I thought I'd share some basic insights into sleeping on the ground outdoors when using a Pad or an Air Mattress.
Note: There are also a sub-catergory of pads called 'self-inflating' foam pads, but I won't include them in the discussion, as they are generally better served for car camping applications. . .they tend to typically be heavier and less manageable for packing in a backpack. And yes, I am familiar with the current models, and have used a few of the lighter ones.
My preferred mattress, currently, is a Nemo Tensor air mattress. It took some time doing direct comparisons with other Air Mattresses to decide that
it was the one I was most comfortable with. More on that issue below.
Cushion and Insulation??? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Cushion of Insulation.
When first starting to backpack, I used no pad or mat(tress) at all, just a ground cloth. My body was young, dumb, and able to sleep through the night with no-padding/no-insulation from the heat-sucking ground. Padding? Haw!!! We dug a shallow depression for the hip, and another for the shoulder, and that was that.
On To Pads
Then I took up climbing. . . rock and ice-related climbing. With mountaineering came the snow fields to sleep on. That's when a closed cell foam Pad called Ensolite entered my vocabulary. Thin, not much cushion, impervious to water absorption if exposed, non-compressible but very flexible and rolled up nicely to attach to the outside of the backpack. Ensolite was also heavy, due to the denseness of its closed-cell construction.
When another type of closed-cell Pad arrived, "The Blue Foam" (my name for the still available Pads at most big-box stores and Decathlon-type stores 'camping' sections) it was a bit stiffer to roll up,
but was much lighter. But with that lightness came eventual compression of the foam, and the foam was far more fragile. Because it was much lighter and cheap, it was a simple matter to replace at a much lower cost than for the heavier and far more durable (but less cushiony) Ensolite.
Tip: Just as you can do using ONLY a ground sheet, you can pound or scrape slight depressions into the ground at the shoulders and hips before laying down the pad, to help with with comfort.
About 6 years ago, I decided I had enough with 'pads'. I had used many types and models by this time, including several of the crop of thermapad-Zfolded-accordion pleated ilk, like the one below. None were ever really comfortable to me. They did keep the ground from vampiring up my body heat, and they were a lighter option. . . seemingly.
In truth, at an average of 14 ounces/397 grms, they weighed a bit more than my current Nemo air mattress, and were far less comfortable. And they did not compress down for the backpack. What you see below, is as small a footprint as you get with many of these, when packed down for a hike. It pretty much has to be attached to the outside of a backpack.
OMG!!!! How Could I Have Been So Young And Dumb??? Answer: Technology Does Change.
I have now evolved into using Air Mattresses. I've used a few models, and while they can and will eventually develop punctures, they are surprisingly very tough critters. I've been using the same one, now, for over 1,600 miles / 2670 kilometers of all terrain backpacking.
Way back when, there were two types of air mattresses:
- The rubberized canvas-fabric kind. They could survive normal campsite environments. . . but weighed tons, and packed down to the size of a small suitcase.
- The plasticized-vinyl types. These are the variety that was found in backyard swimming pools and at lakes. They were much lighter (still weighed over a pound), and packed down nicely. BUT their durability was non-existent and would puncture at the sound of harsh language or a stern glare.
Fabrics and plastics and coating technologies of today are like Star Trek technology compared to the yesteryear of (as Spock once said) using styluses and clay tablets as writing devices. As with all things involving today's lighter weight gear and clothing for backpacking, air mattress technology has evolved, and our backs and knees benefit.
My Nemo model weighs just over 12 ounces, and sneers at normal wear and tear. Yes, I do carry 0.5 ounces worth of a repair kit. If a repair needs to be made to keep my air mattress airtight, it is easy to do and the repairs are sturdy.
Air Mattresses deflate into small, compressed bundles. They tuck away nicely into a backpack's outer pocket or into the main bag. Personally, I keep mine inside the same stuff sack (0.3 ounces/ 8.5 grms) that I keep my tent in, unless the tent was packed wet. If that is the case, I roll the mattress into a tight bundle and stow it in a side pocket.
Two years ago, I discovered I no longer want to blow up my mattress by lung-power. So now, if taking my air mattress (which takes only 10 big breaths to fill tightly) I also take this device, that weighs about 2.3 oz /65 grms including the 2 AAA batteries.
There are also stuff sacks which can be used as 'air pumps', but I personally dislike their usability finickiness. Plus, there is very little gained, in terms of lightness, by using a stuff sack pump vs my powered pump.
Air Mattresses Are Not Your Bed At Home
You probably have already figured out, intellectually anyway, that there are no Air Mattresses or Pads for use with camping when backpacking, hiking, or walking Camino that will mimic the mattress you sleep on at home.
If that thought has
not occurred to you, then let me be clear: There are no Air Mattresses or Pads for use with camping when backpacking, hiking, or walking Camino that will mimic the mattress you sleep on at home.
Insulation is provided with both Air Mattresses and Pads. Air Mattresses have models with varying degrees of added insulative foils which can increase 'R' value; this is in addition to the fact that they already isolate your body from direct contact with the ground itself.
Yes, pads CAN offer even more insulation, but here's the thing: If legally camping and sleeping outside on Camino, or if I am backpacking during the three seasons of Spring, Summer, and Fall, high levels of ground insulation is not the primary focus. You are not going to be sleeping on snow and ice and frozen tundra at below freezing temperatures.
The primary issue is comfort. What will allow you the best chance of getting all of the rest, and the recovery sleep your body needs in order to function properly and to be alert for the next morning's walk. This is important for your continued health on long-distance walks. Continued fatigue will dramatically increase the risk for illness and injuries as the walk continues over the many days you are on your feet and carrying a backpack.
