Foam Sleeping Pads

Foam sleeping pads provide an extra layer of insulation between you and the cold damp ground when you're out camping - sleeping out in the great outdoors.

When you're camping out in a tent, you don't have the heat insulation or thermal mass of a house or even a wood cabin. So the air space around you cools down very quickly once the sun has set.

The ground underneath your sleeping bag will soon feel very cold, especially since the weight of your body is squashing down the air space between you and that cold earth. That's why you need extra insulation underneath you; even more than you need on the top.

A good foam sleeping pad has locked in air bubbles in it, and they provide that extra insulation. These are called closed-cell foam pads. A foam sleeping pad or an air mattress is also going to be a bit softer than the hard ground. So you'll sleep a little more comfortable as well.

If you're in your teens or twenties, the hard ground isn't going to bother you much anyway - as long as you're warm enough and dry. But if you're older, heavier and wiser, you'll see the wisdom of packing a foam sleeping pad or mattress along with your camping equipment.

Prices and qualities will vary. If you're equipping your kids for a one-off weekend hike or a youth camp, that's one thing. You'll probably be fine with a sleeping pad or a blow-up air mattress from Walmart or K-Mart. The rubber/cloth air mattresses are heavier but much stronger. The thin plastic ones are rubbish, and you'll be lucky if they last a week for sleeping purposes.

On the other hand, you might prefer one of the self-inflating type sleeping mattresses for a bit of extra comfort. You will find them at any specialist camping store or outfitter. They are heavier, bulkier and more expensive than the foam sleeping pads are, but they're wider and softer to lie on.