I finally found a sleeping pad that didn't defrost my spine at 2 AM

3 comments

3 Comments

Used to be one of those guys who thought any old foam pad was good enough... figured it was all the same in the end. Then I spent a weekend up in the Sierras and woke up shivering so bad I couldn't get the stove lit. Finally broke down and got one of those insulated inflatable ones and man, what a difference. Never going back to that old setup now, no matter how cheap it is.

piper_kim1mo ago

Did you try to warm up your hands over the stove at the same time? I had a similar thing happen in the White Mountains once - couldn't get my lighter to work until I sat on my hands for five minutes. That foam pad just takes all the heat right out of you. I switched to a Therm-a-Rest foam mat with the reflective layer and it made a world of difference for cold nights.

williams.sage1mo ago

Im sorry you had that experience, Piper. Its awful when you're already freezing and nothing works, and that panic sets in when the lighter fails. I had a similar nightmare on a trip in the Cascades last fall. My hands were so numb I could barely hold the stove, and I ended up just chewing on a cold energy bar. The foam pad thing is so real, I used to think it was all overkill until I woke up with my hips aching and the ground sucking all my heat away. Upgrading to a pad with a reflective layer was a total game changer for me too. Did you find the Therm-a-Rest held up well over rocky ground?