Here are 5 reasons why you should invest in one:
1) It will keep you warm.
Even with an expensive, down sleeping-bag on a cold night, you will still get the chills without a sleeping pad under you.
The cold ground will absorb your body heat right through your bag, and anyone who has slept in an ENO on a cold or windy night knows how the cold and wind rips right though the hammock's fabric.
Sleeping pads will stop the wind and keep body heat inside your sleeping bag.
2) It is more comfortable than the ground.
It is never easy to sleep on a hard suface, especially the uneven ones.
Sleeping pads, even the non-inflatable kind, will make it easier to stay comfortable all night.
Inflatable sleeping pads are the best because of their comfort adjustability. After fully inflating the pad you can adjust its firmness, or softness, by twisting the air valve open and closed until you find the right comfort level.
3) They offer extra protection for your (expensive) sleeping bag.
It is almost impossible to keep the inside of a tent or privy free of sticks and debris. One well placed stick is all it takes to rip a hole in your sleeping bag, which is no bueno.
Keeping you and your sleeping bag off the tent or privy floor will reduce the chances of waking up to a scene which looks like you killed a flock of geese in your sleep, plucked all their feathers out and spread them around you. A two-inch stick can turn into an expensive problem.
4) There is a sleeping pad out there for everyone.
With a high demand for sleeping pads, companies make pads for individuals of most sizes. Whether you are tall or short, wide or thin, there is a pad out there that will fit your specifications and desired comfort.
5) They are lightweight and compact.
Ultra-light backpacking and compact gear are nothing new to the outdoor community, including sleeping pad manufacturers.
Though the more light and compact products are generally more expensive, a light and compact sleeping pad for hikers with a limited budget is not out of the question.
Which sleeping pad is the best?
Of the three pads I have tested out and slept on, here they are in order of personal preference:
The REI Trekker 1.75 Self-Inflating Pad ($69.50)
What this pad lacks in being light and compact, at a little over three pounds, it makes up for in comfort and durability.
REI made this pad right, with non-slip polyester and a very easy to use self-inflating valve.
To keep from getting dizzy due to a lack of oxygen, unpack all your gear, lay out the pad, open the valve and let it sit until you are ready to hit the sack. Though it will not fully inflate, if you let it sit for a couple hours you won't have to use more than five deep breaths to pump it up fully.
The "1.75" in the pad's title denotes its thickness. This is one of the thicker pads which allows for more adjustability while still keeping you off the ground.
The Therm-a-Rest ProLite Sleeping Pad ($59.95)
If you are looking for an ultra-light, compact sleeping pad, and don't mind a more firm sleep than the REI Trekker, this is the pad for you.
This pad weighs in at 8 ounces and packs down to about the size of a Nalgene water-bottle.
I do not like this one as much because of it's 1-inch thickness, as well as not being as wide as the Trekker. I am a little picky when it comes to sleeping.
The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol Sleeping Pad ($34.95)
This is your basic, non-inflating sleeping pad. Though it is not compact, it is very light and easy to strap to the outside of your pack.
It keeps you warm and comfortable, just not as comfy as an inflatable sleeping pad would, in my own opinion.
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