PSA: My new sleeping pad popped on its first trip in the Sierras

I bought a fancy inflatable pad rated for 'extreme conditions' and a sharp pine cone punctured it while I was setting up camp. I learned that a high R-value doesn't mean much if the material isn't durable. Anyone have a go-to pad that can actually handle rough ground?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty1262mo ago

Guess you get what you pay for, huh?

ray7232mo ago

But a pine cone? That's just bad luck, not a real test of the pad. I've used cheap foam pads for years on way worse ground and never had a pop. Makes me wonder if the super light materials are just more fragile by design.