I finally get why people spend $400 on sleeping pads after one dumb night

Honestly, I always thought spending more than $50 on a sleeping pad was ridiculous. Then last month I camped at Big Bend and my buddy let me try his Therm-a-Rest NeoAir for one night. I woke up actually rested for the first time on a trip. My cheap foam pad left me tossing on rocks all night and I got maybe 3 hours of sleep. He told me he bought it 6 years ago and it's still going strong, which makes the cost per trip pretty low. Now I'm looking at used ones on FB marketplace because I can't justify full price but I can't go back to that foam nonsense either. Has anyone else had a piece of gear ruin your whole trip and make you rethink your budget?

3 comments

3 Comments

owens.laura13d ago

Went through the exact same thing. Bought a used Therm-a-Rest on craigslist for half price. Best $100 I ever spent on camping gear.

shanes6613d ago

That Therm-a-Rest was a specific model or just the basic one? I've been looking at getting either the NeoAir or the ProLite but can't decide which is worth the money. How has yours held up after a few seasons of use?

finley_smith13d ago

@shanes66 that NeoAir held up great for me - bought mine used and still going after four years.