Sleeping pad?

[Buck91]

I'm 6' 3" all day long, and while thats not freakishly tall I gotta think that a lot of these camping pads are gonna come up short. In fact I've been thinking, if they are basically just a closed cell foam pad, I wonder if you can find something not "made for camping" that will work just as good at a lower price... And maybe be big enough for two people. Can anybody comment on the type of foam that would best be suited for use as a sleeping pad? Obviously closed cell to not absorb moisture, but are we talking polystyrene, polyethylene, etc? Don't really know much about foams, but I figure that at least some people here must use sleeping pads out there and can chime in!

[gossamer]

Ask the Foam Factory, they are located on M59 and North Ave. They have all kinds of foam and I have bought foam from them for a sleeping pad before, so i could cut it to fit in my small tent, it has worked wonders.

Just a thought.

[Leroi Brown]

I would definitely go with a camping-oriented sleep pad, like a Thermarest. HUGE difference vs a foam pad. They make an XL for taller people, and besides, even if your feet hang off a bit, they're still really comfortable. I slept on a short one on rocky terrain, and it was comfortable.....slept like a baby.

[Wolverine]

My husband is 6'4" and I was able to get one long enough for him so I would guess you shouldn't have any trouble finding one to suit you. The question is how much do you want to spend? They can be ridiculously pricey, but that's a relative valuation depending on how much use you'll get out of it. The type that we have are nothing like a foam mattress.

Unless you're sharing a sleeping bag I'd get seperate sleeping pads. If you're doing any backpacking you'll definitely need them seperate for packing. For car camping you could always get a blow up mattress and sheets. If you're considerably heavier than the other person though, beware that you'll be the first to hit the ground if it leaks since the weight won't be distributed evenly.

[Buck91]

Foam Factory, great suggestion. Spoke with them on the phone and it sounds like they have the solution!

[Jeffreykdc]

you don't need it to be the length of your body just mid thigh to top of the head. The rest is just a waste.

[jrshome]

you don't need it to be the length of your body just mid thigh to top of the head. The rest is just a waste.

Unless you are using it as part of your thermal protection for colder weather camping

[SteveF]

I read that some Ride the Divide racers use those collapsible windshield shades for pads. Lighweight and good for insulating you from the ground if not exactly plush. I made the mistake a couple of years ago of buying a conventional air mattress for camping and near froze my azz off from ground chill. Went back to my old self-inflating, partial closed cell pad and was much more comfortable.

[bikemerc]

I second the thermarest. They hold up for along time, and can be used as a raft in the water, and by purchasing an additional snap harness, it turns into a chair! Ive slept on rocky surfaces too. They are great! Read the instructions, as you dont blow them up, self inflating.

[mtnbikinbryno]

I second the thermarest. They hold up for along time, and can be used as a raft in the water, and by purchasing an additional snap harness, it turns into a chair! Ive slept on rocky surfaces too. They are great! Read the instructions, as you dont blow them up, self inflating.

x3 on Thermarest - lifetime warranty!

What kind of camping are you talking, backpacking or car camping? If you're car camping, why not just get an air mattress? And if you're backpacking, a rolled up foam pad is going to either take up a ton of space in your pack or hang off the side of your pack, get caught on trees while you're hiking, get wet if it rains, etc.

[gearsntears]

Another +1 for Thermarest.

http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/ ... te/product

That one is superlight and compact for backpacking, if that's what you'll be using it for. I prefer not to use the self-inflating types because you're screwed if it gets a rip. I'd rather not have to pack more supplies for repairs than I need to, so the z-lite was my choice. Love it.

If you don't intend on actually camping during the winter, the person who said anything from knees down is a waste of material is correct.

[sawdustysneeze]

big agnus is the cat's meow!

[rosander]

+1 for the Big Agnes. I'm 6'4" and use the 72" mummy shaped air core, plenty long to hit the back of my head and keep my heels off the ground. Plus it's super thick.

[deezler]

Big agnes is super comfy but you need 100+ blows to fill it up. Self inflating pads are the bomb. REI and thermarest both make long pads, too. But who needs foam under their feet anyway? All your weight is on your shoulders and hips.