Therm-a-rest pad

[Hugh Blake]

I have 35 degree sleeping bag. Will buying a quality sleeping bag pad increase (decrease really) the thermal rating of the sleeping pad? Thanks.  

[7summits]

Hi Hugh,
without a good pad, there is no use for a high quality bag! Just go into your bag and see how thick the layer is between your back and the ground: close to zero, all the down is compressed where you touch your pad & therefore the pad has to take over the role of insulator. The bag will insulate the part of your body that does not touch the ground, the pad the rest.

So it's very important to have a good pad, else you will freeze even with a minus40 bag...

For wintercamping a combination of a self inflatable (3/4) with a full length closed cell (can be thin) is minimally needed to prevent moisture on the bottom of the pad.

Good luck
Harry

[Jaap]

Hi,
For wintercamping I have good experience with a total package;

Ofcourse a good sleeping bag (-30degrees C) and a good inflatable pad; a thermarest normal length.
But to fill the gap between really cold and acceptable cold, I buy a sort of thin foam and use it as a  'carpet' covering the complete floor. The foam is about 1mm thick and has less weight then a normal closed cell pad.
The advantage is that when you roll over during the night it's not that cold. Also in the morning when you have to pack your stuff again, it's not that cold.
I buy the stuf in an outdoor shop and it is not that expensive. Because it is very thin, it doesn't last that long. normally I use one piece for one week.

greetings, Jaap

[617]

I have 2 pads:
a) thermarest inflatable mattress
b) thermarest foam

Questions, for maximum comfort/warmth:
a) foam on the ground, then the inflatable and then the sleeping bag?
b) the foam has a green and a grey side... any difference which side up/down?