All about Backcountry Beds

Self Inflaters
While self-inflating mattresses are two or three times pricier and heavier than foam pads, they're immensely more popular among backcountry travelers for one very good reason: they're just plain cushy.

Self-inflaters inflate in minutes at the twist of a valve, though you usually have to firm them up with a few breaths. When shopping for a self-inflater, look for these features:

• Independent air chambers beneath your head, torso, hips, and legs. These allow you to customize the firmness of your bed.
• A nonslip surface to keep your sleeping bag from sliding on sloping ground.
• A repair kit, since a flat mattress offers precious little padding and insulation against the hard, cold ground. Before any trip, make sure the glue in your repair kit has not dried up if you've previously opened the tube. You can often repair pinholes in a pad by smearing a little glue into the hole and letting it dry.
• A built-in pillow (optional).

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  Foam Pads
  Though more Spartan than self-inflating mattresses, foam pads have the advantage of being lightweight and inexpensive. Full-length pads weigh less than a pound, and short pads may be a half pound or less. Plus, you can sit or lie on a foam pad out on bare ground without worry about damaging it.
  

  When shopping for foam pads, look for:

• Closed-cell foam, which does not absorb water. Open-cell foam pads, while even less expensive, drink up moisture like the sponges that they are, making them a poor choice for multi-day backcountry trips.
• A surface pattern to enhance comfort; though the molded surfaces tend to last many years, once they wear down comfort is seriously compromised. Common are ridged pads that look like a washboard and are very popular and durable, and an egg-crate pattern, which is comfortable but provides little pockets where moisture or water can collect if it gets wet or you have lots of condensation inside a tent on a cold night.

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  Make Your Bed Last and Last
  To ensure the long life of a foam pad, simply store it dry to prevent mildew build-up. In the field, lash it to the bottom edge of your pack to make a handy"kickstand" for your pack.Self-inflating mattresses take a bit more care. In the backcountry, keep the mattress away from sharp objects and heat sources, and transport your inflatable in a nylon stuff sack. Minimize the number of breaths you blow into the mattress by allowing sufficient time for it to inflate on its own. Always carry a repair kit. At home, store the mattress unrolled, because keeping it compressed will kill its ability to self-inflate. Keep the valve open so that mildew-causing moisture can escape from inside.