First decision: What sleeping platform am I most comfortable with for a good night's sleep. For some, a pad will be sufficient. For others, a pad will not provide enough cushioning.
So my recommendation is to start with pads. All sorts of pads, from the least expensive Big Box Store blue foam style pad, to the far more expensive and technically advanced thermarest style pads.
Try to get a good representative sample to try out at once. If purchasing for a tryout at home, make sure they can be returned for refund. If doing this at an outdoor store that has a good inventory selection, have the sales clerk lay out all of the pads you want to try out onto the floor and next to each other.
For either tryout style, wear clothing that is as close to that which you would wear on Camino for sleep. And make sure you have an adequate representation of the sleeping bag to lay on top of the pad as well.
If the tryout is in the store, make sure you are mentally prepared to steel yourself. You will be laying down on the floor, in full view of other customers, while you take your time with each pad. Laying on your back, on your side, on your tummy. .. . you will lay in each position, with each pad, for as long as it takes to figure out if it is comfortable enough for a night's sleep.
Some pads you will reject immediately as you can tell in a nanosecond that it ain't working. Others will take a bit longer, as you try to work out whether your first impressions of comfort will carry over to a long night's sleep.
Oh, and Take Note: For me, I am going do this at home, NOT at the store. Steel myself as I will, I am still an introvert and do not like being a spectacle. I do not need to overhear a kid say, "Mommy why is that man laying on the floor, wiggling and moving like that?"
When you finally arrive at a candidate for Best Pad, consider how you will carry it with your backpack. Most likely, it will be fastened to the pack's exterior, so make sure you know how you can achieve this with your pack. Consider existing cords and ties already attached to your pack. Loops or attachment points where you could thread a cord or strap onto the pack. Consider in what way your ability to access your backpack's pockets and bag is affected by a pad that is attached. Consider the final footprint of the backpack with the added dimensions - - can you move with full awareness of your pack size, in a shop full of glassware, without knocking stuff about?
Now, set your Pad candidate aside, and go on to Phase Two: Air Mattresses.
Remember how you tried out various Pads? Do the same thing with Air Mattress. But here is the Big Difference: Air Mattresses take a bit more checking out in order to get a final Love Match. All you really want to do at this point, is to roughly determine if you are a Pad Person, or if you are someone who needs additional cushioning from an Air Mattress?
Is a Pad sufficient for comfort? Does it meet your usability needs? Is it easy enough for you to pack and carry? If so, than you can rest well on a Pad.
IF you decide that you are best served by an Air Mattress, then we must continue on.
The Quest For The Golden Fleece
Choosing a Pad is fairly straight forward compared to an Air Mattress. Once you have made the decision to go with an Air Mattress, you need to determine which Air Mattress is best for you.
Wait. You thought that SHOES were the only thing that requires an individual fit? Excuse my smile.
Do you remember how much consideration went into choosing your bed mattress at home? It is no different for an Air Mattress for carrying. When you decide to sleep on the ground with an Air Mattress, there is no one size, one model, one construction method, one usability fits all.
When I chose my Nemo Tensor model (there are a few versions), it was in comparison with 8 other Air Mattress models from among several companies. I inflated all of them, set them on the ground in my family room, then spent the next three days laying on them off and on.
The easy part was determining what the minimum dimensions I needed: Length and Width. The current Mattress is 'full-length', rather than hip-length or short-length. It is also 'regular width' (20") rather than Narrow, or Wide.
Why the different choices? Exactly! Using the smallest dimension you are comfortable enough using translates into lighter weight and more compact size for packing. What will work for you, is an individual fit and feel type of thing.
I used to use a hip-length, and then would put my backpack under the lower legs. But nowadays, my knees appreciate the support from a regular length mattress.
Air Mattresses use different types of construction for baffles. Air chambers (baffles) that go horizontal, or vertical, or chambers that are constructed in a 'quilt' type pattern are among the majority styles.
Various Air Mattress models, when fully inflated, are at different thicknesses off of the ground. Do you need 3" or 2" to keep your shoulders and hips from pressing against the ground?
Then there is the Roll Off Factor. How easy is it to roll of the mattress while sleeping? You wont hurt yourself if you do, but it is irritating as frozen snot to have to keep wiggling yourself back onto the pad or Air Mattress. Two factors come into play here (aside from the dimensions of the Air Mattress itself).
The first is the ability to keep the Air Mattress slightly deflated. Air Mattresses are not only uncomfortable when tightly inflated, but they act like a trampoline, too. So how much can you deflate the Air Mattress while still having comfortable support?
The second is the construction of the Air Mattress. Some folks benefit from Air Mattresses that have outside support in the form of a slightly bigger baffle. The theory is that it acts like a guard rail. How practical the actual application of such a feature is up to the individual. I find them non-essential and an impingement against my shoulder.
Aside from the 'guard rail', it is the overall construction style of the baffles which can affect how easy it is for one person to roll off the Air Mattress.
During my tryouts, I went did direct comparisons for only two Mattresses at a time. I would pause when laying in each position -side or back- long enough to get a good feel of the comfort and movement of the mattress. I would lay on my back to sense how much Roll-Of-Ability there might be. Then I would set aside the one I liked least. Then I would compare the 'winner' of that heat, to the next candidate.
I continued until I had a winner. Then I would do a new round to recheck my findings. I did not care which mattress won, only that it was as comfortable as I could find among the candidates.
Next in another post: Techniques for using an Air Mattress for best outcome.
.... lots of 'best sleeping mats' sites out there but what about doing our own?
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And don't forget, you have some type of jacket that can also be placed on top of the air mattress so it sits under your upper body core.
