Sleeping Pads... What You Should Know.

Sleeping pads can help keep you warm and comfortable on your next camping, hiking, or backpacking trip. This info. will help you pick your sleep pad...

Sleeping pads (closed-cell, open-cell, or self-inflating) usually trade-off weight savings for varying degrees of comfort and warmth. All have advantages and disadvantages, the key is to find the one that best meets your needs.

Right up front I encourage you to take a good look at the newer air mattresses because they've come a long way. They are lighter, comfortable, warmer, and less bulky then they use to be. Yes, one of their disadvantages is they can puncture, but if you're a little more careful this probably won't be an issue. But you came to this page looking for information about sleeping pads, so here it is... :-)

Closed-cell foam sleeping pads are made from a durable dense foam material. The advantage of closed-cell foam is that it insulates well because the small cells trap air that your body warms. Closed-cell foam also doesn't absorb moisture very easily, so the whole pad won't get soaked if you get caught in the rain. The disadvantage is they're heavier and they're not as "cushy" because they don't compress as easily under pressure. So you'll need more closed-cell foam to achieve the same level of comfort as with open-cell foam, which means more weight.

Open-cell foam sleeping pads are made of a lighter more fragile foam, that's comparable to a sponge. The advantage is they're light and "cushy". The disadvantages are they can absorb moisture, which can be a problem if they don't get a chance to dry out. They insulate better than empty chamber air mattresses but not as well as closed-cell foam sleeping pads do (open-cell is about 75% less effective). And you'll need a lot thicker open-cell sleeping pad to make up the insulation difference between it and a closed-cell foam sleeping pad, and this will make it bulkier.

Self-inflating pads are open-cell foam sandwiched-and-sealed between sheets of plastic. They are usually rolled-up/compressed when not in use so when they're unrolled and the inflating valve is opened the expanding foam causes air to be drawn inside and they "self-inflate". Since the open-cell foam is sealed between plastic it insulates better than open-cell foam alone. Being sealed between plastic also helps keep the inside drier... Keep in mind though, using your breathe to blow into a self-inflating mattress to 'firm-it-up' will dampen the inside of the mattress and might encourage mildew, mold, or bacteria growth.

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The advantages to self-inflating foam mattresses are that you don't have to blow them up as much, although usually they don't inflate as firmly as they could by themselves. But this does allow for some adjustment in firmness. They insulate decently against ground chill but they're not perfect. Since they're sealed they stay dry easier and they can be rolled up into a compact space for carrying.

The disadvantages are they can puncture like air mattresses, so you'll want to have a patch handy just in case (I've never had a puncture). Self-inflating pads are also heavier because of the added plastic sandwich material.

I wasn't happy with the self-inflating or the open-cell camping pad I had used before getting an air mattress because I didn't sleep well being cold and stiff. I'll admit though I'm thin so I feel pressure on bony areas like hips, knees, and elbows easily. Everyone has different tolerance levels though so this may not be an issue for everyone. Camping/hiking/backpacking isn't about 5 star luxury, but you do want to make your trip enjoyable, so just keep this in mind when you're choosing.

If you want to look at self-inflating pads to save a few ounces I'd take a look at Thermarest. They've been in business for 30+ years and they earned the Editor's Choice Gold from Backpacker in 2003.

The 3-season regular size Thermarest Prolite 3 weighs in at 18 ounces and rolls down to 11 inches by 4.5 inches. You can get Thermarest sleeping pads at BackcountryStore.com. Again, this recommendation is only if you insist on a self-inflating sleeping pads.

When you're backpacking for extended periods obviously a big bed-type air mattress wouldn't work well because of the bulk and weight. My first choice would be to go with a good quality one person inflatable air mattress. If I was looking at light uninsulated sleeping pads for backpacking I'd add the 7 extra ounces and go with Exped's Air Mattress Light (can be found at Altrec.com. ). But someone else might think weight is the most important consideration in choosing sleeping pads. So for them the short 11 ounce closed-cell Z-Lite™ by Thermarest might be perfect.

We all have different preferences. To some hikers/backpackers light-weight gear is critical over everything else. (If you want to go this route consider a sleeping bag that has a bottom designed to accept sleeping pads. They're really nice because they hold sleeping pads in place so you don't slide off of it as you sleep and some can even be rolled up as a unit and still fit in the sleeping bag's stuff sack.) Where for others that are camping or car camping, comfort is probably more important because they don't have to carry their hiking gear or equipment used for camping on their back.

So it comes down to what balance of weight, comfort, warmth, ease-of-use, and compactness you want. Hopefully the above sleeping pads information has helped make your decision easier either way. Have a great trip. :-)