I swore by expensive sleeping pads until a $40 foam pad changed my nights

Had terrible back pain after 3 trips using a high end inflatable pad, woke up every 2 hours to re pump it. Grabbed a $40 closed cell foam pad from Walmart on a whim before a trip to Shenandoah last fall and slept through the night for the first time in years. Anyone else find that expensive gear actually made their camping worse?

3 comments

3 Comments

evahenderson2d ago

lol you probably just needed a pad with enough R-value for your sleeping style. different strokes for different folks. foam pads can be great but they also weigh a ton and take up a ton of pack space. i backpack with a nice inflatable and havent had to re-pump it once, maybe check your pump valve? the back pain thing sounds like more of a you issue than a pad issue tbh.

jamesf292d ago

Yeah honestly I used to be a total foam pad evangelist (basically thought inflatables were a gimmick for rich hikers). But reading this makes me reconsider, especially the part about them not needing re-pumping. Might have to actually try a good one next season.

caseythompson2d ago

Yeah but foam pads never pop or leak.