Tried a cheap inflatable pad vs my old foam pad on a 4 night trip in the Smokies

I've been using a closed cell foam pad for years and finally got sick of the bulk. Picked up a $40 Amazon inflatable pad that had decent reviews. First night I woke up flat on the ground at 3am with my hip digging into a root. Patched it twice but gave up and slept on my foam pad the rest of the trip. The lightweight pack was nice but not worth waking up cold and sore. Anyone else tried switching and found a inflatable that actually holds air for more than one night?

2 comments

2 Comments

calebw502d agoTop Commenter

Man that sucks, I feel your pain lol. Waking up on the ground at 3am is the worst feeling ever, especially when you're already tired from hiking all day.

the_dakota4d ago

I read somewhere that some of those cheap inflatable pads use a really thin material that just doesn't hold up to rough ground. A buddy of mine in a hiking group tried one of the same Amazon pads and said the same thing happened to him, like the seams are the weak spot. I've been using a Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol for years now and while it's not as cushy, I've never woken up on the dirt. There's a reason those foam pads are still around, they just work. You might get lucky with a more expensive inflatable but in my experience, the cheap ones are a gamble. Take that with a grain of salt though, maybe you just got a dud.