Oh boy, I probably have more of these than I care admit.

Funny thing is I still use them all.  My fav winer setup for truck camping for example is a low profile tent (easier to heat) and double pads.  I use a foam lower and self inflating upper.  This gives great insulation and the comfort of a bed.

Self inflating, I won't go much into since you already know their problem, weight/size.

The cheap blue foam pads though light as hell offer little if any comfort and poor insulation. Still they are light enough and so cheap you can always pack one with your primary when it's really cold out or you know you're going to be in a very rocky area.

The Military pads, although I like the ruggedness and rough anti-slip exterior, they really are made for a 20 year old and the comfort level really sucks.

The "Z" is without a doubt the lightest and neatest concept out there.  It folds up in a square and has an optional (well worth it) stuff sack making it a snap to put down and take up.  It offers relative comfort, not the best for a foam but not the worst.  My big negative on this one is it squeeks when you turn at night.  I still use my Zs.  They are perfect for keeping your BOV for those emergency stay in the BOV nights since they are so compact and stay together so well.  

The one I centered on as my primary and IMHO still the best solid foam out there is the Thermorest Ridgerest.  Unlike the "Z", it's a very dense foam almost as dense at the Military.  Unlike the military it's ridge design adds a heck of alot more comfort for the weight.  Although not heavy, it is bulky and the trick to it's use is to roll it then use paracord to keep it tight.  



Thermorest Ridgerest.

I was actually turned on to the Ridgerest by a guy, check this, who makes his living hiking trails and then writing for magazines.  Met him on the trail while I was using a Z which he advised he had tried and went back to the Ridgerest.

IHMO, the Ridgerest is to pads like the Zippo is to lighters.  It's still out there cause it works.

Now to your first question about blow ups, well back in the days of Dinosaurs when I was in the military, that's what we used.  I'd say they suck but the right expression is they blow and I spent more time sleeping on the hard ground than that thing could stay inflated.  Keep in mind, this was MIL spec gear and much heavier duty than say a water float.  

The bottomline to any inflatable is for survival you won't always have the luxury of setting up camp before dark or using the light from hell to find every twig or sharp rock that can poke a hole in the things.

Tj

I have used a number of Thermorest and the REI house brand self inflatables but I have switched over to the Big Agnes Insulated Aircore. The bottom line is that Thermorest self inflating pads require air in order to provide insulation from the cold ground. If they get a hole they are about useless.

The cheap blue pads are not comfortable at all and I find that I don't really like any of the non inflated pads although they may be more appropriate for a BOB.

What really won me over to the Big Agnes Aircore is that it slips inside the pocket in the back of their sleeping bag and you can deflate and stuff the bag, with the pad inside, into a compression sack. I got tired of constantly crawling back onto my Thermorest pad a hundred times a night. Maybe I flop around more than normal.

Of course they don't make all these different pads because there is one perfect one for everyone.

Quoted: what are these pad things you are talking about ? i dont need one with my hammock

How about next winter you do a camp say mid January in that Hammock and get back to us.

Kidding aside, when you sleep in a sleeping bag your body weight will compress the insulation.  Although ground (frozen/ice) is the worst air especially moving air can be almost as bad.  It's really a good idea to use pads on both cots and hammocks in winter.

Tj

Quoted: nope i have no problem in winter in my hammock. i have done 30 degrees and been too warm. i use both a hennessy ( summer, netting for bugs ) and a speer type for winter i have no doubt i could go down to 10 degrees if i pick a non windy spot. i have done hurrican type weather in a hammock and stayed dryier than the inlaws in a tent. its all on how and what you do. edit post 1200

30 whole degrees, wow, that puts you above about 80% of the posters, however I have seen days here in TN below zero and wind.

This is survival not camping 101 and if you want to risk you life on being able to find two trees you can tie off to, being out of the wind, and temps above 10 degrees that's your business.  It's all a matter of odds.

It's just my job to keep people alive by making sound reccommendations and part of that is pointing out falacies in blanket statements that could get someone in deep trouble.

Tj

Quoted: Quoted: 30 whole degrees, wow, that puts you above about 80% of the posters, however I have seen days here in TN below zero and wind. This is survival not camping 101 and if you want to risk you life on being able to find two trees you can tie off to, being out of the wind, and temps above 10 degrees that's your business.  It's all a matter of odds. It's just my job to keep people alive by making sound reccommendations and part of that is pointing out falacies in blanket statements that could get someone in deep trouble. Tj TJ i am not saying hammocks are the end all, but zero degrees in a hammock is not hard, but do have to pick spots that work well weither in a tent or a hammock. i also have a 4 season tent for when the weather get real cold. but most people here would not even think of going out being un preped for the season. i would not even think of carring my summer bags in the winter, nor my heavier winter bags when the temp is in the 60's. i change my set up based on the season. i was just being a smart ass, and dont recommend anyone ever go out with out testing stuff in real life, for me i have done safe tests in hammocks in cold weather for a few hours then shifted over to tents. i also love the comfort and flexabilty of a hammock, i have camped on 45 degree slope hills, when a tent would be useless. in a survival situation being able to get a good night sleep on the side of a mountain where it is hard to walk because of the slope sounds a lot safer then needing to find a flat spot to set up a tent. back to the OP sleeping pads, when its real cold i use a blue pad under a self inflater. the foam pad helps with temp while the inflatable helps with comfort. also doing dual pads helps protecting the inflatable from holes

Ah don't get me wrong Scotty, I'm not giving you a hard time on purpose buddy.  When I saw the TheOtherDaves Hennesy, I thought it one of the neatest concepts I have seen in many years.  I have camped with all kinds of guys who use hammocks some nice and some plain but I have also seen nights so cold, I would wake up to find them on the ground too.  

Although due to my age, back thingy, and the fact I have family thus have to accomodate them, it is not my choice, it certainly is one of the better ones out there.  On the otherhand my choice though a tent, I'm still in the same boat since the performance of my tent selection especially in summer is dependent on site selection (wind direction).   Those are individual choices which we shouldn't second guess since everyones need will be different.

The only point I was trying to make is sleeping bags compress and the real advantage of a pad isn't comfort but insulation from a survival standpoint.

A little off topic but as a young man for years I did alot of long distance hiking.  We didn't have all the great gear people have today and quite frankly what gear was available, I couldn't afford.  More adventures than I can count, the only sleeping gear I had was an old Army blanket and what shelter I had was what I could either build or find. I have dug quite a few trenches for hot rocks and/or coals and honestly woke up a few times with my back side on fire.

The pads are a great thing just as the modern pack shelters are but given a choice of them or a fire, I'll take the fire any day.

Tj