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Gear Reviews

Gear Review: Pacific Outdoors Peak Elite AC

This pad delivers low weight and low cost, making no more grumpy mornings.

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High warmth paired with low weight and low cost? This pad delivers, thanks to weight-saving measures like the mummy shape and “bio-mapped” synthetic insulation (placed in key areas under the torso). That means less material but not less warmth, says a tester who used the Peak Elite on subfreezing nights.

The pad also gets a no-weight warmth boost (about 10 percent, says the company), from an aluminum coating*—particles infused in the fabric that reflect body heat. What we felt: 2.5 inches of luxurious cushion, and plenty of insulation for three-season use. The 33-denier ripstop nylon doesn’t need ultralight TLC, so the only real tradeoff is the shape: Are you comfortable without a full-size bed? $80; 14 oz.; 20”x 72”x 2.5”; pacoutdoor.com

*Aluminum Coating Heat-reflective particles make the pad more efficient. Pacific Outdoor designers say they work best with dark-colored fabrics.

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