View Full Version : Do you really need a sleeping pad?
Rotten Rob
05-10-2010, 14:32
I want to keep my load light and cheap, is a sleeping pad necessary?
M1 Thumb
05-10-2010, 14:42
I would say yes. If anything to put a little insulation between you and the ground. They also help smooth out any small rocks, roots, debris.... that may be under the tent. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or heavy if you want to go minimal.
Or check into a hammock.
Well, need, no... but it provides a huge level of not only comfort, but more importantly warmth. The bare ground will suck up a lot of body heat, even in the summer. It's worth carrying even the lightest groundsheet just for the warmth issue... gossamer gear sells a very light one that's for that purpose.
Hikes in Rain
05-10-2010, 14:51
Call me a sissy, but yes, my Thermorest is absolutely necessary! One of the last things I'd leave behind.
Tuckahoe
05-10-2010, 15:18
Here's thing. You need as much under you as you have over you to be able to keep warm while sleeping. The problem is that in a sleeping bag, your body will compress the fill material (down, synthetic, etc) reducing the insulating qualities of the fill. Allowing your sleep to be affected by cold and moisture coming up from the ground.
The sleeping pad allows better insulation between you and the ground, keeping you warmer and more comfortable.
And as pointed out the layer of padding is pretty nice too. There is no reason not to bring along the tools that allow you to have a good night's sleep on the trail.
Here's the link to the pad I was talking about...
http://www.gossamergear.com/cgi-bin/gossamergear/thinlight.html
At 2 ounces for the smallest, lightest pad, it's well worth the weight for the warmth alone. It won't provide much comfort at all in terms of padding, and for some that's no big deal. Most people like to have a little padding at least, but to each their own.
YohonPetro
05-10-2010, 16:18
I got the smallest pad that I could find, a child sized pad, my back and butt are on it, head is on a pile of clothes, and my feet don't really need cushioning. OR the hammock route sounds nice too. I just got my camping hammock and will be breaking it in this weekend at Trail Days I hope.
fiddlehead
05-10-2010, 16:37
No. Certainly not.
Only if it's cold.
bigcranky
05-10-2010, 16:44
Need? No. But then you don't "need" a pack, tent, sleeping bag, stove, or even food. Anyone can be uncomfortable. Go for it.
Mountain Wildman
05-10-2010, 17:05
A sleeping pad can also be used in case of a leg injury, You can use it to wrap around your leg as a sort of splint to help you hike out for medical assistance.
fiddlehead
05-10-2010, 17:17
Need? No. But then you don't "need" a pack, tent, sleeping bag, stove, or even food. Anyone can be uncomfortable. Go for it.
I disagree here.
It is not possible to do a long hike without food or a sleeping bag IMO.
I have only met one hiker who tried to do it without food, he didn't last long.
I met a few who ditched their sleeping bags in PA. They quickly realized their mistake and got them back.
I have met many hikers who didn't use a sleeping pad.
Doesn't mean they were uncomfortable.
My mother in law is 70 and prefers to sleep on our hard tile floor rather than the bed whenever she visits us. (but it is not cold where we live)
Sleeping pads do a lot to help keep the cold out.
I've seen hikers use newspaper or cardboard or nothing (also, the other extreme: up to 3 lb air mattresses complete with footpump)
UP to you!
RedneckRye
05-10-2010, 17:48
An easy way to figure out if you "need" a pad.
Tonight, sleep on your porch or deck. That would give a real good approximation of sleeping in a shelter.
Tomorrow, sleep in your yard. Not where the grass is all nice and green, but somewhere that is mainly dirt, with some leaves, twigs, and gravel.
Temps in Washington, PA are going to be 37 tonight and 53 tomorrow according to weather.com which is about average for nighttime temps in the spring and fall.
Hikes in Rain
05-10-2010, 17:50
Great test. Did it (well, sorta) way back when I was young. That's why my mattress is probably the heaviest single item in my pack, and why I won't give it up.
garlic08
05-10-2010, 18:28
If all your nights are going to be warm and dry and on beds of leaf duff or pine litter, you don't need one. If you might be on snow, it might be critical to your life safety to have one (or even two). If you're young and nothing hurts after a day of hiking and you can sleep well anywhere, it's optional. If you have sore hips and shoulders or can feel a pea under your mattress at home, you'll need one. It's all up to you, really. I've only met one thru hiker who didn't carry at least something.
I carry six sections of Z-rest at 6 oz. The Gossamer Gear torso length looks like it'll do the same thing for less weight and less money.
