Mort's post about what pad to use for insulation got me thinking. I tried a number of pads in learning about hanging finally settling for an oversized ALPS due to the comfort. My pad is like my pillow top on the home mattress giving some support and added comfort as well as insulation good for a low forty's night in strong wind this past October.
Omitting the obvious underquilt for insulation,what are your primary objectives with a pad; insulation or comfort?

Even in the dead of summer I would use a ccf pad just to keep the skeeters from biting through.

The one I use is 40 inches wide at the shoulders and I do like how it wraps me up. 1/8 inch works a little better than 1/4. It's not as stiff but will keep the bugs off and give good insulation to 40 degrees.

I use a short Thermorest pad just for the insulation, this has worked for me to -4F. Until I can get myself a good underquilt this will have to do.
I tend to sleep on my side so the pad does little for comfort, just need something to keep me from freezing from underneath.

I strongly prefer down underquilts for the light weight and space saved in the pack.

insulation

insulation...especially after I discovered just how comfortable the UQ is...

I was a pad user for about 10 years. Yes, it worked for those years. However, once in a while during what should have been a great nights sleep, I was awakened by the sting of frostbite on the shoulder as either me or the pad would move during nights that were very cold. I had to be very careful sleeping which in reality means I barely slept in order to keep conscience of where I was in relation to my underpad.

I still use an underpad when the weather is nice and it's not so critical. But when the temps go southward, I switch to the underquilt and sleep so much better.

I use a thermorest self inflating pad with an under quilt and it gets almost too warm for me at night. in the summer i just use a blue foam pad to keep the bugs from getting me underneath.