simulated summer camping, in the winter, Klymit recommends using the X Frame along with a standard inflatable pad. The idea is to put it underneath the standard pad so it acts as a cot, keeping you above the snow-covered ground instead of sleeping directly on it. When I’ve camped on the snow before, I could always feel the cold seep up from below. But with the Klymit Inertia X Frame underneath me, I never felt so much as a chill on my back the entire night, despite temperatures in the low 20s.
If you’re one of those backpackers who cuts a toothbrush in half to save weight, then you can use the X Frame alone on a winter trip. Leave the standard pad at home and bring along some of Klymit’s NobleTek argon gas canisters. Argon gas insulates better than any natural or synthetic fiber, and will create a warming barrier between your body and the ground.
Although I was comfortable enough to fall asleep both nights on the X Frame, my only gripe concerns the width of the pad. When sleeping on my back, my arms would touch the ground and get cold. I had to make an effort to keep my hands clasped on my stomach when falling asleep. Also, the supportive sections are great when sleeping on my back, but I’m a side sleeper, which made the pad less comfortable after rolling over.
The good news is that anyone with doubts about the X Frame has another option: the Klymit Inertia XL. It’s just like the X Frame, only wider and beefier. But, it’s still very light weight at 16.8 ounces and rolls up to the size of a water bottle.
The Klymit Inertia X Frame is solid. The pad is built with durable materials like 30D ripstop nylon on top, and 75D polyester on the bottom so worries about puncturing the pad are nil. The X Frame comes with a hand pump for topping off the air to desired stiffness, and it all fits into a small stuff sack.
Overall, the Klymnit Inertia X Frame made me rethink about what I really need to be comfortable when sleeping outdoors. If the goal is to travel as light as possible, then there’s no reason not to own the X Frame for backpacking and camping adventures during every season. For more, visit Klymit online or purchase the X Frame below
Klymit Inertia X-Frame ultralight camping pad.
Of course, I’ll never sleep well unless I’m in my own bed, but I was very happy with how well the Inertia X Frame kept me off the ground and supported my body. The filled-in sections of the pad are located where needed – at the head, shoulders, hips and feet. Any other body part didn’t touch the ground when lying down, and those empty spaces gave the impression that I was floating above the floor. Also, the pad prevented the insulation at the back of the sleeping bag from compressing because of what Klymit calls “loft pockets.” These spaces also lessen conductive heat loss and capture body heat in the dead-air space.
Convinced after my test night on the floor, I put the Inertia X Frame in my backpacking gear and set out for Lake Blanche in the Wasatch Mountains for some ski touring and winter camping. After setting up the tent and digging out a snow kitchen in the pine forest below Sundial Peak, I brought out the X Frame.
Setting up for some winter camping with the Klymit Inertia X Frame.
Klymit Inertia X Frame beneath a standard camping pad.
Although I was comfortable enough to fall asleep both nights on the X Frame, my only gripe concerns the width of the pad. When sleeping on my back, my arms would touch the ground and get cold. I had to make an effort to keep my hands clasped on my stomach when falling asleep. Also, the supportive sections are great when sleeping on my back, but I’m a side sleeper, which made the pad less comfortable after rolling over.
The good news is that anyone with doubts about the X Frame has another option: the Klymit Inertia XL. It’s just like the X Frame, only wider and beefier. But, it’s still very light weight at 16.8 ounces and rolls up to the size of a water bottle.
The Klymit Inertia X Frame is solid. The pad is built with durable materials like 30D ripstop nylon on top, and 75D polyester on the bottom so worries about puncturing the pad are nil. The X Frame comes with a hand pump for topping off the air to desired stiffness, and it all fits into a small stuff sack.
Overall, the Klymnit Inertia X Frame made me rethink about what I really need to be comfortable when sleeping outdoors. If the goal is to travel as light as possible, then there’s no reason not to own the X Frame for backpacking and camping adventures during every season. For more, visit Klymit online or purchase the X Frame below
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