Backpacking pad carry?

What is this 'fowum pod' of which you speak? Real campers sleep on pine boughs and plastic bags filled with leaves! Man up! :D

I actually just picked up a cheap closed-cell foam pad from Walmart and have had trouble figuring out how to carry it on my gear. I use a Snugpak Rocket Pak and the least awkward way for me to attach it is to remove one of the side packs and strap my pad in it's place. In the past, I've had pads on the top, front, and bottom of my pack and it was always too awkward or it caught on thing while bushwhacking. I almost tried putting it in my main compartment, unrolled like you described but also found it took up too much space. I've hear of ultra-light guys with larger packs cutting down their pads a bit and then folding them in half or thirds to make an internal frame of sorts, wierd if you ask me. It's really going to take a fair amount of experimentation on your part to find a setup that works best for you.
 
OK, here ya go. Not the only way, but it does solve the problem of "where do I lash my foam pad to?"

Pad inside pack stuffed with ancient ginormous sleeping bag just to show how it is done. Knife included, just for fun.


 
I used to use one but decided that I wasn't getting enough back from it for it to be worth the space. I would wrap it around my sleeping bag and tie the whole mess onto the pack.
 
Where the heck do you find a flat rock large enough to sleep on?

Even if you did, it would be COLD as Sh** to sleep on after October!!
 
Raisedby wolves said:
Where the heck do you find a flat rock large enough to sleep on?

Even if you did, it would be COLD as Sh** to sleep on after October!!
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not totally flat, just flat enough to lay on, on mountains. Not a good idea in the cold, but it's better than air conditioning in the summer.
 
Cut the foam pad lengthwise in half or thirds, and tape the lengths back together, then strap it after rolling to the top or bottom of your pack so the ends don't stick out.

also, you can cut the pad into a two thirds length and rest your feet on the ground or on something else.

I use a prolite now, and put it in my stuff sack with my sleeping bag.
 
Seems like there isn't any one BEST way, but I would think that it might depend on where you are and the type of country you are traveling through.
In open arid country on well established trails it probaly wouldn't matter. Any method would seem to work equally as well.
But in heavy cover with narrow or no established trails or when bushwacking probably in the pack or vertical on the side or back might work better.
 
bentblade said:
Seems like there isn't any one BEST way, but I would think that it might depend on where you are and the type of country you are traveling through.
In open arid country on well established trails it probaly wouldn't matter. Any method would seem to work equally as well.
But in heavy cover with narrow or no established trails or when bushwacking probably in the pack or vertical on the side or back might work better.
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I agree, there isn't a "best" way. It is interesting how many different ways people chose to carry pads though, and their reasons for their choice. I am not surprised by the number who don't use a pad either. There were times back last century when I didn't use one. Most of my camping was on river gravel bars and I would scoop out hip and shoulder pockets in the gravel.

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"Back in the day", I also carried other items strapped to the outside of my backpack. I still see people on the local trails who do this (canteens, shoes, bags, metal cups), so I guess it is still a common thing. For myself, the less I have swinging, flopping around on the outside of my pack, the better I like it. This is one reason I like internal frame packs. Streamlined carry? Dunno. I'll see if I still have my medium Alice pack and pass it on if I do.

Michael
 
I often use the basic blue foam (the hard one, not the soft one) that I've cut down to about 50" (shoulders to knees) by about 17" (just wide enough for my shoulders lying on my front). It weighs alot less, and it packs much smaller too.

I usually try to find a naturally padded spot to sleep, so the pad is pretty much only for insulation, not comfort.

I carry my pad wherever it fits, which varies depending on the pack. For a warm weather overnighter, I often take my Camelbak Rim Runner, which has a bungee on the front of the pack. The pad fits nicely vertically on that. (picture in this review)

Some larger packs will take the pad inside them, with enough room for the rest of my gear, but usually it takes up too much space. As often as not, it's simply lashed horizontally to the top or bottom of the pack.
 
I moved up to a Big Agnes inflatable. 2.5" of great sleeping. As mentioned before, it is expensive, and it takes about 25 deep breaths to blow up. It packs down to the size of a nalgene though, and I get a great night's sleep.

Next upgrades are a down sleeping bag (Marmot Helium 15 degree I think) and either a Big Agnes tent or a bivy to cut shelter size/weight.
 
eomeo said:
I moved up to a Big Agnes inflatable. 2.5" of great sleeping. As mentioned before, it is expensive, and it takes about 25 deep breaths to blow up. It packs down to the size of a nalgene though, and I get a great night's sleep.

Next upgrades are a down sleeping bag (Marmot Helium 15 degree I think) and either a Big Agnes tent or a bivy to cut shelter size/weight.
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I strongly suspect this will be my next upgrade in my new backpacking kit I am putting together. 25 deep breaths? Where is my smoker conversion chart! :o
 
I go with a Z-lite looped on the side of the pack. Doesn't get hooked on stuff and nice to have it handy for a quick siesta or dry seat for lunch. It's wrapped with a piece of tyvek used as a ground cloth.

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Codger_64 said:
Wow! Those Big Agnes and Thermorest inflatable pads are pricey! (I gave about $6 for the blue foam pad). I could use a better pad for sure though. Self-inflating sounds good. But still, to drop nearly a c-note on a pad is beyond my budget just now. How is the Z-pad different from the blue foam pad? Any thicker? I've seen them for around $30, I think.

Thanks for the input guys. Maybe I can find a better pad used from someone upgrading (or retiring).

By the way, I am not attracted to hammoks at all, though I read great things from people who use them.
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I think that the z-pad is more compact when folded and gives more padding than the blue foam or the Ridgerest because the egg crates are deeper than on other closed cell foam pads and nest together perfectly. Another benefit is that once you fold it up, it doesn't try to expand like a rolled pad does. I've used all three and definately preffer the z rest. YMMV

Brandon :thumbup:
 
bkduckworth said:
I think that the z-pad is more compact when folded and gives more padding than the blue foam or the Ridgerest because the egg crates are deeper than on other closed cell foam pads and nest together perfectly. Another benefit is that once you fold it up, it doesn't try to expand like a rolled pad does. I've used all three and definately preffer the z rest. YMMV

Brandon :thumbup:
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The Z-Rest is definitely more compact than the RidgeRest when folded and easier to deal with than a rolled pad. I find that the RidgeRest is more comfortable than the Z, though I prefer an inflatable to both.
 
BlackHills said:
The Z-Rest is definitely more compact than the RidgeRest when folded and easier to deal with than a rolled pad. I find that the RidgeRest is more comfortable than the Z, though I prefer an inflatable to both.
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Well, so far, no one has given me a better way to carry my foam pad, though there have been some interesting comments from folks who carry theirs differently than I do and from what I am hearing, top or bottom crossways isn't the hassle I thought it might be and neither is vertical on the side carry.

On the downside (not really :) ) I have become convinced to try an inflatable insulated B.A. air pad. When I get one, I'll keep the blue foam for a "buddy spare". I suppose most of you have spare kits for friends you might convince to give backpacking a try?
 
Codger_64 said:
On the downside (not really :) ) I have become convinced to try an inflatable insulated B.A. air pad. When I get one, I'll keep the blue foam for a "buddy spare". I suppose most of you have spare kits for friends you might convince to give backpacking a try?
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I hear the B.A. pads are quite nice and I doubt you can go wrong there. As for spares, I have several. :o One reason I have both closed cell and inflatable pads is that I can mix them in the winter; closed on the bottom to insulate and inflatable on top of it for comfort.
 
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