[pct-l] Sleeping gear recommendations

Sun Apr 17 22:35:53 CDT 2011

Thanks for the info man. One concern: If I space the pads a bit before
taping them together, won't I feel the gaps when I sleep on it?

On Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 2:16 PM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net> wrote:

> Good afternoon, Moccasin,
>
> I’ve never had one of the duct tape hinges fail.  Always the foam has
> ripped or become compressed before the tape failed.
>
> My first two foam pads were purchased in the ‘60s when they became popular
> and readily available.  They were made of a product called Ensolite which
> was great insulation, and it didn’t seem to compress, but it was rather soft
> and became damaged easily.  One of them I wore completely out -- meaning
> to a rag -- while the other stayed in the gear locker.  That second one
> was eventually converted with duct tape hinges, and that exact pad is shown
> as the light-green item, center right in the TrailJournal photo.
>
> The light-blue pad at lower-right was the next step.  It also is closed
> cell foam but since it has seen quite a few trail nights it has become
> semi-retired.  The dark-blue pads shown are what I’ve been using recently.
> They are a different kind of foam, with much larger entrained-air cells.  The
> cells are much more like micro-bubble wrap than fine-grain foam.  It works
> fine, but it seems to compress after about 100 nights.  I’ll probably
> replace that style of foam if I can find something better.
>
> A leading retailer in my area has some foam pads which I may try, but I’m
> leery.  Instead of being thickness-formed during manufacture leaving a
> smooth top and bottom surface, these pads have been sliced from a large
> block of foam with a knife or saw.  The result is the top and bottom
> surface of each pad is rather fuzzy from the cutting.  It looks as if it
> would be difficult to wipe dry should it become wet – which can happen – and
> it may be more difficult to get the duct tape to stick to such a surface.
>
> One tip for hinge-making:  Before applying the duct tape, top and bottom,
> space the sections apart by about two pad-thicknesses.  That will allow
> the resulting hinge to bend either way without crushing the foam or
> over-stressing the tape during a fold.
>
> Steel-Eye
>
> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>
> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>
>
>   On Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 9:11 AM, Brandon McGinnity <bmcginnity at gmail.com
> > wrote:
>
>> Steel Eye, that is a great idea, to convert the foam pad to an accordian
>> style pad. How well does it work? Does the tape hold up well?
>>
>> By the way, I have the same sleeping bag, as yet untested. Good to know
>> others are using it out there :)
>>
>>   On Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 11:02 AM, CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>wrote:
>>
>>> Good morning, all,
>>>
>>> For me, the change from sleeping on a thin, closed-cell foam pad to
>>> sleeping
>>> on one of the air mattress cousins would be costly and would add weight
>>> --
>>> all to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.  That’s my opinion – obviously
>>> your experience, needs, results, and wallet will vary.
>>>
>>> I expect the air mattress items would be fine to sleep upon, but I sleep
>>> very well on the trail and I wouldn’t compromise much to make a small
>>> improvement – and I certainly wouldn’t trade-off my ration of Peanut M&Ms
>>> in
>>> the process.
>>>
>>> The cost increase isn’t my biggest concern:  I usually get – or probably
>>> already have – whatever gear I think I would like to use, or at least try
>>> to
>>> use.
>>>
>>> I’m not tough, I’m lazy.  The tough people are easy to spot – they keep
>>> their socks up with thumbtacks.  Being lazy I’m most concerned about
>>> weight:
>>> My cheap-o foam pads, modified to accordion-fold,
>>> http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264203  provide some padding
>>> and
>>> structure to my little 13-ounce pack.  A rolled up air mattress wouldn’t
>>> perform that function, so I would likely have use a different pack – one
>>> with some padding and/or structure -- adding a pound or so to the base
>>> weight in the process.  I could pack differently to spread my sleeping
>>> bag
>>> against my back instead of the pad, but without the pad’s modest
>>> structure
>>> everything in the pack will shift around on while I hike.  Also, the pad
>>> keeps the sweat of my back from soaking the sleeping bag better than can
>>> be
>>> done with the slick, shifty ground cloth.
>>>
>>> I also like to simplify the process of hiking/camping on the long trails.
>>>  With
>>> my foam pad I don’t have to scrutinize a prospective bed-site for small
>>> sharps; I only inspect for things that might make me uncomfortable –
>>> something I would also have to do with an air mattress.  Neither do I
>>> worry
>>> about being let-down on the cold ground in the middle of the night, or
>>> finding and patching the probable leak(s).
>>>
>>> Steel-Eye
>>>
>>> Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965
>>>
>>> http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye
>>>
>>> http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Apr 17, 2011 at 7:58 AM, Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Just a plug for the neo.  I carried one all last year, and just took it
>>> > into
>>> > a very chaparral covered area for a 3 day backpack trip this past week.
>>>  I
>>> > cowboy camped on a chunk of tyvek for most of last year's thru hike, so
>>> no
>>> > double layer, and still have not had it get punctured or loose any air.
>>>  I
>>> > think they're reasonably tough.  Cactus thorns will puncture them, so I
>>> was
>>> > careful in the deserts, but slept many nights on prickly pine needles,
>>> > rocks
>>> > and twigs, and didn't have it get a puncture, and have never slept on a
>>> > more
>>> > comfortable mat.  I met many folks using them on trail last year, and
>>> > punctures were not what they talked about, the great sleep they got
>>> was.
>>> >  For some of the younger folks I traveled with, who were on little foam
>>> > mats, I used to tease them by offering them 10 minutes on my neo for a
>>> bite
>>> > of their snickers.  No one ever killed me for it, but after they took a
>>> lay
>>> > down on it, pretty much everyone of them swore they'd have one next
>>> hike.
>>> >
>>> > For young folks, you can all pretty much sleep on rocks and be just
>>> fine,
>>> > but for the elders on trail, those of us not as absolutely trail tough
>>> as
>>> > Steel-Eye or Switchback and a few others, I highly recommend the neo.
>>>  It
>>> > works well on a crowded motel floor too.
>>> >
>>> > Shroomer
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> ~ Moccasin
>>
>>
>

-- 
~ Moccasin