RE: [Paddlewise] Sleeping pads

> -----Original Message-----
Rick wrote:

> What's the key to a good pad?  etc etc.

  In my mind there are two basic reason for using a sleeping pad:
insulation and/or comfort.  Both involve the same principle - elevate
and separate the body from the cold hard earth.

  There are two primary schools of thought regarding pads - the "air"
pads and the closed-cell foam pads.  For my money the top line (weight
to utility ratio) of air-based pads has to be Thermarest - they can take
my Thermarest LE when they finally slide it out from under my cold
corpse.  The Thermarest pads tend to be heavier and more expensive than
closed cell foam pads, but they're much more comfortable.  Size-wise the
rolled sizes of two types are pretty much comparable when using pads of
the same length and width.
  Closed cell foam pads (i.e. the Thermrest Ridgerest) tend to provide
better insulation on a weight to insulation ratio, but can't compare to
the luxury of a Thermarest.
  For backpacking I carry a foam pad because ounces (or grams) count,
but when Kayaking I go for the Thermarest, because weight doesn't matter
nearly as much and the rolled size issue is a wash...

Dave Seng
Juneau, Alaska

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