FritztheCat
05-10-2010, 18:36
At 24, no a sleeping pad was not necessary, in my opinion. At 41? Absolutely, for me. I figure if I don't get a good night's sleep, then I won't be worth squat in the morning and my hike and my enjoyment would suffer. With a pad, I sleep better and wake up more refreshed. But that's me at 41. At 24, I used to camp all the time without a sleeping pad and was no worse for wear.
Pagandaddy
05-10-2010, 18:47
I sleep on the floor at home. It is carpeted and at the moment has an area rug also. I didn't use a pad for a couple nights on the AT, just a garbage bag. Now I don't plan on taking one with me when I go back out for longer outings. RedneckRye spoke the truth about the shelter floors. I would rather sleep on the ground.
cold temps: pad can be a matter of life and death
mid-summer: optional
in my opinion the average sleeping pad does squat to cushion yourself while sleeping, it is stricktly a warmth issue. now if ur carrying a full air mattres that inflates more than two or so inches we would be talking a matter of added comfort. once again just my opinion but when i prep friends for a hike i always tell them that a sleeping pad is for added warmth, not added comfort. for the record i use a blue "wally-world", as it is called, pad trimmed down to cover mid head to just above knees.
skinewmexico
05-10-2010, 19:41
Like others have said, it's age and/or temperature dependent.
neighbor dave
05-10-2010, 19:50
it's mind over matter, i carry some nails with me.
http://kwaminyamidie.com/blog3/Jack%20Schwarz%20on%20a%20bed%20of%20nails.jpg
Tuckahoe
05-10-2010, 21:12
At 24, no a sleeping pad was not necessary, in my opinion. At 41? Absolutely, for me. I figure if I don't get a good night's sleep, then I won't be worth squat in the morning and my hike and my enjoyment would suffer. With a pad, I sleep better and wake up more refreshed. But that's me at 41. At 24, I used to camp all the time without a sleeping pad and was no worse for wear.
Fritz, I really agree with you on this. Whether just camping or reenacting I slept just about anywhere and under all sorts of crap conditions. I can still pull it off, but anymore I just dont sleep well. When it comes to backpacking, and as I near 40 I value the comfort of the sleeping pad very much.
Lone Wolf
05-10-2010, 21:15
I want to keep my load light and cheap, is a sleeping pad necessary?
nope. plenty of soft ground to lay on while in a tent. i've gone without a pad many times
bigcranky
05-10-2010, 21:22
I disagree here.
It is not possible to do a long hike without food or a sleeping bag IMO.
Well, if we're talking about a long hike, then sure -- food is a good idea. But I think the rest really is optional -- hikers have thru'd with a wool blanket, a laundry bag for their gear, a shower curtain for their tarp, etc. (Not that I would give up all my gear....)
In my personal opinion, a sleeping pad is necessary much of the time just for the warmth.
Earl Shaffer did his entire first hike without a true pad (he used a burlap bag stuffed with leaves a few times). I don't know about his second hike, but on his third (age 79-80) he took a small piece of foam for his hip area.
Sure, it's possible.
johnnybgood
05-10-2010, 21:35
Leaves piled under the tent makes for a cushion. I've also used pine cones under a ground cloth to keep from poking a hole in the tent.
On a week long section hike I've sometimes carried two pads, a lightweight 3/4 Thermarest and a full size Z-rest. Sounds extravagant I know but a good night's rest is worth its weight in gold the next day. I too agree with Redneck Rye's advice, try the hard surface for a few nights then make your decision.
Pagandaddy
05-10-2010, 21:57
Alaskan tundra is by far the most comfortable natural padding. In the summer.8>)
The quickest answer to this question is go out and sleep without one and see how you like it. And then repeat when the temps drop below freezing at night (if they didn't the first time).
I want to keep my load light and cheap....?
Yeah, do you think you are the first with the goals of wanting a light and cheap carrying load? Don't we all want that? BUT, that DOES NOT stop the vast majority of hikers, especially long distance hikers, from carrying some form of a sleeping pad/mattress. There are lighter, cheaper, and more compact choices. Some of those choices have already been mentioned.
Asking the question if a sleeping pad is necessary is like asking someone if a TV, refrigerator, car, cell ph, etc is necessary. NO, none of those things are usually an absolute necessity of life but that doesn't stop most people in America from having them. Just as different folks would weigh in on their opinions of whether or not those conveniences are always(that's a key word) necessary so it is with always(again, that's a key word) having to have a sleeping pad while hiking.
