Sleeping Pad Information

For detailed information on ultralight "sleep systems" see Lee Van Horn's book, "Lightweight Backpacking and Camping," available at Amazon.com. The author recommends going without a sleeping pad altogether in warm weather, using "a thick layer of forest duff" instead – and using a closed-cell sleeping pad in winter. Self-inflating open-cell foam mattresses offer more comfort, but cost and weigh more. Torso-length sleeping pads that rely on a pillow for the head, and other gear to pad the legs, are another option. Two examples are the Gossamer Gear NightLight and the Bozeman Mountain Works TorsoLite.

Backpacking sleeping pads can also fold to serve as chairs. Campers say this makes a big difference if you need to stay inside the tent for a rainy day. Surprisingly, even most backpackers who've tried such a chair decide they're worth carrying, despite the extra weight. They offer a lot of comfort after a long day's travel. Four Therm-a-Rest chairs are available, fitting regular 20-inch-wide sleeping pads, with adjustable side straps to hold the pad in chair position.

Sleeping Pad Manufacturers:

Big Agnes

Bozeman Mountain Works

Cabela's

Therm-a-Rest

Coleman

EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports)

Exped

Gossamer Gear

Liberty Mountain

L.L.Bean

MontBell

MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op (Canada))

Mountain Hardwear

Pacific Outdoor Equipment

REI

Slumberjack

Wenzel