[pct-l] sleeping pads

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Chris,

Mostly I use cheap, 3/8”, closed-cell foam pads.  I’ve used at least five
different types of foam, not counting several different Ridge-Rest and
Z-Rest pads.  Eventually every type compresses, usually in the area where
my hip rests.  Three of the foam types can be seen at
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=264203

The light-blue style at the lower right has very fine-grain air cells, and
it seems best at resisting permanent compression.  I could probably carry
this type for the entire trip, or maybe replace it once.

The very light green style immediately above is Ensolite – also a very
fine-grained – but it isn’t really common anymore, and it is frail, and it
quickly takes a compressive set so it isn’t the best.

The two dark-blue examples – one flat and one loosely folded – are made of
course-grain foam, meaning an examination of a cut edge will show it has
larger, more noticeable, and elongated air cells.  This type compresses
much more quickly than the others; sometimes down to 1/8” thick if I use
one too long.  I would plan on replacing this type at Kennedy Meadows so I
would have full-thickness insulation for the Sierra.  The second one would
probably be replaced at Cascade Locks.

Another style, not pictured, I’ve only used enough to know that I don’t
like it, and I won’t take it on any long trail.  It is made from somewhat
stiffer foam, but both the top and the bottom sides are rough and slightly
fuzzy from having been made by being sliced or sawed off a big block of
foam instead of being molded to a finished thickness.  That Fuzzy surface
causes me a problem:  If it becomes wet or damp for any reason it seems
require much longer to dry than the smooth molded type.  Also, as can be
seen in the photo, I cut a long pad into sections that can be made into
accordion-folds with duct tape, but the tape resists sticking to the fuzzy
surface.

For a while when I used an old GVP-4 pack I used a short Z-Rest pad because
it fit the pack as an ersatz frame.  The pad performed wonderfully but that
arrangement got tossed because I didn’t like the pack.

Similarly, I’ve used a Ridge-Rest foam pad quite a bit.  I rolled the pad
into a tube, inserted it in the pack, and let it expend to also help
provide some structure in a frameless pack.  It works great, but I prefer
all of the padding be against my back.  Also, the tube-structure tends to
restrict pack loading options.

Enjoy your planning,

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 3:30 PM, Chris Anderson <srhspaded at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I was going through yogi's book and noticed that she mentioned she
> replaces her sleeping pad approx. every 45 days....is this the normal wear
> on sleeping pads?  My pad still looks fine and has done me fine for 2 years
> of intermittent backpacking trips (probably close to 60 days)... do people
> normally have to replace sleeping pads during their thru-hike?
> -Chris Anderson
>
>
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