As Heber pointed out “The Walmart blue CCF pad (the eggcrate one) is nice and wide and costs like $12 or something.”

If you can sleep on hard ground, and your funds are low, then that is probably a good idea for you. Cut it to the size you want. I find putting the bumps down to be more comfortable.

I like PhilBiker’s insight “If your only complaint sleeping on the ground is the cold, not the hardness of it, save your money and save weight and buy a closed cell pad!”

And Wolfeye pointed out “I think Gossamer Gear makes thin pads for the purpose of warmth rather than comfort.”

I always use this (2 oz) in summer and winter because of the following:
1. keeps my sleeping bag from sliding around the tent. This way you don’t have to put sticky stripes on your tent floor that are useless after 4 nights.
2. In summer, this goes mainly under my leg section while I use one of the following under my torso (depends on my mood):
a) gg’s NightLight Torso pad bumps down (3.6oz) with open cell foam on top (11x17x1.5, 3.5oz egg crate bumps up)
b) Bozeman self inflateable torso pad, 10oz, packs very small
c) Thermarest prolite 4, short 16oz (lighter than claimed), pretty comfy
d) Woman’s prolite 4 (if doing short days), 24oz. The most comfortable I’ve been on
3. In Winter I use gg’s NightLite 3/4 pad. I even feel my body heat radiating back to me with this combo. Let the Thinlight extend to under your feet. Also put the pack under your feet.

I’m one of the few that tried air mats and couldn’t feel comfortable on them. And I didn’t like the hassle of blowing them up every night for 3 weeks.


-Barry