Quote:
Originally Posted by BigV
... sexobon's suggestion for two pads, one closed cell pad on the bottom where it's most likely to be abraded and a second inflatable pad on top for comfort/insulation is deluxe. ..
|
Oh, most certainly. For what I was doing one wants the most effective weapon, chow, and sleep accoutrements one can carry. There are priorities of work even during down time: weapons maintenance, chow, and sleep - in that order. When there's only a few hours each day to accomplish it all, for days on end, quality of sleep becomes a health concern of which comfort is a component. The aforementioned combination has worked for me on icy mountain and desert sand. For Pam, that translates into 4 season effectiveness which when carried in milder weather accommodates unforeseen changes.
A person can certainly make do with less for just camping over a long weekend. During woodland survival training where all I had was my uniform, I made a lean to out of fallen branches, brush, and slept on a pine needle mattress. What is 3/4 length pad I don't even.
A couple of other considerations:
Some backpackers, especially those going off the beaten path, are adopting the current military modular backpack approach using a main pack with a quick-detachable patrol pack. The military uses it to increase speed and maneuverability as needed. Civilians use it for storing emergency essentials to quickly lighten the load of someone who's become acutely ill or injured; but, still has to hike out or be carried out. For dual ground insulation carry, the closed cell foam pad is attached to the main pack and the air mattress is attached to the patrol pack.
As people age, they look for comfort measures to accommodate their physiological changes and enhance their quality of outdoor life. Loss of musculature and subcutaneous tissue can increase discomfort over bony prominences, joints can be painful at the end of the day even when static, and people aren't as psychologically inclined to tough out situations so much anymore if they don't have to just to get close to nature. The two pad carry that worked well for me in my past profession still works well for me in my present recreation. What a deal, money well spent.
BTW, for those who slide off their air mattresses, there are thin textured non-slip polymer sheets on the market that are tacky on both sides. They're used to keep bed linen in hospitals and nursing homes from sliding so mobility impaired patients don't accidently slide with the linen off the edges of their beds and fall. Two or three 1 sq. ft. polymer sheets should keep a sleeping bag on an air mattress.