Fall Camping: Air Mattress vs Foam Mat

[MERLINSMOM]

Hi All

We just came back from a wonderful weekend at Fish Creek and on Saturday the temperature dipped down to a frisky 4 ºC, which is pretty cold

    .
I did have a heater with me, but felt the cool through the air mattress. Would a foam mattress be a better choice? or houw about sleeping off the ground on a cot? Any comments and staying warm at night?

Thanks
Kathy

[kkirsch]

Self inflating Foam pads work best when

     it is cold

     or closed cell foam. Air matresses have to much open space to be a good insulator and cots do the same unless you have a foam matress on top. Best tents for cold weather are smaller and lower so there isn't as much air to heat up. If you are tenting when the temps dip it is also a good idea to put pineneedles and or leaves under where

     you pitch your tent for extra insulation both from temps and moisture. Also raking leaves and or needles up against the side of the tent will help as well.

[MERLINSMOM]

Thank you so much for the reply.
I'm going

     to add that to my list of updated equipment.
I had such a nice time, I just re-booked

     for the long weekend and want to make sure we stay nice and warm!

[C&S]

Definitely an air mattress is going

     to let the cold air get to you. We use double-height air mattresses due to bad backs and my hubby's bad knee, and we often wake up a little stiff due to the cold air. We've learned to line our sleeping bags with fleece, and even layer a fleece blanket between the sleeping bag and the air mattress to add extra insulation.

If you want to keep the tent floor extra toasty for your dogs

    , try getting a piece of Tyvek house-wrap to place underneath, helps keep the chill out.

~sylvie

[MERLINSMOM]

ok. thank you for the tip Sylvie.
I've pretty much decided to use a foam lined cot, and will purchase another one for the dogs

     too!
I'm kind of sorry now that I bought the air mattress to begin with. I wish I had known beforehand, but nonetheless!
We will be better prepared this next time.

[kkirsch]

If you get a self inflating foam mattress be sure to check it out really well. They are pricey and some really good ones but there are a bunch out there that are of poor quality in the seams and at the valves. If you are really worried about the cold and being off the ground you may want to give this a try, http://store.kamprite.com/catalog/Kamp-Rite-Double-TentCot-p-16140.html

[MERLINSMOM]

Who

    a!!!! That sure is a beauty, but probably a lot more elaborate than I need!!!

[BigDaveyL]

Definitely an air mattress is going

     to let the cold air get to you. We use double-height air mattresses due to bad backs and my hubby's bad knee, and we often wake up a little stiff due to the cold air. We've learned to line our sleeping bags with fleece, and even layer a fleece blanket between the sleeping bag and the air mattress to add extra insulation.

If you want to keep the tent floor extra toasty for your dogs

    , try getting a piece of Tyvek house-wrap to place underneath, helps keep the chill out.

~sylvie

I have a Colman sleelping bag, rated at from 20-40F.
It does have removeable fleece.
It works well.

I also have a thick flannel Coleman one - don't use it much in the summer for obvious reasons. Works well too!