That $60 foam sleeping pad was a total rip off, cold night in Flagstaff proved it

I bought a cheap foam pad last spring thinking it would save weight and cash, but after one 28 degree night on the Mogollon Rim I was shivering through every hour. The R-value claim on the package was pure fiction, my hips hit the ground by 2 AM and I woke up with a sore back. Anyone else get burned by budget pads that can't actually insulate, or am I just too picky about my sleep setup?

1 comments

1 Comment

derekwalker1d ago

I hear you on the "sore back" part, that's rough... but I gotta push back on the whole "total rip off" thing. I've used cheap foam pads for years and honestly, they work fine if you know what you're getting. The R-value on those things is always a joke and everyone knows it, you really gotta look at the actual thickness and density before you buy. A 28 degree night on bare ground with any thin pad is gonna suck, that's not the pad lying to you, that's just physics. I think the real issue is people expect a $60 pad to perform like a $200 inflatable, and that's just not fair to the foam pad. I've spent plenty of cold nights out there and my cheap pad keeps me off the ground well enough if I set up right, like throwing leaves under the tent or using a good ground sheet. Maybe give it another shot with some extra insulation under you, but if you need that plush comfort, then yeah, you might be too picky for foam.