Best Sleeping Bag Pad
Why You Need Thermarest Mattress Pads

It doesn't matter how much you spend on a sleeping bag - If you camp without a sleeping bag pad, you risk a night of unpleasantness and ruining your vacation by getting sick as the ground sucks away your body heat.

You can clear the best campsite, but without a mattress between you and the ground, your body will lose heat through the night and you are likely to catch a cold.

But who wants to spend an hour clearing a campsite anyway?

With a sleeping bag pad, you do not need to worry about rocks or sticks poking through and grinding against your back as you desperately try regaining energy for the next day's adventures.

For ultralight backpackers who worry over every ounce, technological advances have made sleeping bag pads lightweight and durable. What's more is that it will keep your down sleeping bag from getting wet through the night and ruining its usefulness.

Advantages of Sleeping Bag Pads

Here is the straight up, honest truth: no serious camper or backpacker plans a vacation without a sleeping mattress in their arsenal of backpacking equipment.

Getting sick is just not worth it.

And there are numerous ways you can get sick without a mattress below you:

• Loss of body heat - Even camping in the desert requires a pad as the ground gets cold through the night and sucks your body heat



• Bad night sleep - A pad provides an extra layer between your body and any objects on the ground, such as rocks and sticks, allowing you a decent night's sleep



• Sleeping bag gets wet - Down sleeping bags become useless when wet - a sleeping bag mattress between your bag and the ground prevents your sleeping bag from getting wet through the night

Thermarest Mattress Pads

Unquestionably, Thermarest constructs the best sleeping bag pads on the market. They offer consumers an array of options to best meet their needs: from ultralight mattress pads to heavier ones designed for front country camping that provide ultimate comfort.

But Thermarest does not provide in-house mattress pads for your everyday use. For that, I'd recommend checking out this great resource on mattress pads.

Below are recommendations for the best Thermarest mattress pads available for every type of outdoor use.

Thermarest Prolite Plus

The Therma-a-rest ProLite Plus offers hikers and backpackers unrivaled freedom in nature. Using patented technology, this Thermarest pad compacts into nearly-nothing and weighs a mere 16 ounces.

No other sleeping bag pad allows you to trek faster and further.

Advantages of the Thermarest ProLite Plus include:

Blowing up my thermarest prolite mattress pad

• Ultralight - Thermarest has incorporated innovative, new material to reduce this mattress pad's weight by 25%



• Compact - A tapered, ergonomic design allows you to roll this baby up into a tiny ball



• Nonslip - The bottom is equipped with grip-dots to keep it snug and secure beneath you while slumbering



• Year-round Use - This Thermarest mattress pad is usable through 4 seasons



• Lifetime warranty - Don't be afraid to get dirty with this, as Thermarest provides a lifetime warranty

Learn more about the Thermarest ProLite Plus

Thermarest Trail Pro

One of the most versatile Thermarest mattress pads is theThermarest Trail Pro. Designed to be both lightweight, rugged, and durable, this is the perfect sleeping bag pad for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy mild backpacking trips and frontcountry camping.

Advantages of the Thermarest Trail Pro include:

• Lightweight - This Thermarest pad weighs in at a mere 2 pounds



• Thickness - Don't worry about comfort - at 2 inches thick, you have all the protection needed



• Puncture Resistant - Using a Toughskin design makes this air mattress sleeping bag pad resistant to all sharp objects that may puncture it

Learn more about the Thermarest Trail Pro

Thermarest Ridge Rest Deluxe

For those that enjoy returning to a frontcountry campsite after an afternoon of day hikes, no sleeping bag pad is better than the Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Deluxe

Advantages of the Thermarest Ridgerest Deluxe include:

• Price - This Thermarest pad is the most economical choice of mattress pads



• Year Round Use - 4 season sleeping mattress for under 50 bucks? Can't beat it!



• Durability - This Thermarest mattress pad is thick and durable to withstand any external pressures



• Lifetime Warranty - Don't worry if the kids beat it up - if it gets punctured, get a new one for free!

Learn more about the Therm-a-Rest Ridge Rest Deluxe

More Sleeping Bag Information

Best Sleeping Bag: Don't let cold weather or wet nights ruin your vacation -- learn how to pick the Best Sleeping Bag for you

Top 5 Sleeping Bags: Sleeping Bag Reviews of the best sleeping bag models.

Store it right: Proper sleeping bag storage is vital to ensuring the longevity of your newly purchased sleeping bag.

Backpacking Sleeping Bags: For overnight wilderness adventures, you need an Ultralight Sleeping Bag

Kid Sleeping Bags: Don't have your child get sick in a hand-me-down sleeping bag. Reviews of the best youth sleeping bags and why your boy or girl needs one.

Marmot Sleeping Bags Marmot makes some of the best sleeping bags on the market. Read reviews of Marmot Sleeping Bags

Discount Sleeping Bags: Learn tips and secrets for finding a cheap sleeping bag

Sleep next to a warm body: If you plan to only car camp, consider purchasing double sleeping bags.

Compress Your Sleeping Bag: The best way to save room and cut down on weight in your backpack is with compact sleeping bags

Taking Your Dog: Interested in taking your dog camping? Read my advice on hiking with your dog and find a dog sleeping bag to keep your canine warm.

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sleeping bag pad advice to the Glacier National Park Travel Guide