Find the right sleeping pad for your needs

Find the right sleeping pad for your needs
By CHUCK MYERS
McClatchy-Tribune

Warmth and comfort virtually go hand in hand with a camping or backpacking sleeping pad. Sleeping pads provide a layer of insulation between the user and the ground, and provide warming insulation by trapping air between a person’s body and the wilderness floor
The type of sleeping pad a camper or hiker goes with depends on the outdoors plan. REI offers the following guidelines for choosing a pad:

• Weather: A fair-weather camper or backpacker will probably favor comfort over insulation. All-season outdoors enthusiasts however, may need a pad that is more durable in cold and wet weather. In fact, two pads should be considered in snow or frozen conditions.
• Comfort and price: A basic pad will save money, space and weight. A more expensive pad will likely keep its user more comfortable during bedtime.
• Weight: Thicker, more comfortable pads can be heavy, and pose a problem while carrying on an extended backpacking trip. Weight becomes less of an issue however, during short backpacking trips or a camping outing.
• Storage: If the wilderness trip requires a backpack loaded with gear, then a light, compact sleeping pad may be the way to go. Space consideration is less of a problem when carrying gear in a car or boat.

SOURCE: REI

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