Are self inflating/therma rest pad needed in all weather

[butcher]

Hi, I'm planning my first multiday hiking (3 days / 2 nights) and I'm wondering if a self inflating, or pad is needed in all types of weather. I will be doing my hike in September, so average weather will be between 5 and 20 degrees (celcius).

Would you recommend a pad? It seems to add a lot of weight and space so I'd rather not use one if I don't have to.

Thanks

Eric

[Walking Enigma]

As with most things hiking and camping, it depends on A. whether the extra weight is worth it to you to carry and B. your level of 'comfort' needed while camping and hiking.

Personally, I wouldn't take one unless I'm going to be gone for a very long time, 2 nights of sleep in my opinion aren't worth the carrying extra things. Plus, its not like just sleeping in your tent or on the ground is THAT uncomfortable any way.

Obviously YMMV and this is my opinion.

Hike further.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

I always / would definitely take some type of sleeping pad, not only will you sleep better and be more comfortable in camp, but more importantly it will add warmth and insulate you from the ground at night. At those temps, you should be able to get by for under a pound and if you go the inflatable route, they pack up pretty small. I used to go as sparse and as light as possible on my sleep system, but I've found that there's nothing like being warm and comfortable at night - Makes the next day a lot easier and any weight penalty is well worth it. However, as Walking Enigma stated the comfort part of the equation definitely varies from person to person and a foam pad just for the insulation might work out well.

[tmountainnut]

at minimum, a thin foam pad should be brought on any trip where the temps are below 70 degrees F. The ground temps do not change much, and most of the time (unless you're on a beach in hawaii), is colder than your surroundings and will suck the heat from you much faster than the air.

Also, if you're going to be more physically active (while hiking), recharging at night is important to making the trip enjoyable. Spend some money on a quality pad that will let you enjoy the night. Some people can stand foam pads. I use to use a z-lite pad when i started out because it was cheap, and now i am accustomed to inflatable pads and prefer the neoair xlite now.

[Opi]

I love my Neo-air. I'm a bigger guy and a side sleeper and have been using those old 2+ lb (ouch!) self inflating thermarest, then tried the foam z lite pads (12oz or less), but after I slept on my neo air (19oz) the first time it was the best nights sleep I'd ever had in the woods. So for me to give up 7oz or so, get more warmth and for a great night sleep is well worth it.

[AdventureMyk]

One of the biggest reasons to go hiking and camping is to enjoy the experience. If you aren't comfortable then you aren't enjoying it. I will gladly trade off a few ounces for a better nights sleep any day but that's just me.

I'm also looking into the Expeds which are seriously light, have a good R-factor, and you get to say you use a 'Schnozzel.' I mean, how cool is that?

[PaulMags]

I am a bit of a contrarian. I prefer foam pads because, believe it or not, I found them more comfortable. Plus you can drag a foam pad around the camp, sit on them, and so on. They take a lot of abuse that a NeoAir or similar won't take. For more social trips and shoulder season trips, I take a z-lite. Solo? (More hiking; less camping) I still use a blue foamer.

In winter, they are quite useful for kneeling and/or sitting on while doing camp chores. Though, I do combine my Z-lite with Mrs Mags' NeoAir (I steal it for the trip! ) versatility and the total R-value.

Edited July 9, 2014 by PaulMags

[tmountainnut]

I am a bit of a contrarian. I prefer foam pads because, believe it or not, I found them more comfortable. Plus you can drag a foam pad around the camp, sit on them, and so on. They take a lot of abuse that a NeoAir or similar won't take. For more social trips and shoulder season trips, I take a z-lite. Solo? (More hiking; less camping) I still use a blue foamer.

In winter, they are quite useful for kneeling and/or sitting on while doing camp chores. Though, I do combine my Z-lite with Mrs Mags' NeoAir (I steal it for the trip! ) versatility and the total R-value.

On winter trips, i'll take a z-lite sol with my neoair allseason. Doubling up the pads will keep me warmer (especially if the neoair gets a hole, which i've yet to have happen in 4 years of using them), and cooking dinner while sitting on the z-lite is nice.

