Tags
camping, camping products, coleman, hiking, outdoors, pad, Product, product review, REI, review, sleeping, tent
When I first started camping, it was pretty costly. We had to buy the tent, sleeping bag, stove, backpack, and the list goes on and on. Its safe to say we wanted to get products at a cheap price. We needed a sleeping pad and the cheapest one we found was a Coleman sleeping pad for $30 at Walmart. They claim its self-inflating and holds up al night but you have to blow it up yourself multiple times during the night. You don’t get a good night sleep while using this pad- and a good night’s sleep is super important to me!
We were on a quest to find a good sleeping pad. We love REI and every product we’ve bought from there has lived up to its name. My boyfriend bought me the REI Women’s Trekker sleeping pad and its been great! This is a self-inflating pad as well, but I always end up blowing it up more because I like a more firm sleeping pad. This pad does hold up all night and is very comfortable. Its 2.8 lbs, 1.75 inches thick, and actually fits back into the bag like all REI products. Its $69.50 but completely worth it to dish out a little cash for a great product! I would recommend this pad to all the ladies! They have a men’s 1.75 trekker my boyfriend uses and he loves it!
I would always start out cheap and work my way up by upgrading because 1.) you don’t want to dish out cash for a product you don’t like, and 2.) I’m always way more appreciative for my products when I start from the bottom. Does anyone have anyone have any advice or products the love when it comes to sleeping pads?
Girly Camping® 
Good advice! I’ll check into getting one of these.
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Hammocks are best for me:-)
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I have yet to use a hammock! But I’ve always wanted to try one outdoors 🙂
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I bought one from Cabelas for $89, it works well, but like you I have discovered REI and bought many other camping products from them. Love REI!
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Yeah, it’s great to find a brand you love and stick to it!
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I use a Thermarest BaseCamp Sleeping Pad very similar to yours. If you ever want something more compact, the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Pad folds up to the size of a Nalgene water bottle. I purchased both from REI. I’ve been happy with everything I’ve purchased from REI.
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My queen size double tall air mattress 🙂 We don’t hike/camp, we just go camping and my tent always has room for my air mattress! 🙂
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I’ve tried about everything as a sleeping pad. When I was younger, the quilt that my great-grandmother made for me did the trick. But, I wore it out from using it so much. Since then, I have tried many different products, and have decided to never again use anything that holds air, as they always fail eventually, usually in the middle of the night. I’ve been using a memory foam mattress pad, but that didn’t really cut it as far as softness. Since I camp out of my vehicle, I have purchased a Cabela’s tent cot, and it does the trick with the foam pad. I don’t know what I would use if I backpacked overnight.
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Thermarest Base Camp is my choice when I am tent camping. It is supposed to be self-inflating, but I always finish blowing it up myself because I like a firm sleeping pad. For me a good sleeping pad is the difference between hating camping and loving camping! If I had the space, I would double up and put a foam pad under the Thermarest for added insulation and comfort.
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Can anyone recommend a cot? I cannot get up from the ground due to knee problems and I want to start tent camping, but I need something elevated to sleep on. Thanks.
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My favorite cot when I’m camping, is the “Byer Allagash Plus Cot”, about $55. It fits nicely in my 2 man tent, sits low to the ground, folds up nice and compact and fits in my motorcycle trailer. The only drawback is it takes a little muscle power to attach the legs each time. If you’re not concerned with size or weight, I use the “Byer Easy Cot”, about $75. It sits high off the ground, heavy and heavy duty, no assembly required. Just take it out of the bag and it opens up. I keep this one at home. I purchased both from REI.
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I have knee problems too! Actually, I’m still on crutches from a knee surgery 3 weeks ago. I haven’t tried a cot and I’m not sure of any recommendations… @quietsolopursuits has the Cabela’s tent cot that works. Can anyone else recommend a cot?
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If I am trekking it’s the Big Agnes insulated air core all the way!. It is designed to slot into my big agnes sleeping bag so I never roll off! It’s the best sleep system I’ve used but it is pricey! If it’s car camping I roll out a Coleman double air mattress with pillows and duvet from my normal bed for the perfect night sleep!
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Well, thank you very much! I had never heard of REI, but went to the website after reading your post this morning and was thrilled to find a great pair of lightweight, easy-wash, travel pants. I’d worn a pair of Columbia’s until they were transparently thin, but that company discontinued the style so I couldn’t re-order (aaarrggghhh!). Now my REI pair are on their way to me and I have Girly Camping to thank!
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I’d recommend the opposite approach (buy the best; a lot of people buy cheap and buy twice, eg replace the first one with a better version), especially since REI has such a generous return policy.
But you’re 200 % right, if that’s possible. A friend and I camped on a ridge to do some stargazing and hang out with the mountain goats. It got down to about 30 F at night. Which, I guess, was a good thing, it meant there was snow around, and that was our only source of water. But he had bought the cheapest pad he could find, whereas I had got the fancy pants NeoAir one with an R-value of 5.7, which means supremely well insulated. We both had a soft place to sleep, but guess which of us froze and which one was toasty through the night?
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Just have U2 playing in my head: “Still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” Of all the pads I’ve tried over the years, none of them are comfortable enough for me to actually enjoy sleeping on them. But, I’m okay with that, because when I’m camping or backpacking, I’m not there to sleep anyway. 😉
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