Originally Posted by
pdhoffman
I used a Big Agnes Horse Thief with the uninsulated Air Core mattress on the AT in '03. The bag is rated at 35 deg. F. When I originally tested at home (Corpus Christi) it was fine at this temperature. However, the ground temperature was warmer than the air temperature overnight.
One night in Maine (Aug. 31) it got to 35 degrees in the shelter. I was cold on the bottom and fine on top, so I spent the night rotating the warm side down and the cold side up. The difference is that on the elevated shelter floor the cold air temperature could get to the underside of the air mattress.
From Monson north, I carried the air mattress and a thermarest. Felt like the princess and the pea. The stack was high enough the that injury seemed like a possibility if I rolled off.
Sure liked the comfort of the air mattress. Nothing poked through to discomfort you. I have since purchased the insulated Air Core, but haven't tested it out at low temperatues. The insulated one was actually a couple of ounces lighter than the uninsulated one.
Pete Hoffman
"Old Corpus"