What sleeping pad system do you carry on climbs?

I've been out of the loop on pads. I stopped using inflatables in the 90's. I lived in the desert and worked in the High Sierra. Always got leaks. So I stuck with Evazote. Recently I've been using a 5 mil layer of that and a 3/4 z-rest, or the foam from my pack.

I see there's been a ton of development in inflatable pads, where they weigh less than an evazote pad now and are very thick and pack really small inside the pack.

Looks like the Uberlite is the lightest, and the NeoAirs are favorites. What do you use in snowy conditions? 

I have your exact experience, even tried a Neoair Xlite a few years ago but it wasn't very comfortable and soon leaked too so I stick with foam pads. Usually half a Z-lite in the summer and a ridgerest or both in winter.

I had this conversation with an old climbing friend this summer, on a trip to Norway. He had a new inflatable, I had a foam pad and felt like a dinosaur. His pad leaked during the night and was flat in the morning..  

Still it seems most people keep using inflatable so I guess I'm missing something?

Fill your inflatable pad at home to test it. Leave it inflated overnight to test it before you go on a trip. I like to put some weight on it overnight, to make the test more valid.

As long as you're not putting your pad directly on the ground and remove sharp objects (sticks, rocks, small pine cones) under the pad/tent, it is unlikely it will develop a leak overnight.

I use a pad with a small leak. If I can go overnight without having to reinflate it, that's good enough. (I couldn't find the leak when I submerged it in my bathtub.)

I use a Neoair Ultralight (I thought it was called that, but definitely not the Uberlight) Which I don't see on the Thermarest website. It may be called an Xlite.

If above 0c, the Thermarest XLite, and I lay out a section of Tyvek (house wrap) to keep all my kit off the dirt, which also helps prevent punctures. I’ve never had a puncture this way, though my friend popped his Sea2Summit pad by accidentally stomping his nut tool into it.

If below 0c I use the XTherm.

Sometimes I sleep on my G7 Pod if it’s an approach day or I was planning on wall-sleeping some other time on the same trip.

Edit; I see a strong generational difference (locally) on foam v inflatable, not sure if that’s happening here also

I have been using the sea2summit pad for the last 5 years or so.  These are the 1st inflatable pad I have used since they came out in the 1980s that have not leaked within a few uses.  The leaks have always been persistent but unfindable even submerging the pad under water did not help.   I have so many useless thermarest pads, I will never buy another from them.  My pads are never used outside of a tent or my house.

FrankPS's advice to test your pad before leaving is good advice.  My cat chewed on my pad last summer and even after 30 patches it was unable to hold air but the insulation was still useful preventing me from getting too cold.  I don't blame the pad for this failure and happily bought another one.

I gather the Xlite pad is very noisy.  On a recent trip someone had one in a nearby tent (50 ft)  and it sounded like a hippopotamus farting every time he moved.  Someone said the newest version was not as noisy.

Lola says, “Let’s bivi here. I dibs the pad.”

The older I get, the more I find myself using an inflatable pad on top of a foam pad…especially if sleeping on snow or on a longer multi day adventure. I’m happy to trade the extra weight/bulk for a better nights sleep. 

Though it’s not the lightest pad, I’ve been using Exped’s DownMat UL, both summer and winter for at least 10 years now. I am more than impressed by Exped’s warranty and the only issues I’ve experienced, about five years ago, was with part of one of the tube separators. Though the pad was beyond warranty, Exped quickly replaced it no questions asked. I’ve had no leaks ever, but I always use a tent. Excellent insulation in winter, and more than comfortable year round.

Exped's customer service is beyond reproach, +100.

I have slept on the bareground with my xtherm quite a lot and had 0 issues with puncturing(it has delaminated by my head but that's another matter). 

I can't afford an xlite, uber lite and an xtherm so went for the xtherm, mine came second hand and I didn't think it was particularly noisy but have also heard it gets less crunchy with use. Needless to say I love it and will probably get another one. 

I've got the Sea to Summit Comfort Light in the Women's version (it's shorter). Pretty comfortable, packs pretty small, haven't had issues with holes yet. It's R 3.9. Figured if I ever needed a truly 4-season setup I could put one of the Z-Pads under it. I'm happy, but I might stop being happy if it started leaking regularly for sure.

For finding punctures try and source one of these hole finders from a well-stocked bike store:

https://www.rosebikes.com/rema-tip-top-leakfinder-49473

They're very common in the EU. They weigh about 3g and cost about 3€. You move the finder over the mat's suface, the open grided bottom allows air in. The tiny polystyrene balls will shift slightly or jump wildly depending on the hole size. If you're in a hurry, they stick a few together with a rubber band to make a larger finder. I'm sure it'd be easy to make one of any size (old lunch transparent box, some mesh for the bottom and polystyrene balls).

Objective and climbing style determine the pad setup. I don't use any single solution for all climbing. Could be anything from a curmudgeonly thin ensolite pad just big enough for ass-to-shoulders for unplanned usage (lines haulbag or backpack back pad), thicker foam for a planned wall bivy, air mattress for summer alpine rock objectives, foam and air mattress combo for cold assed winter stuff, etc. I was laughing at the notion of a sleeping pad "system" but now that I type it out, I clearly have one!  

Noel Z wrote:

For finding punctures try and source one of these hole finders from a well-stocked bike store:

https://www.rosebikes.com/rema-tip-top-leakfinder-49473

They're very common in the EU. They weigh about 3g and cost about 3€. You move the finder over the mat's suface, the open grided bottom allows air in. The tiny polystyrene balls will shift slightly or jump wildly depending on the hole size. If you're in a hurry, they stick a few together with a rubber band to make a larger finder. I'm sure it'd be easy to make one of any size (old lunch transparent box, some mesh for the bottom and polystyrene balls).

That's an awesome resource!

To clarify I'm mostly interested in what people prefer in snowy conditions, like sleeping on ice or frozen ground that doesn't see the sun. I am hoping that I can start going with lighter sleeping bags if I have better ground insulation.

Steve McGee wrote:

To clarify I'm mostly interested in what people prefer in snowy conditions, like sleeping on ice or frozen ground that doesn't see the sun. I am hoping that I can start going with lighter sleeping bags if I have better ground insulation.

Here’s a chart that compares R values, plus weight, of various sleeping pads:
https://sectionhiker.com/sectionhiker-gear-guide/sleeping-pad-r-values/

I find my Exped DownMat Ultra7 (R 7.1) to be quite adequate in most winter conditions. Depending on the temperature, you can always put it on top of an additional foam pad for additional insulation and warmth.

Xtherm is best weight:warmth:size ratio, others have preferences for shape, etc

i sleep direct to snow with it