[Dogwood]

Here is one of the most wonderful, but at times initially daunting, aspects of backpacking - YOU get to entirely or almost entirely decide on how you backpack/hike - that includes what gear you "must have." HYOH. What an activity! What a country!

YOU have some two months before your first multi-day/night hike. A happy hike begins before that though. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to sleep outside in your yard, on the balcony/porch/lanai, in a park(please, don't get arrested or fined!), at a nearby campground, in a friend's yard, etc. at least one night without a sleeping pad in the same or like manner as you will on your Sept hike. Get used to not only sleeping that way but also accustom yourself with your gear. Practice these things before Sept: setting up/breaking camp, that includes your shelter, cooking on your camp stove, walking/breaking in the shoes you will be wearing in Sept, wearing a loaded(weighted) backpack(do it at least for one day around town!), etc. After YOU do that you'll be in a better position to determine if you want to incorporate a sleeping pad in 40-70* fahrenheit temps - at least from a perspective of sleep comfort. Weather isn't the ONLY factor to consider when/if using/not using a sleep pad!

Here's my take as an UL long distance hiker who strongly considers the weight and volume(as you say space) of their gear. Backpackers spend 90% + of their time in their shoes and in their sleeping bags. In my humble opinion it pays huge dividends to get those two things dialed in! As Aaron stated above, and I echo myself, "I've found that there's nothing like being warm and comfortable at night - Makes the next day a lot easier and any weight penalty is well worth it." However, there are ways to reduce the wt and volume penalty!

All sleeping pads aren't the same. Some are not so heavy and voluminous as you make them all sound. I have closed cell foam(CCF) 1/8"-1/4" thick torso length sleeping pads(20"X48") that range from sub 3 oz to 5 oz and easily roll up. I have CCF pads also in the dimensions 20"x 60" that weigh in the range of 5-8 oz. http://lawsonequipment.com/InsuLite-EVA-Foam-Pads/InsuLite-1-8-Torso-Foam-Pad-p989.html http://gossamergear.com/thinlight-insulation-pads.html There are also foldable CCF pads. These pads can be cut down to a size of your liking making them even smaller in volume and less wt. http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/z-lite/product Then there are smaller sizes of inflatable pads too. My Cascade Designs NeoAir XLite Shortie(torso length 20"X47") weighs 8 oz. http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/neoair-xlite/product. If the short length of the NeoAir XLite Unisex Shortie(47" torso length) doesn't appeal to you don't be afraid to consider the WOMEN's NeoAir XLite at 20"x66": I have one. http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/womens-neoair-xlite/product

Here's another thought. Even though any of the pads listed above could be strapped onto a backpack, or possibly the thinner thickness CCF pads could be jammed into an outside rear shovel pocket on a backpack after rolling/folding up, SOME backpacks incorporate sleeping pads into their designs by becoming part of the backpack's suspension(a virtual frame sheet).

Here's one more thought that I'm considering and that I think you too should consider that integrates with what was said above. You are only going out for a 3 day 2 night trip in fair weather. From the get go you already COULD BE(should be?) hauling a rather low weight and volume kit! If you are not....? In other words, examine the rest of your gear taking it into careful consideration with your current backpacking skill set. HYOH

[Bobo Uzala]

Hi, I'm planning my first multiday hiking (3 days / 2 nights) and I'm wondering if a self inflating, or pad is needed in all types of weather. I will be doing my hike in September, so average weather will be between 5 and 20 degrees (celcius).

Would you recommend a pad? It seems to add a lot of weight and space so I'd rather not use one if I don't have to.

Thanks

Eric

Yo butcher - good luck on your first multi-day hiking trip! When my friends and I started backpacking, we were young, strong, and stupid - and did a great job of making a mountainful of missteps... those mistakes were definitely a big chunk of the fun. The trick is to enjoy making mistakes (and hopefully learning something too) - Hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, etc... IMHO, the mentality comes down to being comfortable outside your comfort zone - then you can have fun anywhere

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few"

Some folks will tell you they get their best sleep directly on the ground or on the bare floor of a shelter, some folks carry only the minimum, and some folks carry multiple pads. Probably, most of us started carrying some sort of pad after a few nights without one! Finding out what's right for you is often the best part of the trip, and yes, it surely doesn't hurt to ask for opinions along the way.