Instead of taking a public opinion poll of hikers debating back and forth if a sleeping pad is necessary decide for yourself after sleeping on the bare porch and bare ground for a few nights and determine if a sleeping pad is necessary, especially for an extended hike, for yourself. Do what Redneck Rye suggested!
fiddlehead
05-10-2010, 22:27
If you want to go very light, try buying one of those cheap blue foam (closed cell) pads at Wal Mart or some junk store like that, and cutting it in half.
I use it just for my shoulders to below my butt. I use my pack (empty) for a pillow and my food bag to prop up my feet.
I haven't weighed my cut down pad, but after a thru-hike or two, they get pretty thin.
Probably about 3-4 oz.
Ladytrekker
05-10-2010, 23:28
My sleeping pad is the last item I would leave. The hard cold ground will eat you alive. I need to sleep and then be able to get up and walk in the morning. I use a neo air and it is very light but very effective.
Do I need one? Yes
Do you need one? I don't know. If you are concerned about the weight, go without. You can pick one up later.
Rotten Rob
05-11-2010, 15:01
Thank you all for your suggestions. Lot of good ideas here, I'm defiantly going to try sleeping without a pad these next couple of nights to see. I always thought the pad was a comfort thing, I had no idea it helps keep you warm. Thank you.
double d
05-11-2010, 18:29
I think a sleeping pad is both a neeed and a want. The type of sleeping pad is up to you, so shop around, but that ground gets harder and harder each night your out on the trail!
but that ground gets harder and harder each night your out on the trail! I think its your foam pad thats getting harder and harder each night. You might want to replace it occasionally. ;)
double d
05-11-2010, 20:12
I think its your foam pad thats getting harder and harder each night. You might want to replace it occasionally. ;)
Haaa, good point!
Last summer I took a light wool blanket instead of a sleeping pad, not to save weight but to add a little versatility for the same volume as a blue foam pad. In retrospect, I wish I had had both on that trip. The wool blanket is versatile and fun, but it is really nice to have the blue foam pad underneath you and whatever else you have over top. Needs some more experimenting for the right setup for summer. Definitely some sort of insulation underneath though, even in summer, for warmth and to stop condensation. Comfort is another thing but that can often be satisfied with choice of ground and by digging out a spot for your butt.
JAK, bivies out in the open on ridges on snow in the rain with the wind gusting and bears and lions circling with Dec 21 2012 soon approaching. He doesn't need no sleeping pad. Some nice soft Norway Spruce boughs and talus is what he calls a sleeping pad. JAK's from Canada!
I only know one hiker who went without a pad, same thing as you looking to save weight and bulk. He said he wouldn't do it again. I think you probably can find places to camp without one, but my guess is its a bit of an art finding the right spot, and then maybe making it right? The "sites" that often look good and soft are the grassy ones that are also typically very lumpy.
I want to keep my load light and cheap, is a sleeping pad necessary?
For me, the simple answer is yes. However, now you have to figure out which one......
Tenderheart
05-19-2010, 15:14
Thank you all for your suggestions. Lot of good ideas here, I'm defiantly going to try sleeping without a pad these next couple of nights to see. I always thought the pad was a comfort thing, I had no idea it helps keep you warm. Thank you.
Oh yes, without a pad, your body tries to heat the earth. I don't have to tell you how this would work out.
litefoot 2000
IsNotAHome
05-19-2010, 15:23
Do you want your body tempurature to be the same as the ground you are on? If you don't then some form of insulation is required between you and the ground.
Safety Pins
05-20-2010, 09:47
I've devised a fairly comfortable, very inexpensive and extremely lightweight sleeping pad. I bought two 17 x 17 x 1" foam pads enclosed in plastic wrap from my local Joann's Fabrics. Leaving on the wrap, I put the two pads in a pillowcase and close it with -- of course! -- safety pins. Could also be sewn. Maybe for taller people (I'm 5'3"), three pads would work, maybe in a king-size pillowcase. This has worked very well for me, especially the light-weight part, and I'll use it again this year.
Thank you all for your suggestions. Lot of good ideas here, I'm defiantly going to try sleeping without a pad these next couple of nights to see. I always thought the pad was a comfort thing, I had no idea it helps keep you warm. Thank you.
Good. Report back here with your conclusions. I'm sure whatever you decide will keep this thread alive for a couple more days.
SomeCallMeTim
05-24-2010, 17:21
Just finished a section hike using a vinyl air mattress for swimming pools - found that if you fill it 3/4 full you will not only be warm, but you'll be comfortable...
by the way...the way I found out that it needed to be 3/4 full? I filled it full of air the first night and awoke with my hip being numb and my back being cold!
Spend the money on the sleeping pad - it's worth it!
Anumber1
05-25-2010, 01:26
i never used one for like 5 years, except in winter, but now I dont go anywhere without it