air mattress

[caryo15]

I've read that you do not want to sleep on an air mattress in cold weather. Why is this? What does everyone use? Cot, sleeping pad, foam?
Cary

 

[1_pointer]

Just a straight air mattress insulates less than a foam one. I use a Big Agnes sleeping bag with the Air Core pad (just a small air mattress w/o foam) till about 32ºF then add a 1/4" foam pad underneath it till about 10ºF. That's about as cold as this bag will go.

 

[Graycliff]

1 pointer is right, you need an insulating material of some kind between you and the groung. I use a 1 1/2" self infalting pad w/a closed cell pad under that. Nothing worse that a cold miserable night's sleep.

 

[KC]

caryo15:

A straight air mattress does not insulate very well. A foam pad works better. When car camping, I put my sleeping bag on a self inflating foam pad and a cot.

KC