Finally stopped buying those cheap sleeping pads after freezing in Big Bend

I used to think a $30 foam pad was fine for warmth. Took a trip to Big Bend last February, ground temp dropped to 28 degrees. Woke up shivering at 3am, couldn't get back to sleep. Swapped for a Therm-a-Rest with an R-value of 4.2 and it made all the difference. Anyone else made that mistake before upgrading?

3 comments

3 Comments

ivan46210d ago

Actually the R-value on that Therm-a-Rest might be lower than you think. The standard NeoAir has an R-value around 3.2, not 4.2. The XTherm version is the one that hits 4.2 or higher. I made that same mistake when I first started reading specs. Big difference between the two for cold ground. If you are sleeping on frozen dirt, that extra point in R-value is the difference between a warm night and waking up cold at 3am. Just wanted to mention it so you know which model actually works for freezing temps.

parker_webb10d ago

Fair enough but is it really that big of a deal for most people camping?

the_hayden10d ago

@ivan462 makes a solid point about the specs... but honestly @parker_webb, the bigger deal for most people camping is just staying dry inside the tent, not arguing over R-values.