Just had to choose between a foam pad and an air mattress for a 4 day trip

I went with the foam pad because I figured it couldn't pop, right? First night in Shenandoah, I woke up on the cold ground with rocks poking through. My buddy on his air mattress slept like a baby. Next time I'm spending the $40 on a thicker inflatable one.

3 comments

3 Comments

troy_price1mo agoMost Upvoted

You mention a 4 day trip in Shenandoah, but if you were sleeping on a foam pad that thin, you might want to look into the R-value rating next time. I made that mistake my first time out in the Smokies. The ground literally sucked the heat right out of me. A good closed cell foam pad with an R-value of at least 2 or 3 would have helped, but for rocks and cold ground a thicker inflatable pad is way better for that kind of trip.

max_brown1mo ago

A lot of people forget that your sleeping pad isn't just about insulation from the ground, it's also about managing moisture. That thin foam pad might have trapped condensation underneath you all night, making you feel colder and damper than the R-value alone suggests. Next time try pairing a closed cell foam pad with a thin bivy sack to see if cutting the moisture changes how warm you actually sleep.

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the_jamie1mo ago

Fair point, I never really thought about moisture like that. Changed my mind for sure.