(Part 2) Best camping foam pads according to redditors
We found 84 Reddit comments discussing the best camping foam pads. We ranked the 30 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
Okay, I got this.
G4Free 40L backpack - $18.99
Paria Sanctuary Sil Tarp - $79.99
Polycro ground sheet - $7.98
Sleep pad - $16.79
Down throw - $31.95
Ultralight, summer set up straight from Amazon for about $150.
edit: oops, you said no tarp. You could add the bug net for $65 and be at ~210 for an ultralight, modular set up. Could also subtract the polycro sheet and save a few bucks if you buy the inner net.
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THINGS TO BRING:
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Next thing on the survival menu: make sure you have enough cash and convert it to Canadian before you leave. I normally suggest you bring about $150 - $200 depending on how early you plan on getting in. The cash machine can run out and I don't know how well it works with American bank accounts. ( $50/day early iirc ) Food also can get expensive.. Be ready for that
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There are a few places you can get food along the way, Kelwona is good, Castlegar is great ( No frills sells cheap food.. vegis can be meh, but for dirt cheap thats where I hit up ) Nelson is out of the way but has a "membership free bulk store" called Wholesale club.. It works but might be too large for one person
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Canadian tire will sell cheap coolers ( styrofoam etc ) so you can pick that up drop some ice in and go. Personally i hate suggesting styrofoam but you do what you need to.
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To pack your bag to save the maximum space, ROLL your clothes then push them into ziplock freezer bags. you can easily fit 2 - 3x the amount into a bag, depending on the size of your backpack and how long you will be there it can make it much easier to fit everything. Also bring a bathing suit in a spare bag. Toss it into the bag before tossing it into your backpack as you leave so it won't stink up everything.
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For clothing, shorts and tshirts work great, Lots of people love to dress up with costumes.. Now, it does get a bit chilly at night if you are not at the stages. A pair of pants and a hoodie is a good idea, ALSO KNOW, there is always a chance it could rain. so be ready for that. Normally it doesn't last long but you could get wet.
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( I will link my basic hiking setup at the bottom, I've collected this stuff over years but I can make it about 5-7 days with this, obviously you don't need everything but thats what I take hiking )
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Make sure to bring a GOOD pair of shoes for walking. When it gets dark, the paths become.. Sketchy. during the day sandals works but I always perfered my walking shoes. Water shoes are also AMAZING. The river is rockey.. Well.. only rocks.. So having something you can walk though it is super nice. You can do it bare foot and I have many times but its not always the most comfortable of things.
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https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B06Y5M3D4P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00TZRPQFI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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https://www.amazon.ca/NiceC-Ultralight-Portable-Backpacking-Festival/dp/B07F1Z4W6T/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=camping+chair&qid=1562387249&s=sports&sr=1-5
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https://www.amazon.ca/Camelbak-1122001900-Hydration-Backpacks-HydroBak/dp/B01L8JENFO/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=camelback&qid=1562387280&s=sports&sr=1-3
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https://www.amazon.ca/TOMSHOO-Cookware-Piezoelectric-Ignition-Backpacking/dp/B01JLMM0YG/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=hiking+stove&qid=1562387297&s=sports&sr=1-4
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https://www.amazon.ca/Mountain-Warehouse-Roll-Mat-Lightweight/dp/B00FB6D06Y/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=camp+foam&qid=1562387485&s=sports&sr=1-9
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https://www.amazon.ca/Sports-ComfortLite-Self-Inflating-Comfortably-Backpacking/dp/B009L1MF7A/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=hiking+pillow&qid=1562387513&s=sports&sr=1-5
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https://www.amazon.ca/BOGI-Microfiber-Travel-Sports-Compact/dp/B077VK4TDW/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=camp+towels&qid=1562387529&s=sports&sr=1-2
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-This was generous gift from my SO's mom. It may not be the best tent out there, but at free it can't be beat.
-Got this for its small size and light weight. Future winter camping trips are a possibility, in which case I plan on snagging a wool blanket of sleeping bag liner.
-Simple basic sleeping pad, I've been using these since scouts and have wanted for nothing more, especially because of its light weight.
-In the event of winter camping, is this enough to insulate from the ground? If not, what could be added to my sleep system to keep me insulated from the ground?
-Lightweight and simple, these were cheap and seemed straight forward.
-They stack with the majority of either piece's empty space facing each other, allowing for decently dry storage for matches etc. inside.
-Comes with a tight fitting mesh ditty bag
-Another straight forward and cheap piece,
-This is really an optional piece, I plan on bringing it along on trips with big groups or when cooking meat is in the cards.
-These are the camping gold standard in my book, been using them since scouts.
-Came in a decently affordable combo pack, plan on using them for food/toiletries storage and bear bags.
