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I used to trash inflatable pads until a 20 degree night in a tent near Flagstaff
I spent years swearing by closed cell foam because I had one inflatable pop on me back in 2011. This past March my buddy talked me into trying his new self inflating pad on a quick overnight up near Flagstaff. The ground was mostly rock and I figured I'd be up all night shifting around. Instead I slept better than I do on my own mattress at home. What sold me was the repair kit he carried, one small patch and some glue, that took away my whole excuse. Now I'm looking at buying one myself but I'm not sure if the cheaper generic brands hold up the same. Has anyone else converted after years of foam? Also, what's a fair price for a pad that won't fail after a season?
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evahenderson1mo ago
March in Flagstaff still gets down to like 15 degrees at night, so that test was solid.
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the_leo1mo ago
and honestly that kind of thing is everywhere once you start looking for it. People always test stuff in the easiest conditions, not the real ones. I've seen it with camping gear, with jackets, even with how folks talk about their cars. They'll say something works great because they tried it in mild weather or on a sunny day, but that doesn't tell you anything about how it holds up when things actually get rough. @evahenderson you're right to call out the 15 degree nights, that's the kind of test that separates what's actually built for it from what just looks good in a store. It's like how people rate a sleeping bag by how it feels at 50 degrees, but nobody sleeps well at 50, you need to know if it'll keep you alive at 20. That's the standard I wish more people used for everything, not just gear but plans and decisions too.
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