Camping season is just around the corner, and whether you’ll be cozying up in a tent, yurt, rustic cabin, or camper, you deserve a good night’s rest. There are amazingly lightweight backpacking pads out there, but when I am driving to my campsite, I am down for some extra padding and comfort. Enter two choices I am very satisfied with this spring camping season:
For $79, this self-inflating sleeping pad offers 2.5 inches of sleeping comfort, with a double-brass valve (this is what you need to ensure you don’t deflate in the middle of night, ending up on a pile of dirt and rocks). The total weight is 4 lbs, 15 oz, so you’re not packing this pad in, and it comfortably fits someone up to six feet tall. It comes with it’s own carry case, of course, and for the money, it’s hard to beat the value.
Want to upgrade and sleep like a king (or queen)? You get luxury support and a unique 3D shape with Thermarest’s offering to the car camping and RV world. You get over 4 inches of stable sleep surface that utilizes vertical sidewalls to maximize your space. The foam core offers up warmth in four seasons, and the stretch knit fabric on the outside is cozy (and more importantly, doesn’t leave you slipping and sliding around all night).
Such a hefty sleeping pad might seem unwieldy, and yes, it’s only for car camping and other overnights where you won’t be hiking or biking in, but you get a handy carrying case and a pump stuff sack to make blowing it up far easier. You get a two-way valve (actually, two one-way valves, one for inflation and one for deflation) and the total weight is compatible with the Kelty.
The price is $209, so you’re paying for your upgrade, but if comfort is paramount to your enjoyment of the outdoors, it’s money very well spent.