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Just ditched my fancy $200 sleeping pad for a $30 foam one after freezing my butt off last weekend in the Smokies.
Three hours into a 38 degree night and my inflatable pad had me shivering on the ground while my buddy on his closed cell foam slept like a rock, so I swapped and now I actually sleep warm, has anyone else made the switch back to foam?
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blairj551mo ago
Oh man, I gotta say, foam pads really do have that insulation locked down. But actually, that cold you felt through the inflatable isn't just about the air itself. Most inflatables have an R-value, and a lot of the cheaper ones are basically like sleeping on a balloon with zero insulation between you and the ground. Your buddy's closed cell foam pad, even a basic one, has a solid R-value around 2 or so because the foam itself traps heat. So it's not exactly that the 'foam' is warmer than 'air' - it's that most cheap inflatables don't have any reflective layer or internal fill, while even basic foam does. I made the same switch and found a good middle ground with a thicker, higher R-value inflatable for winter, but for anything under 40 degrees, foam is just unbeatable for the price.
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oliver7192mo ago
Exactly what happened to me. Air pads feel great in the store but that cold ground seeps right through. Foam is the real deal for insulation.
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eva_thompson102mo ago
Oh man, I was totally in your same boat! I thought foam pads were for broke college kids or something. Bought a fancy inflatable one that was supposed to be the best thing ever. First night below 40 I woke up shivering and miserable. Swapped to a cheap foam pad and honestly it's not even close. The warmth difference is huge. Now I just bring the foam one everywhere.
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