Switched to a foam sleeping pad after 10 years of air mattresses and here's what surprised me

I always thought air mattresses were the only way to go for car camping. But a guy at a campsite in Shenandoah last fall told me his foam pad was warmer in cold weather. I looked it up later and found out the R-value on my old Coleman air mattress was only 1.5. My new foam pad is 4.8. That stat from a REI blog post made me try it. Has anyone else noticed a big difference switching pad types?

2 comments

2 Comments

angela68712d ago

The cold ground thing is real. I did a trip in March in the Smokies and my old air mattress felt like sleeping on a slab of ice. Switched to a foam pad and it was a total game changer. Now I actually feel warm from below, not just from my bag on top. Also, that R-value difference you mentioned is huge. 1.5 to 4.8 is like going from a summer sleeping bag to a winter one. Plus, foam pads don't slowly deflate overnight. I used to wake up with my hip touching the ground and my back aching. That never happens now. Have you tried using yours without an air pump yet?

ward.jamie12d ago

Honestly, rolling it up tight without a pump is the real test of patience.