-Love this little knife, cheap but durable and was a shaver straight out of the box.
-Came with a super thick plastic sheath
9)Hatchet: Estwing Hatchet - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TNWD40?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
-Heard this was a classic, people say they've still got the one's their grandfather's used. It's heavy, but I'm happy with the tradeoff.
-Got it sharpened well enough to cleanly slice through paper at the moment
-Great sharpener, pretty much the go to field sharpener from what I've gathered.
-Only took a couple minutes to learn how to use, the only hard part is consistently following the bevel through each stroke, but it gets easier.
-Very great, medium size towels with their own tote
-Seems great, picked it up at REI physical store then read reviews and got spooked, we'll see though, a minority of the reviewers swear by it.
-Just in case it sucks, any suggestions for a collapsible water container of equal size/price?
-These came free with my water filter, and they have many good reviews. If they do well, I may buy some extras.
-More showing of my primitivist ass, and I thought I could take some weight off of my SO by carrying enough water for the two of us.
-Got these a long time ago when I knew less, they are pretty bulky and my first item I want to replace
-SO's mom gifted this this Christmas, so amazing and thoughtful, one of the best gifts I've ever gotten and I love the color
-Pack of flashlights (might not bring all four) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V639BNC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
Items not shown:
-Always a tin or bag of Drum Tobacco and papers
-Kindle, old generation one
-Collapsible trowel
-Paracord
-Burlap shoulder bag for gathering kindling etc
Items still wanted (suggestions greatly appreciated):
-Knife for SO
-Work gloves
-Plastic flasks for booze
-Belt pouch
-Higher quality tarp
-Knife Sharpener
-Sleeping bag liner or wool blanket
-Any food suggestions!
-Rain cover for pack
-Smell proof food bags
I don't have much experience outside of scouts, so I'm very open to critique of my setup. I will warn that I am very much into primitivism, and camping for me is a gateway to a backcountry, esthetic lifestyle I one day I hope to live, so some of my gear choices may not always be the most efficient. Any advice from a primitivist or purist standpoint is doubly appreciated.
If you got the dough, I've used this the past couple years at firefly. Very comfy and spacious. Also very well made, can handle around 500 lbs! Also, the pad is great. My bro and I each bought one for fests.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000P6BGYI/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1458104420&sr=8-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=cot&dpPl=1&dpID=31XP6vttQ0L&ref=plSrch
TETON Sports Adventurer Camp Pad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GV3YSV2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_1Jo6wbPDHFMWD
Get one of these (or similar) and stick it under your current pad. Cheap, light (should be no more than 150g), the only drawback is the bulk.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yellowstone-Eva-Camping-Mat-Foil/dp/B0037CF68E/ref=asc_df_B0037CF68E/
Just a long blue foam pad like this one. Cheap, light, and reliable.
I use just a regular foam pad like this: http://www.amazon.com/Texsport-Pack-Lite-Pad-72-20-Inch/dp/B0019KHLIY/ref=sr_1_23?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1419754041&sr=1-23
I think yours would work as long as it's not too wide.
This is turning into a huge snow year. Assuming you start mid/late April you'd probably reach Kennedy Meadows before June. It can get very cold in the Sierras in the early season. Here's the pad I was talking about. Just cut off a few sections. 11oz as is.
https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Mountaineering-Sleeping-Dampproof-Mattress/dp/B014KP5SZ2/ref=sr_1_8?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1484670930&sr=1-8&keywords=foam+sleeping+pad
I'd go with the MLD Spirit 28 or make a 20-30 syn quilt. You can also get a semi disposable vapor barrier bivy or a Western Mountaineering Hotsac vbl. Both around 4-5 oz but will greatly extend the warmth of your quilt. Maybe keep it for 3-4 weeks in the Sierras until it warms up.
Keep in mind that you'll probably hit a lot of snow once you get to the Sierras. Goretex gaiters, traction (Microspikes) and an ice axe are things to think about. Forester Pass is kind of sketchy on the South side even without snow. Well, I have medium fear of heights. I can't imagine how scary it'd be iced up. 😁😁😁
At your probable pace, you could also leave later in the season a la Anish and avoid all those issues. Late May? You'd only have to worry about the heat in the desert but I don't think it'd be any hotter than starting mid April.
There are very thin foam and inflatable sleeping pads used by backpackers. Those range from dead cheap (check out an Army surplus sleeping pad) to quite pricey. The expensive ones are expensive because they are ultra-light, which is not a factor you're interested in.
https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Military-Issue-Foam-Sleeping/dp/B01KILGO0A/ref=sr_1_2
https://www.rei.com/c/sleeping-pads
No, because when I go camping, I avoid putting my bedroll on sharp objects. If that truly is an unavoidable issue, get a foam mat, maybe?