Backpacking Sleeping Pads 

Key Considerations: Choosing a backpacking sleeping pad should take some time to choose. Sleep is the upmost importance during your outdoor adventures. As such, you'll want to take all of the following information into account when choosing which backpacking sleeping pad to purchase.

Fit: As the name would imply, backpacking sleeping pads are intended to fit easily into your pack with some adjusting meaning it needs to be somewhat compact. Take into account the size & dimensions of your personal backpack when choosing a pad. If you choose one that you like, but it will not fit in your pack just review your pad size for sizing its very bulky to strap something of good size to the outside of your pack. But the choices are always up to the person carrying it.

Inflatable vs. Foam Inflatable the vast majority of backpacking sleeping pads are inflatable. Some of these are self-inflating, while others require some level of effort to inflate. When deciding which type of sleeping pad you want, think about the following: although inflatable sleeping pads may offer you more comfort than foam, there are also room for leaks. This means that although you may have purchased the most comfortable sleeping pad on the market, it could the least comfortable if it somehow gets a large hole in it out in the wilderness. Foam: Foam mattress, on the other hand, have the advantage of being more durable, although they often are less comfort than the more common inflatable versions. Foam pads also tend to be bulkier, which makes more difficult to pack into a compact space. Dimensions: Consider the dimensions of a backpacking sleep pad before purchasing. Think about potential places that you may choose to use your sleeping pad. If you plan to visit spots with extremely limited square footage for sleeping, then you'll want to get a sleeping pad that doesn't have to large of a footprint. Conversely, if you're a large person who needs a large pad to be comfortable, you'll want to explore options that offer more sleeping area & wider dimensions. Some of the largest backpacking sleeping pads can even approach the size an individual twin mattress. Sleeping Environment: Most backpackers tend to enjoy the same types of environments on their adventures. If you frequent high-altitude wooded environments, you will have different needs than someone who often camps in a low-elevation drylands. Think about types of places you plan to use your sleeping pad, which will help you assess important factors such as heat control & durability. Always bring patches along with you in case of a potential hole in your pad. Self-inflating design: Some of the currently available sleeping pads can self-inflate. They generally come wrapped in a small bag, but once opened, they self-inflate to full capacity. This advantage to this feature is that you don't need to carry a heavy battery-powered air pump in your pack, and you don't have to use your own breath to blow it up that will contribute to condensation in-side your pad. In order to put it away you just need to squeeze a release valve to deflate your pad and put away back into your pack. Conclusion: It is important that your sleeping pad has all the features that you might need when out camping out in the wilderness. From advances in inflating techniques to specialized durable materials, today pads offer many features that were not available even a decade ago. Do heavy research in a backpacking product there are many manufactures that they claim to be the BEST!! please do your homework.