Thanks for the input. Luckily, the job I will be returning to stocks pretty much everything on the list and I will be able to try out everything in person, and not have to deal with guessing and ordering online.
The Exped SynMat seems alot more durable than the XLite, and I don't like the crunchiness of the it, but the weight is nice. I guess a few ounces more for a better pad would be worth it, seeing as I will be sleeping on it for up to half a year.
Is there a 3 season bag that you would prefer over the Phantom 32?