Sleeping Pads

Yesterday I spent an extensive amount of time at REI (an outdoor store) talking to a man named Todd who explained to me everything I needed for purchasing sleeping pads. Today that is what I am going to share with you while the information is still fresh in my mind.

Sleeping pads come in many different styles and R-value.

What is R-value:
R-value is the resistance that you have towards the ground capturing your heat. If you have a poor R-value than the ground is going to be able to penetrate the pad and make sure that either your body becomes the temperature of the ground or the ground becomes the temperature of you. The ground always wins and you will end up being a cold and miserable mess at the end of your camping experience.

It is important to know what the coldest temperature is that you will be camping at to be able to determine what kind of R-value you are are going to need. If you are camping in a warm climate a low R-value will be fine. If you are camping on a mountain in snow you need an R-value of 4.5 or greater. There are pads rated to R-values of above 5.0 so keep in mind what you are buying. If you buy too warm you are going to end up roasting, if you purchase too cool you will end up freezing. Your best chance is to go into your local store and ask for help after determining the temperatures you will be at.

For Kilimanjaro:
Ideally you want your sleeping pad to have an R rating of 4.5 or greater.

This can be accomplished in 2 different ways.
Either you can:

1. Purchase two separate pads with R ratings lower than 4.5 but when combined create a R rating higher than 4.5
2. Purchase one pad that has an R rating over 4.5

I went with the first option. See below for all details on sleeping pads and what I finally purchased.

Sleeping Pad styles:
Air Pads: These are lightweight (mine only weighs 6 oz) and can be condensed to the same size it started as. These can either be contoured so as to fit a mummy style sleeping bag or can be square. There are multiple sizes ranging from small to large, there are even some now created just for women. Medium is standard 6 feet and a woman's is 5 feet 6 inches in length. Women's also tend to run a little higher in the R rating due to women being colder while they sleep. You have to blow this up yourself and can take about 15 to 20 breathes depending on your lung size. It is important to realize that you are blowing in 90 degree air into the pad and as ambient air cools down the temperature in the sleeping pad it will deflate slightly. It is important to inflate the pad before you go to sleep and wait a few hours until the pad has successfully adjusted and that way you can inflate it to the correct firmness. Many people make the mistake thinking that when they go to sleep on a pad that was inflated and not allowed to adjust that there is a hole in the pad. This is not true... if there was a hole you would be sleeping on the ground.

Self-inflating Pads: These tend to be heavier than Air Pads. They have more insulation and the concept is that there is foam inside the pad and when the air valve is open the foam sucks in the air and self-inflates. After the self-inflating part is complete than you only have to breathe in two or three breaths. The pad will never get down to it's original size and it is important to realize this. Many times the pad will be 1.5 or 2 times as large as when you purchased it in the store. After you are done camping it is important to keep these left inflated. If you deflate it and leave it in your closet for the entire winter it will not self-inflate quickly and can take several hours the next time you use  it. These can also be either contoured into the "mummy" bag style or be square.

Foam Pads: Come in multiple ways to store (either rolled up or some of them fold). The folding ones are useful if you do not have a bag with a frame in it. The rolled up ones tend to weigh less and cost less when you go to the store and have a higher R value than the ones that fold.

Air Mattresses: If you are taking one of these it better be car camping or on a boat. These are bulky and heavy and require a pump or multiple people to blow up. They are extremely comfortable though. There is no real insulation to speak of and therefore are only recommended for mild conditions.

What I went with:
I decided to do a combination Air Pad and Foam Pad. The Foam Pad is extremely useful when you are in the snow and need something to stand, kneel, or sit on while cooking or performing other activities. I got a Female Air Pad and a small foam pad. Because the foam pad is small it will only reach from my shoulders to my knees. It is best while camping to use your sleeping bag to prop your feet on under your Air Pad. Chances are you will have a pillow so the lack of padding up near your head isn't that big of a deal.

There have been complaints about the Air Pad I purchased and it being loud. It "crinkles" when you are laying on it and move around. If you are a light sleeper this might not be the best option for you. More often though it is the other people sharing the tent with you that complain.

Air Pad: Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite Sleeping Pad for Women, R-value: 3.9, Weight 11 ounces, price: $159.95 USD
Foam Pad: Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest SOlite Sleeping pad small, R-value: 2.8, Weight 9 ounces, price: $19.95

If I missed anything about mattresses please let me know that way I can expand information for future readers. Remember that what is comfortable for some people is not always the best option for you. Though I have provided guidelines here and mentioned the gear that I purchased I am NOT telling you what is right for me is right for you. Take the time and go to your local outdoor store and make sure you try out the pads before purchasing!