Hot take: expensive sleeping pads are overrated compared to cheap foam ones

Last month I went on a 3 day trip in the Smokies and brought my fancy $200 inflatable pad. First night it sprung a leak around 2am and I woke up on the ground freezing. My buddy rolled up with a basic $30 foam pad from Walmart and slept like a rock the whole time. Now I'm wondering if we're all just paying for marketing hype on these high end pads. Anyone else have a cheap piece of gear that works better than the expensive version?

4 comments

4 Comments

ellis.leo22d ago

Yo, how many trips did you get out of that inflatable before it failed? Foam just works.

wendy62822d ago

@jordanblack that's the thing with inflatables, they're great until one tiny pinhole ruins your whole night lol. Foam is just way less stressful when you're trying to sleep.

burns.jenny22d ago

Right there with you. I had an inflatable mattress on a camping trip last summer and woke up flat on the ground at 3 AM. The air was gone and there was nothing I could do about it but curl up on the dirt. Switched to a foam pad after that and I sleep so much better knowing I won't sink to the floor. No way would I go back to inflatable after that experience.

jordanblack22d ago

How many trips did you get out of that inflatable before it failed? I'm trying to figure out if it was a one-time defect or if those things just aren't built to last. Because a foam pad might be bulky but at least it can't deflate on you in the middle of the night.