Hot take: I chose a cheap foam pad over a fancy inflatable one for my trip to the Smokies

Everyone in my group said I was nuts for picking a $25 foam pad from Walmart over a $150 inflatable one. But after a buddy's pad got a slow leak on the second night last year, I wanted something I knew would work. I slept on it for five nights straight near Clingmans Dome and honestly, it was fine. Has anyone else gone back to basics and been surprised?

3 comments

3 Comments

martin.angela20d ago

Get where you're coming from, but my back just can't do foam anymore. Had to switch after a trip where I barely slept and felt wrecked all day. The inflatable is worth the five minute check for me.

tara74528d ago

Wait, you checked your pad before every trip and still had a leak? That's the part that gets me. If a careful check can't stop it, then the hassle isn't small, it's a guarantee. My foam pad is just a piece of foam. It can't fail. That's the whole point.

uma_nguyen2428d ago

Honestly, that sounds miserable to me. A foam pad just doesn't give enough cushion on real ground. I'd rather take the small risk of a leak and actually sleep well. My back would be killing me after five nights on foam. I bring a repair kit and check my inflatable pad before every trip. The comfort is worth the extra hassle for me.