Got some advice from a park ranger about my sleeping pad and it saved my back on a 3 day trip

I was up at Yosemite last month and a ranger at the visitor center told me to put my sleeping pad on top of a foam pad for insulation. I thought he was just trying to sell me more gear but I tried it anyway with a cheap Walmart foam pad. The ground was way colder than I expected and my old inflatable alone would have been freezing. It actually worked so well I slept through the night for once. Has anyone else tried layering pads like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

nora_barnes1mo ago

I've done the foam pad under the inflatable for years, never really thought it was some kind of lifesaver. Honestly, if the ground is that cold I just wear an extra layer.

the_mia1mo ago

@nora_barnes mentioned extra layers but doesn't that get annoying when you're trying to move around? I get the point but a foam pad doesn't weigh much and keeps the ground cold from seeping up. Did you actually try the foam trick or just skip it?