[pct-l] Sleeping gear recommendations

[gwschenk at socal.rr.com]

Despite his protests to the contrary, Chuck is a tough guy to sleep on the blue foam pad! I gave up on those and use a z-rest. Like Chuck, I think simple is best. And the foam pads are light and indestructable.

On the other hand, my friend who hiked the CDT last year married his Neo-air in a small civil ceremony.

Gary

---- 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
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