My sister said my 'go-to' sleeping pad is basically a pool float and I'm still mad about it

Honestly, I was packing for a weekend in the White Mountains and pulled out my old foam pad, the one I've used for like 8 years. My sister saw it and just laughed. She said, 'You know that thing has the warmth of a cereal box, right? You're sleeping on a pool float.' Ngl, it hit different because she's not even a big camper. She just got back from a trip with a fancy inflatable pad and said she slept warm for the first time ever. I always thought gear upgrades were for weight, not comfort. Now I'm rethinking my whole setup. Is a good pad really that big of a deal for warmth, or is she just being extra? What's your take on foam vs. inflatable for cold weather?

4 comments

4 Comments

jessem591mo ago

My buddy Mark froze his butt off on a Boundary Waters trip last year with just a foam pad. He upgraded to an insulated inflatable and said it was like sleeping on a different planet, totally warm. Your sister might be onto something.

owens.blair1mo ago

Is it really that big of a deal? A foam pad works fine for most people if you pick the right one. Sounds like his setup was just wrong for the conditions.

miller.diana16d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, totally get where you're coming from, and you're not wrong that foam pads work for a lot of people. I think some folks just run colder than others or hit those weirdly cold nights where even a decent pad isn't enough. Sorry your buddy had to learn that the hard way, it's a rough wake-up call.

harris.andrew1mo ago

Wait, wasn't Mark using a closed-cell foam pad? Those are actually pretty warm. Maybe his was just too thin or something.