Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite vs Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro
In short: The Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite costs $20 less; the Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro is warmer by 0.6 points of R-value; the Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite saves 6.0 oz; the Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro is 3 inches thick against 2.
| Spec | Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite | Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$140 | ~$160 |
| R-value | R 3.8 | R 4.4 |
| Season band | Three-season | Cold three-season |
| R-value standard | ASTM F3340 | ASTM F3340 |
| Weight | 1 lb 8 oz | 1 lb 14 oz |
| R per ounce | 0.16 R/oz | 0.15 R/oz |
| Thickness | 2 in | 3 in |
| Pad type | self-inflating | self-inflating |
| Inflation | self-inflating | self-inflating |
| Dimensions | 72 × 20 in | 72 × 20 in |
| Packed size | 11 × 6.8 in | 11 × 8.8 in |
| Insulation | Die-cut open-cell urethane foam | Die-cut open-cell urethane foam with a stretch-knit face |
| Top fabric | 75D | 50D |
Shaded cells mark the row where one has a measurable advantage. Weight, thickness, girth and shape are left unshaded on purpose: heavier is sometimes tougher, wider is sometimes warmer, and calling a winner on those would be an opinion dressed as a measurement.
What each one does well, and costs you
Therm-a-Rest Trail ProLite
- Foam core means a leak degrades the pad rather than ending the night — the single biggest argument for self-inflating over air.
- 75-denier polyester is more than twice the fabric of the ultralight air pads and shrugs off tent-floor grit.
- Inflates itself to about 80% while you set up the tent; a few breaths finishes it.
- $140 for a 3.8 R-value pad is good value next to $210 air pads with a similar rating.
- Silent. There is no film and no crinkle, which is the thing people notice first after switching from a NeoAir.
- Two inches of loft is not enough for most side sleepers; hips find the ground.
- 24 ounces and a 11 × 6.8-inch packed size are both roughly double an XLite's.
- Self-inflating is a generous description — it gets most of the way and then needs help, especially when cold.
- The foam takes a set after long storage compressed; it wants to live unrolled with the valve open.
Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro
- Matches an XLite's 3-inch loft and beats most pads at its price for R-value, at 4.4.
- The stretch-knit face is warm, quiet and grippy enough that a sleeping bag stays put on it.
- Foam core keeps working through a puncture, and the valve is the same field-serviceable design as the rest of the line.
- $160 undercuts every comparable air pad by $50 or more.
- 30 ounces is nearly two pounds, and the 11 × 8.8-inch packed size eats a lot of a 50-litre pack.
- Only two sizes — no short version, so a smaller sleeper carries a full-length pad.
- Takes real effort to roll tightly enough to get back into its own stuff sack.
- Self-inflation stalls well short of firm in cold weather; plan on topping it up by mouth.