Was I wrong about cheap sleeping pads? That $40 foam pad from Walmart actually kept me warm last weekend in 35 degree rain.

I always swore by my inflatable Therm-a-Rest until I got a puncture and had to borrow my buddy's closed cell foam pad, and I slept better and warmer than I have on trips where my air pad was perfectly fine - has anyone else found that cheap gear sometimes just works better for specific conditions?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathan_hill6012d ago

Read something recently that tested those cheap foam pads in a lab, and they actually had better insulation values than a lot of mid-range air pads when the ground was wet or cold. The air pockets in the foam trap heat way better than just a layer of air you're floating on, I guess. Plus the foam doesn't let cold air circulate underneath you the same way. Maybe that's why your buddy's pad worked so well in the rain - the foam doesn't transfer cold from the ground as much.

casey39310d ago

I get where you're coming from @nathan_hill60 but I've gotta disagree a bit on the foam vs air thing. Air pads these days have reflective layers and baffles that stop that cold air from moving around under you, so it's not just a open air pocket like you're describing. The lab tests I've seen show foam usually has a R-value around 1-2 while a decent air pad can hit 4 or more when used right. I think the real reason your buddy's pad worked in the rain is probably because foam doesn't lose insulation when it gets wet on the bottom, whereas air pads can feel cold through the ground if the ground is really damp.