After you’ve gotten your super nice and warm sleeping bag, what’s next? A sleeping pad, of course! It is the thing that goes between your sleeping bag and the ground and selecting the right pad can be the difference between a great night of sleep or a less-than-average night of sleep.
Pictured below is what I would consider to be the current Cadillac of sleeping pads. It is the perfect combination of everything you want out of a pad… thickness, lightweight, small rolled up size, and insulating power (the ground can get cold). Of course, the perfect sleeping pad comes with a hefty sticker price… $15o!
While I don’t think I could bring myself to drop that kind of coin on a pad, I would stay away from what many of us started out on. Thin strips of foam. Some people still swear by them. They are lightweight and don’t get holes poked in them. But they just can’t deliver when it comes to sleeping comfort. If I were looking to get one right now, I’d probably pick up something like this…
Therm-a-rest has been making these things for years, and has a reputation for putting out a quality product. Get one, take care of it and it will take care of you for years to come.
As a bonus… if you go backpacking at all, then you can get a “chair kit” that converts your sleeping pad into a downright comfy chair. Not a top-five, but nice little creature comfort for out in the middle of nowhere.