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BigV · 07-11-2014, 07:01 PM

I'm in deep FAWET right now preparing for my next camping trip. This trip will involve plenty of hiking, but we'll be staying in the chalet when we're not hiking hut to hut, so on this trip, no sleeping pad is required.

What I've learned from sleeping on the ground, usually in a tent, is that a big, fluffy air mattress is not nearly as warm as a smaller, thinner inflatable pad, mostly because that's a LOT of air to heat up, and I tend to roll off of them since they can't be inflated enough to make them firm near the edges. I'd stay away from air mattresses.

Face it, you only want to be off the ground (you really do want to be off the ground, the ground is going to be colder than you and stay colder than you, all night long), but the difference in being a fraction of an inch off the ground and being a couple inches off the ground matters not at all to your pressure points (I'm generally a side sleeper and my hip and shoulder are the most likely to bottom out). sexobon's suggestion for two pads, one closed cell pad on the bottom where it's most likely to be abraded and a second inflatable pad on top for comfort/insulation is deluxe. I usually only use my Therm-a-rest. I have a three-quarter length pad, about an inch thick. I use such a small pad because I only need to keep my core off the floor, my feet are usually ok, or I rest them on a bag of stuff/clothes. The main reason for the smaller pad is that I like the lighter weight for backpacking. If I'm car camping, a larger pad, or even a pair as above is luxury.

I usually inflate my pad as full as I can blow it up, then lie on it with the screw valve near my head. I lie on the pad in my sleeping position and bleed out a tiny amount of air until I can feel the pad sag a little in the middle under my hip. Too much air in the pad makes it too firm and I feel like I'm gonna roll off of it. Too little air and I bottom out, then I need to get off the pad and blow it up some more and start over. Just right for me feels like a little bit of depression under my hip, enough that it feels like I have to roll uphill a little to move around. Natually, your "sleep number" may vary.

07-11-2014, 07:01 PM	#1
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	I'm in deep FAWET right now preparing for my next camping trip. This trip will involve plenty of hiking, but we'll be staying in the chalet when we're not hiking hut to hut, so on this trip, no sleeping pad is required. What I've learned from sleeping on the ground, usually in a tent, is that a big, fluffy air mattress is not nearly as warm as a smaller, thinner inflatable pad, mostly because that's a LOT of air to heat up, and I tend to roll off of them since they can't be inflated enough to make them firm near the edges. I'd stay away from air mattresses. Face it, you only want to be off the ground (you really do want to be off the ground, the ground is going to be colder than you and stay colder than you, all night long), but the difference in being a fraction of an inch off the ground and being a couple inches off the ground matters not at all to your pressure points (I'm generally a side sleeper and my hip and shoulder are the most likely to bottom out). sexobon's suggestion for two pads, one closed cell pad on the bottom where it's most likely to be abraded and a second inflatable pad on top for comfort/insulation is deluxe. I usually only use my Therm-a-rest. I have a three-quarter length pad, about an inch thick. I use such a small pad because I only need to keep my core off the floor, my feet are usually ok, or I rest them on a bag of stuff/clothes. The main reason for the smaller pad is that I like the lighter weight for backpacking. If I'm car camping, a larger pad, or even a pair as above is luxury. I usually inflate my pad as full as I can blow it up, then lie on it with the screw valve near my head. I lie on the pad in my sleeping position and bleed out a tiny amount of air until I can feel the pad sag a little in the middle under my hip. Too much air in the pad makes it too firm and I feel like I'm gonna roll off of it. Too little air and I bottom out, then I need to get off the pad and blow it up some more and start over. Just right for me feels like a little bit of depression under my hip, enough that it feels like I have to roll uphill a little to move around. Natually, your "sleep number" may vary. __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.