Ok, this may sound lame, but how many of you actually carry a sleeping pad when doing serious hiking. I’ve got a bad back, and know I need one, but am not sure which one I should buy. I plan on doing the southern part of the AT soon, so I want something that’s durable, light, and can compress. Thanks a lot.
Chris.
Chris
I’ve used a Ridgerest, a 3/4 length Thermarest, and now have a full length LE Thermarest. With it I enjoy a good night’s sleep. To me the weight of carrying it pays off when I don’t wake up the next morning feeling like rigamortis took over my body during the night. I just went through major back surgery from a work injury and am using the Thermarest all the time on the living room floor. Self-inflators are great, but be conscientious and protect them from punctures. Also a little “Slipfix” sprayed on the bottom keeps it from sliding around on the tent floor. I also use it to fill a Therma-Rester chair. Especially nice during winter camping.
2Q
Everyone carries some type of sleeping pad. Trying to sleep without one would be VERY uncomfortable. The questions is which one works best for you. The ridgerests are light and work well for some people. Others use the thermarest. There are various thicknesses of thermarest that you can select. The thicker they are, the more they weigh. Figuring out which pad you need is a tradeoff, as most gear selections are. Less padding equals less weight. However, will it be comfortable enough to let you sleep well? Think about your sleeping habits. Can you fall alseep anywhere? Or do you need a comfortable spot before you drift off? “I” beleive a good nights sleep is second in importance only to food. Without a good nights sleep you have no energy and your day seems to drag. I used a thermarest guidelite. I took a few more ounces and increased comfort. YMMV
Moose
I just returned from my month long AT section Hike. I had a 3/4 length thermarest that was not comfortable and ended up buying a decadant (but I absolutely loved it) full size, large, wide, thick and very comfortable thermarest. The wide width can be folded in half and pressed into a pretty reasonably sized stuff sack even though I was hauling almost 3 pounds. I know it’s not for everyone but that extra weight was absolutely worth it to me when I went to sleep at night. It was very cold on my hike (30 degrees ±) and the thermarest also helped keep me warm.
HotFoot
IMHO some sort of pad is essential for insulation between you and the ground/shelter floor. In fact, I’m pretty sure their main purpose is for warmth and insulation rather than comfort. None of them will help your back (elevating your knees will) and none of them are that comfortable. The heavier themarests offer more padding but there is a trade off in weight. It is up to you.
Grimace
I carry a pad with me all the time. Up until a couple weeks ago I have been using an old Army surplus pad. It was good enough, but then I got the Therma-Rest Ultra Lite pad. It folds down and I put it in my pack. It’s real comfy and compact. It’s a good deal for me so far, and a real improvement. So far as your back is concerned, I don’t know if any pad will help a bad back. After all, these pads are not like your matress at home. And one of the major reasons for a pad is insulation from the cold ground especially in cold weather. Hope this helps.
Chug Chug
For what it’s worth, here are my observations.
First, as someone posted earlier, everyone carries some sort of pad. A good nights rest is very important. Try hiking a few days when you don’t get it for whatever reason.
The closed cell foam, such as a Ridge Rest is popular because it’s cheap, it’s light, and it doesn’t puncture. It’s downfall is that most people prefer more cushioning.
The other choice is a Thermarest. Myself, I carry the 3/4 guidelight. I try to be careful to always keep a ground cloth underneath it, so I haven’t punctured it yet (5 months of use).
The choice really depends on you. If your bones are young enough, then you may get away with the Ridge Rest. But, for what it’s worth, I just finished 600 miles with an ultra-lighter (Pace-O). He says that he would trade in his pad for a Thermarest if he had the money.
Peaks
My son gave me a thermo 3/4 ultra lite for xmas and it is the best gift I ever recieved, I’m 67 & have a back problem but since I got this I sleep like in heaven. Of course hiking all day does promote that too.
Cowboy
Spent a lot of time researching this one. Ended up with the Thermarest guidelite long. weighs about 2#.
moonman