Sleeping without a sleeping pad, no matter how good your sleeping bag or tent is, leads to three big problems: comfort, cold and condensation. The earth is hard, the cold penetrates the sleeping bag and at the meeting of your body warmth and cold tent floor – condensation happens and makes your sleeping bag not only wet, but even more cold; and your sleep even more uncomfortable.
Considerations for a good Sleeping Pad:
- Light
- Compact
- Durable
- Comfortable
The name in this game is – Thermarest. They are the market leader. Their pads come in differing sizes and thicknesses, but the idea behind them is the same – a loose cell foam between a waterproof fabric at the bottom and a breathable fabric on top. The pad self inflates to a degree, but requires a puff or two from you to finish the job.
There are other types of pads, as well as Thermarest imitators. They are usually inferior, but are also significantly cheaper. Canadian Tires sells a Woods self-inflating Thermarest imitator that probably will be just fine for a third of the price of a Thermarest. But, eventually, if outdoors adventuring is for you – you will end up with a Thermarest.
In the GTA you can buy a sleeping pad at Canadian Tire, MEC and SAIL.
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