Jim's Articles

Camping sleeping pads tips

A good camping sleeping pad will ensure that your hiking travel trip will be a success. Here are some camping tips.Keep a light handy: Campers are often amazed at how dark the night feels outdoors. Wear a headlamp or keep a flashlight handy. Hang a small LED lantern inside your tent as soon as you set it up, so you can turn it on when you prepare for bed. Some tents now come with built-in LED lights for a gentle glow.

If you get peckish, eat a small snack before bed of nuts or cherries. These are easy to pack, don’t require refrigeration, and best of all – are shown to promote sleep. While you’re at it, avoid alcohol and caffeine after the late afternoon, too. Many campers like to bring along their favorite adult beverage in a trusty flask. Save this for daytime sipping only. While alcohol initially makes you drowsy, it interferes with your sleep during the latter half of the night.

These are filled with some foam which expands when you open the valve and spread the pad, and it sucks the air in. You may blow some air in if you want. The outside shell is usually waterproof. The Therm-a-Rest model given in the picture above is one of them. An open-cell foam structure is similar to a bath sponge. So you have the gas pockets which are connected with each other. They are self-inflating due to memory effect of the foam. These pads are popular among backpackers and campers. They come in a large variety of weight (and thickness and price), but they are usually more lightweight than the air pads.

Self-inflating pads are typically the most convenient. You simply open the pad’s valve, which allows the foam cells to begin self-filling with air. Top it off with a few puffs of air to get to your desired firmness. They too can be punctured, but again this is a pretty easy fix. They are slightly heavier, so if packing weight is your biggest concern, you won’t find the lightest pads in this category. They are typically warmer than a lot of other pads. For an average hike or camping trip, the convenience and extra warmth may be worth the weight. Overall, self-inflatable sleeping pads are generally the most comfortable and warmest options, but are the heaviest.

Buy camping sleeping pads on Amazon at a very good price: We recommend this one, TFO Air Camping Sleeping Pad 1lb Ultralight, Upgraded 40D Tear-Resistant Nylon, Textured Inflatable Camping Mat with Compact Carrying Bag for Backpacking/Hiking/Car. See extra details on Soft Air Camping Sleeping Pad on Amazon. 1lb ULTRALIGHT CAMPING PAD & COMPACT CARRYING BAG The camping pad is 75″ X 23″ X 2″, which can satisfy your desire to enjoy a good night’s sleep in the wild. The super tiny packed size (10″ * 4″) is almost half the size of standard camp sleeping pads and perfect for fitting into a backpack in your funny hiking trip.