[pct-l] Sleeping gear recommendations

Mon Apr 18 10:30:43 CDT 2011

A while back I wondered about the relative comfort of an air mattress 
versus a foam pad so I tested at home. I slept a couple of nights on my 
foam pad on thinly carpeted floor and a couple of night using my air 
mattress. I discerned no difference in comfort or sleep between the two so 
I stick with my foam pad. I had some problems being comfortable on either.  
If you can, try this test at home before venturing out onto the trail.

Tortoise

<>  Because truth matters.<>

On 04/18/11 07:57, gwschenk at socal.rr.com wrote:
> 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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